Acts 12:1

Now about that time, Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain members of the church. He killed James, the brother of John, with a sword. Because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. Then were the days of unleavened bread. When he had apprehended him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four tetrarchs of soldiers to keep him, intending after Passover to bring him forth to the people.

Peter, therefore, was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him. When Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the prison. Behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and light shone in the prison. He smote Peter in the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise up quickly." His chains fell from his hands.

Father, it is by your word that you, by your Spirit, transform us. Lord, I pray that as we look into your word today, you would transform us by the renewing of our minds. Wash us by the washing of the water of your word. Continue to teach us and instruct us on how we are to live and how we are to follow you as your people. I pray that you would give us application from this passage this morning, so that when we leave this place, we would not leave the same. For we ask it in Jesus' name, and all God's people agreed together, saying, "Amen." You can be seated.

In Acts chapter 8 and Acts chapter 9, we saw that there was a certain individual who was persecuting the church: Saul of Tarsus. He vexed the church, just as we are going to see with King Herod in this passage. He sought to destroy the work that God was doing in His church. Yet it was on the road to Damascus in Acts chapter 9 that God revealed Himself.

Jesus revealed Himself to Saul of Tarsus, and he bent the knee, so to speak. He was seeking to do a work in him prior to that point, but he was kicking against it, not wanting to go in the direction that God wanted him to go. We are told that after the conversion of Saul, the church had peace—a relative peace within the church. Between that time and this, there was peace, and it seems that a certain amount of time has passed. A number of years have gone by where the church has experienced a relative calm.

However, now another persecution arises. The persecution that we see here in Acts chapter 12 has a totally different source and focus. The previous persecution came from Saul of Tarsus, and the focus was on destroying the work that God was doing in this church, destroying this church and this movement, this gathering of believers in Jesus of Nazareth. The focus was on the church at large, the church as a whole.

Now, the source has changed to a political leader, a man by the name of Herod, specifically King Herod, who was known as Agrippa. In that day, he was referred to as Agrippa the Great. It was his uncle, Herod Antipas, who, just about a decade before these events, during the same time of the year, had taken Jesus of Nazareth and put Him to death, condemning Him to die. Now, Herod Agrippa, the nephew of Herod Antipas, is seeking to move against the church, but for a totally different reason.

Whereas Saul of Tarsus was moving against the church to try and ruin the work that was taking place, we read that King Herod is moving in a different way. It says in verse 1 that Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex the church. The word "vex" there means to harm, oppress, afflict, or mistreat. He focused his efforts against the leaders of the church. While Saul of Tarsus was going against the church at large, this man focuses on the leaders, choosing one by the name of James.

James, as you know well if you've studied the New Testament or read through the Gospels, is the brother of John. We are told in verse 2 early in the Gospel accounts.

We read of James, the brother of John, who was a fisherman by trade, there in the Sea of Galilee. He was the son of a man by the name of Zebedee. One day, as Jesus walked about the Sea of Galilee, He came upon James and John, who were mending and cleaning their nets. He told them to come follow Him, and they left their nets to follow Him.

We see James and John time and time again in the Gospels. It was Peter, James, and John who formed somewhat of the inner circle with Jesus. James was present on the Mount of Transfiguration, as recorded in Matthew chapter 17. Peter, James, and John saw Jesus transfigured before His death, burial, and resurrection. He was glorified in James' presence.

In the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke, we find the account of Jesus raising Jairus' daughter. Jairus was a well-known man and a leader of the Jews in this region of Galilee. His daughter was sick and near death, but she ultimately did die. James was there when he witnessed Jesus raise Jairus' daughter from the dead. Only Peter, James, and John, along with the parents of that young girl, were able to behold that miracle.

Additionally, we read in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, specifically in chapter 26 of Matthew and chapter 14 of Mark, that it was Peter, James, and John who had the opportunity to be closest to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the night that He would be betrayed and arrested, Jesus was there praying in the Garden. James had the opportunity to watch his Lord toil in prayer to the point of sweating, as it were, great drops of blood. Thus, James had an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus and held a very clear leadership role in the early church. He was well looked up to by the early church.

Yet now, this persecution and mistreatment of the church focuses on this man. If there was ever the impression in the early church that the leaders of the church, the apostles, had some sort of special protection from God, it was gone at this point. Herod was able to send men to arrest James, and ultimately, they put him to death. We are told that they killed him with the sword, which likely means that he was beheaded.

You see, sometimes we wrongly assume that God has some sort of special protection for His leaders.

