"Unexpected Surprise" June 2, 2019
Overview
Unexpected Surprise: When God Answers Beyond What We Expect
Peter sat chained between two soldiers, with two more guarding the door, awaiting execution under Herod. There was nothing he could do to save himself. Then an angel appeared, the chains fell away, and Peter was led out into the streets of Jerusalem. Even Peter himself thought it was a dream until, as Acts 12:11 tells us, "he came to himself" and realized the Lord had truly rescued him. His first instinct was not to flee the city, but to find the believers gathered at the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, and tell them what God had done.
What he found there is striking. The church had been praying through the night, in earnest, for Peter—and yet when the servant girl Rhoda recognized his voice at the gate, she was so overjoyed she left him standing outside while she ran to tell the others. Their response? "You are out of your mind." They insisted it must be his angel, even as Peter kept knocking. They were praying for the very thing God was giving them, and still they could not believe it had come. This passage gently confronts us: Why do we pray? Do we pray expecting God to answer, or surprised when He does? When someone asks for prayer, don't put it off—pray right then, especially when the situation seems humanly hopeless. And remember that "no" is sometimes God's answer too. James had already been martyred, and God was glorified in that as well.
Peter's chains preach the gospel to us. We confess each week that we are "in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves." Like Peter, we are captive, awaiting a death sentence, with nothing in our own strength to offer. But the Son has set us free: "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" John 8:36; "For freedom Christ has set us free" Galatians 5:1; "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" Romans 8:1-2. In our baptism the chains have been loosed. Yet how often we try to fasten them back on, living as though our standing with God depended on being good enough, faithful enough, loyal enough.
Don't live in that fear. Heaven is not an unexpected surprise reserved for those who manage to earn it—it is the clearly marked promise of Scripture, opened to you by Christ. The deliverance from sin should not astonish us as if God were stingy with His grace; it is exactly what He has promised. The true and wonderful surprise that awaits is the glory of being in the full presence of the Lord, a joy that surpasses every expectation. Wake each day remembering: the chains are gone, the gate is open, and you are free in Jesus Christ to love and serve one another in the freedom of the Spirit.
Transcript
We are smack dab in the middle of a really exciting story of rescue and deliverance out of a miracle of God 0s
And as I was studying this text and I was trying to think of a great way to open this sermon 8s
I realized there's no way we have to recap 14s
It is just so exciting that there's no anecdote that can really fit this as well as really just 17s
Leading up to where we're picking up 25s
So last week we started where Peter was in chains. He was arrested by Herod 28s
He had he was facing execution the following day. He was being guarded by 35s
Four squads of guards and and around the clock he had two guards chained to each leg and two guards at the door 42s
He was he was definitely stuck. He was captive 50s
There was no way that he was going to get out of there 55s
By anything that he could do or by any of his own talents and 60s
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and the chains fell loose and the the angel 66s
Directed him to put on his cloak to follow him and he followed him through and the whole time Peter is thinking 74s
This is a dream 80s
He didn't believe it. He thought it was a vision but once the angel left 82s
In verse 11 it says that Peter came to himself. He came to his senses. He realized this isn't a dream 88s
I'm free. I'm set free. The Lord has rescued me 97s
I'm not going to die. I'm rescued from certain death 102s
Now what and he didn't have a lot of time to consider or to think and 106s
It doesn't even give us the idea that he was pondering his options and his choices 112s
He knew he needed to see some people 118s
He needed to tell people what had happened and so this is where we're picking up Peter has just been rescued from certain death 120s
He's out in the streets of Jerusalem 129s
Meeting to go somewhere needing to find safety but also letting people know that he's okay 132s
Verse 12 as soon as he realized this as soon as he realized he was 139s
Actually free he went to the house of Mary the mother of John whose other name was Mark 143s
Where many had gathered and were praying so clearly 150s
It's not safe 154s
For Peter to be out in the opening open wandering around Jerusalem seeing what's going on 156s
He knew that he would have to leave town 163s
Because there's no way that Herid would just let it go 166s
There was no way that Herid soldiers wouldn't 170s
Start searching for him but he absolutely could not leave without first 173s
Sharing this miraculous story of 180s
Deliverance with this way that it's worded as as soon as he realized this 184s
Those words as soon as it it really leads us to know that Peter didn't have to link think long and hard about 189s
Where to go or who to see as soon as he realized that he had been saved he had a directly to 197s
Mary's house 206s
This must have been a very regular meeting place for believers if that's where Peter headed to first 207s
Mary's husband isn't mentioned her servants are so it's safe to assume that Mary is a very wealthy 216s
widow with a home large enough for people to gather in as that early church 224s
We see that this is an example of acts for playing out where it says everything 230s
They owned was held in common. She had opened her home. This was not the first time 237s
She opened her home to the believers as a place to meet 244s
Many were gathered and they were praying 248s
They were praying in earnest, but they didn't yet know that their prayers were being answered 253s
They didn't know how God was going to answer their prayers either 260s
But they didn't put it off 264s
They didn't put it off. They spent the night turning to the Lord in prayer 267s
Think about this action of the church James had been executed 273s
Peter was arrested 279s
Facing execution and 280s
They gathered immediately and spent the entire night praying 284s
What do we do when we're asked for prayer or when we say? 289s
We'll pray for someone 294s
Do you ever put it off? 295s
Do you ever say oh, yeah, I'll pray for you and you put it off 298s
And you kind of make a mental note 303s
I need to pray for them and and hopefully you'll remember to pray eventually 304s
But do you ever wake up going 309s
I forgot to pray for that person 312s
I had a friend in Charleston who said well 314s
I kind of figured when I tell them I'll pray for them 317s
That's when I'm praying that's kind of my prayer God knows that I want to pray 320s
But it gets put off it gets put off when someone asks for prayer 325s
When you offer to pray for someone 329s
I encourage you to do it right then right there 332s
Just pray don't put it off don't hesitate 337s
Turn to the Lord with that person in that very moment and pray 341s
Even if there's scenes that there's no humanly hope 347s
pray 352s
Or maybe especially if it seems that there's no humanly hope 354s
Pray 362s
We continue in verse 13 when he knocked at the outer gate 363s
Amade named Roda came to answer on recognizing Peter's voice. She was so overjoyed that instead of opening the gate 367s
She ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate 376s
This is one of my favorite passages in all of scripture 380s
Because she is so excited that she just leaves 384s
She leaves him standing stranded out there in the dangerous city where he really shouldn't be in the open 389s
She's so excited that she just leaves it reminds me of a Brady bunch episode 396s
I don't know if any of you are Brady bunch watchers 401s
I grew up on the Brady bunch where Marsha Brady there's a knock at the door and she she answers it and there's this famous 403s
Astronaut standing there and she gets so excited that he's there. She's gonna tell her her mom and she's slam the door 410s
And it's face and turns around and realizes 415s
She just slam the door in this man's face, but she was so excited and that's Roda 419s
Roda is so excited so overjoyed 424s
That she becomes absent minded in the excitement and he's standing out there 429s
Continuing to knock I love this moment of comedy for us 438s
It's funny to read about Roda in her absent mindedness in her excitement 445s
But think of Peter 451s
Stranded out there the only thing standing between him and safety is a door that needs to be opened 454s
He's left out on the wrong side 463s
Roda is so overjoyed 468s
She completely forgets to open the gate she wants to rush in and tell the others and what is the response she gets 470s
Verse 15 they said to her you are out of your mind 479s
But she insisted that it was so they said it is his angel 484s
They don't believe her they don't believe her there's no way in their mind that Peter can be outside the gate 490s
Though this is exactly what they've been praying for they've been praying for Peter to be delivered 499s
They don't believe it has come true God has done something 504s
Beyond their expectation 510s
They refuse to accept the possibility that Peter had escaped 515s
They are rejecting that God would miraculously rescue Peter 521s
And it begs the question if they didn't expect 529s
Peter to be rescued 532s
Why were they even praying? 534s
Have they been praying for a different outcome? Have they been praying for a different 538s
sort of deliverance? 542s
Why do you pray? 546s
Why do you pray? Do you pray? 549s
Trusting that God will hear your prayer? 551s
Do you pray expecting an answer but surprised when you actually get one? 554s
Peter thought he was dreaming when he was being delivered 561s
The gathered believers thought that Roda was seeing his ghost at best 565s
Do we not expect God to answer R prayers? 572s
The believers had gathered together to pray for James 579s
He was executed but that doesn't mean that their prayers had not been answered 582s
Sometimes the answer to a prayer is no 588s
But God is still glorified 593s
In the answer no God was still glorified in James martyrdom 597s
Roda was a servant 605s
But she was very familiar with these believers 608s
It it appears that she was also a believer 612s
And that she would have been praying with these other believers 616s
And she knows that these prayers have been answered 620s
And she has proof that these prayers have been answered but they don't want to hear it 624s
Thank God that she kept insisting she would not back down from the truth 631s
That Peter was just outside and I wonder how long this went on 637s
With Roda saying Peter's out there and then saying no no no no no no there's no way he can't be 644s
Seeing his angel no I'm telling you Peter is out there will surely he can't be out there 649s
That's just crazy talk no really this back and forth and back and forth and then 654s
verse 16 meanwhile 661s
Peter continued 663s
knocking 664s
This entire time he's just standing out there poor Peter 666s
Completely 671s
Vulnerable 673s
Knowing that his captors will be searching for him soon if not already and he's just 674s
knocking 681s
He's just knocking and when they open the gate they saw him and 684s
Were amazed 689s
Peter's rescue was a complete shock for the believers 690s
They were amazed that God had actually delivered him from certain death 695s
Was I was studying this text one author who wrote on this passage 704s
Said the believers response of amazement reminded him of the song 708s
He wrote every time I sing amazing grace. I think of two things 714s
First we should never be amazed by grace because God is so gracious that when he pours his grace upon us 719s
It should not come as a surprise 728s
Second conversely there is a certain sense in which we ought always to be amazed by grace 731s
So that we never presume upon God the astonishment here was born not a faith but of unbelief 738s
They could not believe God had provided the very thing that they had asked for 744s
Sounds kind of harsh to say that they were praying in unbelief 752s
They were praying 757s
They were praying in earnest 759s
But they couldn't believe the grace that God had showed to Peter 762s
Think about this again Peter was chained 768s
He was captive there was no way he was getting himself out of this situation 772s
There was absolutely nothing he could do for himself 777s
When Peter was rescued he didn't believe it at first when he was set free from the Lord 781s
No one else believed that he had been saved either 788s
Open up for a moment to the first page in your bulletin where we have the confession 792s
In that corporate confession 801s
What is the very first thing we say 803s
We confess 806s
We are in bondage to sin and cannot 808s
free ourselves 813s
We are we are in bondage. We are captive to sin in our thoughts words and deeds by things we have done 815s
by things we have left undone 826s
just as Peter was captive 828s
Chained and awaiting a death sentence 831s
In sin we await a death sentence 836s
We cannot do anything 841s
Anything to free ourselves from this sin 844s
But Peter was not left 849s
He was not abandoned by God and neither are you 853s
Look at the words in the bulletin that follow the confession 860s
You hear your pastors say this every single week to you all mighty God in his mercy 865s
has given his son to die for us and for his sake 871s
forgive us all our sins 877s
In John chapter eight it says if the sun sets you free you will be free indeed 881s
In Galatians chapter five for freedom 888s
Christ has set us free in Romans chapter eight 892s
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus 897s
For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus he has set you free from the law of sin and death 903s
You are free from the chains of sin 912s
You are no longer facing a sentence of death 916s
But a promise of eternal life just as Peter had those 920s
Captors chained literally to his legs 926s
We are chained to our sin until Christ comes and 930s
