Relax: God’s On It

Relax: God’s On It

“Relax: God’s On It”

(Acts 12:1-25)

Series: The Church On Fire!

Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD

First Baptist Church Henderson, KY

(11-25-07) (AM)

 

  • Take God’s word and open to Acts, chapter 12.

 

We’re driving through the book of Acts in our series entitled, “The Church on Fire” and we’re in chapter 12 this morning, Acts chapter 12.  I love chapter 12!  I’m looking forward to hearing from God this morning in His word.  You, too?

 

  • Stand in honor of the reading of the word of God.

 

1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 

2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 

3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 

4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. 

 

  • Pray.

 

Introduction:

 

The title of my message this morning is, “Relax: God’s On It.”  Sometimes we talk about somebody taking care of something at work or at school or somewhere.  Somebody asks, “What about this?” or “Who’s taking care of that?”  and someone replies, “I’m on it.”  That is, “Don’t worry about it.  I’ve got it under control.  I’m taking care of it.  I’m on it.”

 

So I want to talk to you this morning about the God who is “on it,” the God who is taking care of it, the God who is in control of everything.  Chapter 12 is all about God in control.  He’s in control of the spread of the Gospel in the early church and you can be sure He’s in control of your life and mine.  So there are some things we can know from this text to help us relax.

 

I.  God is Aware of our Problems (1-4)

 

Let’s review our theological understanding about God.  We speak of Him often in these three “o” words.  God is omniscient, which mean He is all-knowing.  God is omnipresent, which means He is all-present.  And God is omnipotent, which means He is all powerful.  This is the God of the Bible.  So if God is all-knowing, all-present, and all-powerful, then God is aware of our problems.  I review this with you because as we read the first few verses of chapter 12 we may be tempted to wonder whether God really is in control.  There’s some bad stuff happening in these opening verses.  Look at them again.

 

The Bible says that Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.  This king is Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great.  You remember Herod the Great from Matthew chapter 2.  He’s the guy who ordered the death of all babies two-years-old and under in Bethlehem.  Like his grandfather before him, this King Herod rules and reigns in violence.  He’s the guy in charge here.

 

So when the Bible says “Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church” it means that Herod violently persecuted the Christians, arresting several in an effort to prove his might.  Verse 2 says that he killed James the brother of John with the sword.  This would be execution.  He cut-off the head of James and, verse, “because he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also.”  I mean, this guy is all about political power.  He sees that the killing of James pleases the Jews, the unbelieving Jews, so he’s like, “Well, what else can I do to win their favor?”  So he arrests Peter, too.

 

The Bible tells us that this happened “during the Days of Unleavened Bread,” which was a feast associated with the celebration of Passover, a religious festival there in Jerusalem.  So Herod arrests Peter, verse 4, puts him in prison and delivers him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, “intending to bring him before the people after Passover.”  That is, intending to do to Peter as he had done to James, to kill him.

 

These opening verses dispel the myth that Christians will never go through difficult days.  I mean, let’s get this down: bad stuff happens to all Christians.  Don’t let anyone tell you differently.  Often bad stuff happens and we have no clue why.  I mean, the Bible says in verse one that Herod harasses “some from the church.”  Who are they?  How many?  Why those people?  Why those Christians and not other Christians?  What did they do to deserve it?  Did God not love them?

 

Then we read in verse 2 that Herod kills James.  Well, why James?  What did he do to deserve that?  Though Peter was arrested, most of you know that he’s going to avoid death.  But why?  Was Peter more spiritual than James?  Did God love Peter more?

 

Our tendency is to ask all these questions, but we need to understand that bad stuff happens to everyone.  Jesus warned the church about persecution they would face.  He had said to James back in Matthew 20 that if he and his brother John wished to sit at either side of Him in His kingdom that he would have to be willing to go through some serious suffering for his faith.  Sometimes bad stuff happens.  Sometimes persecution means death.  Are you willing to die for your faith?  Sometimes persecution means death.

 

God, in His providence, allows James to die and allows Peter to live but—get this—God is in control in both situations, both situations.  If James dies, God is in control.  If Peter dies, God is in control.  He is always in control because only God is omniscient—all knowing, omnipresent—all present, and omnipotent—all powerful.  God is aware of our problems.

 

Our tendency is to ask, “Well, why didn’t God intervene here?  Why didn’t He save James’ life like He saves Peter’s life?”  And I want to say that the bottom line is, we just don’t know for sure.  We cannot say, “Well, because so and so.”  We don’t know.  It’s okay to not know why God allows the death of one and saves the life of another.  It’s okay not to know stuff like that.

 

Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God.”  I read this morning in my devotion time—I read a proverb each day according to the date and encourage you to do this, too, so today is the 25th—Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter.”  The secret things belong unto the Lord.  It is His glory to conceal a matter.  This is all to say that there are many things about God that we will not know or understand this side of heaven.

 

I spoke recently with a man who recently experienced a fate none of us would wish to experience.  He lost someone very close to him, someone died tragically and unexpectedly.  He said to me, “I don’t understand.”  And I said back, “I don’t understand, either.”  Sometimes bad things happen.  And sometimes we need to be comfortable with saying, “I don’t understand,” but get this now: while there are many things about God and what He allows that we will not know or understand this side of heaven, we can know absolutely that He is in control and He always does what is right.  Abraham asked in Genesis 18:25, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”  and the answer is, “yes!”  Yes, God always does what is right.

 

Remember that Romans 8:28 says that God works all things together for good for those who love Him.  It does not say that all things “are” good.  Persecution is not good.  Divorce is not good.  Cancer is not good.  Not all things are good, but God works all things together “for” good.  God works all things in such a way that His perfect plan is realized.  So he allows the death of James and allows the life of Peter because both are in accord with His sovereign purposes and somehow He is working those purposes out perfectly.  I like the way John Piper puts it.  He says:

 

“So it isn’t as though God fumbled the ball with James and scored a touchdown with Peter. God never fumbles the ball. If he turns it over to the other side for a few downs, it’s because he knows a better way to win.”

 

So when you and I experience hardship in our lives and we cry out, “Hey, who’s in charge here?!” or, “Where is God in this?!”  Let’s remember the God who is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent.  He is in control.  He is aware of our problems.  Relax: God’s on it.  He knows what He’s doing.  Trust Him.  Number two:

 

II.  God Answers our Prayers (5-17)

 

How many of you believe God answers our prayers?  Look at verse 5 and following.

 

5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

 

The grammar here in verse 5 suggests that Peter was in prison for several days and prayers are being offered up for several days by the church.  So this is more than a one-night kind of deal.  There’s a whole lot of praying going on.  Verse 6:

 

6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 

 

Back in verse 4 we read that Peter was delivered over to four squads of soldiers.  That’s four groups of four.  So there are these 16 soldiers!  Herod’s like, “I heard about this guy Peter!  He’s gotten out of prison before so I’m not taking any chances!”  These 16 soldiers took turns throughout the day and evening in four shifts of six hours each.  So at any given time there are two soldiers inside, chained to either side of Peter, and two soldiers outside, watching the door.

 

Now look again at verse 6.  The Bible says that on the very night before Herod was going to bring out Peter to execute him he was doing what?  Sleeping!  I mean, this is the night before he’s supposed to get his head cut-off and he’s catching some Z’s!  How’d you like to be one of those guards chained to Peter?  Peter’s like snuggling-up beside one, snoring and slobbering on the other.  He throws a leg over one of them!  How is that kind of peace possible that a guy can sleep the night before his execution?  Some people speak of Peter’s great faith and all of this, but I think the key is found in verse 5: “constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”  The church is praying for Peter.  Many of you have experienced what Paul says happens as a result of prayer in Philippians 4:7, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds.”

 

7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side (he was sound asleep!) and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.  (How did the chains come off?  Did Peter take them off?  God did it!)

8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 

9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 

10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them (how?) of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 

11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” 

 

So Peter’s like, “Man, I thought I was dreaming or seeing a vision or something, but now I know this has really happened!”  So God answered the prayers of His people.  Peter has been delivered.  So he goes now to the place where the Christians are gathered together praying for him.

 

12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 

 

So the church is in there holding a prayer meeting and they’re praying away, “God, deliver Peter.  God intervene and glorify Yourself by setting Peter free,” and so forth.  So here comes Peter.

 

13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 

14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 

 

Now that’s great, isn’t it?!  This young girl is sent to answer the door.  Peter’s knocking because the door is locked.  Why is it locked?  Because Christians are being persecuted.  Remember Herod?  So Rhoda runs to the door and hears knocking on the outside.  She’s like, “Who is it?” and Peter replies, in a hushed voice, “It’s me.  Open the door!”  The Bible says she’s so excited that it’s Peter that she doesn’t open the gate, but runs back in and tells everyone it’s Peter.  Now look at the response of the people in the prayer meeting:

 

15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” 

 

They don’t believer her.  They’re like, “Yeah, right!”  I mean, this is what they’ve been praying for!  She’s like, “No, it really is Peter” and they’re like, “Ah, it’s probably just his angel.”  Now I don’t know about you, but if it were an angel, I’d want to see that, wouldn’t you?!”  Meanwhile, verse 16:

 

16 Now Peter continued knocking (I love that!  Peter’s looking over his shoulder and he’s like, “Come on, come on answer the door!”  Someone said, “He could get out of prison, but he couldn’t get into a prayer meeting”); and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 

 

They’re like, “It really is Peter!”  Apparently they’re all really fired-up about this now, giving each other “high 5s” and making a ruckus, because verse 17 says Peter has to quiet them down.

