Acts 12:1

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with a sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews he proceeded further to take Peter also. Then were the days of unleavened bread. And when he had apprehended him he put him in prison... And behold the angel of the Lord came upon him and light shined in the prison. And he smote Peter in the side and raised him up saying arise up quickly. And his chains fell from his hands. — Acts 12:1–7

A new persecution, a martyred apostle, and a sleeping prisoner—and a church on its knees discovering that God still opens doors no man can shut.

A New Persecution from a New Source

In Acts 8 and 9 we saw a certain individual, Saul of Tarsus, persecuting the church and seeking to destroy the work God was doing. Yet on the road to Damascus, Jesus revealed Himself to Saul, and he bent the knee. After his conversion the church enjoyed a relative peace, and some years seem to have passed in that calm.

But now another persecution arises—with a totally different source and focus. The earlier persecution came from Saul, aimed at destroying the church as a whole. This one comes from a political leader, King Herod, known in his day as Agrippa the Great. It was his uncle, Herod Antipas, who about a decade before, at this very same season of Passover, had condemned Jesus of Nazareth to death. Now the nephew moves against the church for an entirely different reason.

Verse 1 says Herod stretched forth his hands to vex the church—a word meaning to harm, oppress, afflict, or mistreat. And he focused his efforts not on the church at large but on its leaders, choosing out one named James.

James, the First Apostle Martyred

James was the brother of John, a fisherman from the Sea of Galilee, the son of Zebedee. When Jesus called him and John from mending their nets, they left everything and followed Him. Throughout the Gospels we see Peter, James, and John as something of an inner circle. James was present on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17, when Jesus was glorified before them. He witnessed Jesus raise Jairus's daughter from the dead. And he was one of the three closest to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, watching his Lord toil in prayer to the point of sweating great drops of blood.

So James had an intimate relationship with the Lord and a clear leadership role in the early church. Yet now the persecution focuses on this man. If ever the early church imagined that the apostles had some special protection from God, that impression was gone. Herod sent men to arrest James and put him to death—killed with the sword, which likely means he was beheaded.

We sometimes wrongly assume God has special secret-service angels guarding the higher-ups in the church—that there is a detail of archangels assigned to protect men like Billy Graham or Chuck Smith, or Peter and James. The Scriptures don't reveal that. God has indeed given His angels charge over us, and we're grateful for the protection His hand provides. But there are times when persecution and trial come even against the leaders of the church. They are not exempt. If anything, they bear a larger target because of the work God has called them to. So we should pray for them, that God would give them strength.

God Uses Even the Death of His Servants

Even in the midst of such persecution, God is faithful and able to use these trials. The church historian Eusebius, citing Clement of Alexandria, wrote of a soldier guarding James just before his execution. After watching James's conduct as he approached the hour of his death, the soldier converted to Christ on the spot and willingly was executed alongside James that day.

That is powerful to consider—that James remained a bold witness for Christ right up to the executioner. Many throughout church history share that same testimony. Fox's Book of Martyrs records disciples, apostles, and followers of Christ across the first fifteen hundred years who went to their deaths proclaiming their faith—so much so that this soldier became a believer and lost his life as well. What a fulfillment of Jesus' words: "If any man desires to come after me, let him take up his cross"—an instrument of death—"and follow me."

Such testimonies make us wonder what we would do if ever confronted with such persecution. We live in a nation with great religious freedom and peace, yet people throughout the world still suffer and are put to death for the name of Christ. I am comforted by Jesus' words. Some well-meaning preachers, having not studied enough during the week, use Jesus' promise—"in that very hour the words shall be given unto you"—to excuse their lack of preparation. But that is not the context. Jesus was speaking of being brought before kings and governors and persecuted for His name's sake. He says, take no thought what you will say, for in that very hour the word shall be given. That promise brings me great peace: if ever confronted with such a situation, God will give us the words and the strength to bear it.

It is interesting that James, the first apostle martyred, had a brother, John, who would be the last to die. James began as this witness going to his death; John ended as the last.

"We Can"—James and John's Bold Request

This reminds me of a story in Mark 10, beginning in verse 35. James and John came to Jesus and said, "Master, we desire that you should do for us whatsoever we desire." Notice how comical that is—"Lord, I desire that you would do for me whatever I desire." Imagine if someone came to you with that petition. Jesus said, "What would you that I should do for you?" They answered, "Grant unto us that we may sit, one on your right hand and the other on your left, when you come into your glory."

That is a gutsy move, with ten other disciples standing around—no doubt Peter's jaw hit the ground. It got worse when they got their mother involved at another point in the Gospels. Jesus said, "You do not know what you ask. Can you drink of the cup that I drink of, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They boldly answered, "We can"—the first reference to "Yes we can" in the Scriptures. Jesus replied that they would indeed drink of His cup and be baptized with His baptism, but to sit at His right hand and left was not His to give. And here in Acts 12, James literally experiences death for the name of Jesus.

Herod the Pragmatist Takes Peter

Verse 3 says that because Herod saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter. Public-opinion polls are not new; Herod used them two thousand years ago just as politicians do today. But what kind of hate and disdain must you have to be pleased with someone's tragic death—to be overjoyed when they are beheaded? The Jews hated these followers of Jesus in such a way that they were pleased by it. The same word is used in Acts 8 of Saul, who was pleased—who consented—unto the death of Stephen.

Herod perceived this as a good way to gain political power, so he reached for Peter, who at this point was the primary leader of the church at Jerusalem—the most outspoken and public of the apostles. He had preached at Pentecost, in the temple after the healing of the lame man, and to Cornelius in Caesarea. The religious establishment hated him and wanted him gone.

Recognize that Herod was not a religious Jew. He was a Jew by name and blood only, primarily a politician—a vassal, puppet king set under the emperor of Rome, who as a young man had spent time at Rome. Whereas Saul's focus was to destroy the church and its work, Herod's ambition was merely an increase of political strength. His reasoning was purely pragmatic: if it works, it's good; killing these men makes me popular, so I might as well.

Sixteen Soldiers and a Sleeping Apostle

After apprehending Peter during the days of unleavened bread, Herod put him in prison and delivered him to four quaternions—sixteen soldiers—to keep him. Perhaps Herod remembered Acts 5, when all the apostles were imprisoned overnight and were gone by morning because God had taken them out and sent them to preach in the temple. This time he set sixteen soldiers around one man, intending after Passover to bring him forth to the people. During Passover, multitudes of Jews gathered in Jerusalem from every region. It was a golden opportunity for Herod to parade his catch before them.

Verse 5: "Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." James had recently been killed; Peter had been arrested; the Passover was approaching—normally a time of great rejoicing for the church, since it was at Passover that Jesus had been crucified and raised. But this year there was probably great heaviness, as they mourned James's death and Peter's imminent death.

When Trials Bring Heaviness

There are many circumstances in our lives that introduce heaviness, depression, and despair. Church history shows great men and women of faith, even great preachers, who struggled with depression. The first who comes to mind is Charles Spurgeon, who would preach with great power, then return to his chamber and mourn in depression for hours.

Perhaps you can identify, having experienced the dark night of the soul. I'm thankful I've never gone through severe depression, only little bouts here and there. But I remember after I returned from Germany in 2005, my father—who had been building a huge building in Arizona, working seven days a week, eighteen hours a day—had something of a mental collapse and went through eight or nine months of severe depression and anxiety. This was the man who all my life woke up without an alarm clock at 4 a.m. like an atomic clock—and now I had to go in at ten in the morning to wake him.

Depression and anxiety are not foreign to many Americans; billions are spent every year on anti-anxiety medication and antidepressants, and many self-medicate with alcohol or other drugs to numb the pain. I believe one reason so many Americans struggle is not that we experience more pain than others—far from it—but that we are often ill-prepared for difficulty. In third-world countries trouble is an average, normal thing. Here in America, where we've built up walls to shield us from pain, when a little pain gets in we are devastated. So we should consider how the church handled this heavy situation.

Four Marks of the Church's Prayer

First, they prayed corporately. To pray corporately, they had to gather corporately. Fellowship during a crisis is difficult but extremely important—and when we gather, we should be praying together. It is the tendency of our flesh to withdraw when we go through hard things, but throughout Scripture we see God gathering His people corporately: Acts 1:14, Acts 2:42 and 46, Acts 4:23–24. They gathered to bear one another's burdens.

Second, they prayed continually. Verse 5 says prayer was made without ceasing. When we go through difficult times, we tend to forget to pray, or do so briefly, or not want to pray at all. But continual prayer is the pattern of the New Testament. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing"—you've just memorized the whole verse. Jesus in Luke 18:1 spoke a parable that men ought always to pray and not faint. Colossians 4:2 says, "Continue in prayer." The word translated "without ceasing" can mean "to stretch out"—the same word used when Jesus tells the man with the withered hand, "Stretch forth your hand." We need to use our spiritual muscles and reach out to God. It also speaks of fervency; the same word appears in Luke 22:44, where Jesus in the garden, being in agony, prayed more earnestly.

Third, they prayed directly to God. The prayers of Scripture are always open, honest, and frank. When you read David's prayers in the Psalms, he doesn't mince words—if he's angry, frustrated, or happy, he prays it. He brought everything to God without fluffing it over. I've prayed with many people over the years, and it amazes me how often we dance around the issues instead of being honest. God knows the truth—He knows if you're angry or frustrated, and He would much rather you be honest with Him. We mask our true emotions as if God were fooled by it.

It is also odd that sometimes our prayers are not even directly addressed to God. We talk about praying, and about our desired outcomes, but we don't actually pray directly to Him. In Matthew 6:9 Jesus taught, "After this manner therefore pray: Our Father which art in heaven." He taught us to pray to our Father—and in that same passage He says, don't worry about what you will eat, wear, or where you will sleep, for your heavenly Father knows the things you have need of. Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added. Paul commands in Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

Fourth, they prayed specifically. Verse 5: prayer was made for him—for Peter. Sometimes when I'm going through a difficult thing, it's hard even to recognize what is weighing on me, and I need to step back and consider what I need to pray about. Paul told the Corinthians the weapons of our warfare are mighty in God for the tearing down of strongholds, and prayer is one of those weapons. I remember a Wednesday morning when a woman was praying for her wayward daughter to have a renewed passion for God—a great prayer. But I believe the Lord stirred my heart to say we should rather pray that she would become dissatisfied with the world, that she would get a bad taste in her mouth for its things. The Lord was directing us to pray specifically against those strongholds.

It is important to pray for one another. Paul begged the Romans in 15:30 to strive together with him in prayer. In 1 Thessalonians 5:25 he says simply, "Brethren, pray for us." In 2 Thessalonians 3:1, "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course." And in Colossians 4:3, "praying for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance." So when faced with difficulty and tempted to despair, the word of the Lord for us is: pray corporately, continually, directly, and specifically.

The Peace of God in a Prison Cell

Verse 6: "And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping." Underline that. The very night before Peter was to go before Herod and likely the executioner, Peter was sleeping. Do you have this kind of peace in the midst of trouble? Philippians 4:6 says be anxious for nothing, and the very next verse promises that the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Sixteen soldiers guarded Peter, yet the peace of God guarded his heart. He had no anxiety as he awaited his possible execution.

Perhaps Peter remembered Jesus' prophecy in John 21:18, that when he was old he would be led where he did not want to go. Perhaps Peter reasoned, "I'm not old yet; that time hasn't come," and so he slept. Psalm 127:2 says God gives His beloved sleep. Many who go through depression find it very hard to sleep, so they take sleep aids or self-medicate with alcohol. But studies show that these aids often prevent the deepest REM sleep, the stage when the brain releases stress in the form of dreams—so people wake up more stressed and more tired. Yet the Scripture says He gives His beloved sleep. If you find yourself in a trying situation, spend time in prayer before your Father, stretching forth your hand to take hold of Him until He moves.

Light Shines in the Dungeon

Verse 7: "And behold the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison. And he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands." God heard the church's prayer and answered. Notice the angel had to actually strike Peter in the side to wake him—he was in such a deep sleep. It makes me wonder about the guards whose lives were on the line; perhaps they too were asleep, or the Lord had caused it.

Underline this in verse 6: "a light shined in the prison." Even in the darkest dungeon, God's light can shine. Perhaps this morning you find yourself emotionally or spiritually in that dark dungeon. Isaiah 9:2 says, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." Isaiah 61:1 speaks of the Messiah anointed to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Psalm 107:10–14 describes those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, bound in affliction and iron because they rebelled against the counsel of God—and then they cried unto the Lord, and He brought them out and broke their bonds asunder. If you are in that place today, the Lord is able to set you free.

Literally, too, a light is shining in many prisons across our nation. I recently visited a youth prison in Chino and saw God working. And at a conference, Henry Blackaby shared how he and his son have seen great revival in prisons nationwide. Many there recognize their sinful condition—so important, that an individual come to that recognition so they can confess their sin. Remember the Pharisees thought themselves righteous and were too hard-hearted to receive Jesus, while He ministered among prostitutes, thieves, tax collectors, and sinners who knew they needed a Savior.

Simple Obedience, One Step at a Time

Verse 8: "And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me." Peter simply did what he was told. Simple obedience—even just doing the next thing—is extremely important when you're coming out of darkness and despair. I spoke with a gentleman after the first service going through this exact difficulty, and he said what I shared about simple obedience was absolutely right: just getting up in the morning, then putting on clothes, then reading the word—doing one thing at a time, determining to obey in that one thing.

