The Power of Prayer

Acts 12:1-25

Today we come to a powerful story at the end of Acts 12

I. Persecution

Acts 12:1–2 NKJV

1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

A. There’s not a whole lot of space devoted to this story, but I’m sure that this was a great loss to the early church.

1. There’s really only one verse here, but I’m sure that the death of one of the original apostles was a great tragedy to the early church.

2. James and John were the brothers that Jesus had affectionately called, "The Sons of Thunder."

3. I’m sure that all of the apostles were in mourning—especially James’ brother, John.

B. The larger story is that persecution has broken out again.

1. There had been a time of persecution back in chapters eight and nine that was headed up by Saul.

2. However, Saul got saved in Acts nine and Acts 9:31 tells us that the church then enjoyed a time of peace.

3. But now persecution is back and it is being lead by King Herod.

4. This Herod is Agrippa the 1, the grandson of King Herod the Great who had John-the-Baptist beheaded.

5. This is now 44 AD; or 11 years after the crucifixion of Christ.

6. The persecution of the church in connection with the death of Stephen was about seven years prior to this.

7. The church had that time of persecution, then a time of peace, and now persecution is back.

8. Now Herod Agrippa had James put to death with the sword.

C. Now the thing that makes this more heinous is that verse three says that Herod saw that putting James to death pleased the Jews and so he was going after Peter next.

1. James’ death was a public relations coo for King Herod.

2. So, I’m sure that even though there is not much space given to this, James’ death was a big blow to the early church.

II. Imprisonment

Acts 12:3–4 NKJV

3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

A. Seeing that murdering James made the Jews happy, Herod arrested Peter.

1. They arrested Peter during a Jewish holiday.

2. The Jews are out there celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Herod arrests Peter to try to when more PR points with the Jews.

B. After arresting Peter, Herod had him thrown into prison.

1. Peter is in prison and his cell is being guarded.

2. He’s being guarded by four squads four soldiers each; that’s sixteen soldiers guarding Peter.

3. We will see that there are two guards actually chained to Peter and two guards in two different positions outside the cell.

4. So there was one of the four squads with Peter at all times.

5. Each squad probably had a six hour shift.

C. Now the question may come to mind as to why such security measures for Peter.

1. Surely Peter wasn’t that much of a threat to society or King Herod.

2. Well, in Herod’s mind there could have been such a threat, when we stop to think about the history of Peter’s criminal record.

a. This is Peter’s third arrest.

b. The first time in Acts 4, Peter was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin.

1) They threatened him and warned him about speaking anymore about Jesus.

2) But Peter stood right there in the court room and told them that he would not obey them.

3) Acts 4:18-20,

Acts 4:18–20 NKJV

18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

c. The second time Peter was arrested was in Acts 5.

1) In Acts 5, the Sanhedrin arrested Peter a second time and this time an angel got Peter out.

2) The officers did not find Peter there although the found the jail securely locked and the guards were still standing at the door.

3) The angel told Peter to go right back out into the temple courts and start preaching again.

4) I’m sure that was a slap in the face to the Sanhedrin.

5) When they found out that he was out there again, they arrested him again and beat him and commanded him not to speak in the name of Jesus again.

d. And so considering Peter’s history in jails and the court room, we can see why Herod would go to such great lengths this time with Peter.

D. Herod thought the Passover celebration would be a great time to put Peter on trial.

1. The Jews would all be there to observe the Passover and Herod wanted to have a public trial immediately after it was over.

2. Herod thought this would help his relationship with the Jews.

3. Not to mention this would probably be a strong reminder that Christ was arrested and crucified shortly after the Passover celebration on a previous year.

III. Deliverance

Acts 12:6–11 NKJV

6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

A. Sure enough, we see that Herod was right in thinking they should take great measures to keep Peter in custody.

1. Four squads of four soldiers charged with keeping Peter in custody at the risk of their own life.

2. Roman soldiers were under the threat of death if a prisoner escaped their custody as we find out in verse 19 that this is exactly what happened.

3. Herod ordered the guards to be executed because Peter had escaped their custody.

B. Peter is sleeping chained in a cell between two Roman soldiers, with two soldiers outside the cell—but then comes an angel of God…

1. An angel appeared in the cell along with a great light.

2. The angel poked Peter in the side and told him to get up and get dressed.

3. When the angel poked Peter, the chains that had bound him to the soldiers fell off.

4. Peter had no idea that what was happening was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.

5. The angel lead Peter passed both guards outside his cell and to the great iron gate leading to the city.

6. And then the angel disappeared.

D. Then verse eleven…

1. It says that after the angel disappeared, Peter came to his senses.

a. We can only imagine what was going through Peter’s mind here.

b. He thinks he’s been seeing a vision, but suddenly the angel disappears and Peter is alone.

c. When Peter is left here alone in the city streets, Peter has to suddenly realize that this has all been real.

