Now You See Me, Now You Don't - Acts 12

Bruce Goettsche

Union Church of La Harpe Illinois

Acts • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago • Presented 21 years ago

Acts 12

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“Now You See Me, Now You Don’t”

Acts 12

Life is funny. Sometimes what you expect to happen doesn’t, and what you don’t expect to happen does. A lone shipwreck survivor on an uninhabited island managed to build a rude hut in which he placed all that he had saved from his sinking ship. He prayed to God for deliverance, and anxiously watched the horizon each day to hail any passing ship. One day he was horrified to find his hut in flames. All that he had was gone. To the man's limited vision, it was the worst that could happen, and he cursed God. Yet, the very next day a ship arrived. "We saw your smoke signal!" the captain told him.

The Lord is skilled at taking the circumstances of life and using them in ways we could never have imagined. This morning we look at the story of Peter. It is an incredible story of faith and deliverance.

The villain in our story is a man known as Herod Agrippa (he also had a son named Agrippa who later interrogated Paul). Agrippa came from a long line of Herods. Herod the Great tried to put Jesus to death as a baby. Herod Antipas killed John the Baptist and played a role in the trial of Jesus. Herod Agrippa was the one who killed James.

There is a lot of information on Herod but most of it you are not interested in right now. The Herod we read about came from a long line of vicious Kings. He was a “chip off the old block”. Herod Agrippa had been in trouble with Rome and really wanted the Jews to cooperate with him. Consequently, when he had a chance to “score some points” by taking on this offshoot religion, he did so. His popularity with the Jews rose dramatically when he had James executed, so, he had Peter arrested and intended to kill him.

Peter’s life was spared because he was arrested during Passover. Not wanting to defile the Jewish Holy Day, Herod had Peter locked up. Apparently, Herod had heard about the previous escape of Peter and John, so, he made sure there was no way this could happen again. He assigned a group of four guards to guard Peter. One guard was chained to each of his wrists and two guards stood guard at the door.

This is when the story gets really interesting.

AN ASTOUNDING MIRACLE

6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

Notice several things. First, Peter slept. Certainly Peter knew that his days were numbered. One would think Peter would have known that the next day he might be executed. Yet here he is, sound asleep. I think Peter slept because, like Paul in Philippians 1, he knew that whether he lived or died he was going to do so to the glory of God. Peter knew that whatever happened, he was in God’s hands . . . a very good place to be.

Peter was sleeping so soundly that the angels had to hit Peter on the side. Peter was groggy but the angel led him out of the jail. The chains were not taken off . . . they fell off! The gates opened on their own. It was an astounding miracle.

The Church Prayed. Back in the home where the disciples were meeting, the faithful were praying. It was a desperate situation but they remembered that Jesus told them to “ask and it will be given you.” The Greek word tells us that they were “straining in prayer”. Remember it’s nighttime. It’s probably the wee hours of the morning. When Peter arrived at the home (which must have been the regular meeting place), his friends weren’t sleeping . . . they were praying. Earnest prayer is persistent prayer.

Peter knocked on the door and we read one of the funniest stories in the Bible. Rhoda the servant girl came to answer the door. Put yourself in this setting. How do you usually respond to a phone call or a knock on your door in the middle of the night? Don’t you wonder if these people thought it was the officials come to arrest more disciples of Jesus? Anytime someone comes to your door that late, it’s bad news.

Rhoda asks, “Who is it?” and Peter answered, “It’s me, Peter.” Let me remind you that it is the middle of the night. The last thing Peter wanted to do was wake up the neighbors. Instead of opening the door, Rhoda runs back to tell everyone (who is praying for Peter’s release) that Peter is at the door!

The group, who, did I mention was praying for a miracle, refused to believe it was Peter when he arrived at their front door! In some strange way, I find that comforting. It reminds me that God still works in our lives even when our faith is inadequate.

While all this is going on inside the house Peter continued to knock on the door. When they finally opened the door they screamed with delight. Peter told them to be quiet. He understood he was not out of danger. He knew when the soldiers awakened and realized he was gone one of the first places they would look would be the home of Mark’s mom. Peter doesn’t hang around. He took off.

God acted powerfully. This is a stirring and powerful miracle. God intervened to save one of his own. From time to time we encounter impossible situations in our lives. Perhaps it is an illness in us or in someone we love. Maybe it is a deadline that seems impossible to meet, or a conflict that seems irresolvable. Perhaps that impossible situation is a person. The message is clear, “With God, all things are possible.”

The child of faith will pray and pray fervently. We must not give up even though we aren’t very confident. Effective prayer endures.

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. . . A NECESSARY REMINDER

In all this discussion about God’s powerful working there is a haunting and important question to address. What about James? Why was Peter saved and James executed? Both of these men were part of the three chief disciples (with John). Why save Peter and not James.

Our human nature wants to know “What went wrong with James?” Did the church not pray enough? Did they use the wrong words, lack enough faith, or miss the right posture? Those are the kinds of questions we all ask when facing a seemingly unanswered prayer.

I wonder, why do some soldiers die in freak ways while others are spared via seemingly miraculous intervention? Why are some people “cured” of cancer while others die a horrible death? Why do some walk away from horrible accidents without a scratch and others die instantly? Why do some people who are told they can’t have children get pregnant while others do not? Why do some people have abundance while others struggle to get by?