Dies on the cross and we are washed in that promise in our baptism and those chains are loosed and we're set free 936s
You have been washed in 947s
That baptism you are made new in Christ Jesus you have been filled with his holy spirit 950s
Peter didn't believe that he was free at first 959s
But when he realized it wasn't a dream 963s
He immediately went to tell the others 966s
So often we want to cling to those chains trying to put them back on 970s
We are set free 974s
Just like Peter came to himself in the realization that he is set free 977s
I pray I encourage I hope that each one of us every day will wake up remembering those chains are not 982s
Binding us any longer 992s
They do not hold us down. We are not captive to sin through the blood of Jesus Christ 995s
Verse 17 when Peter got inside he motioned to them with his hand to be silent and 1003s
Described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison and he added 1009s
Tell these to James and to the believers then he left and went to another place 1014s
In the excitement of seeing Peter 1020s
There must have been quite a reaction he had to calm them down 1023s
He was in a a little bit of a time crunch. He needed to get out of the city 1027s
So he settled them down tells them exactly what happened. He relayed his story of deliverance 1030s
Telling them exactly what the Lord has done and he needed that word to be passed along to James 1036s
And the other believers and of course this is not the James that had just been martyred 1045s
It is James the brother of Jesus and then Peter needed to find some safety 1049s
So he left he got out of there 1055s
Verse 18 when morning came 1058s
There was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become a Peter when her it had searched for him and could not find him 1061s
He examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death 1069s
Then he went down from Judea to Cessaria and stayed there 1073s
Can you imagine the scene of chaos when those guards woke up and 1078s
Peter wasn't there their prisoner wasn't there 1083s
The common practice at that time if a prisoner escaped was to give the escaped prisoners punishment 1086s
To the guards who had failed 1094s
A lot of times guards would actually kill themselves rather than endure the torture and execution 1097s
That would surely 1105s
before them 1106s
So much commotion they couldn't believe it they didn't know the Lord had delivered Peter 1108s
We know the believers know 1114s
But the commotion is just intense 1117s
There's a common theme 1123s
Throughout this miraculous miraculous rescue of Peter 1125s
There's this unexpected surprise 1129s
At every single turn Peter 1132s
Didn't believe he was being rescued at first it was an unexpected surprise that 1135s
He was free the faithful who gathered to pray were surprised 1141s
To see Peter alive and free the guards a woke in the morning without their prisoner and they were 1146s
surprised to find him gone 1153s
In this 1157s
narrative in this 1158s
text God 1160s
Did something beyond everyone's expectation 1162s
But he's always done 1167s
Something for all of us that is beyond all of our own 1169s
Expectation and that is he forgive our sins 1174s
He forgave our sins 1180s
It's amazing how we forget that 1182s
Like I said before we're always trying to attach those sins back to ourselves 1186s
Or is trying to find some way to be better do better 1190s
Worship better 1195s
We act as if when we die will be surprised that we actually made it into heaven 1197s
You will make it 1205s
Because Jesus has opened the door 1208s
It's not incumbent upon you heaven 1211s
Getting to heaven being with the Lord is not supposed to be an unexpected surprise 1216s
It is a clearly marked promise throughout all of scripture 1223s
Don't spend your days 1230s
Living in fear 1232s
That you're not good enough you're not faithful enough you're not loyal enough 1235s
Because heaven is not dependent on you 1240s
The gate to heaven has been opened by Christ the chains of sin have been released by Christ 1245s
You are set free to live your life in the freedom of Jesus Christ 1251s
To love one another with the spirit of the Lord 1259s
The expected or the unexpected surprise of deliverance from our sin really isn't the surprise 1265s
That's not the surprise that we should be looking toward when we pass from this life into the next 1273s
the wonder and the beauty and the glory of being in the full presence of the Lord 1280s
That is the surprise that we should all look forward to 1289s
That is the surprise that is promised to each one of you 1294s
So it should not be unexpected 1301s
It should just be a wonderful and beautiful and glorious surprise that surpasses all 1305s
Expectation 1314s
That is the good news we have today and that is the good news we have always 1315s