Sermon Tone Analysis

*/The First Resort/*

*/Acts 12:1-18/*

*/“Can You Hear Me Now?”/*

*/March 25, 2004/*

This sermon was adapted from a sermon by Chris Seidman,

Farmers Branch Church of Christ

 

Big Idea: Whatever we face in daily life – PRAY!

 

1)    Study – “Can You Hear Me Now?”

2)    The last two weeks we have talked about “getting a conversation started with God.” 

a)     Have you noticed that when you start.. you are surprised when God answers.

b)    Committed my life at age 10, for each of the last 41 – been surprised.

You would think by now I wouldn’t be.

The more time I spend with God the better I know him.

c)     Prayer is an indicator of our faith in God.

d)    /There has been a story that has been shared for decades.

* */*/I read about a small Oklahoma town that had two churches and one distillery.

/*/Members of both churches complained that the distillery was giving the community a bad imagine.

And, to make matters worse, the owner of the distillery was an outspoken atheist.

He didn’t believe in God one bit.

The church people had tried unsuccessfully for years to shut down the distillery, so finally they decided to hold a joint Saturday night prayer meeting.

They were going to ask God to intervene and settle the matter.

The church folks gathered on Saturday night and there was a horrible thunderstorm raging outside.

During the prayer meeting and to the delight of the church members, lightening hit that old brewery and it burned to the ground.

The next morning the sermons in both churches were on the power of prayer.

Shortly thereafter, the insurance adjusters informed the distillery owner that they were not going to pay for the damages because the fire was an act of God and that was an exclusion in the policy.

The distillery owner was furious because he had heard about the prayer meeting, and he sued both churches claiming that they had conspired with God to destroy his business.

But, in their defense statement, the churches denied that they had anything to do with the cause of the fire.

The presiding judge opened the trial with theses words: “ I find one thing in this cause most perplexing.

We have a situation here where the plaintiff, an atheist, is professing his belief in the power of prayer, and the defendants, all faithful church members are denying the very same power.”/

*e)     *There are times when we are surprised that can’t believe.

We aren’t the only ones who struggled believing that God would answer prayers even when it was very obvious.

*3)    *Let’s turn to Acts 12 and read verses 1 through 18.

We will read a few verses at a times and share some thoughts.

At the end, I will share with you three applications that can be taken from this reading.

*Acts 12:1-4 (NIV)* \\ \\

a)     Herod, like any Roman ruler, was not popular or respected among the Jews.

i)       There were two reasons for low approval ratings.

(1) One was that he represented the Roman government that was ruling over the Jews.

(2) Secondly, Herod was not a pure Jew.

King Herod Agrippa was half Jew and half Idumean[1].

Even though he catered to them, still resented him.

ii)    In order to increase his approval ratings that were in the tank, Herod persecuted the Christians (a group of people the Jews opposed) to convince the Jewish people of his loyalty to their traditions.[2]

(1) James to death with a sword.

kangaroo court setting, In one day, Herod’s approval rating we up drastically.

If something ain’t broke…

(2) Peter - unfortunately it was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Jews wanted no part during feast.

(3) Herod was concerned -  Peter in jail because he had escaped before (5:22-23).

So he put extra guards around Peter.

The usual number of a Roman military night-watch was four, and the watch was changed every three hours.

[3]

*Acts 12:5-12 (NIV)* \\ \\

b)    The church was “earnestly” praying to God for Peter.

“Earnestly means to “stretch out the hand.”[4]

They were praying continually.

i)       Luke didn’t note that they sought for a lawyer or for the city leaders to plead their case before Herod.

They prayed.

ii)    While the church was praying diligently for Peter he was asleep in prison.

(1) */John 21:18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.

Then he said to him, “Follow me!”/*  

(2) Peter knew it wasn’t his time because he wasn’t so old that someone had to dress him.

It’s still hard to think that one would be completely calm.

(3) Even though he was asleep, when rescued at first didn’t believe.

(4) Peter said in one of his books, 1 Peter, “to cast your anxiety on the Lord and he will care for you.”

He had been delivered from the prison of anxiety.

Whether he lived or died, he would glorify God.

If God chose to rescue him then there was nothing Herod could do to stop Him.

If God chose not to rescue him then he would glorify God in his death.

Either way, Peter would have life.

(5) Peter wasn’t alone in his doubts.

The very people praying for him didn’t

* *

*Acts 12:13-18**  *

 

There are three applications we want to take from this passage.

* *

/4)    /The first is *PRAYER IS NOT THE LAST RESORT BUT THE FIRST RESORT*.

So many times I and others have said, “I have done everything I can do.

All that is left is prayer.”

Have you been in situations where all you have left is prayer?

I have.

Why do we have to reach a point of desperation before we pray so earnestly?

a)     /A Sunday School teacher was struggling to open a combination lock that was placed on the supply closet in the church.

She had been told the combination, but she couldn’t quite remember it.

Exasperated, she went to the pastor’s study to ask for help.

The pastor came into the room and began to turn the dial.

After the first two numbers, he paused and stared blankly for a moment.

Finally, he admitted that he could not remember the combination either.

Then, the pastor folded his hands and looked serenely to the heavens.

His mouths moved silently.

Then, he looked back at the lock, quickly entered the numbers, and opened the lock.

The teacher was amazed.

“Pastor, I can’t believe you prayed and God gave you the combination,” she said.

“It’s really nothing,” he answered.

“The combination is written on a piece of paper taped to the ceiling.”

/

b)    Do we really think that prayer is the first thing we ought to do?  Do we consider it a waste of time? 

c)     It’s important to keep in mind this principle that *Josh** shared* with us a few weeks back.

/“You can do more than pray after you have prayed but you can not do more than pray until you have prayed/.”

It should be the first thing we should do.

5)    The second application is *DON’T ASSUME THAT GOD WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS THE SAME WAY IN EVERY SITUATION*.

Why was James allowed to die while Peter was rescued?

a)     The only answer is /the sovereign will of God.

/ It is good to know that, no matter how difficult the trials or how disappointing the news, God is still on the throne and has everything under control.

We may not always understand His ways, but we know His sovereign will is best.[5]