~ An 8 “P” Outline of
Acts 12 ~
The twelfth
chapter of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles displays interesting
interactions between a variety of individuals—which is a good picture of the
early Christian church.
Persecution of the Saints (Herod’s violence directed at the early believers) ~ “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand
to harass some from the church. Then he
killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews,
he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened
Bread. So when he had arrested him, he
put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him,
intending to bring him before the people after Passover” (verses 1-4).
Prison for the Servant (Peter is released from prison after being incarcerated for his faith)
~
“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but
constant prayer was offered to God
for him by the church. And when Herod
was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two
chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the
prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord
stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side
and raised him up, saying, ‘Arise quickly!’ And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, ‘Gird yourself
and tie on your sandals;’ and so he did.
And he said to him, ‘Put on your garment and follow me.’ So he went out and followed him, and did not
know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a
vision. When they were past the first
and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city,
which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one
street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said,
‘Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me
from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people’” (verses
5-11).
Prayer by the Church (in Mary’s home) ~ “So, when he had
considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname
was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate,
a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When
she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate,
but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, ‘You are beside
yourself!’ Yet she kept insisting that
it was so. So they said, ‘It is his
angel.’ Now Peter continued knocking; and
when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep
silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the
prison. And he said, ‘Go, tell these
things to James and to the brethren.’ And he departed and went to another place”
(verses 12-17).
Preservation by the Lord (through His angels) ~ “But motioning to
them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought
him out of the prison. And he said, ‘Go,
tell these things to James and to the brethren.’ And he departed and went to another place. Then, as soon as it was day, there
was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not
found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to
death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and
stayed there. Now Herod had been very
angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord,
and having made Blastus the king's personal aide their friend, they asked for
peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king's country. So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal
apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, ‘The voice of a
god and not of a man!’ Then immediately an angel
of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten
by worms and died” (verses 17-23, especially 17 & 23).
Punishment by Herod (the guards sentenced to death)
~ “Then, as soon as it was day,
there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not
found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to
death. And he went down from Judea to
Caesarea, and stayed there” (verses 18-19).
Progress of the Word (God’s power on display) ~ “But the Word of God grew and multiplied” (verse 24).
Pride and It’s Punishment (Herod gets his due) ~ “So on a set day
Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to
them. And the people kept shouting, ‘The
voice of a god and not of a man!’ Then
immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to
God. And he was eaten by worms and
died. But the word of God grew and
multiplied” (verses 21-24).
Perseverance by the
Disciples
(Barnabas and Saul specifically cited)
~ “And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled
their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark”( verse
25).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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