March 25, 2022

Dear friends,  
          
 In our Bible study this week on Zoom, we looked at Acts 12. In his book “The Challenge of First Century Christianity,” the late Dr. John Moore wrote: “There are some striking contrasts in this chapter: Against the love shown by the Gentile church for the Jewish Christians, Acts 11:29-30, we have the hatred of the Jews, Acts 12:3. Against the death of the apostle James, we have the deliverance of the apostle Peter. Against the massive armed guard is the angelic deliverance.

The persecution directed against the church at Jerusalem by the tyrant King Herod Agrippa was focused on the church’s leadership. He was anxious to preserve the peace in the territory he governed for Rome, so he tried to please the Jewish leaders by this wave of persecution, and began with the beheading of the apostle James, the brother of John the apostle.

It was Herod Agrippa’s grandfather who sought the life of the new-born Saviour, and his uncle Herod Antipas who had tried Jesus, and to whom Jesus refused to speak …When Herod saw how pleased the Jews were at the death of James, he determined to arrest Peter as he was one of the leaders in the church, and to make quite a scene of Peter’s death after the Feast of the Passover, but he had calculated without God! The last time Peter was imprisoned, ‘an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out’ (Acts 5:19). The church used its weapon of All-Prayer against the authority of Herod, the power of the sword, and the security of the prison. When your cause seems hopeless, when all the odds are against you, PRAY!

‘… constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church’ (12:5) – the Greek word here is ‘ektenos’ meaning ‘unremittingly, fervently, and agonizingly, for days.’ John Bunyan said ‘The best prayers have often more groans than words.’ In answer to their prayers, God brought a wonderful deliverance that took place dramatically at the last minute: between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. while Peter was sound asleep. The angel slapped Peter on the side to wake him up, then raised him up, saying “Arise quickly!” and the chains fell off his hands. The angel waited while Peter got dressed and put on his sandals. He then led Peter past two guard posts and the city gate before he departed (verses 8-10).

Peter made his way to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where a large group of believers were gathered together to pray. He would tell them of his escape from prison, then move on for a while.

Peter knocked at the door of the gate, and a young girl named Rhoda came to answer. On hearing Peter’s voice, in her excitement, she forgot to open the door, but ran in the house to tell the good news that Peter was at the gate. They did not believe her and said ‘You are beside yourself!’ When she insisted, they said ‘It is his angel’ (v. 15). Peter continued to knock at the door ‘and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished’ (v. 16). How would you react if your prayers were answered? God does better for us than we deserve.

When Herod heard that Peter had escaped, he ordered a search to be made, without success. A day of celebration was called to celebrate the safe return of Emperor Claudius from his expedition against Britain. Herod appeared in his full regalia, and royal robes, with great pomp and ceremony, and sat on his throne. When he gave his speech to the crowd, they shouted ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ Herod, refusing to admonish the crowd and give the praise to God, was struck down by an angel of the Lord, and he was eaten by worms and died (v. 23). What a fitting remark by the inspired writer, Luke, ‘But the word of God grew and multiplied’ (v. 24). The chapter began with the death of James the apostle, the imprisonment of Peter, and Herod triumphing; but it closes with Herod’s death, Peter’s escape, and the Word of God triumphing.”

Karen and I had the joy of meeting Dr. John Moore many years ago, when he spoke at a conference of Global Outreach Mission (now MissionGO). Besides preaching God’s Word, Dr. Moore played the concertina. I wonder if he is playing it in heaven, with Karen’s parents accompanying him on piano and organ.

Although we are surrounded by suffering, we can look to the Lord for His deliverance, and rest in His promises that He will never leave us or forsake us.

Scripture for the weekend: “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21 (NKJV)

Thought for the weekend: “It is the whole business of the whole church to preach the whole gospel to the whole world.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon