Herod Agrippa I has gained significant power. He is the grandson of Herod the Great. His father Aristobolus had been executed by his grandfather in 7 B.C for fear that he might usurp the throne. After his fatherʼs death, while still a child, Agrippa was sent to Rome with his mother, where he was reared and educated along with the children of the Roman aristocracy. These childhood friendships eventually led to his ruling over a Jewish kingdom nearly the extent of that of his grandfather. In a.d. 37 the emperor Caligula gave him the title of king and made him ruler over the territories formerly ruled by his uncle Philip, lands in the Transjordan and the Ten Cities (Decapolis) north of Galilee. In a.d. 39 Caligula extended Agrippaʼs rule by giving him Galilee and Perea, the territory of his uncle Antipas, who had been sent into exile. Finally, when his former schoolmate Claudius became emperor in a.d. 41, he was given rule of Judea and Samaria, which had been under Roman procurators for thirty-five years. He was truly “king of the Jews” now, ruling over all of Judea, Samaria, Galilee, the Transjordan, and the Decapolis.
The politics of the time made it very important for Agrippa to win the favor of the Jewish people. While he had a strong friendship with Caligula in Rome, Caligula was not a popular emperor in Rome. There was also a great sense of angst amongst the Jews because of a famine in the land (See Acts 11). The Christians were including gentiles in their numbers and the chief persecutor, Saul had converted to Christianity. Agrippa had James (John's brother) beheaded. This pleased the Jews so he increased the persecution of the Christians and had Peter arrested and intended to have him tried and executed after Passover.
But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed earnestly. ---
Acts 12:6–17 Expecting the Unexpected
There is a contrast of expectations in this account. Herod Agrippa definitely expects something to take place that might free Peter. To keep that from happening he assigns 4 squads of 4 soldiers to guard him. That's 16 men to guard one. Two of the guards are chained to Peter while the others kept watch at the prison gate.
Peter is able to sleep quite soundly. In fact when the angel comes to free him, the angel had to strike him in the side to awaken him. Then Peter thinks he is dreaming while he is led out of the prison into the streets of Jerusalem.
The church that was met at John Mark's mother's house to pray earnestly for Peter. But when the answer came literally knocking at the door they thought Rhoda was 'out of her mind.'
Were these believer's praying in faith? I believe they were, but they had resigned themselves to believe that Peter was to follow in the way of James. They didn't know God's plan. We can pray believing God to be faithful and still not expect the miracle that God wants to provide.
Let me ask you the question: what are you expecting God to do in your life? Maybe it is time to raise your expectations and see God's plan for today.
Are there miracles knocking waiting for you to open the door? Are there opportunities that God has put in your way that you have considered crazy so you have not acted upon them? God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can imagine. Maybe it is time to increase our imagination.
This house, the house of John Mark's mother, gives witness today to miracles of God. Above this holy site sets, St Marks Church. It is a Syrian Orthodox church where they still worship in Aramaic, the language that was probably spoken by Jesus. The church says they are the place of the upper room. I believe they are the place of Acts 12, but not the place where the last supper took place. When they speak of the upper room it is not an upstairs room, but rather a room in upper Jerusalem. The church is built over a church that dates back to the 300's
Anyway, when I visited St. Marks a delightful charismatic sister shared a couple of stories of miracles that took place at this sacred site. One day there was a group that had come to the church. The sister was sharing about the histroy of the church and a Russian man began to ask her questions in Russian. She heard him in English and answered in English. He heard her in Russian and answered in Russian. This conversation lasted for about an hour. Neither the Russian man or the Sister knew what
was happening. Some months later the Russian man returned to the church and began to speak to the Sister, but she did not understand the man because he was speaking in Russian. Put off the Russian man quit speaking to her. The Sister later sent a person who knew Russian to the man to see why he was upset with her. He felt she was pretending not to know Russian on this day because she did not want to speak to him. This was not the case but rather God had performed a miracle on the earlier day. It was then that they both realized the beauty of the Spirit giving language that both could understand.
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Acts 12:18–24 God will bring justice!
Herod accepted the people's worship when they said: "It is the voice of God not of man." God was not nervous. His throne was never in jeopardy. Instead Agrippa was eaten by worms. His friend Caligula went insane. And the soul and the body of Agrippa was eaten with worms.
For those who suffer under then hand of an ungodly leader, there is solace that God will take care of the one in charge. God will bring justice. For the one who is lifted to a place of leadership and prominence there is an important warning. The one in authority must always remember that it is God who has all authority. He sets up kings and kingdoms. He can also tear down a king or a kingdom in a moment. All honor and praise and glory and power belong to our God. Let the praises of our God resound, and may we walk humbly before Him.
We are so blessed to live in America. The most powerful nation on earth. As American's we must learn to walk humbly and care for the people around us. We must never confuse the blessings of God for our own accomplishments. We must pray that God will give us humble leaders who will look to God for wisdom and direction as they lead. If we do not walk humbly, if our leaders do not walk humbly we like Agrippa will be eaten from within. I pray that God will Bless America, but even more important that America will bless God!
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Applying the Lessons
1. Expectation is a blend of confident trust and sanctified imagination. It gives us the capacity to ask the Lord for what He wants to give.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
2. The Lord answers all prayers. Sometimes it's a yes and sometimes it is a no. Other times it is a wait. Timing is everything and God always is on time.
3. Often the answer to our prayer is staring us in the face. SometimesGodbeginsto answer our prayer but the complete answer does not come until we accept what He is doing. OPEN THE DOOR!
4. There are times when we are so intent on praying that the prayer is all talking and no listening. The answer is knocking!
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