Acts 12: Jail Break

The New Testament doctor turned investigative journalist is back. The first time, he is chronicling the life and ministry of Jesus. This time, he is telling Theopolis about the birth and growth of the early church. Jesus told the church to wait to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. Then, they are to make disciples of all nations. We have a front row seat to how this happened.

Here’s the good news: God does amazing things through ordinary people. If God be your partner, make your plans large. If God can fisherman and a Pharisee and shake the world, what can He do with you?

Key Verse: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Detailed Outline of Acts

1. They’ve just Begun

• Before Pentecost [1:1-26]
• Day of Pentecost [2:1-47]

2. They start to Do

• Healing miracle [3:1-31]
• Opposition [4:32-5:11]
• The Seven appointed and church organization [6:1-7]

3. They’re forced to flee

• Stephen, the first martyr [6:8-8:1]
• Persecution spreads the Gospel [8:1-40]
• Saul is saved [9:1-31]

4. God Opens Doors

• Peter raises the dead [9:32-43]
• The Gospel comes to the Gentiles [10:1-11:18]
• Antioch church grows strong in the Spirit [11:19-30]
• James killed but angel frees Peter [12]

5. A Missions drive

• Journey to Galatia via Cyprus [13-14]
• Jerusalem council about Gentiles [15:1-35]
• Paul returns to Galatia & strengthens the churches [15:36-16:5]

6. Extended Trips

• Mission trip to Greece [16-19]

7. To Rome, then heaven

• Revisited the churches [19:21-21:14]
• Arrest and trials [21:15-26:32]
• Journey to Rome [27-28]

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The More We Dig. The More We Find.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Bible Breakdown Podcast
• 0:30 Acts 12: The Jailbreak Story
• 2:15 Persecution Ramps Up Against Christians
• 5:08 Peter's Miraculous Prison Escape
• 7:40 Rhoda's Overjoyed Forgetfulness
• 9:20 Herod's Judgment and God's Victory
• 12:10 Final Encouragement and Prayer

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Hey everyone and welcome to the Bible Breakdown podcast. In this podcast, we will be breaking down the Bible one chapter a day. Whether you are a new believer or have been following Christ for a while, we believe that you will learn something new and fresh every single day. So thank you for joining us and let's get into breaking down the Bible together.

Speaker 2: 0:23

Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, pastor Brandon. Today Acts chapter 12. And I just I get tickled by this. This is not a fun one, necessarily, but I love it. I love it at the same time. I would call this jailbreak, because it's just going to be really funny, and there's a lady in this that I identify with so much. Like her actions. It's just going to be really funny and there's a lady in this that I identify with so much. Like her actions. It's just amazing. I love it so much. I can't wait for you to see it. Before we do that, as always, if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share and subscribe our YouTube videos. Make sure, if you're listening to this as a podcast, leave us a five-star review. Also, go to the Bible breakdown discussion. And I just want to hear how you process the middle part of this chapter, because there's it's sad at the at the beginning, there's judgment at the end, but right in the middle it's just amazing. So we're going to dive into this together.

Speaker 2: 1:14

But to bring you up to speed, this is the doctor turned investigative journalist, luke, who was inspired by the Holy spirit to write and chronicle what has been going on with the early church. The first time we heard of him was in the Gospel of Luke and he was writing an orderly account of the life of Jesus. Now he's writing an orderly account of the goings-on of the early church and he chronicles the first 30, 35 years. But he's also a fellow participant and he tells this guy, theopolis, about what all is going on Acts 2,. The Holy Spirit comes and infills all the believers and he still infills all of us today. He fills us with power to do the work of ministry.

Speaker 2: 1:54

And then you have in 3, 4, and 5, you have persecution that is starting to grow and starting to grow. And then you finally have, eventually, the first martyr, stephen. A guy named Saul decides he's going to make his personal mission to completely eradicate Christianity. But then eventually Jesus just slaps him to the ground with this great light and he says stop that. And he ends up becoming a Christian. They don't know what to do with him because he's causing so much of a ruckus now as a Christian that people are trying to kill this joker left and right. So they finally just send him home to Tarshish.

