“THE CHURCH PRAYED”
(Acts 12:1-17)
5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for
him.
(Presenting our Request to the Lord)
In principle we are to take all of our needs to the Lord, according to 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care
upon him; for he careth for you”. This is true individually, but also it is true corporately as the church.
This morning we are going to see the serious situation that Peter was in, however the church prayed
and his situation changed. There is great power in our prayers, individually and corporately, as we see
explained in John 14:13, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may
be glorified in the Son”.
Sunday Morning Worship
11:00 a.m. Service, June 28, 2015
Capitol City Baptist Church
Dr. Daryl Franzel, Pastor
I.
A TIME OF PERSECUTION AGAINST THE LORD’S CHURCH.
(Acts 12:1-5)
A.
Governmental Burden upon the Church. (1, 2)
1.
The king Herod who was grandson to Herod the Great a long line of murders
reaches out to destroy certain of the church.
2.
He was king by appointment of Rome and was popular with the Jews, having a
desire to please them politically; he was an Edomite a descendent of Esau.
3.
He kills the first Apostle of the church in Jerusalem James the brother John with
the sword, which was an execution of beheading to those who drew the people
away.
4.
His desire was to have favor with the Jews and the Romans by persecuting the
Christians.
B.
Growing Popularity with the ungodly culture. (3, 4)
1.
He saw this was pleasing to the Jews, so he now orders the arrest of Peter
another strong participant of the church.
2.
This is during the beginning of the feast days leading up to the Passover, and his
desire is to hold him and most likely take his life as he did James after the
Passover.
3.
Peter was handed over to 16 soldiers who comprise four squads with four in
each to guard him in turns.
4.
Herod's plan was to bring Peter before the people and then put him to death for
trumped up charges.
C.
II.
God’s church prays for divine intervention. (5)
1.
Peter was bound but pray was loosed by the church to God for the deliverance
of Peter.
2.
When Satan does his worst, Christians can always turn to God for help in the
battle of life.
3.
The prayer without sensing in the original mean to have fervent, earnest and
perseverance in the continue plea to God.
4.
Without this diligent prayer the escape of Peter from the ruthless king Herod
would have not been intervened by a divine power.
A TIME OF DELIVERANCE FROM THE LORD FOR HIS CHURCH.
(Acts 12:6-11)
A.
Deliverance came at the right time. (6, 7)
1.
The night before Peter's trial before Herod, he is sound to sleep chained to two
soldiers.
2.
He knew he would die at an old age and not by sword, plus the power of the
prayer of the church and the answer of the Holy Spirit gave him peace.
3.
The angel who comes to deliver Peter goes into the prison hits Peter on his side
enough to wake him up out of his sleep.
4.
He tells Peter to arise quickly and when he gets up the chains fall off of his
hands, not waking the sleeping soldiers on either side of him.
B.
Deliverance comes with participation. (8, 9)
1.
The angel tells him to get dressed and follow him, it was done without hast and
Peter was a participant.
2.
God did the part He had to do but He let Peter do the part that he could do, in
partnership with God's plan.
3.
Now as Peter follows the angel out he is in kind of a brain fog thinking he was in
a dream.
4.
However, he is obedient to all that the angel had told him to do and as a result
the power of the prayer is about to be realized.
C.
Deliverance comes from the Lord. (10, 11)
1.
The angel led Peter through the security system of the city, which was not only
walled off by three walls but each gate had guards posted all night long.
2.
The gates opened it would appear on their own accord, but of course it was the
power of God, until Peter was at a point he no longer needed assistance.
3.
Finally Peter is fully awake and aware of what has just happened to him by the
power of God.
4.
God has sent His angel to deliver him out of the hand of Herod and of the
pleasure of the Jews.
III.
A TIME OF ASTONISHMENT BY THE CHURCH IN THE LORD.
(Acts 12:12-17)
A.
Consideration of the miracle from God. (12, 13)
1.
As Peter is pondering what has transpired he goes to the house of Mary, which
is the mother of John Mark writer of the Gospel of Mark.
2.
John Mark was also involved in the missionary journey with Paul and Barnabas,
his mother's house being the meeting place of the church at prayer for Peter's
release.
3.
Peter knocks at the door, which would be the outer gate, and being heard by
Rhoda the servant girl, who recognizes his voice.
4.
Peter was not expected to arrive and surely there was fear of the soldiers
coming to arrest all of the church.
B.
Confusion as to the power of prayer to God. (14, 15)
1.
Now even though she recognizes his voice she does not let him in but runs to
tell the others that Peter is at the gate.
2.
This is of course humorous but show human tendencies. As we see her
response as well as the others.
3.
They responded that she was mad that is why they were praying for his release
and he could not be standing outside.
4.
She must have seen an angel it could not have been Peter so they just ignore
her pleas.
C.
Confirmation as to answered prayer in God. (16, 17)
1.
Peter is still standing there as she had left him so he continues to knock trying to
gain entrance.
2.
When they finally opened the door seeing who it was they were truly
astonished as to Peter's release.
3.
Peter with his hand gestured for them to be quiet so that he could tell them of
the blessing of the Lord.
4.
He begins to tell them of the deliverance of the Lord on him bringing him out of
the prison.
5.
He was there as a witness of God's power and blessing, and it needed to be
shared with the church and James. This James, the Pastor of the church in
Jerusalem and half brother of Jesus Christ.