WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.379 ...ground on the island of Malta. 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:05.299 The locals put on a bonfire to welcome the visitor. 00:00:05.459 --> 00:00:07.980 It's a bit like a country bonfire. 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:10.040 You light the fire everybody gathers around it. 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:12.660 And the Apostle Paul's there and he's picking up sticks 00:00:12.660 --> 00:00:14.140 and he's throwing them onto the fire. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:17.539 He picks up a stick which turns out to be a poisonous viper. 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:21.740 It sinks its teeth into his hands and there it is hanging off his hand. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.580 And the locals watch this creature hanging off his hand. 00:00:26.039 --> 00:00:28.859 And what is really interesting is their response. 00:00:28.859 --> 00:00:31.800 Nobody goes for first aid. 00:00:32.179 --> 00:00:34.359 Nobody tries a compression bandage. 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:37.039 They just sit there waiting for him to die. 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:42.980 And they say to themselves, he must be a murderer. 00:00:43.879 --> 00:00:47.739 He's escaped the sea but justice has caught up with him on the land. 00:00:50.480 --> 00:00:52.140 And then he doesn't die. 00:00:53.120 --> 00:00:56.280 And they say, he must be a god. 00:00:58.859 --> 00:01:02.460 It's a variation on karma. 00:01:04.180 --> 00:01:09.640 Bad things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people. 00:01:13.640 --> 00:01:15.280 Karma's in our churches. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:23.579 I was in a church in January and I encountered a terrible variation of this. 00:01:24.280 --> 00:01:30.900 A person got up and led the prayer time and they prayed about the earthquake in Haiti, 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:32.439 as we all were. 00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:40.299 And she prayed that God would forgive those people for their superstition and their witchcraft. 00:01:40.299 --> 00:01:45.000 Now that's an okay prayer to pray normally. 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:48.679 But the problem is she linked it to the earthquake. 00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:56.900 And so her prayer linked the wickedness, their wickedness, to this earthquake which had befallen them. 00:01:57.179 --> 00:02:01.840 She didn't say it, but 200,000 people died in this pagan nation. 00:02:02.259 --> 00:02:04.319 Bad things happen to bad people. 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:34.299 Bad things happen to bad people. 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:34.939 Bad things happen to bad people. 00:02:34.939 --> 00:02:36.979 Bad things happen to bad people. 00:02:36.979 --> 00:02:44.319 In Luke chapter 13, Jesus commented on the local tragedy that had happened at Siloam where a building had collapsed and 18 people had died. 00:02:45.939 --> 00:02:51.500 And Jesus' question was, do you think that they were more guilty than everyone else who lives in Jerusalem? 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:54.439 I tell you, no. 00:02:54.979 --> 00:02:58.180 And unless you repent, you too will all perish. 00:02:58.180 --> 00:03:11.240 When somebody dies, when something bad happens to someone, we rush to ask God the unanswerable question, why? 00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:20.340 And too often we slip into seeing it as judgment or karma and we're very, very quiet about it sometimes. 00:03:21.340 --> 00:03:25.100 And we do it because we have a distorted understanding of God. 00:03:25.860 --> 00:03:28.740 We fail to see our own desperate need of him. 00:03:29.420 --> 00:03:31.480 We fail to understand his purposes. 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:40.120 Acts chapter 12 begins with death and disaster for the early church. 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:41.519 I hope you've got your Bibles open. 00:03:41.859 --> 00:03:43.319 I'm going to keep referring to the passage. 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:44.919 Acts chapter 12, verse 1. 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:49.959 One of the leaders has been put to death with the sword, possibly beheaded. 00:03:51.139 --> 00:03:52.780 Another is heading the same way. 00:03:52.780 --> 00:03:56.900 You might even quietly and cruelly ask what they've done to bring it upon themselves. 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:01.719 Verse 1 says, 00:04:01.800 --> 00:04:09.099 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church intending to persecute them. 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:14.000 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:18.360 And when he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. 