Speaker 2: 2:26

Well, while he is going, while he is home, man Peter gets a vision from God and the gospel spreads now to the Gentiles. So I mean, the gospel is just going global, as they're just taking next steps of faithfulness, and God is doing amazing things. Well, one of the things that had happened is, in this city called Antioch, you've now got these Jewish believers, you've got just a slew of Gentiles man that they don't hardly know anything. They don't know much about Yahweh, the God of Israel, but they've heard about this man, jesus, and they realize now he's God and they receive the Holy Spirit. They need some training, and so what Barnabas does is he goes and finds Saul, who's still back at home in Tarsus, and he brings him, because Saul was a Pharisee, so he knows all about the Israeli covenant and all these things, and so he takes him back, and so just things are spreading.

Speaker 2: 3:19

But now, because the gospel is spreading even more, now what's going to start to happen is persecution is going to ramp up even more. Have you ever heard this phrase before? New levels, new devils. So the more you grow in God, opposition is going to grow as well. Well, that is definitely true. I've seen it in my life and you see it in chapter 12. Because now it's not just local religious leaders who are giving you a hard time, but now authorities, now governmental authorities, get in on the act to try to stamp out this thing called Christianity. So we see something horrible happen at the beginning, but then we see God do something amazing. So let's read this together Acts, chapter 12, new Living Translation. Let's read and see what happens.

Speaker 2: 4:05

Verse one about that time, king Herod Agrippa began to persecute some of the believers in the church. He had the Apostle James, john's brother, killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. This took place during the Passover celebration. So that means at least about one year has passed at this point, but maybe more so, but at least one year, because Jesus' death, burial and resurrection had happened around the time of Passover. Well, pentecost would have been about 40 or so days later. Now maybe it's just been around one calendar year. So we're back at Passover again. It might have been longer, but at least one year. Verse 4, then he imprisoned him, paul, placing him under guard with four squads of four soldiers each.

Speaker 2: 4:59

Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover, but while Peter was in prison. The church prayed very earnestly for him and watch what happens. That night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened in two chains between two soldiers. Now pause for a moment. Think about the level of faith in God you gots to have when you find out that not only have you been arrested but they're about to kill you. They're going to kill you to please the mob and you're like man, that sounds horrible. Well, we'll see you guys in the morning. I'm going to get some sleep. That just impresses me so much that he just had such faith in God that, whatever God wants to do, I'm down. So I'm going to go ahead and go to sleep. So I'll be for it. So here we go. Other guards at the uh, wait a minute, let me just read that verse again, verse six that night before peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. There we go. Others stood guard at the prison gate.

Speaker 2: 6:00

Suddenly there was a bright light in the cell and an angel of the lord stood before peter. The angel struck him on the side to wake him up, said and saying quick, get up. And the chains fell off his wrist. That's the other thing. Peter must have been a pretty heavy sleeper that an angel shows up. This light shines and Peter's still sleeping, to the point that the angel has to kick him in the side and say Peter, get up, man, I'm breaking you out of here. Here we go.

Speaker 2: 6:28

Verse eight. Then the angel told him get dressed and put on your sandals. And he did Now put on your coat and follow me. So the angel ordered. So it makes me think again. I just love seeing this in my head that Peter's out of it. Man, he's been sleeping. He's in a deep sleep. He's like okay, what are we doing? All right, look, peter, put on your shoes. Okay, put them on the right feet. Okay, get your coat. No, no, no, no, your coat, all right, put it on Peter, cause he's still waking up right? Verse nine. So Peter left the cell following the angel, but all the time he thought it was just a vision. He's so asleep he's still waking up. He didn't realize this was actually happening. Verse 10,.

Speaker 2: 7:07

They passed the first and the second guard post and came to the iron gate leading to the city. This opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street. Then the angel suddenly left him. Peter finally came to his senses. In other words, he finally woke up fully and said it's really true. The Lord sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from the Jewish leaders and what they had planned to do to me. When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where they were gathered for prayer. This is what I love this so much. I identify with this lady so much.