2. Peter suddenly realizes this is real and that the plans of Herod and the Jews were being thwarted again by God.

a. Peter was satisfied that his future was death.

b. Peter was satisfied that his life on earth was finished.

c. He know what Herod had done to James and he was satisfied that it was his turn.

d. As Peter was sitting in his cell, he was satisfied that his work on earth was done.

e. Peter was certain that the Jews gathered for the Passover were going to be very happy to see Peter gone because he was no longer furthering Judaism, but Christianity.

f. But after the angel disappeared, Peter suddenly realized that God had rescued him from the clutches of Herod and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.

E. But now that we see what Peter was thinking while he was in prison, look back at the phrase in verse 6..."Peter was sleeping…"

1. What a shocking phrase!

2. If you or I were sitting there waiting for our death the next day, would we be sleeping?

3. We loose sleep because of things a lot less than anticipating our death, don’t we?

4. What peace and trust Peter had in God in order to SLEEP the night before his death!

5. What power is wrapped up in those three words!

6. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping…

7. Peter had peace even in the face of death.

IV. Astonishment

Acts 12:12–17 NKJV

12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” 16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.

A. So Peter is out here on the street with no angel, what should he do now?

1. Will the alarm sound at any moment when one of the guards awakens and finds that he is missing?

2. What should he do? Where should he go?

B. He decided to go to Mary’s house, the mother of John Mark.

1. John Mark was the one who wrote the gospel of Mark.

2. There was a bunch of people gathered there to pray.

C. Peter knocked on the front door and a servant girl named Rhoda asked who it was.

1. I’m sure the believers gathered inside were afraid.

2. I’m sure they knew that James had been put to death.

3. I’m sure they knew that Peter had been arrested.

4. I’m sure they wondered if Roman soldiers were outside wanting to take them away.

D. Rhoda asked who was there and Peter answered.

1. When Rhoda recognized Peter’s voice she was overjoyed.

2. She was so overjoyed that she didn’t even open the door.

3. She ran to tell the others and they said she must be crazy.

4. They knew what had happened to James and they just couldn’t believe that Peter wouldn’t get the same result.

5. But she kept insisting and Peter kept knocking and when they finally opened the door, they were astonished. They just could not believe it.

6. They were surprised and Peter told them to keep quiet so he could tell them what happened.

7. And after he told them what happened, he left.

V. Judgement

Acts 12:18–23 NKJV

18 Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 19 But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. 20 Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. 21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

A. The irony of this story is that it turned out much differently than anyone could have imagined.

1. Luke begins telling this story by simply stating in one sentence that James had been put to death by the sword.

2. Then in the next sentence he said Peter was arrested.

3. Now as we read only those two sentences, we can imagine what is going to happen next.

4. But it turned out much differently than we or they realized.

5. Even Peter said in verse 11 that it tuned out differently than he imagined.

6. Peter said that it turned out differently than Herod had imagined.

7. Peter said it turned out differently than the Jews had imagined.

8. The people at Mary’s house were astonished at how it had turned out.

9. And all of these responses were before the whole story had been told.

10. Peter escaping was not the end of the story.

B. First there was the escape, but then there were the guards…

1. Who could have ever imagined that while Peter was being guarded by sixteen soldiers until his death that they would be the ones who would die and Peter would go free?

2. Who could have imagined that?

C. Then there was Herod…

1. Who could have imagined that after he had successfully put John to death, that he would fail with Peter?

2. Who could have imagined that after he had arrested Peter and was waiting for his death, that he himself would die just a few months later?

3. And who could have imagine that he who had put John to death by the sword would die by worms?

4. Who could have imagined that?

5. Who could have imagined the ironic twists this story would take?

6. Who could have imagined that any of this would turn out the way that it did after we read of the death of John and the arrest of Peter?

VI. The Power of the Gospel

Acts 12:24 NKJV

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

A. Who could have imagined that after the first three verses of this chapter?

1. Who in their wildest of imaginations could think the church would grow after reading the first three verses of this chapter?

2. Acts 12:1-3,

Acts 12:1–3 NKJV

1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

3. We, like they, would have expected and predicted gloom and doom for the church—but that’s not what happened!

4. Acts 12:24,

Acts 12:24 NKJV

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

5. Praise God!

B. Once again, God turned what looked like the worst into good!

1. So how did this happen?

2. Of course God did it and only He could have done it.

3. But did anybody have any influence on it all?

4. What made the difference between the stories of James and Peter?

VII. The power of Prayer

Acts 12:25 NKJV

25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.

