"Rescued" May 26, 2019

Overview

Rescued: Lessons from Acts 12

Scripture is full of rescues—Jonah from the belly of the fish, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace, the infant Jesus from Herod's sword. Acts 12 gives us another. King Herod, eager to shore up tenuous standing with Rome by currying favor with the Jews, made the church his common enemy. He had James, the brother of John and one of the inner circle of disciples, executed with the sword. When that pleased the people, he arrested Peter, intending a public execution after Passover. Peter was bound with two chains between two soldiers, with two more guards outside the door—maximum security, humanly hopeless.

The church turned toward God, not away from Him. "While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him" Acts 12:5. When the situation looked bleakest, God's people did not lose heart; they petitioned the Father. That is our pattern too. Whether trouble comes by our own doing or simply because we live in a fallen world, the believer's first move is prayer.

Peter rested in God's promises—so deeply that he slept. On the eve of his execution, an angel had to strike him on the side to wake him Acts 12:7. Why such peace? Years earlier, Jesus had told Peter that he would glorify God by his death "when you are old" John 21:18-19. Peter was not yet old. He trusted the word of his Lord and slept in the surety of it. The omnipotent, omniscient, ever-present God can be trusted in our crises as well.

Sometimes the rescue does not come on this side of heaven—and God is glorified either way. Why was James killed while Peter walked free? The answer rests in God's sovereign will. Yet in both cases God was glorified: in James's faithful witness unto death, and in Peter's deliverance. Whatever our circumstance, the highest aim is not our preservation but God's glory.

The provision of rescue is not always recognized in the moment. Peter followed the angel through gates that opened of their own accord, thinking he was seeing a vision. Only afterward did he say, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me" Acts 12:11. Often we recognize God's hand only in hindsight—understanding later why one door closed and another opened. And beneath every temporal rescue stands the ultimate rescue: the cross and empty tomb of Jesus Christ, by which we have been delivered from sin, death, and the devil, and claimed in the waters of baptism for life eternal. Whatever rescue we still need today, we face it as those already rescued for sure.

Transcript

Rescues. 1s

Rescues. 2s

We see them throughout Holy Scripture. 4s

I think for example of the rescue of Jonah from the belly of the whale, that was the rescue, wasn't it? 9s

Or how about the rescue of Shadrack, Mishak, and a bendigol from the fiery furnace, as recorded in the book of Daniel, rescue? 17s

Or rescue? 26s

When the angel tells Joseph to flee to Egypt because herid wants to kill the baby. 29s

Rescues. 37s

And as we come to the 12th chapter of Acts this morning, we see, yet one more rescue in Holy Scripture. 39s

Here's my question for us. 48s

What is it that we can learn from this rescue? 51s

Because we all need to be rescued. 57s

So let's study. 64s

As we go from the 11th chapter of Acts into the 12th chapter of Acts, there's a scene change. 66s

You'll recall in the 11th chapter of Acts, there was the birthing of what we can call the first church of the 12th chapter of Acts. 73s

The scene shifts now from Antioch and it goes back to the mother church in Jerusalem. 82s

And so we pick up in verse 1 of chapter 12. 90s

About that time King Herid laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 95s

He had James the brother of John killed with the sword. 103s

Just a little background on Herid here. 108s

When Herid was in Rome, Herid ran up quite a debt. 113s

And Herid fled Rome and went to Palestine. 119s

Well, that really angered his creditors. 125s

And then he said some things he shouldn't have said that angered the Emperor, 129s

and the Siberia, so Siberia's throw him into prison. 134s

And there he said, 137s

Herid is released and Herid becomes the ruler of the northern part of Palestine. 142s

His relationship with Rome because of his past was really tenuous. 151s

So he needed to keep up good relations with some of his subjects, the Jews. 157s

And so what was his option that he chose? 168s

To bond with the Jews by having a common enemy, a common enemy, 173s

would be the Christians. 180s

And so because of that tenuous relationship, he wants good relationship with the Jews. 187s

And so common enemy that will bring us together. 192s

And so he persecutes the Christians. 196s

Specifically, he has James executed. 199s

Remember James? 203s

James was one of the inner circle of the disciples. 206s

Remember sometimes you hear the phrase, Peter James and John, 210s

that's the inner circle that Jesus had within the twelve. 214s

And so he kills James. 219s

We know from history that eleven out of the twelve disciples were martyred for their faith. 223s

The only disciple that wasn't martyred for the faith was John, 231s

interestingly the brother of James. 237s

John died of old age. 240s

But eleven out of twelve of them were killed for their faith. 244s

So this is then the first disciple, the first apostle, that is, put two death. 247s

Let's go on, verse three. 258s

After he saw that it pleased the Jews, what pleased the Jews? 262s

The execution of James, right? 268s

After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. 271s

So he gets positive reinforcement for what he has done, 278s

having James executed, and will have dared to light it in having James executed. 282s

Can you imagine if he has Peter executed? 288s

So that's the next. 297s

On list. 299s

Notice the parentheses now in the second part of verse three. 301s

This was during the festival of unleavened bread. 306s

That parentheses is important. 312s

That tells us that the execution can't occur until the festival is over. 314s

The Jews wouldn't have like that. 321s

He wants a good relationship with the Jews. 323s

So he's going to wait. 326s

So what does he do? 327s

He throws him into prison. 328s

This was during the festival of unleavened bread. 332s

Verse four. 338s

When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handed him over to four squads of soldiers 341s

to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 346s

So he's going to bring him out when the Passover is done for the execution to occur. 353s

And he's got four squads of soldiers that are going to guard him. 357s

That means that around the clock here, he is going to be guarded. 362s

Jump down to verse six, please. 367s

The very night before Herod was going to bring him out Peter, 371s

bound with two chains was sleeping between two soldiers. 375s

While guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. 380s

So how was he guarded? 387s

He would have had one leg with a chain around it that would have been attached to a soldier inside the cell. 390s

And on his other leg would have been a chain around it attached to the second soldier inside the cell. 399s

And then outside of the cell are two more soldiers. 407s

Maximum security? 416s

Absolutely. 419s

Absolutely. 420s

Have you ever escaped from that? 421s

You are literally chained to your guards who are with you in the cell. 423s

And then you have additional guards outside of the cell. 428s

This looks rather bleak here, doesn't it? 433s

It's bleak. 437s

James has been executed. 438s

Peter is just about ready to be executed. 442s

It's just we're going to get the Passover out of the way. 444s

So it doesn't ruffle the feathers here of the Jews when that occurs. 447s

They were delighted and James, they're going to be delighted in the execution of Peter. 450s

James is executed. 457s

Peter is going to be executed. 458s

Peter is in a jail cell. 460s

He's chained to his guards in the cell. 463s

And there's two more outside of the cell. 465s

This is bleak. 471s

What does the church do? 477s

What does the church do? 481s

Look at verse five, please. 483s

While Peter was kept in prison, 487s

the church prayed, 491s

and it was very powerful. 494s

For him. 496s

What did they do? 502s

They prayed. 504s

James had been executed. 508s

Peter is about to be executed. 510s

But they don't turn away from God they turn toward God. 514s

They don't lose heart. 520s

They turn toward the Father. 521s

What did they do in the need of rescue? 526s

They pray. 533s

They pray. 535s

How about you? 538s

You know those situations that come in life, 541s

where you just cry out to the Lord and you say, 545s

help that you need to have a rescue? 548s

How about you? 554s

In those circumstances that either you bring on yourself 556s

or just simply happen to you because you live in a sinful world. 559s

What about those situations where you need a rescue? 563s

Do you turn away from God or do you turn toward Him? 567s

And the story of the rescue in Acts 12, it teaches. 574s

Look we made verse seven. 590s

Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. 593s

When did this occur? 598s

Jump back to verse six, the very beginning, 601s

the very night before Herod was going to bring Him out. 604s

So the angel comes into the cell and there is a bright light 610s

with the appearance here of the angel in the cell. 614s

What is Peter doing? 621s

Peter sleeping. 624s

In fact, he is really asleep, isn't he? 626s

Just look at the very next phrase in verse seven. 630s

He tapped Peter on the side and woke him saying, 634s

get up quickly and the chains fell off of his wrists. 638s

Here is Peter on the eve of his execution. 645s

He is in a jail cell. 650s

He's chained to his guards. 652s

There's no possibility humanly speaking of escape. 655s

And he has sound asleep so that the light from the angel arrival 659s

doesn't wake him up, that the angel literally has to go over to him 665s

and poke him to wake him up. 670s

He is sound and deeply asleep, isn't he? 673s

Why is he sleeping so sound? 685s

If you're in a jail cell and you know tomorrow you're going to be executed, 691s

would you be so asleep that a bright light doesn't wake you up 699s

and an angel has to come and say, get up, get up. 704s

Why? 709s

In John 21st chapter, Jesus turned to Peter and he said, 713s

when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will 723s

fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go. 729s

He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God. 734s

Peter followed the Lord for three decades. 746s

For three decades, Peter knew that the day would come when he would be 752s

here in the narrative in Acts 12, he's not an old man. 767s

He's not an old man yet. 774s

And remember what did Jesus tell Peter when you're what? 777s

When you're old, this is what? 782s

He's going to happen. 785s

So there's Peter in the jail cell, 788s

Shane who is guards to others outside and Peter falls asleep, 792s

deep sleep. 799s

Why? 801s

Because he knows that what the Lord told him would happen when he was old, 803s

he's not old yet. 811s

And so somehow this execution is not going to occur. 813s

So why not sleep? 825s

Why not sleep? 828s

And he really, really slept. 830s

The story of the rescue teaches. 840s

It teaches us in terms of those times where we're in need of a rescue. 847s

And we can trust the omnipotence, the omniscience, the omnipresence, the care of all mighty God. 856s

We can trust in his promises. 866s

We can rest in them. 871s

And we can sleep. 877s

We can sleep. 881s

The story of the rescue of Acts 12. 885s

Teachers. 892s

And it teaches us that sometimes the rescue doesn't occur this side of heaven. 897s

Why is James killed and Peter is rescued? 911s

Could God have rescued James from his moment of execution? 918s

Of course, God can do whatever God wants. 923s

So why is James killed and Peter winds up being rescued? 927s

The only answer to that is the sovereign will of Almighty God. 935s

But what we do know in that in both cases, God was glorified. 942s

God was glorified. 949s

God was glorified by the faithful witness of James until he took his last breath. 951s

In fact, church history tells us of the tradition. 959s

This is not scripture. 966s

You have to say it the Lord here. 967s

But in church history, you have the story of the guard who is watching James and his faithfulness to the end, 970s

who becomes a Christian watching James and then the guard is executed. 979s

Because he sees the faithful witness of James willing to die for the Lord. 986s

In both the situation with James and in Peter, God is glorified. 992s

Whether there was the rescue this side of heaven or the other side of heaven. 996s

In both situations, God was glorified. 1002s

And in your situations, whether the rescue occurs this side of heaven or not, 1009s

what's the most important thing that God will be glorified? 1019s

That God will be glorified. 1027s

And the rescue of Acts 12, it teaches. 1033s

And the rescue teaches us that sometimes the provision of the rescue isn't immediately recognized. 1043s

Look at verse 8. 1051s

Chapter 12. 1055s

The angel said to him, fasten your belt and put on your sandals. 1058s

He did so. 1061s

Then he said to him, wrap your cloak around you and follow me. 1063s

Peter went out and followed him. 1067s

He did not realize that what was happening with the angel's help was real. 1069s

He thought he was seeing a vision. 1075s

After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. 1078s

It opened for them of its own accord and they went outside and walked along a lane. 1084s

When suddenly the angel left him. 1091s

Then Peter came to himself and said, 1095s

Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of herred and from all that the Jewish people were expecting. 1101s

Has that ever been your experience? 1116s

When God rescues you out of a situation, you don't immediately recognize the rescue. 1119s

You ever had that experience? 1124s

And it's only in the hindsight as you reflect back on the situation where you see, 1126s

I understand now why God shut that door and opened this one. 1132s

I understand now why these circumstances moved in this way. 1137s

I understand now that what I didn't understand was the rescue was the rescue at the time. 1142s

Peter comes to himself and says, I get it now. 1149s

I get it. 1153s

This is the provision for the rescue and the story of the rescue of Acts 12. 1155s

It teaches. 1169s

You see they needed a rescue. 1174s

So instead of turning away from God, they turned toward God. 1176s

Peter needed a rescue. 1180s

And so what does Peter do? 1183s

Peter sleeps in the surety of the promises of God. 1185s

There was the need for the rescue, but there was the understanding that whatever way this bends, 1190s

whatever side of heaven God decides to do his rescue on, God will be glorified. 1197s

He was glorified in the death of James and he was glorified in the release of Peter. 1202s

And there was the understanding then of Peter of the provision that was given for his rescue. 1209s

By God's grace beloved may we experience that very same thing in our lives. 1216s

A midst of those times when we are in need of rescue instead of turning away from God, may we turn toward him in prayer. 1222s

May we indeed rest deeply in his promises. 1231s

Indeed, may we be a people that understand that whatever God's will is, if he wants to rescue this side of heaven or the other side of heaven, 1237s

God will be glorified and that's all that we want. 1248s

And may we be given the eyes and the understanding that when he wills for the rescue to occur this side of heaven, 1252s

may we be given the eyes of understanding to see it was God's provision at that moment for us. 1262s

And beloved as we live amidst these times in which we need rescue in various situations of our lives, 1277s

may we understand that the ultimate rescue has occurred for us. 1286s

The ultimate rescue of the forgiveness of our sins and life eternal to the cross and the empty tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1295s

That the Lord and His graciousness looked upon our miserable plate and rescued us from an eternity destined for hell, 1307s

transforming it into the beauty of heaven itself, 1321s

claiming us in the waters of baptism, that our sins have been atone for, that death has been overcome, 1326s

that we have been rescued and by His grace may He give us the eyes to see whatever situation we face in the here and now through the vision of the ultimate rescue, 1336s

that He is accomplished for us in Jesus Christ. 1353s

Peter said, 1363s

Now I'm sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the hands of hered and from all that the Jewish people were expecting. 1366s

And we can say, we're sure that God has rescued us from death and the devil through the cross and the empty tomb. 1380s

And we stand, having been rescued in the confidence of the grace and provision of God, rescued for sure. 1399s

Thank you. 1438s