The answer comes back to that first question, “What went wrong with James?” The answer is, nothing. The same people prayed. The same people believed. But God had a different purpose for James than for Peter. God brings glory to His name in the death of one and in the deliverance of another. I don’t understand and I suspect you don’t either.

The Bible tells us,

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. [Isa. 55:8,9]

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! [Romans 11:33]

Joseph understood these truths when he confronted his brothers after all the horrible things they did to him. He said to them,

20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. [Gen. 50:20]

We must learn that just because God doesn’t do what we prefer Him to do, it doesn’t mean that God is not doing anything. God’s purposes are deeper than we can understand. Our job is to trust His character and His wisdom. Our goal should not be for a longer life but for a closer relationship with Christ. That closer relationship comes from trusting Him in life or in death.

Clement, one of the early church fathers, tells the story about the execution of James. When he was brought to be executed, his faith was so strong that the man in charge of bringing him to judgment was led to confess that he also was a believer. Consequently he was taken as well. They were led away together; and on the way he begged James to forgive him. James said, “Peace be with thee,” and kissed him. They were both beheaded at the same time. [Early Church Fathers Vol. 2: Chapter 9]

Oh for the kind of faith that will seek God more than we seek pleasant circumstances. Oh for a faith that will trust even when we don’t understand.

A SOBERING WARNING

Our text ends with a postscript on Herod Agrippa. Herod had been feuding with the people of Tyre and Sidon (we don’t know why). As a result of the feud, Herod had kept any food from going into the cities. This act brought the towns to their knees.

The people worked out a way to meet with Herod to be reconciled. But Herod decided to “rub their noses” in their defeat. He came before the people with pomp and circumstance. And the people, in order to get food, shouted to Herod, “These are the words of a God and not a man”. They were playing to his ego.

Herod basked in the praises of the people. Unfortunately for Herod, he had usurped God once to often and we are told he immediately was struck by God and eaten by worms. The assumption is that this was a very painful death from tapeworms.

The message is clear: those who attack God’s people will face God’s wrath. Herod felt he could sin without repercussion but he was wrong.

We also learn from this that God’s justice may be delayed but it is sure. God will judge those who stand against him. This is a sobering but important reminder to a society that seems to feel they can do what they want without any consequence.

CONCLUSION

I wonder which part of this story do you need to hear today?

Are you living your life like Herod? Have you been toying with God but continue to seek your own glory? Friend, is it possible that you are headed down the same road as Herod? If you do not turn from your sin and run to the Lord, you will not face God’s blessing but His wrath. What would happen if you died unexpectedly? Would your heart be ready?

If you are still running from God please stop. The Lord invites you to be His. He has sent Jesus to make it possible for you to have new life. For this to happen you must stop fighting God and begin trusting Him. You must trust what Jesus has done for you on the cross, and you must trust Him to lead you as He sees fit in life.

You can be made new today. You don’t have to be God’s enemy. . . you can be a part of His family. Please make that decision right now.

Perhaps you are going through a crisis like Peter, James and the early church. Maybe you are headed to jail. Maybe you are in a different prison, imprisoned by your emotions, by an addiction, by a body that no longer works the way it used to work. Maybe your prison is financial or moral. This passage reminds us that the power of God is enough to rescue you. Turn to God in prayer. Wait on the Lord in prayer. Spend time with Him and let Him change your heart and work in your circumstances. Even though you may not believe fully . . . He will help your unbelief if you will give Him the opportunity.

Finally, maybe you have prayed. You have prayed for a loved one to get better, but they died. You prayed for your marriage but it ended in divorce. You prayed for that someone you love to notice you, but they chose someone else. Perhaps you prayed for God to lift your financial burden but your belongings have been repossessed. Perhaps you have a problem with a family member but the more you pray and the more you try, the worse the problem seems to get. Maybe you are older and you’ve asked the Lord to end your weakness and take you home. Maybe you have a family member who suffers and has in many respects died years ago. You pray for God’s mercy and grace, but the decline and the suffering continues.

Perhaps your situation is like James. Others testify of the wonderful ways that God has delivered them, but you have no story of deliverance. Maybe you feel like a failure. My friends, James was not a failure. He was faithful even in death. God used his death to bring others to a saving faith. He used the faithfulness of James to give strength to others, like you and me. James died . . .but he also went to be with Jesus.

One day during the controversies of the Reformation, when skies loomed the blackest, Martin Luther became depressed. He wouldn’t eat, and he wouldn’t speak to his wife, his children or his friends. Then his wife Katherine put on the garments of mourning and pretended to mourn deeply. Surprised, Luther asked why she sorrowed. "Dear Doctor," his Katie replied, "I have cause for the saddest of weeping, For it is apparent by your actions that God in His heaven has died!” Luther got the point. God was still on the throne and Luther could pout or he could trust the Lord. He laughed, kissed his wife and took courage. Joy returned to their home.

Do you have the faith to trust God even when you don’t get the answer you want to your prayers? Can you rest in His wisdom even though you don’t understand? Do you realize that the person who trusts even though he does not understand is a person whose faith is actually stronger than the one who asks and receives? When times are tough, do not give up. Trust the One whose ways are perfect even though they are mysterious.

To be honest, I don’t know how God wants to apply this text to your life but I am confident there is an application. My prayer is that you will follow Him wherever He leads you . . .even if it all seems like a dream.

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