June 5, 2022
Evening Service

This letter from Dr. Luke is all about the actions of the Early church.  We recall in Matt. 16:18 Jesus said He would build His church, and He gave Peter the keys or authority to this church. He could let in who he wanted to, and keep out who he wanted too.  We are seeing this happen as we study this book.

·        Chapter 1;  After being with His disciples, and instructing them for forty days, Jesus is taken up into Heaven.  The disciples are commanded to remain in Jerusalem until they be endued with power from on high.  So 120 disciples congregated in an upper room, until the day of Pentecost.  The word “Pentecost” is a Greek word signifying the 50th part of a thing, or the 50th in order. Among the Jews it was a applied to one of their three great feasts which began on the 50th day after the Passover.

·        Chapter 2;  The Holy Ghost poured out a blessing on all those in the upper room, just as the Lord had told them.  Miraculously.  Also, this is where Peter uses the keys for the first time, preaches his first sermon, opening the door to the Jews for salvation.

·        Chapter 3; The lame man healed by Peter.  This began the persecution of the church.  The religious leaders didn’t like it.

·        Chapter 4; The leaders persecute Peter, and he preaches again.  (Act 4:12)  Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Peter is reprimanded, and told not to preach in this mans name.  He returns to the disciples, and they pray for boldness to speak, and preach in the name of Jesus, and the place where they are assembled is shaken, and they are all filled with the Holy Ghost as before, double dose.

·        Chapter 5; The disciples try living communally, and this is where Ananias, and Sapphira are killed by the Holy Ghost for lying. This struck fear in the disciples.  Then the Apostles are arrested, and jailed, and miraculously released, and told to go preach the gospel, everywhere.

·        Chapter 6; We see the choosing of the first Deacons of the church, and Stephen is taken.  Stephen is one of the original Deacons.

·        Chapter 7; Stephen preaches the longest sermon in the Bible, and is stoned for it.

·        Chapter 8;  Upon the killing of Stephen the church is scattered, and Philip goes thru Samaria preaching the gospel, and many believe what he is saying.  Even Simon the sorcerer.  But the Apostles Peter, and John had to come down and lay hands on them to receive the fullness of the Holy Ghost.

·        Chapter 9;  This is the chapter that Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor, is converted.  Notice what happens at all these conversions.  The same thing each time.

·        Chapter 10; This is where Peter uses the keys again, this time for the Gentiles.  After they hear what Peter has to say, the Holy Ghost falls on them, and Peter commands them to be baptized.

·        Chapter 11;  Peter repeats what happened at the household of Cornelius.  We see Antioch of Syria come into the picture, this is where Barnabas, and Saul are located, and they are selected to take relief to the saints in Jerusalem.  And the disciples were called Christians first at Anitoch.

Brings us to where we are tonight chapter 12.

 

 

 

(Act 12:1)  Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.  (Act 12:2)  Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. (Act 12:3)  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.

·        James and John (the sons of thunder), the sons of Zebedee.

·        Notice the battle of the spirits, good and evil.  The feast of the Passover.

(Act 12:4)  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. (Act 12:5)  Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

·        Remember, constant prayer is made for him from the church.

(Act 12:6)  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. (Act 12:7)  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. (Act 12:8)  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." (Act 12:9)  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. (Act 12:10)  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. (Act 12:11)  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." (Act 12:12)  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. (Act 12:13)  And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. (Act 12:14)  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. (Act 12:15)  But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!"

·        What had they been praying for?  A peaceful death?  A death with no pain?  Hopefully they had been praying for his release.  And now that it has happened they don’t believe it.  Isn’t this a lesson for us?  Jesus said, “when you pray believe that you shall receive.”

Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel." (Act 12:16)  Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. (Act 12:17)  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."

·        Go tell James, and the brethren.  James, the son of Alpheus, commonly called the Less.

 

And he departed and went to another place. (Act 12:18)  Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. (Act 12:19)  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. (Act 12:20)  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. (Act 12:21)  So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.

(Act 12:22)  And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" (Act 12:23)  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.

·        Paul said this; (1Co 10:6)  Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.

·        It’s not about Herod, or us, it’s about Him, Jesus.

(Act 12:24)  But the word of God grew and multiplied. (Act 12:25)  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.

 

This is the same John Mark that was related to Peter, and that penned the Gospel of Mark for Peter.

 

I hope we are seeing things that will help us in our walk with God?  This was the purpose of this study.  Building our faith.  We have studied this book many times, and one of the best ways to learn is by repetition, and review.