All along Peter thought it was a dream; it didn't even seem real. Verse 10: they passed the first ward and the second, came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened of its own accord. They walked out, passed through one street, and the angel departed. Our God is a prayer-hearing, prayer-answering, wonder-working God who opens doors no man can shut and shuts doors no man can open.

"Now I Know of a Surety"

Verse 11: when Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod." It was not yet time for Peter to die; God was not finished with the work He wanted to do through him. How many of you are breathing today? It's not a trick question. If you're still breathing, God's not through; if you're still alive, He's still working.

It's been said that a man or woman of God is invincible as long as they walk in the will of God—which doesn't mean test God by jumping off a building. Paul, in prison in Philippians 1, said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." For Peter, to die would be to be immediately with the Lord, for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. But the very fact that he stood outside that prison in the cold night air, breathing, was proof God still had work for him to do.

Can you say today, "The Lord has delivered me"? Perhaps many are praying for your deliverance, yet you sit afflicted in irons—bound, as Psalm 107 says, because you've disregarded the counsel of God and gone your own way. The Lord is able to set you free. But you must do what Peter did when the angel said, "Follow me." The Lord says to you today: Follow me. Come out from among them and be separate.

Rhoda and the Unbelieving Pray-ers

Verse 13: Peter knocked at the gate of the house of John Mark, and a young girl named Rhoda came to listen. When she recognized Peter's voice—she knew it well, for Peter was a great preacher—she was so glad she didn't even open the gate but ran in to tell everyone. And when she said Peter was at the door, they answered, "You are mad." They had been praying that Peter would be released, and when he was released, they didn't believe it!

I confess I'm sometimes like that. There have been more than a couple of times we've prayed for someone's healing or deliverance, and when the news comes back that they were healed, I respond, "Really? Are you serious?" I imagine the Lord in heaven saying, as in the Gospels, "How long must I strive with this generation?"

Rhoda kept affirming it was so, and they said, "It is his angel"—an interesting subject for another study. But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. Have you ever been blown away that God answered your prayer? I have—and then I have to walk away saying, "Oh Miles, you of little faith." Interestingly, God opened the iron gate for Peter to leave the prison, but did not open the house gate for him to enter where the church was gathered.

Peter, beckoning with his hand for silence, declared how the Lord had brought him out of prison, and said, "Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren"—not the James who was killed, but James the brother of Jesus, whom we'll see more of in Acts 15 and 21. Then he departed to another place.

Herod's End and the Word's Triumph

As soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers over what had become of Peter—the understatement of the chapter. They woke and Peter was gone, which meant they were dead men. When Herod found him not, he examined the keepers—that is, he had them beaten and commanded that they be put to death. The typical Roman examination was to strap a man to a pole and whip him until he confessed, the beating growing more severe if there was nothing to confess.

Herod went down to Caesarea. Displeased with Tyre and Sidon, whose people depended on his country for food, he received their delegation. On a set day, arrayed in royal apparel, he sat on his throne and made an oration, and the people shouted, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man." Immediately the angel of the Lord smote him—but not as he smote Peter—because he gave not God the glory; and he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost.

When I first read this as a kid, I imagined worms crawling up to eat him on the spot. But the Jewish historian Josephus gives the same record: after the oration Herod began to experience pains in his stomach, and a few days later he died. He was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost.

But verse 24 says, "The word of God grew and multiplied." Man will die; the word of God will endure forever. Herod may try to destroy, but God will dominate. The Bible is an anvil that has worn out many hammers. Many have tried to destroy it—Herod among them—but he himself was destroyed. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John whose surname was Mark, whom we'll come to know more later.

Closing Encouragement

As we finish, consider one last time the importance of prayer in those four ways: corporately, gathering together to pray for and with one another; continually, until something happens; directly to God, being honest with Him about our true emotions and confessing them as need be; and specifically, for whatever thing faces you today. Let your requests be made known unto God, and watch how He answers—how His peace so often guards our hearts. Many here today find themselves under heaviness of spirit. It's a normal thing; it happens. But God desires to strengthen you.

Closing Prayer

Father, I thank You for Your word that is applicable to us. Lord, may we recognize that Your word is more essential than our daily food, and may we desire to study it, to show ourselves approved, to grow by it and apply it to our lives. And Lord, I pray for any brother or sister here this morning who finds themselves in that valley of the shadow of death, in that difficult place, that You would be a strength to them, and that they would find comfort in the fellowship of the body of Christ, praying together and continuing in prayer, knowing that You do and will answer. We praise You today, Lord. Help us to fix our hearts and minds upon You as we go from here. For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.