00:04:20.060 --> 00:04:21.480 Herod's the king in Palestine. 00:04:21.480 --> 00:04:25.319 History says that he's Herod Agrippa I. 00:04:26.080 --> 00:04:31.540 He's the grandson of Herod the Great in Jerusalem who was killing babies when Jesus was born. 00:04:32.379 --> 00:04:40.220 He's the nephew of Herod who executed John the Baptist and who Jesus refused to answer when he was on trial. 00:04:41.540 --> 00:04:45.379 And he becomes the latest threat to the growth of God's church. 00:04:45.379 --> 00:04:55.620 He is a persecuting, try-hard despot wanting to carry favour with the Jews by having James executed. 00:04:57.060 --> 00:04:58.800 James is one of the twelve apostles. 00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:01.000 He's the brother of John. 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:04.339 Together they were nicknamed the sons of thunder. 00:05:05.220 --> 00:05:06.339 They had a reputation. 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:14.019 I have in my mind that if they were alive today they'd be riding Harley Davidsons and doing burnouts out on the Pacific highways at night when nobody was watching. 00:05:14.279 --> 00:05:15.579 Or maybe when everybody's watching. 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:21.420 But what's going on here is Herod lashes out at the leadership of the church. 00:05:21.420 --> 00:05:27.300 He executes James and makes a serious play to follow through in the same way with Peter. 00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:30.939 The church is in great danger. 00:05:31.660 --> 00:05:34.980 Their leadership is being eliminated one at a time. 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:37.300 Peter is arrested. 00:05:37.520 --> 00:05:39.060 He's under very heavy security. 00:05:39.420 --> 00:05:39.960 Verse 4. 00:05:40.060 --> 00:05:41.840 Four squads of four soldiers. 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:44.839 Verse 6. 00:05:45.219 --> 00:05:46.939 He's bound with two chains. 00:05:47.639 --> 00:05:52.179 He's sleeping between two soldiers and two more are standing outside the door of his cell. 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:56.439 He is being treated like a very serious criminal. 00:05:59.539 --> 00:06:00.579 Herod's determined. 00:06:02.759 --> 00:06:04.319 Seriously heavy security. 00:06:04.739 --> 00:06:07.579 The intention of having a show trial after Passover. 00:06:08.099 --> 00:06:10.019 He knows the outcome he wants already. 00:06:10.019 --> 00:06:13.180 He's on track to doing away with Peter. 00:06:15.079 --> 00:06:16.279 Story moves on. 00:06:16.579 --> 00:06:17.279 Peter's asleep. 00:06:17.639 --> 00:06:18.959 Chained between two soldiers. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:20.099 Quite amazing really. 00:06:20.439 --> 00:06:26.299 He's snoring his head off when he had every reason to be fretting about his impending execution. 00:06:29.039 --> 00:06:32.180 And verse 7 tells us the cell lights up. 00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:34.899 Angel whacks him in the side. 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:35.659 Wake up Peter. 00:06:35.740 --> 00:06:36.379 Wake up Peter. 00:06:38.439 --> 00:06:39.500 Chains fall off. 00:06:39.500 --> 00:06:40.319 Put your dacks on. 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:40.879 Follow me. 00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:44.060 He's got no idea what's going on. 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:45.399 He thinks he's seeing a vision. 00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:47.759 They walk past two lots of guards. 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:50.079 The iron gate of the city opens by itself. 00:06:50.360 --> 00:06:53.220 They walk the length of a whole street and the angel disappears. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:53.579 Poof. 00:06:56.060 --> 00:06:58.720 And a lot had happened before he even knew it had happened. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:01.380 And verse 11. 00:07:01.380 --> 00:07:02.900 Peter came to himself and he said, 00:07:02.980 --> 00:07:09.760 Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating. 00:07:13.820 --> 00:07:16.040 He experienced the unexpected. 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:19.460 And so did the rest of the church. 00:07:19.459 --> 00:07:27.560 When Peter realises what's happened, he goes to John Mark's mum's place where a whole lot of the believers were gathered and they were holed up together and they were praying. 00:07:29.620 --> 00:07:30.560 Knocks on the door. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:30.959 Servant girl. 00:07:32.339 --> 00:07:33.000 Servant girl. 00:07:33.160 --> 00:07:33.660 Named Rhoda. 00:07:33.740 --> 00:07:34.280 She answers. 00:07:35.879 --> 00:07:37.519 She hasn't got one of those spy holes. 00:07:37.620 --> 00:07:40.540 I said at 8.30, we've got a spy hole in our door at Rain Street. 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:41.259 It's fantastic. 00:07:41.379 --> 00:07:42.339 I've never had one before. 00:07:43.019 --> 00:07:47.500 So if you come along and I don't want to see you, I can just look through and decide not to open the door. 00:07:47.740 --> 00:07:48.279 It's wonderful. 00:07:48.279 --> 00:07:51.619 But she hasn't got one of those. 00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:58.379 But she recognises Peter's voice and she's so overjoyed she just forgets to open the door. 00:07:58.699 --> 00:07:59.979 She goes back to the others. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:03.399 They think she's crazy or maybe it's Peter's angel, whatever that is. 00:08:07.559 --> 00:08:08.579 Verse 16. 00:08:09.419 --> 00:08:12.239 Knocks on the door again and they are astonished. 00:08:13.819 --> 00:08:16.019 They experience the unexpected. 00:08:16.019 --> 00:08:18.639 Verse 17. 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:21.740 He tells them how the Lord has brought him out of the prison. 00:08:24.180 --> 00:08:27.139 And Peter's place in the story right here just finishes. 00:08:27.299 --> 00:08:28.399 He goes to another place. 00:08:28.659 --> 00:08:31.219 Presumably he doesn't hang around to be re-arrested. 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:35.519 He hung around in chapter 3 or 4 but this time he's out of there. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:44.500 Then the story gets really good. 00:08:46.019 --> 00:08:52.159 The soldiers are executed for dereliction of duty. 00:08:54.539 --> 00:08:55.879 How fair is that? 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:01.720 Were they ready on that day to meet their maker? 00:09:05.620 --> 00:09:08.980 Herod, he goes on holidays to Avoka. 00:09:09.100 --> 00:09:09.659 I mean the coast. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:10.659 He goes to Caesarea. 00:09:10.659 --> 00:09:22.839 And the people of Tyre and Sidon come crawling to Herod and he comes out in his royal robes and the people scream like it's at a rock concert. 00:09:22.939 --> 00:09:23.959 The voice of a God. 00:09:24.019 --> 00:09:24.939 The voice of a God. 00:09:25.079 --> 00:09:26.100 Not of a man. 00:09:27.179 --> 00:09:28.480 And Herod didn't honour God. 00:09:28.719 --> 00:09:29.639 And verse 23. 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:30.639 Fantastic. 00:09:40.199 --> 00:09:40.919 Don't you love it? 00:09:44.360 --> 00:09:45.480 God judges. 00:09:48.179 --> 00:09:50.080 And we're glad he judges. 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:54.060 Lethal weapon 5. 00:09:54.180 --> 00:09:55.580 Herod bites the dust. 00:09:58.660 --> 00:09:59.740 And then the end. 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:00.620 Big picture again. 00:10:00.940 --> 00:10:01.660 Verse 24. 00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:06.480 The word of God continued to increase and spread. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:09.759 See the picture? 00:10:10.500 --> 00:10:11.240 Right at the beginning. 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:13.460 The chapter starts with real threat. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:14.480 James is dead. 00:10:15.300 --> 00:10:16.860 Peter's heading the same way. 00:10:16.860 --> 00:10:21.120 What's going to happen to God's church? 00:10:23.860 --> 00:10:32.779 Last week I told the story for anybody here about getting some advice from Brian King who was my bishop in Parramatta about dealing with difficult people in church. 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:36.120 And he told me about three people that he had strife with at Manly. 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:38.220 I can tell you because there's no problems at Chatswood. 00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:44.100 And he told me about three people at Manly who caused him grief. 00:10:44.659 --> 00:10:45.480 And he said he prayed. 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:46.019 One left. 00:10:46.100 --> 00:10:46.840 One got converted. 00:10:46.860 --> 00:10:48.019 And one died. 00:10:49.720 --> 00:10:51.960 And last week we were in Acts chapter 9. 00:10:52.039 --> 00:10:53.720 We saw Paul persecuting the church. 00:10:53.899 --> 00:10:57.720 And God did the most astonishing thing in bringing him to faith. 00:10:58.379 --> 00:10:59.080 He was converted. 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:01.639 In Acts chapter 12. 00:11:01.820 --> 00:11:03.659 Herod is persecuting the church. 00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:06.419 And God takes him out. 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:07.980 He's dead. 00:11:11.980 --> 00:11:16.560 God removes the threats to his purposes in whatever way. 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:17.419 He chooses. 00:11:17.419 --> 00:11:24.539 What do you do with a passage like this? 00:11:24.539 --> 00:11:29.500 He talked about it with Brian Tung the other day. 00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:33.079 And he said that the big lesson probably is don't cross the church leaders or you die. 