Speaker 2: 7:46

Verse 13. He knocked at the door of the gate and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized it was Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everybody Peter is standing at the door. You must be out of your mind, they said. When she insisted, they decided ah, it must just be his angel, whatever that even means. Verse 16,. Meanwhile, peter was still knocking. Hey idiots let me in.

Speaker 2: 8:18

Finally, they went and opened the door and saw him and they were amazed. And in my mind it's like Rhoda, you left him out here the whole time, but I love this so much. She was so excited that she left him at the door. I'm not even going to tell you how many times I've done something like that. All right, verse 17,. He motioned for them to quiet down and told them that the Lord had led him out of prison. Tell James and the other brothers what happened, he said. And then he went to another place. Verse 18,.

Speaker 2: 8:49

At dawn there was great commotion among the soldiers for what had happened to Peter. Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search of him, and when he couldn't they couldn't be found. Herod interrogated the guards and then sentenced them to death. Afterward, herod left Judea and stayed in Caesarea for a while. So I love this idea that God's not finished with Peter yet. So it doesn't matter what they wanted to do to him. If God's not done with you yet, it's not going to succeed. Now watch the judgment of God fall right here at the end, verse 20.

Speaker 2: 9:19

Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They sent delegations to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod's country for food. The delegates won the support of Blastus, herod's personal assistant, and he appointed them. Appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne and made a speech to them. When the people gave him a great ovation, they shouted it's the voice of a God, not a man. Instantly, the Lord struck Herod with a sickness because he accepted the people's worship instead of giving glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died. That's disgusting and a horrible way to go. Verse 24,. Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread and there were many new believers. When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, taking John Mark with them. Remember, the reason why Barnabas and Saul were there was to bring relief to Jerusalem. Now, the reason why Barnabas and Saul were there was to bring relief to Jerusalem.

Speaker 2: 10:23

Now, what can we get out of this scripture? A whole lot of things. First of all, at the very beginning, just because you serve God doesn't mean bad things aren't going to happen. John had a brother named James. James didn't do anything wrong. James was serving the Lord. James was doing the very best that he could. But persecution came and James was killed. Just because you serve God doesn't mean bad times aren't going to come.

Speaker 2: 10:50

But, as we see in the middle section, if God's not finished with you yet, then it doesn't matter what they do, it's not going to succeed. James was able to go to heaven. He was able to see his Savior and his Lord Jesus face to face. He's okay. We don't have to worry about him anymore. We don't see that as a loss in our eyes, we see that as a victory. But God was not finished with Peter yet, so it didn't matter. It wasn't going to stop God from rescuing him. And then poor Rhoda got so excited. And then we see at the bottom God is still faithful and he's still just and he brings justice upon all in his due season.

Speaker 2: 11:27

So how can that encourage you today If God's not finished with you? Whatever you're going through will not defeat you. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's huge, maybe it's horrible, maybe it seems life-threatening, and I don't downplay it at all. It may be the worst thing in the world. But here's the thing the worse the trouble, the bigger the enemy, the greater the testimony of God's faithfulness that he's not done with you. Yet Nothing is going to be able to overcome you or overwhelm you. But if God's even got to rescue you out of a dark prison, you're going to overcome.

Speaker 2: 12:00

In Jesus' name, let me pray for us. Father, thank you so much that you're for us and not against us, that you're with us more than we can understand. My prayer today, god, is that you will encourage everybody who is listening or watching this that they will remember that because you are with us and because, holy Spirit, you walk with us and you live with us, that no matter what we go through, it will not overwhelm us. But even if you've got to rescue us from a dark, cold place, lord, you are the God of miracles and we celebrate that today. In Jesus' name, we pray Amen, don't forget. Jesus said in Acts 1, verse 8, say it with me. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth. My prayer today is that you'll receive the power of the Holy Spirit and you will be his witness in your world today. No-transcript.