Service:10am MW & Healing Scripture: Acts 12: 1-11 Theme:Holding on for release. Introduction: Have you ever felt that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t win? It seems like life’s odds are stacked against you. Nothing seems to go your way. And more often than not you feel like your back is against the wall and you have nowhere to turn- no way to get out of the mess that you find yourself in. That’s how Peter probably feels as we find him imprisoned by King Herod in our passage of Scripture this morning. Here he is one man guarded by 16 soldiers and bound to two of them by chains. He is also awaiting trial the very next day knowing that James, the brother of John, has already been put to death by the sword for the very same thing Peter is being accused of, that is-of being a Christian. Let’s face it, Peter’s back is against the wall and it doesn’t look good for him. Let me point out that Peter arrived in this prison through no fault of his own. He was living right; walking with God; doing the best he could do; preaching Jesus; honouring the Lord and trouble still came his way. There is a lesson here for us as well. We must never get the idea that a good, godly life is a hedge against troubles. Sometimes, the closer one lives to Jesus the more that person suffers for Jesus. Remember Job in the OT. He was clean, holy and good, by God’s Own estimation. He was doing his best to serve the Lord and to live for God and still trouble came his way, (Job 1-2). Trials marked the lives of David, Paul, Elijah, and even Jesus himself. Jesus is called “a man of sorrows”, Isa. 53:3. If Jesus suffered trials and setbacks in life; we should expect no better treatment ourselves. I think the Bible is pretty clear on this matter. Every person who comes into this world is going to experience troubles and trials, (Job 5:7; 14:1.) Those people who live for the Lord are going to have their trials too, (John 16:33; 2 Tim. 3:12.) Peter discovered this when he was thrown into Herod’s prison. But, it was in that prison experience that Peter experienced the power of God in some wonderful ways. Sometimes we will find ourselves trapped and feel shut up in a prison at some point in our lives. And if we feel trapped today, God is telling us don’t give up hope because God tells us he is with us and will guide you through it and give you release. And so we need to see what this looks like when our back is against the wall. 1. Release is people praying despite knowing how bad the situation really is. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. Peter is being guarded by 16 soldiers and two of them are bound to him with chains. So the possibility of a jail break- that’s out. And tomorrow he will stand trial before King Herod and we already know that King Herod had put James to death by the sword for being a Christian. So the possibility of Peter receiving a favourable verdict and being released-that seems out of the question, too. The church knew how bad the situation is. But look what the Bible says: “the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” You want to think to yourself ‘why are they wasting their time; Peter has a death sentence on him?’ It wouldn’t be long and he will be in heaven with Jesus. But, hope says I know how bad the situation looks but I know how powerful my God is so I am going to keep praying. As individuals and as a church, we should never stop praying for someone even when we know how bad the situation is. When we hear of someone being given the diagnoses of a terminal condition, do we stop praying for them? No we keep on praying because we are not giving up hope. We know how resistant family and friends can be and are to the Gospel message, but we are going to keep praying for their salvation because we are not giving up hope. We know how some families in our church are struggling financially but we are not giving up hope that God will one day lift that pressure from them. We have to be a church of hope. And if we stop praying it says we have given up hope. Are we a church which gives up? Are we a church which stops praying when the situation seems beyond change? NO!! We pray all the more earnestly, more prayer chain emails go out, at every opportunity we must pray earnestly because our release is in prayer. 2. Release is peace within my heart despite what is happening to me or going on around me. 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. Peter is scheduled to be tried and executed the very next morning and what is he doing? He isn’t in there praying for deliverance. He isn’t writing his last will and testament. He isn’t crying, screaming and begging for mercy. The night before he is to die, Peter is sleeping in his prison cell like a little baby! He slept through the angel coming in and the light shining around him. The angel has to hit him to wake his up, v. 7.) He may be chained between two soldiers, but he is sound asleep, without a care in the world. That defies logic. How can a person be sleeping when the very next day he will most likely be put to death? Simply put- the peace of God came upon Peter; and despite what is happening to him, he has a real sense of peace in his heart. God had given Peter “peace that passes understanding”. This wasn’t the first time Peter had been in jail. He had already been delivered in Acts 5:19 by the angel of the Lord. Peter believed in the Lord and knew he would guide him through again. Yet so often it seems that the least little thing can come along and it sends us reeling into fear, panic and worry. Or so many things are crowding in and we feel everything is out of control. Where do we go what do we do? Carry on fighting. We try to go it alone!! STOP!! We need to take time to come to the Lord and just ask for his peace. Just recently seeing Kay and Sylvie facing their last few days, there was no sorrow or distress only peace, complete peace, God’s peace had descended upon them How was that possible? They got to the place where they knew they had no solution to the problem in their own power; and the only solution would have to come from God and so they rested in that peace. Listen; there is a peace in knowing that your problem or situation is in God’s hands. God has a better plan! He desires to give His children peace, John 14:27; Phil. 4:6-7. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Do you have that kind of peace in your heart today? 3. Release is waiting on God’s timing for the incredible to occur. 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 Peters 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. How good are you at waiting? The most famous question is ‘Are we there yet mum?’ and we hadn’t even got off the estate!! Going anywhere takes time and we sometimes find when we are running late we become impatient and frustrated but at least we are still moving. But what about when it seems nothing is happening and there is nothing you can do about it? Well this is the situation Peter is in. Peter is in jail waiting. You would think Peter is waiting for his trial and ultimate execution. No, he is waiting for God to do the incredible in his life. Do you see how hope changes things? Peter is not waiting on death; he is waiting on freedom, to be released. Hope changes the way that you look at the situation. Now, I’ve got to be honest with you. If you find yourself with your back against the wall, you are going to spend a lot of your time waiting because when God acts it is going to be on His time and not your time. And so, there are a lot of people in this church today waiting for God to do the incredible. But when God moves, it is suddenly; it is decisive. In our passage of Scripture, you know that God changed everything. when God moved that dark cell lit up; when God moved Peter’s chains fell right off; when God moved Peter walked out of jail; and when God moved the iron gate swung open on its own to release and freedom. God moved in might, supernatural power to release Peter His servant from that prison. Chains fell off, doors opened by themselves and Peter was released from his prison. Was there any question that God did it? And there will be no question in your life when God moves. God will use whatever means is necessary to care for you in all the prison times of your life. When you find yourself in a prison situation, you need to know that God will move Heaven and earth if necessary in order to release you. When we find ourselves in these prisons of despair and trials, we need never fear being there alone. Jesus promised us that He would ever be with us and He meant every word that He said, Heb. 13:5; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Matt. 28:20; I am with you always to the end of the age. No matter where the path of your life leads you, you will never go there alone. The Lord will be with you in every trial and along every mile. He will never let you down! 4. Release is seen in God’s purposes The Lord used Peter’s prison to teach Peter and the members of the church to place their trust in God and to leave the matter in His hands. Those folks could not have delivered Peter by their power. They could not have stormed that prison and secure his release. They did what they could though. They prayed and God worked. This prison experience taught them all, that God is greater than our needs and that He is worthy of our faith! As we pass through this life and as we move through our various troubles, trials and prisons, we probably will not understand the reason and the purpose behind all we face. That is why verses like Rom. 8:28; And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, Rom. 8:18; I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. are so vital to our faith. Why does the Lord allow these things in our lives? I cannot answer that, but I can say this: God has a purpose for every prison He allows you to pass through. That purpose may be to grow you. It may be to help someone else. It may be simply to glorify the Lord. He has a plan and He has a purpose and He wants us to come to a place where we simply trust Him for all we need and for all we face. That may be God’s sole purpose for the prison. He may be using your prison experience as a means to glorify His name and to draw others to Jesus. The question is; Are you willing to submit to His purpose, even though you may not understand it? Conclusion: Is your back against the wall today? Are you in a prison of sorts today? Are you in a place where you need to see the Lord flex His muscles and demonstrate His power in your life? For some of us the answer is “yes”. God wants you to know not to give up hope because He can make a way. Peter knew God, he knew Jesus, the Gospel message of the cross was always on Peter’s heart and mind. He knew coming to Jesus was where he found release. You have an opportunity at the end of this morning service to come and talk to God. Let me invite you to come before God to place your burden at His feet and get the help you need at this stage in your life. He is waiting to hear from you, He wants to hear from you, He wants you to be released and to give you His peace. Come and put your trust in Jesus. Come and be released, come and be healed. 6
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 12:28:38 +0000
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