Spirit-Empowered Hope in the Misson & Message of the Gospel

Is There Any Hope?

On May 23, 1939, the submarine Squalus, a five-million-dollar vessel, sank in 240 feet of water (40 fathoms) off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The famed McCann rescue bell was used for the first time. Through this bell-shaped valve, men were able to reach and to rescue the thirty-three men trapped inside. When the rescue squad reached the stricken submarine, they tapped with metal on the hull in an effort to locate the sailors. The imprisoned men, answering in similar fashion, asked in the language of the Morse code, “Is there any hope?”

Over the last 2020 years, the church has both been the whipping boy and the Boy Scout of culture and society. Under such rulers Romans rulers such as Nero and Galarius, Christians were grossly persecuted, however, under rulers like Constantine, Christianity prospered.

In America, the church suffered at the hands of the sate in its earliest beginnings, but after two great awakenings and the rise of Christian influence in the government , the church became the moral majority.

Today, the Western church, has suffered several blows to its influence in culture and society. For a multitude of reasons the church appears to be on a downward spiral. The culture at large sees us more as a political institution than God’s church. Our voice has been relatively silent during the pandemic. Its not like our leaders in the public and private sector are asking s to pray. Church membership is dropping every year, and in the face of a pandemic, who knows how many churches will shut their doors. With the election looming on Tuesday, America holds its breath waiting to see who will win, while the wold holds its breath waiting to see how we will implode. Now matter how this goes down, I feel like the church will become the whipping boy once again.

The tension is real, and it might tempt you to wonder, “Is there any hope.”

Though the mission & message of the church is threatened, God delivers his people and advances His Word.

The Churches Mission and Message is Threatened. (Acts 12:1)

To understand the threat to the church we need to understand the man behind the threat.

Herod Agrippa was born into a life of treachery and murder. He was born in 10 BC in Jerusalem to Aristobulus, who was murdered by his father Herod the Great. Herod the Great was the ruler who commanded the slaughter of innocent babies at Christ’s birth.

Herod Agrippa I was a close ally to Rome. He was schooled in Roman culture and became close friends with the imperial family. He was known for his hedonistic lifestyle surrounding himself with other people’s money and women. In A.D. 23, he had to flee to Palestine to escape his creditors.

In Palestine he was forced to curb his lusts in poverty under his uncle Antipas. He eventually made it back to Rome and was imprisoned by the emperor Tiberius because he was critical of his rule. It was definitely the lowest part of his life, however, he did not learn what poverty is meant to teach you, humility and dependency on God.

Tiberius died not to long after Herod’ imprisonment. Fortunately for Herod Agrippa, his childhood friend Caligula came to power. Caligula not only freed Herod, but also made him ruler over several Palastine Provinces. Claudius eventually came to power after Caligula dies. Claudius was also a long time friend of Herod’s and of course Claudius gave Herod the courtesy of ruling over Judea and Samaria.

Herod was a chameleon. He changed his skin depending on who he was around. When he was sin Rome, he did as the Romans did. When he was with the Jews he did whatever he could do to please the Jews. Hence you have Acts 12:1,3.

Acts 12:1 HCSB

About that time King Herod cruelly attacked some who belonged to the church,

Acts 12:3 HCSB

When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the days of Unleavened Bread.

Herod Agrippa I was evil, double-minded, cowardly, murderous. By all accounts he was the kind of foolish man God hates. And being a opportunist, he took advantage of the Jews hatred of Christians to glorify himself at the expense of God’s mission, message, and people.

Herod saw the church as a threat to his rule and popularity. So, he did what tyrants do when they feel threatened. He violently laid hands of James and Peter, two distinguished leaders of the church. He arrested them in an effort to systematically persecute the church by killing the leadership.

The Church is Persecuted (Acts 12:2-4)

Persecution will always be part of the church’s life. We’ve already seen a pattern of persecution from the churches earliest years on earth. The moment Peter preaches at Pentecost in Acts 2, the very next chapter the church is threatened with violence and imprisonment. The moment a Holy Spirit empowered Stephen, he stands up to his fellow Jews n Jerusalem and preaches the gospel. As a result he is stoned to death (Acts 8). And now, Peter and James, who are preaching and teaching the people daily in the temple, are arrested by Herod Agrippa.

God is not surprised by our suffering.

God is not surprised by our suffering at the hands of evil. God’s people have always had to contend with enemies of heaven. At the end of Genesis God reveals that Abraham’s seed is going to grow into a powerful nation. We are left with Joseph and his brothers living in the land of Egypt with their family of maybe a hundred or so people. Four hundred years later Israel is looking at a million strong and have become enslaved by Pharoah because they threatened his rule.

You can’t help but see the similarities between Pharoah and Herod. Two evil kings who imprison God’s people because they threatened their rule. Both kings seeks to kill God’s men who lead his people. What is even more uncanny is that Herod kills James in the time of Passover.

Acts 12:3–4 HCSB

When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the days of Unleavened Bread. After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

Passover was a time of remembrance when God delivered his people from Pharoah in the Exodus. What are we to do with such striking similarities? When I look at Herod's violence against the church and Pharaoh's violence against Israel it reminds me that neither Herod nor Pharoah are really the primary problem. God has an enemy who desires to seek and destroy and devour His kingdom and his people. It is the serpent of old from the Garden and none other than Satan himself.

Where is the persecution and violence against God’s people coming from? It is coming from Satan-empowered men and women. Just like there is Spirit-empowered men, woman and children, so there are Satan-empowered people. John in his first epistle reminds us that there are two kinds of people in this world; those who follow Christ and those who don’t.

From the time of the Garden of Eden when Satan waged war on God’s creation, God said the seed of the woman will strike and kill the seed of the serpent. From that moment on two groups of people emerge on the scene: the seed of the woman (those who follow God) and the seed of the serpent (those who are under Satan's rule). The seed of the serpent seeks to devour the seed of the woman, striking his heel. Herod is of the seed of the serpent. And he shows he is of Satan’s seed when he slaughters James.

Acts 12:2 HCSB

and he killed James, John’s brother, with the sword.

Herod killed James with the sword. What does that mean?

If he was feeling Roman that day, it means that James was beheaded. If he was feeling Jewish that day it means that James was thrust through. Jews did not behead each other because taking the head of the body was an act of desecration. Either way the result is the same. The Seed of the Serpent slaughtered James just like he did Jesus on the cross.

What is scary about Jame’s execution is that it was at the hands of the state, the power of the government in charge. Satan has influence in powerful places. And he will use that power to execute God’s people.

Jesus said the kingdom of God is alike a mustard seed. Its its small and insignificant at first. That is what James and Peter were to Herod and the Jews. In the face of Rome and the temple, Christians were but the dust on their feet. Maybe that is what some of you are feeling right now about the church in America.

The media has made it clear that the church has no credible voice in matters of society and social welfare. The Democrats have to decide every convention if it wants to vote God out of the party. Furthermore, Republicans are not as aligned as you think with the churches morality.

Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote an article this week explaining his support for President Donald Trump. Though I do not come to the same conclusions as Mohler, I would encourage you to read it on his Blog. The title of the article is

“ Christians, Conscience, and the Looming 2020 Election.”

Mohler offers sound principled arguments for why he is voting for Donald Trump; probably the best I’ve read all year.

What drew my attention, though, was his remark about conservative polices being grounded by conservative virtues. Mohler says,

“ As a classical conservative, I do not believe that conservative policies and principles can long survive without conservative virtues." Albert Mohler

The point he is making is that the only way the fight against abortion and the fight for traditional marriage and religious liberty will continue is if conservatives keep hold of traditional conservative morals. However, we are seeing compromises in Christian values inside the Republican party. Truth is not as important as saving face in party lines. Pertaining the the LGBTQ movement, there growing support for embracing Log Cabin Republicans, who are homosexual conservatives. There are conservatives who believe abortion is moral in some circumstances. I will argue that the more secularism increases in the Republican party, the more moderate the party will become morally, and the church will find itself in a political desert.

The point I am making is there is no hope for the Christian in party politics. Both parties will leave your heart broken eventually because both parties don't align their political convictions with the scriptures.

Peter and James were both Jews. They were not arrested by Rome, but by a Jewish king at the pleasure of Jewish people. It did’t matter that they loved their neighbor and provided food for the poor and healing for the lame. It didn’t matter that they still practiced most of the orthodox Jewish customs. It didn’t matter that Jesus taught them to pray for their leaders and to work change in society peacefully. What mattered was they were for Jesus, and the powers that be, the government and the temple, under Satanic influence, joined forces to come against the church.

Unless there is a genuine Holy Spirit empowered revival that overcomes our nation, there is no turning back.

The church will have to stand on the authority of the scriptures preaching Christ crucified and risen, calling our neighbors to repent and put their trust in Jesus Christ. The mission and the message of the church will be stumbling block to many in both Republicans and Democrats. Do not be surprised if they both turn on the church for its commitment to Christ’s morality. I’m afraid when this happens, too many in the church will say on that day, ‘Is there any hope?

I’m sure Christians who were watching Peter and James get arrested were tempted to ask the question, “Is there any hope?” If their hope was in a sympathetic political ally who could maybe persuade Herod to let them go, then their hope was empty. He murdered James quickly. If your hope is in Donald Trump and the Republican party, then your hope is in vain, even if he wins. If your hope is in Joe Bidden and the Progressive Agenda to usher America into a utopian society of equality and social justice, then you hope will be disappointed.

Your hope, Christian, is in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ and his return. Your hope is in a risen Savior who is alive and will return one day to reign and rule forever.

Jame’s hope was secure and grounded in Jesus Christ. I believe James was ready to face death with courage filled hope. Jesus was not surprised when James died. He already told him

Mark 10:39 HCSB

“We are able,” they told Him. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.

James knew following Jesus was going to cost him his life. He knew that when he died he would be at rest with Christ forever.

You need to understand that being a Christian is uncomfortable and even dangerous. Persecution is a way of life for most believers in the world, and it is becoming a way of life for us in America. The church has a powerful enemy who has influence in high places. He will use that influence to kill and destroy God’s people. It is the ill of God to allow the church to be persecuted. What must the church do?

The Church Prays (Acts 12:5)

In Acts 12:5, the church reveals where she finds her hope.

Acts 12:5 HCSB

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

The early church knew the only ally they had that had the power to save Peter was God himself. Prayer is a conversation with God where you convey your dependency and need for Him to work all things for your good. Peter and James were arrested. The church had seen this before in Acts 3. They prayed and the disciples were released. This time, the urgency for deliverance has reached DEFCON 1; Maximum readiness. Immediate response.

James has been slaughtered. Peter’s head is next. Herod is making that clear in

Acts 12:4 HCSB

After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

He assigned around the clock guards to watch him; probably because he had heard of his previous escape. Herod intended to put Peter on public trial so that he could be judged and executed by the people.

The church realized there as no way of escape for Peter by human effort. They also realized that if Peter is not released he will surely die, and the church will lose one of its strongest leaders.

Feeling this urgency, the church, the ekklesia, the group of believers in Judea, came together with one voice and cried out to God on behalf of Peter.

Luke says they earnestly cried out to God. Earnestly is an adverb modifying the participle “being made”. How was the prayer being made to God? It was being made earnestly.

Earnest prayer comes from a troubled heart that hopes in God’s deliverance.

James (the righteous) the one who penned the the New Testament book of James reminds us about Elijah

James 5:17–18 HCSB

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; yet he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.

When King Asa was being threatened by Zerah the Cushite with an army of a million soldiers and 300 chariots, he earnestly sought the Lord with all of his heart saying

2 Chronicles 14:11 HCSB

Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God: “Lord, there is no one besides You to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, Lord our God, for we depend on You, and in Your name we have come against this large army. Yahweh, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder You.”

God heard his earnest plea and routed the Cushite army delivering Judah from their hand, and

2 Chronicles 15:15 HCSB

All Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their mind. They had sought Him with all their heart, and He was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.

What is cool about the word earnestly in the context of Acts 12:5, is the same Greek adverb ἐκτενῶς ‘earnestly, eagerly, continuously’ used here is also used of the praying of Jesus in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). How did Jesus pray in the Garden? He prayed earnestly. His prayer was so urgent and intense that his sweat turned to blood.

The church was not listing off a laundry list of petty needs and unspoken prayer request. The church was pleading earnestly with God the way Elijah pleaded for rain, and Asa pleaded for deliverance, and the way Jesus prayed for this cup to pass before him.

Does the church pray like this anymore?

Would you describe your prayers for our church, community, and home as earnestly pleading for god to deliver us?

I’m with you, our politics are out of control. Our nation is crumbling from the inside out. People are suffering, even dying at the hands of crazy people. We have no wide leadership in our state and national government. Everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes. It’s a scary time to be an American. It’s even scarier to be a Christian American. Has that reality moved my heart to earnestly pray for God to deliver us? Are we as a cooperate body earnestly praying for God to deliver us from unrighteousness?