 

17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James (that’s James, the half-brother of Jesus and author of the book of James) and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place. 

 

God is aware of our problems and God answers our prayers.  What I really like about this is that God answers our prayers even when our prayers aren’t full of much faith.  I mean, the church has been praying for Peter constantly and God delivers Peter and he shows up at the prayer meeting they can hardly believe it.  I mean, God in His sovereignty, often chooses to intervene at times when our faith is the weakest.  We pray, but our heart sometimes isn’t in it to the degree we’d like.  We may feel like the father of the boy in Mark’s Gospel who said, “I believe, help my unbelief!”  God often chooses to intervene and answer our prayers even at times when our faith is the weakest.

 

The church had already been dealing with James’ death, so it may be they thought it inevitable that Peter die, too.  They knew God answered their prayers, but they also knew that God doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we desire.  We trust Him.  He will do what is right.  He hears and answers every single prayer, whether it is the answer we like or not.  Sometimes He answers “Yes” and sometimes He answers “No” and sometimes He answers with silence for reasons He alone knows, but He answers nonetheless in a way that accords with His perfect will and His greater glory.

 

So when you pray, remember to relax: God’s on it.  He’s aware of our problems, He answers our prayers and, number three:

 

III.  God Avenges His People (18-25)

 

What about an evil person like Herod?  What about a guy who calls for the death of innocent people?  If God is in control and if God is “on it,” why doesn’t He do something about evil?

 

The answer is, “He does.”  He deals with evil people both in this life and the life to come.  We don’t always see God’s hand dealing with evil in this life.  Sometimes it seems like good guys finish last and bad guys finish first.  But you can be sure that when it appears evil people are winning, that God will deal with them sooner or later.  If He chooses to deal with them later at the Judgment, so be it.  He is the Judge of all the earth and He will do right.  God will avenge His people.  But there are times, also, when God deals with evil people in this life.  We witness it and we shudder.  We are reminded that we should never oppose the Lord and His church.

 

That’s the point of the remaining verses.  Is Herod really in charge of this situation?  Not really.  God is in charge.  God is in control.  God is “on it.”

 

18 Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 

 

No doubt!  They’re like, “Who’s telling Herod?” and, “I’m not telling him!”

 

19 But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. 

 

That shows you that Herod had every intention of killing Peter.  When a Roman soldier let a prisoner get away, he faced the same fate the prisoner faced.  So Herod orders the death of the guards.  Is there no justice here?  Is God going to let this evil continue?  Sometimes God defers His judgment till later and sometimes He judges right now in this present world.  Let’s read on:

 

20 Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. 

 

The people of Tyre and Sidon were dependent upon Herod for food for their land and for whatever reason Herod was angry with them so they got an intermediary, Blastus is his name—by the way, what a name, huh?!  I’ve never done a parent-child dedication for a baby named Blastus!—so they get this guy who is the king’s personal aide and they get friendly with him and get him on their side.  Now watch as the people of Tyre and Sidon flatter King Herod.  Here comes judgment.  Are you ready?  How many of you are ready to see God avenge His people?

 

21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 

 

Here’s a guy who is so full of himself, he arrays himself in royal apparel.  The secular historian, Josephus, tells us that it is a garment woven of silver.  So Herod has this glittering robe on and he’s admiring himself in the mirror, you know, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the most awesome of them all?”  So he sits on his throne and gives this pompous speech.  Verse 22:

 

22 And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 

 

Remember, they’re trying to curry favor with the king.  They want food so they’re like, “Wow, what a speech, the voice of a god, and not of a man!” and they’re doing the wave and everything.  And Herod’s eating it up.  He’s like, “Hey, I’m pretty good!  I am a god, and not a man.”

 

23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. 

 

Judgment!  But look at verse 24.  Here it is.  Who’s in charge here?  Can anything thwart God’s purposes?  No, verse 24:

 

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. 

25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.

 

Nothing can thwart the purposes of an all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful God.  God is in control of His church.  God is in control of your life.  So relax: God’s on it.

 

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