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Sub: The Danger of Being a Leader

Main Idea

Luke’s report of Peter’s imprisonment, miraculous escape, and departure from Jerusalem informs us about a major transition of leadership in the early history of the church, reveals the power of God that is at work in the movement of Jesus’ followers, and illustrates the dangers of being a believer in Jesus and the danger of opposing God’s work.

I. Dangerous Politics

Chapter 12 is the first political attack against the church. It had been about eight years since Stephen's death and the first persecution against the church. The persecution had been suppressed by the hand of God in converting the arch-persecutor himself, Saul of Tarsus (•). However, throughout the eight years, feelings against the church had been growing until they reached the present peak (cp. "all the expectation of the Jews," ).

The people were filled with animosity toward Christian believers. There were two primary reasons for their hatred. The public just did not understand...

• the teachings of Jesus and His followers: how the teachings fulfilled the law; how they could be reconciled with Jewish religion.

• the evangelistic outbreak of the church: that Jewish believers would be so full of fervor for Christ that they would reach out to convert the whole world. The conversion of Cornelius and the founding of churches throughout the Gentile world upset some of the Jews to no end. Herod, being the shrewd politician he was, saw an opportunity to please the Jews by persecuting and seeking to destroy the church.

If he could please the Jews, it would help...

• keep the Jews quiet, keep them supporting Rome's policies.

• solidify his own prestige and power with the authorities back in Rome. Herod launched the government's attack against the leaders of the church.

II. Deadly Persecution

God watched and noted what Herod Agrippa I was doing to His people. This evil man was the grandson of Herod the Great, who ordered the Bethlehem children to be murdered, and the nephew of Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist beheaded. A scheming and murderous family, the Herods were despised by the Jews, who resented having Edomites ruling over them. Of course, Herod knew this; so he persecuted the church to convince the Jewish people of his loyalty to the traditions of the fathers. Now that the Gentiles were openly a part of the church, Herod’s plan was even more agreeable to the nationalistic Jews who had no place for “pagans.”

Herod had several believers arrested, among them James, the brother of John, whom he beheaded. Thus James became the first of the Apostles to be martyred. When you ponder his death in the light of , it takes on special significance. James and John, with their mother, had asked for thrones, but Jesus made it clear that there can be no glory apart from suffering. “Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” He asked (). Their bold reply was, “We are able.”

Of course, they did not know what they were saying, but they eventually discovered the high cost of winning a throne of glory: James was arrested and killed, and John became an exile on the Isle of Patmos, a prisoner of Rome (). Indeed, they did drink of the cup and share in the baptism of suffering that their Lord had experienced!

If it pleased the Jews when James was killed, just think how delighted they would be if Peter were slain! God permitted Herod to arrest Peter and put him under heavy guard in prison. Sixteen soldiers, four for each watch, kept guard over the apostle, with two soldiers chained to the prisoner and two watching the doors. After all, the last time Peter was arrested, he mysteriously got out of jail, and Herod was not about to let that happen again.

Why was James allowed to die while Peter was rescued? After all, both were dedicated servants of God, needed by the church. The only answer is the sovereign will of God, the very thing Peter and the church had prayed about after their second experience of persecution (). Herod had “stretched forth” his hand to destroy the church, but God would stretch forth His hand to perform signs and wonders and glorify His Son (). God allowed Herod to kill James, but He kept him from harming Peter. It was the throne in heaven that was in control, not the throne on earth.

ILL.

If church traditions are correct:

Matthew knew an angel could deliver him when he suffered death by the sword. 

Mark knew an angel could deliver him, when he died in Alexandria after being dragged through the streets of the city.

Luke knew an angel could deliver him, when he was hanged on a large olive tree in Greece. 

John knew an angel could deliver him, when he was burned in a giant pot of boiling oil and lived his last days banished on an island.

Peter knew an angel could deliver him, when he was crucified upside-down in Rome.

James knew an angel could deliver him, when he was beheaded in Jerusalem.

James the Less knew an angel could deliver him, when he was thrown from a high pinnacle and beaten to death with a club.

III. Delivering Prayer

Philip knew an angel could deliver him, when he was hanged.

Bartholomew knew an angel could deliver him, when he was whipped and beaten until he died.

Andrew knew an angel could deliver him, when he was bound to a cross and preached at the top of his voice to his persecutors until he perished.

Thomas knew an angel could deliver him, when was run through with a spear.

Jude knew an angel could deliver him, when was killed by executioners’ arrows.

Matthias knew an angel could deliver him, when he was stoned and then beheaded.

Barnabas knew an angel could deliver him, when he was stoned and then beheaded at Thessalonica, and

Paul knew an angel could deliver him, when he was beheaded in Rome.

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III. Delivering Prayer

The phrase “but prayer” is the turning point in the story. Never underestimate the power of a praying church! “The angel fetched Peter out of prison,” said the Puritan preacher Thomas Watson, “but it was prayer that fetched the angel.”

God's pattern for delivering believers through or from persecution is fourfold.

1. There is the pattern of prayer. Church-wide prayer delivered Peter (). Note three points.

a. The whole church was praying.

, The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Acts, (Chattanooga: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1991), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "B. The Jerusalem Church is Miraculously Protected: God's Pattern For Deliverance from Persecution, 12:1-25".

b. The church was doing all it could do, praying specifically for Peter's deliverance.

c. The words "without ceasing" (ektenōs PWS: 4379) mean fervently and earnestly continuing in prayer.

The idea is intense prayer, prayer that captivates and focuses a person's concentration. The root meaning of the word is "to stretch out." The picture is that the church was stretched out, prostrate before God, earnestly and fervently crying out to Him for God's sovereign deliverance of Peter. The church could do nothing and they knew it. Peter's only hope was God.

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, The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Acts, (Chattanooga: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1991), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "B. The Jerusalem Church is Miraculously Protected: God's Pattern For Deliverance from Persecution, 12:1-25".