Earnest prayer comes from a troubled heart that hopes in God’s deliverance.

God heard the earnest prayer of his people. Peter’s deliverance is an answer to prayer.

The Church is Delivered (Acts 12:6-23)

You don't’ have to look far to see where Peter is putting his hope. Look at this ma’s body language. First of all he dead asleep snuggled against two soldiers.

Acts 12:6 HCSB

On the night before Herod was to bring him out for execution, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.

The angel who comes to deliver him lights up the room (12:7) and has to strike Peter to get him to wake up. Peter is so out of it, he thinks he is dreaming (Acts 12:9). And Peter did not just fall asleep. The man took off his sandals and his cloak (Acts 12:8-9). The angel has to tell him to get dressed its time to go. Peter got comfortable for the night.

How in the world was he so relaxed in light of his imprisonment and Jams’s execution?

I would have been a hot mess. I don’t sleep well when I an stressed or anxious. My mind does not shut off. I fell my stress in my neck and back. Its not a good night when ‘m worried. And here Peter is at rest.

Dr. John B. Pohill says it well when he says

Acts (2) Peter’s Miraculous Deliverance from Prison (12:6–19a)

That Peter could sleep so soundly the night before his trial is perhaps indicative of his calm assurance that he was in God’s hands.

Peter’s hope was not in man or man’s ways. He knew that God would either deliver him through death or in some miraculous manner. He had seen the hand of God work on his behalf before and he knew probably the church was praying. His hope was rightly placed in his sovereign Lord.

Considering Peter’s behavior with the angel, this was not Peter’s escape from prison, but as Polhill remarks, his deliverance. This was all God’s doing. The chains falling off. The guards staying asleep. Peter being untouched or unnoticed all the way to the gate. That is God.

Keep in mind the reason why God delivered Peter in such a way was to proclaim to the church that Gd answered the prayers of his people and will ensure his mission and message of His kingdom will not be compromised by anyone or any government. it was a miraculous escape because God is miraculous. Through Peter’s deliverance he tells the world, “You cant stop me!”

Peter rescue is so out of this world that everyone is shocked when they see him. Verse 13, the girl flips out and leaves Peter at the gate. the church is shocked, for whatever reason, that he is standing there. They tell they girl, “You're out of your mind.

The whole palace is up in arms. Heads are going to role. Herod is beside himself and starts killing people. The churches hope in God paid off. Peter;s hope in God paid off. Herd’s hope to gain popularity with the Jews and squash God’s mission and message was dashed to pieces.

As a matter of fact, God dealt with Herod’s treachery. Herod’s heart was exposed in 12:20-23. he thought of himself as a God. He showed up in a robe laced with silver and when the sun shown on it, it glared with a light that blinded people. It made him look like the angel in the cell s to speak. When the people saw him and heard him, they genuinely thought he was something divine. He didn’t rebuked them so he thought he was something divine. God said not today Satan, and God struck him with worms inside his stomach. It was a painful death tor remind Herod and the people that no one can take the place of Yahweh.

God made it clear to the world, execution, imprisonment, nor wicked kings will ever stop his kingdom from advancing.

And at the end of the day, what Herod tried destroy, God multiplied.

The Word of God Increased & Multiplied(Acts 12:24-25)

Acts 12:24–25 HCSB

Then God’s message flourished and multiplied. After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, taking along John who is called Mark.

With Herod gone and Peter back with the church, God’s mission and message flourished. Saying that is flourished means that more and more people heard the word of God and believed. The word about the good news and Jesus continued to spread just as the seed that fell on good ground in Jesus’ parable of the sower. And do you see that the mission and the message of the church has survived over 2,000 years and continues today? We are all testimonies of God’s delivering hope.

Is there hope?

The rescuers in the McCann rescue chamber were able to offer those 33 submariners trapped 240 feet below the surface hope. As long as the seals held tight and the oxygen did not run out and the weather cooperated, there was hope. All 33 sailor were saved that day.

Christian, you have hope. God has given you eternal hope by delivering you from his wrath in hell and by sealing your salvation with His Spirit through the blood of Jesus Christ. By raising His Son from the dead, h has given you the hope of a new and better resurrection. One day, you will have a new body that will live in a heavens and a new earth, where Christ will reign as King. all the Herod;s and Pharaoh's of the world who are ruled by Satan will vanish in His judgement and Our God will reign without any threat to his kingdom.

Though the mission & message of the church is threatened, God always delivers his people and advances His Word.