Acts: The Gospel Unleashed Part 21

USS Squalus

USS Squalus (SS 192) was built at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and commissioned at the yard March 1, 1939, less than three months before its tragic sinking. The storm clouds of World War II were already darkening over Europe and the Pacific.

A diesel-electric vessel, she was 300 feet long and had a surface speed of 20 knots. Her armament included eight torpedo tubes, a 3-inch deck gun and .50 caliber machine guns.

By the time the saga was over, 26 Navy sailors and civilian workers would die horribly – but a team of tenacious rescuers would save the lives of 33 other crewmen. A sea chest of military decorations – including four Congressional Medals of Honor – would ultimately be awarded to men who risked their own lives to save their brethren.

The incident would go on to inspire a slew of books and films, including “The Terrible Hours” by best-selling author Peter Maas.

USS Squalus (SS-192), a diesel-electric submarine built at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire and commissioned there on 1 March 1939, suffered a catastrophic valve failure during a test dive off the Isle of Shoals at 0740 on 23 May. Partially flooded, the submarine sank to the bottom and came to rest keel down in 40 fathoms (240 feet) of water. Navy divers and salvage ships responded quickly, and the following day began operations to rescue the surviving 32 crew members and one civilian from the forward sections of the boat. At 1130 on 24 May, USS Falcon (ASR-2) lowered the newly developed McCann rescue chamber--a revised version of a diving bell invented by Commander Charles B. Momsen--and, over the next 13 hours, all 33 survivors were rescued from the stricken submarine. On 13 September, after long and difficult salvage operations, Squalus was raised and towed into the Portsmouth Navy Yard. The boat was formally decommissioned on 15 November, renamed Sailfish on 9 February 1940, and recommissioned on 15 May 1940.

A diesel-electric vessel, she was 300 feet long and had a surface speed of 20 knots. Her armament included eight torpedo tubes, a 3-inch deck gun and .50 caliber machine guns.

God moves powerfully in answering the prayers of His people.

Acts 12:1–5 ESV

1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Persecution

Harod Agrippa - This particular Herod was Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great, who tried to kill Jesus soon after he was born (Matthew 2:1-18). Herod Agrippa claimed to be a Jew. His grandfather married a Jewish woman, which, according to Jewish law, meant Herod Agrippa could legitimately make this claim.

Roman historian Josephus reports that Agrippa did everything he could to flatter the Jews and ingratiate himself into their favor. Nevertheless, it was all an act. Herod’s ambitions were political, not spiritual.

Rather than plan Peter’s escape, his friends prayed to God!

Luke 18:1 ESV

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

We should pray because we are powerless.

Mark Batterson Said,

The greatest moments in life are the miraculous moments when human impotence and divine omnipotence intersect.

Desperate times call for prayerful measures.

We should pray because God is powerful.

Adrian Rogers said,

When there is no hope on the horizontal level; there’s always hope on the vertical level.

How should we pray?

This particular word is only used Three times in the New Testament. Once it was used by Peter and the other two by Luke. Both times it is used by Luke in reference to prayer.

Jesus in the garden when he faced the cross. While Jesus prayed Peter slept.

Once when Peter faced certain execution. By the way when the church prayed Peter slept.

Apparently earnest prayer puts Peter to sleep!

Earnest prayer characterized Christ and it characterized the church!

Earnestly “Ektenos” - Stretched out -

This idea of earnestness (see niv) comes from the idea of hands stretched out to God in fervent supplication. It gives the impression of wholehearted, urgent pleading to God. While Peter was fast asleep in prison in the middle of the night (the angel had to wake him—v. 7), the church was engaged in vigilant prayer for him.

Luke is drawing a comparison between the pray life of the Lord and his church!

They prayed like Jesus.

We should pray desperately.

Acts 12:5 ESV

So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Earnest prayer - This word is only used 3 in the New Testament

2 By Luke and each time he uses it in relationship to prayer.

It is the same word Luke used to describe Jesus when he was in the garden facing the cross.

Luke 22:44 ESV

And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

We should pray continually.

The structure of the participle emphasizes the type of action taking place. - It was on going prayer. Notice how the HCSB translates it. Y

Acts 12:5 HCSB

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer was being made earnestly to God for him by the church.

We should pray expectantly.

Acts 12:6–17 ESV

6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

Ephesians 3:20 ESV

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

We pray because we are absolutly convinced that our God is able to do exceedingly, abundently, above all that we could ask or think.

Acts 12:18–25 ESV

18 Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19 And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there. 20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. 24 But the word of God increased and multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.