A. We know from the previous chapter that Barnabas and Saul were in Antioch.

1. Now the Greek doesn’t include anything for the word that is translated "from."

2. The Greek just says "Barnabas Saul returned Jerusalem."

3. We know that they were on a mission in Antioch.

4. Luke doesn’t tell where our story today is taking place.

5. But now we see that Barnabas and Saul were there. Where were they?

6. They may have been at Mary’s house; John Mark’s mother’s house.

7. From Peter’s words in verse seventeen, it appears that there were other Christians in the town other than just at Mary’s house; Barnabas and Saul could have been at another prayer meeting that night.

8. Where? we don’t know. But it appears they were praying somewhere that night.

9. But it appears that they were there somewhere.

10. Did Barnabas and Saul make the difference?

11. I don’t believe it was just them, but I do believe they were part of the difference.

B. Did you notice that we skipped a verse as we went through this story? It was verse 5.

1. It is just kind of stuck in there by Luke, but I believe this is what made the difference in the outcome of the story!

2. Acts 12:4-5,

Acts 12:4–5 NKJV

4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. 5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

3. There’s the difference: "but the church was earnestly praying to God for him."

4. Mary was earnestly praying to God for Peter.

5. Rhoda was earnestly praying to God for Peter.

6. Mark was earnestly praying to God for Peter.

7. Barnabas and Saul were earnestly praying to God for Peter.

8. Many other people were earnestly praying to God for Peter at Mary’s house.

9. The other apostle named James was earnestly praying to God for Peter.

10. Other brothers mentioned in verse 17 were earnestly praying to God for Peter.

11. What made the difference? The church was earnestly praying to God for Peter!

C. Now listen to Ephesians 3:20

Ephesians 3:20 NKJV

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

1. The church was earnestly praying for Peter, but they had no idea how this was going to turn out.

2. They were earnestly praying for Peter, but when he showed up at the door, they thought Rhoda was out of her mind—they weren’t even hoping for his release.

3. We don’t know what they were specifically praying for, we just know that they were praying earnestly for him.

4. We know they weren’t praying for his release because of their reaction when he showed up—they were astonished.

5. They didn’t have any idea what God would do, but they were praying earnestly!

6. And because they prayed earnestly for Peter, God did immeasurably more than all they asked or imagined!

7. Because they prayed earnestly for Peter, God did immeasurably more than all they could ask or imagine!

8. They prayed earnestly for Peter and God did more than they asked or imagined by sending an angel to miraculously get Peter out of the chains, out of the cell, and into the prayer meeting!

9. They prayed earnestly for Peter and God did immeasurably more than all they asked or imagined by getting the guards put to death instead of Peter.

10. They prayed earnestly for Peter and God did immeasurably more than all they asked or imagined by freeing Peter from the sword and feeding Herod to the worms!

11. They prayed earnestly for Peter and God did immeasurably more than all they asked or imagined by causing the church to grow as a result of all this!

D. One more passage of Scripture that we need to look at today is Philippians 4:6-9,

Philippians 4:6–9 NKJV

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

1. Paul says we shouldn’t be anxious or worry about anything.

a. Instead we should pray.

b. And Paul says that if we give our requests and petitions to God with thanksgiving, He will give us peace.

c. That’s exactly what Paul did that night in jail.

d. He gave his requests to God and was able to sleep because God gave him peace.

2. Then Paul goes on to say that after we have prayed and given our stuff to God, we can’t allow our minds to keep dwelling on it.

a. If we allow our minds to dwell on it, Satan always gets us—doesn’t he?

b. When we dwell on our stuff instead of earnestly praying, we start getting angry or defensive or critical or negative or depressed—don’t we?

c. And where does anger, defensiveness, being critical, negativity, depression, and defeat come from? (Satan!)

d. Instead, Paul says to earnestly pray and then think about positive things: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

e. Paul is telling us that we should focus our minds on the fact that God is going to take care of us.

f. We should focus our minds on God and His power to overcome EVERYTHING!

g. We should focus our minds on the fact that God is going to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine!

h. We should focus our minds on God and the fact that He is going to work it all out for the good!

i. We should focus our minds on God an the fact that He will bring victory!

Conclusion:

Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and then just put it on a list and said, "I’ll pray for them later?"

Or has anyone ever called you and said, "I need you to pray for me, I have this need?"

Listen to this story, it may change the way that you think about prayer and also the way you pray.

Power of prayer examples: In our ministry

If you ever hear such a prodding to pray, go along with it.

Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell.