The Book of Acts
Chapter 12
“Trusting the Wisdom of God in Answering Prayer”
In Chapter 11 we are given a recounting of events so far. He's telling his story to a new group of people. We also first hear the term "Christian" used to describe Christ followers.
Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison
“It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, BUT the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 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. 11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.” 12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” 15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” 16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place. 18 In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 20 He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply. 21 On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22 They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” 23 Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24 BUT the word of God continued to spread and flourish.
Q: When we are told to trust God, are things usually good or bad?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight.”
-Proverbs 3:5,6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
when you pray.
Don’t lean on your own understanding
when you pray.
In all your ways acknowledge him
when you pray.
and he will make your path straight.”
when you pray.
-Proverbs 3:5,6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
when you pray.
(God CAN do anything.
God may choose not to do everything that we pray.)
God CAN!
God WILL?
Don’t lean on your own understanding
when you pray.
(We don’t have to see a way out)
In all your ways acknowledge him
when you pray,
(When you pray, prepare for any of God’s possible outcomes. That is how I personally “acknowledge him” in prayer.)
Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
Not my will, but your will be done.
and he will make your path straight.
when you pray,
(In the end, we will see that his ways ended up being the best for us after all)
-Proverbs 3:5,6
In Acts 12 all of the main characters trusted God except Herod.
(Don’t be like Herod)
James and the people praying for him trusted God. He was killed the sword. Immediately went to be with Jesus in heaven.
Peter and the people praying for him trusted God. He was miraculously set free.
Q: Have you had a James experience?
Q: Have you had a Peter experience?
Q: Have you had an experience where you could not believe like Rhoda telling the people that Peter was at the door you did not really believe that God would set Peter free?
Remember that God’s ways are higher than our ways. God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
-Isaiah 55
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight.”
-Proverbs 3:5,6