Secret service agent angels protect the higher-ups within the church. There is some sort of special detail of archangels assigned the task of protecting figures like Billy Graham, Chuck Smith, Peter, James, and John. Yet, the Scriptures do not reveal this explicitly.

We do see in the Scriptures that God has given His angels charge over us, and that we have a certain level of protection by them, by the hand of God. We are grateful for that, and we thank God that He does provide this protection. Amen?

However, we recognize that there are times when persecution, difficulty, and trials come against even the leaders of the church. They are not exempt from these challenges. If anything, they may have a larger target upon themselves because of the work that God has called them to do. Therefore, we should rightly pray for them, asking God to give them strength and that they would rely upon Him.

Even in the midst of such persecution, God is faithful and is able to use these kinds of trials. There is a great church historian by the name of Eusebius, and in his writings about the account of the death of James, he mentions that Clement of Alexandria wrote of a soldier who was guarding James just before his execution. After watching the conduct of James as he approached the hour of his death, that soldier converted to Christ right there on the spot. We are told that he willingly was executed alongside James that day.

That is powerful to consider. As James approached the executioner and the moment of his death, he remained a bold witness for Christ. There are many people throughout church history who share that same testimony. Perhaps you have read "Fox's Book of Martyrs," which speaks about the testimonies of the disciples, the apostles, and many followers of Christ throughout the first 1,500 years of church history. They died for their faith, going to their deaths proclaiming their beliefs.

So much so that on that day, the soldier became a believer and also lost his life. What a powerful testimony! What a powerful fulfillment of what Jesus said: "If any man desires to come after me, let him take up his cross," an instrument of death.

And follow me. Sometimes testimonies like that cause us to wonder: What would I do if ever confronted with such persecution? How would I react if the day came when I stood before the executioner because of my faith?

Now, we live in a nation that has given us great religious freedom, and we have enjoyed peace as a nation. Yet, there are still people throughout this world who are suffering for the name of Christ and being put to death because of their witness. Perhaps you've thought, What would I do? What would I say? Maybe I'm the only one who thinks that way, but I am comforted by the words of Jesus. Jesus said, "Think not" or "Do not worry about what you will say, because in the very hour, the words shall be given unto you."

Many well-meaning preachers, having not had enough time to study during the week or for whatever reason, have used that verse to say, "Well, you know, the Lord's going to give me the words to speak because He promised in that very hour." While that might be true, that's not the context of the passage. The context of Jesus's words is that if ever confronted with that time, Jesus says, "You'll be brought before kings, you'll be brought before governors, and you'll be persecuted for my name's sake." He says, "Take no thought about what you will say, because in the very hour, the words shall be given unto you."

That promise of Jesus brings me great peace and comfort, knowing that if I am ever confronted with such a situation, God will give us the words. He will provide the right thing to say and the strength to bear it. I am so thankful that our God works in that way.

Another interesting thing about this passage is that James is the first of the apostles to be martyred, the first to be killed because of his faith. We know of another disciple in the book of Acts who was already put to death because of his proclamation of the truth: Stephen. However, he wasn't one of the twelve apostles. Here, the first apostle is put to death, and it's interesting that his brother, John, would be the last to die. James starts off as this witness going to his death, while John is the last to follow Christ.

This reminds me of a story about James and John. If you turn in your Bibles to Mark, Chapter 10, starting in verse 35.

We get an interesting insight into the men, James and John. In Mark 10, verse 35, it says that James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus. They said to Him, "Master, we desire that You should do for us whatsoever we desire." I don't know if you caught how comical that is. "Lord, I desire that You would do for me whatever I desire." You can almost imagine, if you hadn't read the story, what Jesus might say to something like that. What might you say if someone came to you with that petition?

Well, He said to them in verse 36, "What would you that I should do for you? What is it that you desire?" They replied in verse 37, "Grant unto us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left hand, when You come into Your glory." Boy, that's a gutsy move, isn't it? Imagine that. There are ten other disciples standing around, and no doubt Peter is just a few feet away, his jaw hitting the ground when he hears this.

It gets even worse when James and John got their mother involved in the situation. At another point in the Gospels, their mom came and asked, "Could you grant that these two be on Your side?" Jesus said to them, "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 answered Him, "We can." That was a pretty bold declaration.

As Jesus spoke of His death and the judgment He was going to face in Jerusalem, He asked, "Can you drink of the same cup that I'm going to drink of?" They responded with boldness, "Yep, we can." It's the first reference to "Yes, we can" in the Scriptures. Jesus said to them, "You shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of, and of the baptism that I am baptized with shall you be baptized. But to sit on the right hand and on the left is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared."

So, Jesus says to them, "Well, you indeed will be persecuted."