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:34.199 You'll be like Herod. 00:11:36.199 --> 00:11:37.779 Staff thought that was fantastic. 00:11:39.539 --> 00:11:40.599 Maybe not true. 00:11:40.600 --> 00:11:48.960 I want to look at what's going on here from a human point of view first. 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:53.620 And then I want to think about it from a heavenly point of view second. 00:11:53.620 --> 00:11:58.240 From a human point of view. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:04.340 The situation is desperate and it is tragic for believers. 00:12:04.340 --> 00:12:08.720 James' death is gruesome. 00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:14.240 And Peter's situation appears hopeless. 00:12:16.300 --> 00:12:25.180 If it happened here in Sydney and our archbishop was executed by the government and then other church leaders were being targeted for the same, 00:12:25.179 --> 00:12:29.659 I think we would have a lot less people in church. 00:12:32.599 --> 00:12:35.359 Big negative church growth. 00:12:37.159 --> 00:12:40.039 I hope we wouldn't, but I think we might. 00:12:40.039 --> 00:12:51.259 And if all of a sudden having your bottom on a seat in church might cost you your job or your life as it does in numbers of countries in the world, 00:12:52.599 --> 00:12:57.939 we would have to think deep and hard about what we believe and why we are here. 00:13:00.500 --> 00:13:07.639 Would we still be prepared to nail our colours to Christ's mast? 00:13:07.639 --> 00:13:15.199 See there are all sorts of unanswerable questions here. 00:13:17.299 --> 00:13:21.659 Why did God allow a leader like James to die? 00:13:22.419 --> 00:13:24.679 Surely the believers were praying for him too. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:30.620 Did he bring it on himself? 00:13:32.059 --> 00:13:33.639 Was he too outspoken? 00:13:34.899 --> 00:13:37.100 We all know what sort of a reputation he had. 00:13:37.100 --> 00:13:38.399 He was one of the sons of thunder. 00:13:38.519 --> 00:13:39.840 Did he still have a hot temper? 00:13:40.300 --> 00:13:43.340 Should he have gone a bit more softly, softly with Herod? 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:46.100 That's when we rationalise, don't we? 00:13:46.540 --> 00:13:47.100 I do it. 00:13:47.159 --> 00:13:47.600 Do you do it? 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:51.500 Perhaps he deserved it in some way. 00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:56.740 And that is when we really overstep the mark. 00:13:56.740 --> 00:14:02.539 And what about Peter? 00:14:05.539 --> 00:14:08.080 His situation just appears hopeless. 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:09.080 The security is huge. 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:10.080 The believers are powerless. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:11.980 The security is huge. 00:14:12.800 --> 00:14:14.340 The believers are powerless. 00:14:15.340 --> 00:14:17.580 They are not an advocacy group. 00:14:17.700 --> 00:14:20.500 They don't have political connection and clout. 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:22.700 They are not a military group. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:25.980 They don't operate with violence like a guerrilla movement. 00:14:27.900 --> 00:14:29.540 They've pulled back together. 00:14:29.539 --> 00:14:34.120 They are powerless in terms of the world. 00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:40.019 They have gone into their homes and they are doing the only thing that they know to do. 00:14:41.199 --> 00:14:42.059 They pray. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:45.740 Verse 5. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:52.579 Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 00:14:52.580 --> 00:14:55.300 Verse 12. 00:14:56.300 --> 00:14:59.660 Many people had gathered and were praying. 00:15:04.800 --> 00:15:10.139 So humanly speaking, the situation was both grave and hopeless. 00:15:10.139 --> 00:15:22.699 Wonderfully, the people of God were on their shaking knees calling upon the Lord in fear and in faith. 00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:27.939 They were depending upon all that they had to lean on. 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:38.840 There's a heavenly perspective which you can bring to this passage. 00:15:40.139 --> 00:15:47.919 James' death is tragic, but he's not lost. 00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:50.000 He's a believer. 00:15:52.580 --> 00:15:53.980 He was with the Lord. 00:15:56.860 --> 00:16:01.240 And so you don't even need to begin to punish yourself with the unanswerable question, 00:16:01.580 --> 00:16:03.199 what did he do to deserve death? 