Prison Break

5.29.16

Peter and the Apostles continue to spread and share the gospel of Jesus. Twelve years have passed since the ascension of Jesus recorded in Acts 1. Herod the Great's grandson, King Herod Agrippa is on the throne in Israel and he begins a terror attack and killing of Christians. In 42 A.D. he kills James, the brother of John and imprisons Peter. Acts chapter 12 records the miraculous escape.

"It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him."

Acts 12:1-10

1. Freedom Comes Thru Prayer

"So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him." (verse 5)

Prayer is often accompanied with fasting. Both are examples of self discipline and a desire to connect with God. Prayer and fasting opens doors and unlocks God's power in our lives. Isaiah wrote about this in Isaiah 58, verses 6-9...

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

    and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free

    and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry

    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—

when you see the naked, to clothe them,

    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

    and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousness will go before you,

    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;

    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I."

God is the source for freedom, and is the place we should always start!

2. God Can Set Us Free

In Acts 12:6-7, we read that God sent an angel who woke Peter and broke the chains off of him so that he would get up and follow the angel. This begs two questions:

a) Do we grow comfortable enough in our chains that we sleep? We give up, exhausted in our struggles against the chains that entangle us?
b) How can God "wake us up"? Have you ever received or heard of someone experiencing a "wake up call" event? What was that like?

3. Following God's Instruction Is Key

Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.
Acts 12:8-9

The angel tells Peter to wrap his cloak, it is an act of preparation for quick movement. The command is to act with haste and be prepared. Proverbs 13:13 tells us "He who scorns instruction will pay, but the one who respects command is rewarded." We are to follow God's instruction even if we are like Peter and not fully understanding the outcome.

4. We Have A Responsibility Once Freed

Once outside of the prison, the angel takes Peter so far...ad then disappears. Peter is responsible for his actions after this point. Galatians 5:13 reminds us that we are "called to be free, but in do not us your freedom to indulge the sinful nature." There is a pattern from Genesis on of God allowing us to have a part in our destiny. Beginning with Adam and the naming of the animals, tending the garden, Noah building the ark; and on and on we see a place for God to act and space for man to participate. That participation requires responsibility.

5. Go To Those Who Celebrate Freedom

In verse 12 of Acts 12 we read that Peter returned to the house of Mary where the members of the church were gathered. He recalled the events of his freedom and they celebrated with him. The author of Proverbs instructs us that "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (13:20) When we are set free, we should strive to stay away from others who may entice us to once again plunge back into the entanglement of sin.

Takeaway From Today

What has captured you?

Are you prepared for freedom?

These two questions should haunt us all. We too easily slip into our habits and sins...imprisoned without chains. Are we ready for freedom? Do we pray for it? Seek it? And what if God is willing, but we must take the steps to obey his instructions for getting out?