You indeed will go through the same sort of trial that I go through. However, it's not mine to give that position that you request.

Here we see in Acts chapter 12 that literally, this man James experiences death because of the name of Jesus. When he was killed by the sword, we read in verse 3 of Acts chapter 12 that Herod saw this pleased the Jews. He proceeded further to take Peter, and this was during the time of the unleavened bread, or the feast of unleavened bread, or Passover.

Herod recognized that it pleased the Jews. Public opinion polls are not new; King Herod used them 2,000 years ago just as politicians use them today. I wonder, when I read that he saw it pleased the Jews, what kind of hate and disdain one must have to be pleased with someone’s tragic death. To be pleased when they are beheaded and to look at that and feel overjoyed is phenomenal to me. The Jews hated these followers of Jesus of Nazareth in such a way that they were pleased by it.

In the same way, the exact word is used in Acts chapters 6 and 7, at the end of the chapter, when it says that Saul was pleased or consented to the death of Stephen. He was pleased with it. Here we see that these Jews were pleased with the death, and Herod perceived that this was a good way for him to gain more political power. So he proceeded to take Peter as well.

At this point, Peter was the primary leader within the church there in Jerusalem. That leadership will shift as we go through the book of Acts, but at this point, he was likely the most outspoken and public of the apostles. He was the one who had preached to the multitudes on the day of Pentecost. He was the one who had preached in the temple in Acts chapter 4 after the healing of the lame man. He was also the one we saw several weeks ago in Acts chapter 10 who preached to Cornelius and all those gathered at his house in Caesarea.

Peter was very public in his ministry, and there can be no doubt that the Jews, especially the religious establishment of the day, hated him. They wanted to get rid of him, and for a politician, this was an opportunity.

Like King Herod, recognize this: he was not a very good Jew. Herod was not a religious Jew; he was a Jew by name only, by blood only. Primarily, he was just a politician. He was a vassal king, a puppet king in the region of Judea. When he was young, he was sent up to Rome, where he spent a lot of time with the emperor. We read of Agrippa and the histories about him. He was under the rule and authority of the king of Rome, or the emperor, but he was given that rulership and leadership over that area of Judea.

As a politician, he wanted to ensure that his constituents were happy and that they loved him. When he killed James, he saw that the people liked this. He thought, "I'll just continue doing this." It was a golden opportunity for him to gain more popularity among his primary constituents, the Christians. Even though the church was growing in Jerusalem, it still was a minority in the region.

Whereas Saul of Tarsus focused on destroying the church and the work that was happening, King Herod's ambition was merely to increase his political strength. He was only doing this for a very pragmatic reason: if it works, it's good. He figured the end result would be his popularity, so he thought, "I might as well just kill these guys. No problem. It'll give me popularity."

He proceeded to take Peter during the time of Passover, which was probably ten years prior to this, at the exact same time of year when Herod Agrippa's uncle had taken Jesus of Nazareth and ultimately had him put to death. We also read that Peter, after being apprehended, was put in prison and delivered to four tetrarchs of soldiers, or sixteen soldiers, who were assigned to watch over this one man. Perhaps Herod remembered back in Acts chapter five when all of the apostles were taken and put into prison. They were there overnight, trying to figure out what to do with them. The next morning, they woke up and found they were gone because God had taken them out of prison and sent them forth to preach in the temple.

This time, however, he took Peter and set around him sixteen soldiers to keep watch and guard because he didn't want that to happen again.

To happen again, there is Peter in prison. Herod intends, after Passover, to bring him forth to the people. He wants to show him off to the people that are there in Jerusalem. During the Passover, there were multitudes of Jews that would gather from every region. They would come up to Jerusalem to worship and to partake of the Passover. It was a great golden opportunity for this man to parade his catch, to parade Peter before them, and say, "I'm going to put him to death for you." Everyone probably cried, "Yes, we can."

We read in verse 5 that Peter, therefore, was kept in prison. But notice this: prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him. James had recently been killed, and Peter had been arrested and put in prison. The Passover was approaching, a time that would normally be a very rejoicing time for the church. It was at the Passover that Jesus had been crucified and raised from the dead. The church no doubt celebrated this with great fervor. They rejoiced in the work that Jesus had accomplished there on the Passover.

So there they were, gathered together. But this time, this year, there was probably great heaviness within the church because James was dead and Peter was in prison. Isn't it true that there are many circumstances and situations that you and I go through in our lives that introduce heaviness? There are certain times when we go through things that just seem to bring depression, despair, and a downcast spirit. I have no doubt that the church there in Jerusalem, at this Passover, mourned the death of James and were mourning the capture and imminent death of Peter. There was that temptation to despair, to be anxious, and to be fearful.

Church history shows us that many throughout history have been great men and women of faith. Some of them were great preachers of the gospel who experienced and were given to depression. The first one that comes to mind when I consider that is Charles Spurgeon, who, for many years, especially as he got into the later years of his ministry, faced such struggles.

He would go and preach with great power in the pulpit, but immediately after, he would go back to his chamber and mourn in depression for hours. Many people do not know how to deal with it or what to do. There are perhaps many sitting here today who can identify with that. You have experienced some sort of circumstance or situation, and it weighs heavy upon you. You've experienced the dark night of the soul.

I am very thankful to the Lord that I have never gone through any sort of severe depression like that. I have had little bouts here and there, where there is the temptation to be despairing about something, but I have never gone through the real depths of it. I do remember a number of years ago, after I returned from Germany in 2005, my father, after he had been building a huge building out in Arizona, was working seven days a week, 18 hours a day. He had something of a mental collapse, and for the next eight or nine months, he went through severe depression. Right about the time I came back from Germany, it was right in the middle of it, and I was living with my parents at the time.

I remember my dad, who all through my life growing up, woke up like you, on the button, at 4 a.m., ready to go. I wish that I had a tenth of that, but I don't. Without an alarm clock, he was like an atomic clock—4 a.m., boom, he was up. During that time, I came back from Germany, and I would have to go in at 10 in the morning to wake him up and say, "You need to get out of bed." He was going through severe depression.

Depression and anxiety are not foreign to many Americans. In fact, it's a huge topic in our nation and a significant budget item. Billions of dollars are spent every single year on anti-anxiety medication and anti-depressants. Many who do not receive those kinds of prescriptions sometimes self-medicate through alcohol or some other drug to try and do away with the pain, or whatever it may be.

The fact remains that there are trying circumstances and difficult things that we face in this world, and there are pains that confront us. I believe that one of the reasons so many Americans struggle in this way is not because they experience more pains than anybody else in the world—because that is far from the truth—but because I think many times we are ill-prepared for those difficulties. You see.

As I have traveled to other parts of the world, especially third-world countries, I have encountered trouble, difficulty, and pain. These experiences are an average, normal part of life. However, here in America, where we have built up all kinds of walls to shield us from pain, when a little bit of pain gets in, we are devastated by it in a big way.

While there are many different ways that people seek to treat or even cure depression and despair in our day and in our nation, we should probably consider what the church did at this point in Acts chapter 12. What did the church do? How did they handle this heavy situation?

We see in Acts chapter 12, verse 5, that prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him. There are four things I want us to consider from this little portion of Scripture in Acts chapter 12.

Number one: the church prayed corporately. If you're taking notes, write down that they prayed corporately. To do so, they had to gather together. Fellowship during times of crisis is difficult, but it is extremely important. Not only is gathering together important during times of crisis, but when we gather, we should be praying together.

You see, it is the tendency of our flesh to want to withdraw when we go through hard things. Have you ever noticed that? Nod your head if you've seen that in your life. When we go through trials and hard times, it is natural for us to want to isolate ourselves. Yet, what we see in Scripture so many times is God gathering His people together corporately.

In Acts chapter 1, verse 14, they prayed corporately. In Acts chapter 2, verses 42 and 46, the early church prayed corporately together. In Acts chapter 4, verses 23 through 24, they prayed corporately. They gathered together corporately to fellowship with one another and to bear one another's burdens.

If you're taking notes, secondly, write down that they prayed continually. We read that prayer was made without ceasing in verse 5. They prayed continually. For some reason, when we go through difficult situations and hard times, we tend to forget this important aspect of prayer.

To pray, or we do so very quickly or briefly, just kind of skimming over it. Sometimes, when going through hard things, we don't even want to pray. Someone says, "Well, I know you're going through a hard thing. Let's pray." And you say, "I don't want to do that."

But continual prayer is the pattern of the New Testament, and it's imperative for us. It is imperative that we continue praying until God moves, until He does something. Even though the discouraging words of the enemy are that it's not going to work, the word of the Lord would be to pray corporately and pray continually.

The Apostle Paul, in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 17, said, "Pray without ceasing." Say that with me again: "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 17. You just memorized the whole verse. That's an entire verse right there: "Pray without ceasing."

In Luke 18, verse 1, Jesus spoke a parable to His disciples, saying that men ought always to pray and not faint. In Colossians chapter 4, verse 2, Paul told the church at Colossae to continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. So, continual prayer is essential.

Now, the word that's translated here as "without ceasing" in Acts chapter 12, verse 5, is a word that can be translated to stretch out. In fact, the exact same word is used in the Gospel of Mark when Jesus heals the man with the withered hand and tells that man at the synagogue in Capernaum to stretch forth his hand. The picture is that we need to use our spiritual muscles to stretch out ourselves to God and reach out to Him.

It also speaks of a fervency. This is important; this is something we must do. It's the same word that's used in Luke chapter 22, verse 44, where it talks about Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. It says, "And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly," more fervently. He stretched out to God.

So, the early church, when confronted with difficulty, prayed corporately, number one. Number two, they prayed continually. Number three, they prayed directly, directly to God. It's interesting to me, as I read through both the Old Testament and the New Testament, that when you come to the prayers...

Found in the scriptures, they are always very open, honest, and frank. What do I mean by that? When you read David's prayers in the Psalms, he doesn't mince words. If he's angry, he prays that to God. If he's frustrated, he confesses it to God. If he's happy, he expresses that in prayer. Whatever he was going through, he brought it to God without fluffing it over.

I've prayed with a lot of people over the last many years in ministry, and it amazes me how often we dance around the issues. We don't just be honest with God. Perhaps we're trying to make a show for those around us—a show of strength, a show of spirituality. But God knows the truth. He knows if you're angry; He knows if you're frustrated. I believe God would much rather we be honest with Him when we are.

A lot of times, we think it's more spiritual to stand up straight and act as if we're not hurt. Yet, when you read the prayers of the Old Testament, especially, they are filled with passion and honesty. We are sometimes inclined to mask our true frustrations and emotions, as if God is actually fooled by it.

In considering this whole thing of praying directly, it's also odd to me that sometimes our prayers are not directly addressed to God. When we gather together to pray, we talk about praying to God in our prayers. We even discuss the desired outcomes we'd like to have in our prayers, but we actually don't directly pray to God.

In Matthew chapter 6, verse 9, Jesus, in teaching on prayer, says, "After this manner, therefore pray: Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." When asked by His disciples how to pray, in Luke chapter 11, He again said, "Our Father, which art in heaven." You see, He taught His disciples—and you and me as well—to pray to our Father.

Why? In that very same passage in Matthew chapter 6, Jesus said not to worry about what you're going to eat, what you're going to wear, or where you're going to sleep. Interestingly, those three things tend to be a huge cause of stress. He said, "After all these things, the unbelievers seek and are worried about. But you have a heavenly Father."

And He knows the things that you have need of. So seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. There in Matthew chapter 6, Jesus says, "After this manner pray: Our Father."

The Apostle Paul, in Philippians chapter 4, gives an interesting command to the church. In verse 6, he says, "Be anxious for nothing." Now, how many of you have fulfilled that command? Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. Bring your requests, bring those things that could cause you anxiety or fear, and bring them unto God.

Not only did they pray corporately and continually, but they also prayed directly and specifically. We read in verse 5 that prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for Peter. Their prayers were specific. I don't know if you've experienced this, but I know I have. When I'm going through a difficult time, sometimes it's hard for me to even recognize or figure out what it is that's weighing heavy on me. There are times when I need to take a step back and actually think about what it is that I need to pray about.

Paul told the church at Corinth that the weapons of our warfare are powerful in God for the tearing down of strongholds. Prayer is one of those weapons that is able to tear down strongholds. However, a lot of times, we're not very specific with our prayers. I think we should be very direct, clear, and specific with how we pray and what we're praying about.

I remember a number of years ago, early on a Wednesday morning, we were gathered together for prayer in the back part of the room. One of the women praying with us had a daughter who had departed from the Lord and was off doing her own thing in the world. She was praying that her daughter would have a renewed passion for God. That's a great prayer, but I remember while we were praying, I believe it was the Lord who stirred my heart to stop for a moment and suggest that we should pray instead that she would be dissatisfied and disinterested in the world, that she would begin to have a bad taste for it.

In her mouth, for all the things of this world, it was almost as if the Lord was directing us to be very specific. We were praying about those strongholds, that God would tear those things down. A lot of times, we're not very specific in our prayers.

The church prayed corporately, continually, directly, and specifically. It is important to pray for one another. Paul the Apostle, in Romans chapter 15, verse 30, said to the church at Rome, "Now I beg you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." That's an interesting prayer. He says, "I beg you that you'd pray for me."

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 25, Paul the Apostle says, "Brethren, pray for us." This is another very short and simple verse to add to your memory verses today: "Brethren, pray for us."

In the very next book, in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verse 1, Paul says, "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, even as it is with you." The author of the book of Hebrews also says in Hebrews chapter 13, verse 8, "Pray for us, for we trust and have a good conscience in all things, willing to live honestly."

Again, a verse I referenced earlier is in Colossians chapter 4, verse 2, where the Apostle Paul says, "Continue in prayer and watch with the same, with thanksgiving." Verse 3 states, "Withal, praying for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in bonds."

When faced with difficulty and troubling circumstances, whatever they may be, when tempted to be in despair, I believe that the word of the Lord for us would be: Listen, church, pray corporately. Gather together and pray for one another corporately. Pray continually; don't stop praying until the Lord moves. Pray directly to God, addressing your honest feelings and emotions, whatever they may be. Confess them if need be, and ask Him specifically for whatever you have need of. Pray specifically.

And so, the church there in the city of Jerusalem, as James had been killed, continued to seek the Lord in prayer.

Peter was now in prison, and they were praying without ceasing to God on behalf of Peter. We read in Acts chapter 12, verse 6, that when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping. Would you underline that in your Bibles there in verse 6? The very night before Peter was going to stand before Herod, and probably before the executioner, we read that Peter was sleeping.

Do you have this kind of peace in the midst of trouble? We referenced Philippians chapter 4, verse 6 a moment ago, which says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." The very next verse states that Peter was guarded by 16 soldiers, and yet the peace of God was guarding his heart and his mind in Christ. He was able to sleep that day. It seemed that Peter had no anxiety as he awaited his possible execution.

Now, perhaps Peter remembered Jesus' words, the prophecy that Jesus gave in John chapter 21. In John 21, verse 18, He told Peter, "When you are old, they will lead you in ways you do not want to go." God told him, Jesus told him that he would be put to death one day, but when he was old. Perhaps Peter thought, "I'm not old yet; that time has not come." And so, there he slept.

There is a possibility that he slept because of sorrow, as we see in Luke chapter 22, verse 45, but I don't believe that is the case. I think that he slept because he had the peace of God. The Bible says in Psalm 127, verse 2, that God gives His beloved sleep.

Perhaps today you find yourself in a trying situation, and you are in one of those circumstances that is pressing down upon you. As I've talked with many people over the years who have gone through depression, they find it very hard to sleep. Often, they will take sleep aids or self-medicate with alcohol, or whatever it may be, to try and bring themselves to a place where they can sleep and escape the pain. Many studies have been conducted on these sleep aids.

Even alcohol can affect sleep. When taking sleep aids, many people find that these substances do not allow them to enter the deepest form of REM sleep, which is the final and deepest stage of sleep. Scientists who study sleep say that it is at this point that the brain releases a lot of stress in the form of dreams. Therefore, when using these aids, individuals often struggle to release that stress, leading them to wake up feeling more stressed and even more tired.

Yet, the Scripture says, "He gives His beloved sleep." You may wonder, "Aren't I His beloved? Why hasn't He given me sleep?" I encourage you to spend some time in prayer before your Father. Pray until something happens, stretching forth your hand to grasp hold of Him, that He would move in that way.

Consider the example of Peter, who was in prison. He slept between two soldiers, bound with two chains. It appears that one chain was attached to one soldier and the other chain to another. Despite being surrounded by prison guards and secured tightly, Peter went to sleep.

In verse 7, we read, "And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison. He smote Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, 'Arise up quickly.' His chains fell off from his hands." God sent His angelic messenger to Peter while he was sleeping in that prison, and as the church gathered together praying for him, God heard their prayer and answered.

Notice that when the angel showed up, he had to actually poke Peter in the side and say, "Wake up, man!" Peter was in such a deep sleep that the angel of the Lord had to physically smite him to wake him up. This raises the question: What about the guards who were there for his protection? Their lives were on the line if they lost their prisoner. Were they asleep? Asleep on the job? Perhaps they were, or perhaps the Lord had caused them to fall asleep.

I don't know. But there is Peter. An angel of the Lord comes and jabs him in the side, saying, "Wake up! Arise quickly." As he did, the chains fell from him. Notice what it says in verse 6: a light shined in the prison. If you would underline that in your neighbor's Bible, just reach over. A light shined in the prison.

You see, even in the midst of the darkest dungeons, God's light can shine. Perhaps this morning, you find yourself emotionally or spiritually in the midst of that dark dungeon. The word of the Lord is from Isaiah chapter 9, verse 2, speaking about the ministry of the Messiah. We read, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, and those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined."

In Isaiah chapter 61, verse 1, again speaking of the ministry of the Messiah, it says, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted and to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound."

In Psalm 107, starting in verse 10, we read, "To such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and in iron, because they rebelled against the counsel of God and contended against the counsel of the Most High. Therefore, He brought down their heart with labor, and they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distress. He brought them out of darkness and out of the shadow of death, and He broke their bonds asunder; He broke their chains in pieces."

If you are in that place today, finding yourself in despair, emotionally or spiritually bound, the Lord is able to set you free. He is able to set you free.

Now, literally, there is a light that is shining in many prisons across our nation. I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to visit a youth prison in Chino. While I was there, I saw that God is doing a work in that prison. I also attended a conference recently where Henry Blackaby, a great saint of the Lord, shared how he and his son have been going into prisons nationwide and how they have seen God moving in a great revival.

In many of these places, individuals recognize their sinful condition. It is so important for a person to come to that place of recognition so that they can confess their sin. Remember that in Jesus' ministry, it was the Pharisees who thought they were righteous. They were so hard-hearted that He couldn't minister to them. However, Jesus was always ministering among prostitutes, thieves, tax collectors, and sinners because they knew they needed a Savior.

God is moving in a very powerful way. A light is shining in the darkness of many prisons across our nation, and it's awesome that God is moving in that powerful way. We read that the chains fell off. Many of you have experienced that profound liberty in Christ. He has set you free. At the word of the Lord, chains do fall off, and prison doors open.

We read in verse 8 of Acts chapter 12 that the angel said unto him, "Gird yourself and bind on your sandals." So he did. Circle that in your Bibles. The angel continued, "Cast your garment about you and follow me." He went out and followed him, not knowing that it was true, which was done by the angel. He thought it was a vision or a dream. The angel said, "Stand up," and he did it. The angel instructed him to gird himself, and he did it. He said, "Bind your sandals," and he did it. He said, "Cast your garment around you and follow me," and he did it. Peter went out following this angel that day.

Peter did what he was told to do. Simple obedience, even in just doing the next thing, is extremely important when you're coming out of darkness and despair. I was talking with a gentleman after the first service this morning who is going through this exact sort of difficulty. He said, "What you said about simple obedience is absolutely right. Just doing that one thing in the morning, just getting up, and then the next thing, just putting on my clothes, and then the next thing, going and just reading the Word—doing one thing at a time, determining to simply obey in that one thing—is so extremely important."

All along, Peter was doing these things, and he just thought it was a dream. It didn't even seem real to him; it was completely surreal. He couldn't imagine that it was actually happening.

And when they were past the first ward and the second ward, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them of its own accord. They went out and passed through one street, and forthwith the angel departed from him. They had passed the first ward and the second ward, or the first guard and the second set of guards. They just walked past all of these guards. Perhaps they were sleeping, or maybe the Lord just blinded them.

When they came to this iron gate, it seemed so steadfast, as if there were no way to get by it. Yet the gate opened right up by itself, and they walked out. They walked a block or so, and as they did, the angel departed from them. You see, our God is a prayer-hearing and a prayer-answering God. He is a wonder-working God who opens doors that no man can shut and shuts doors that no man can open. Amen.

When Peter came to himself, he finally realized what had happened. He said, "Now I know of a surety that the Lord has sent His angel and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews." When he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.

He completely woke up, looked around, and thought, "I'm free! It's not a dream." He realized that God had delivered him. It was not time for Peter to die; God was not finished with the work that He wanted to do in and through the apostle Peter. It wasn't his day.

How many of you today are breathing? It's not a trick question. If you're breathing today, it means God’s not through. If you're still alive, it means God’s still working. He's not done. It has been said before that a man or a woman of God is invincible as long as they are walking in the will of God. Now, that doesn't mean you should go jump off a building and say, "I'm invincible," testing God.

It is not a good idea. But in Christ, walking in Christ, we do live an abundant life. Paul the Apostle, as he was in prison, said in Philippians chapter 1, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." You see, for the Apostle Peter that day, if he were to die, he knew he would immediately be with the Lord. Because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

The very fact that he stood outside that prison, breathing and standing there in the cold night air, was proof that God still had a work for him to do. We have to ask the question: Can you say today that the Lord has delivered me? Perhaps at this moment, there are many praying for your deliverance, just as they were praying for Peter's deliverance that day. But you sit afflicted in irons, and perhaps you're bound in affliction, just as Psalm 107 says.

You may find yourself bound today because you have disregarded the counsel of God, gone your own way, and rebelled against Him. The Lord is able to set you free, but you've got to do the very same thing that Peter had to do when the angel said to him in verse 8, "Follow me." The Lord says to you today, "Follow me. Come out from among them and be separate. Follow me."