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:10.379 As tragic as the circumstances were for him and for his family and for his Christian family, 00:16:10.700 --> 00:16:11.440 he was safe. 00:16:11.520 --> 00:16:12.259 He was okay. 00:16:15.540 --> 00:16:21.240 And the church would have easily been able to give thanks for his life and for his safety with the Lord. 00:16:21.680 --> 00:16:25.500 They could have been deeply comforted that he was with the Lord. 00:16:25.500 --> 00:16:29.240 From heaven's perspective, he was safe. 00:16:35.080 --> 00:16:37.940 God can see the threat to his church. 00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:40.120 He's not blind. 00:16:40.700 --> 00:16:41.659 He's not dead. 00:16:41.659 --> 00:16:48.740 And it's not explicit, but you presume that he hears the prayers of his people. 00:16:50.199 --> 00:16:54.579 And God intervenes to rescue Peter in an astonishing way. 00:16:56.500 --> 00:16:58.539 Peter has to pinch himself to believe it. 00:16:58.819 --> 00:17:00.579 And the church is blown away too. 00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:02.439 They experience the unexpected. 00:17:02.440 --> 00:17:07.059 God saves Peter's life and he doesn't do it for James. 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:10.580 God thwarts Herod. 00:17:11.600 --> 00:17:13.200 Herod has one thing in mind. 00:17:13.320 --> 00:17:14.000 God has another. 00:17:15.120 --> 00:17:17.539 Death is on Herod's mind for the church leaders. 00:17:17.700 --> 00:17:19.400 Death is on God's mind for Herod. 00:17:22.080 --> 00:17:23.200 Drop dead, Herod. 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:26.900 And the church must have been ecstatic. 00:17:26.900 --> 00:17:40.080 So God intervenes in just the right way and at just the right time to preserve his church and to preserve his mission. 00:17:41.980 --> 00:17:49.720 Herod, the great, wealthy, powerful, well-connected despot, dies. 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:57.960 And in verse 24, the word of God continued to increase and spread. 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:04.019 God's people could see the threat. 00:18:04.620 --> 00:18:05.900 They could feel the threat. 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:08.000 They were experiencing the threat. 00:18:10.600 --> 00:18:13.900 Be encouraged because God could see the threat as well. 00:18:13.900 --> 00:18:20.040 And he had the power and the will to deal with it in his way. 00:18:22.340 --> 00:18:26.580 So from heaven's perspective, James is safe. 00:18:27.900 --> 00:18:29.000 Peter's safe. 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:31.519 God's people are safe. 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:36.060 The word of God continues to increase and it spreads. 00:18:37.180 --> 00:18:42.960 Presumably numbers are growing even though people can see that some believers are losing their lives 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:44.460 for what they believe. 00:18:45.620 --> 00:18:46.700 Quite remarkable. 00:18:50.539 --> 00:18:52.220 God rules his church. 00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:55.440 God protects his people. 00:18:57.019 --> 00:19:01.579 If our church is going to grow, it will be because God grows it. 00:19:05.120 --> 00:19:10.400 In Acts chapter 12, God's people, humanly speaking, were in a state of powerlessness. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:13.400 They didn't have reputation. 00:19:14.300 --> 00:19:15.720 They didn't have wealth. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:17.920 They didn't have prestige. 00:19:18.820 --> 00:19:20.060 They didn't have power. 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:24.220 The political leadership of the nation despised them. 00:19:26.860 --> 00:19:28.300 But they did have Christ. 00:19:30.500 --> 00:19:34.320 And in their powerlessness, they were on their knees before him. 00:19:37.120 --> 00:19:38.460 Harm happened. 00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:42.240 James' life was lost. 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:45.140 He was safe. 00:19:46.700 --> 00:19:52.579 And in the goodness of God, he removed the threat to his people and his mission. 00:19:56.160 --> 00:20:01.759 We must see that our power does not come from whom we are in the world. 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:06.920 Our security comes from Christ. 00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:16.160 There is nothing better than for us to be on our knees before Christ, reduced to helplessness, 00:20:16.579 --> 00:20:25.200 so that we might see that he is the one who lifts us up and guards and protects us 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:30.940 and allows us to participate in his glorious purposes. 00:20:30.940 --> 00:20:42.660 Please, Lord Jesus, grow your church in this place, not by our cleverness and power. 00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:50.320 Grow us by your power as we humbly depend on you. 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:54.200 All glory be to you. 00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:55.299 Amen.