The Essential Question (Part 5): The Good News Is for EveryoneSample

The Unstoppable Force

Prepare: Pray this Psalm: "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken" (Psalm 62:1-2 ESV).

Read: Acts 12:1-25

Reflect: It's kind of confusing to keep track of all the Herods in the Bible. That's because "Herod" was the name of a royal family, with different members showing up at different points in the New Testament. For example, Herod the Great was the ruthless king that ordered the slaughter of all baby boys under the age of two around the time of Jesus' birth. Later, in Acts 25-26, we'll read about Herod Agrippa Il, the king Paul attempted to convert in public. But the antagonist in this passage is Herod Julius Agrippa, or Agrippa I for short, a man willing to commit murder for political gain (12:2) and whose undoing was his out-of-control pride (12:21-23).

The question is, why did Luke include these unsavory details about this particular Roman king? The clue comes near the end of the chapter: "but the word of God continued to increase and spread" (12:24). Luke's point is that in spite of all the power, intrigue and evils of Rome, God's purposes could not be stopped. The same is true today. You may feel at the mercy of "the powers that be" (Romans 13:1 KJV) in your efforts to serve God, but the bigger truth is, "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4 KJV). That's the source of our confidence.

Even so, Peter might have felt hopeless sitting in jail. They took down John the Baptist, Jesus, Stephen, James, and I know I'm next. But God had more for Peter to do and was about to release him for it in the most amazing way. Christians always have real hope, no matter the circumstances, because God is in charge.

The particulars of Peter's escape may seem like something out of an Indiana Jones movie--iron gates open by themselves, sixteen guards all sleep while the hero tiptoes past, with an angel leading the way. Peter even adds the comic relief: "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me" (12:11). I guess so! But this is no screenplay; it's Luke's detailed account of how the church was born and began to grow against all odds. As Jesus Himself said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God" (Luke 18:27).

The most important part of the story is what was happening off stage: the church was praying for Peter (12:12). It's easy to overlook this aspect of ministry, especially when we are barely keeping up with all our urgent priorities. But skipping prayer disconnects us from the true source of our effectiveness and weakens our efforts to serve God. Over the centuries, the church has prevailed against the Herods of this world not by being strong and political, but rather by being weak and prayerful. That's what makes the good news an unstoppable force.

Apply: Make a list of some ways "the Herods" in your world are opposing the purposes of God. Pray now about these situations. Also, sometime in the next week, pray with other believers about them.

The Essential Question (Part 6): The First Mission Trip

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