In verse 13 of Acts chapter 12, we read that Peter knocked on the door of the gate at the house of John Mark. A damsel, a young girl named Rhoda, came to hear Peter. When she recognized Peter's voice, she did not open the gate because she was so glad. Instead, she ran in and told everyone how Peter stood before the gate.

This young girl, perhaps only a teenager, heard that voice she likely knew so well because Peter was a great preacher within the church. She was so excited that she turned right around and ran back into the house to tell everybody that Peter was outside. When they heard this, they said to her, "You are crazy! You're mad!" They were praying for Peter's release, and when Peter was released, they could hardly believe it. I have to confess to you.

I sometimes feel like that. There have been more than a couple of times when we've prayed for somebody to receive healing or to be delivered, or whatever it may be. We pray for them, whether it's right here or somewhere else. Then, a couple of days later, news comes back to me. They say, "So and so, you prayed for them. That group prayed for them. They've been healed." And I think, "No, really? Are you serious?"

Sometimes, I think the Lord is up in heaven, saying just as He did in the Gospels, "How long must I strive with this generation?" Here, Peter is released; he's standing at the door, knocking. They say, "No, you're mad." But she constantly affirmed that it was even so, and they said, "It is his angel." This is another interesting thing for another study.

Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door, they saw him, and they were astonished. They were blown away that God answered their prayer. Have you ever been blown away that God answered your prayer? I know I have. When I walk away, being blown away, I have to remind myself, "Oh Miles, you have little faith." They were astonished when they saw him.

It's interesting that God opened the iron gate for him to leave the prison, but God didn't open the gate for him to enter where the church was gathered. That's an interesting thought to me. So, they saw him, and they were astonished. He beckoned to them with his hand, told them to hold their peace, and declared to them that the Lord had brought him out of prison. He said, "Go show these things to James."

Now, that's not the James who was killed in the first part of the chapter; that's James, the brother of Jesus, who we will see more of in the Book of Acts, specifically in Acts 15 and Acts 21. He said, "Go and tell these things to James and to the brethren." Then he departed and went to another place.

As soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. That's the understatement of the chapter. They woke up, and Peter was gone, which caused quite a stir because that meant they were dead. When Herod had sought for him and found him not, he examined the keepers. This means he beat them. The typical Roman way of examination was to strap them to a pole and begin to whip them until they confessed their crime. The beating would become more severe if they had nothing to confess.

And so he examined the keepers and commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and there he abode. Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon, but they came with one accord to him. Having made Blastus, the king's chamberlain, their friend, they desired peace because their country was nourished by the king's country.

Upon a set day, Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne and made an oration unto them. He spoke with great words; he was a great speaker. The people gave shouts, saying, "It is the voice of God and not a man. We don't have anybody like that in our days." Immediately, the angel of the Lord smote him, but not in the same way that the angel of the Lord smote Peter. The angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and gave up the ghost.

When I was younger and first read this passage as a kid, my mind went to the idea of him being eaten by worms. Did they come up and eat him, and he just fell down dead right there? But no, that's probably not what happened. In fact, the Jewish historian Josephus gives us the same account, the same record. After this oration, Herod Agrippa began to experience some sort of pains in his stomach, and a few days later, he died. They say that he was eaten of worms, but it states that he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost. He died.

Verse 24 says the word of God grew and multiplied. Man will die, but the word of God will endure and continue forever. Herod may try to destroy, but God will dominate. It has been said many times, and it's so true, that the Bible, the word of God, is an anvil that has worn out many hammers. Many have tried to destroy it, Herod being one of them, but he himself was destroyed.

We read that Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they took with them John, whose surname was Mark, who we will get to know more about at another time. As we finish this morning, I want us just to consider one last time.

The importance of prayer is significant in those four ways that we talked about: corporately, gathering together to pray for one another, and continuing in prayer until something happens. Prayer should be continual, directed, and directly to God. We need to be honest with Him about our true emotions or heart, whatever it may be, confessing that perhaps as sin. We should also pray specifically for whatever challenges we are facing today. We are told to let our requests be made known unto God and then to see how He may answer us, recognizing how His peace oftentimes guards our hearts.

I know there are probably many here today who find themselves under a heaviness of spirit. It's a normal thing; it happens. But God desires to strengthen us. Amen.

Let's stand and pray together. Father, I do thank You for Your Word, which is applicable to us. Lord, may we recognize that Your Word is more essential than our daily food. May we desire to study it to show ourselves approved and to grow by it. 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. I ask that You would be a strength to them.

Also, Lord, may they 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 our minds upon You as we go from here, for we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you.