In Herod's Clutches: Peter P/4

 Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                       PART XII - IV 

"I, Peter, kept on knocking at the door of Mary's home.... I had run there after I had been set free by an angel....He had come to my prison cell...Had woken me up...Had made sure my chains had come off... Had kept the soldiers who were guarding asleep....Had taken me outside.... And had left me after we had arrived at the street outside the prison gate....I am now at the Mary's home.... Her servant girl Rhoda has already been at the door... And she has already seen me.... She has gone back inside though.... But she has not yet opened the door....Perhaps they think it is my angel at the door.... I better keep on knocking... For I want them to know that I am standing here in person.... So I can share with them what the Lord has done... And afterwards I should go somewhere else..For it will not be safe to remain here... I am sure Herod will send out a search pary for me."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of the response of the believers when they realised Peter was no longer in prison...

                          ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                               PART XII - IV

However, the person at the door of Mary's home kept on knocking so Mary sent Rhoda back to the door. This time she did open the door and Peter was then able to convince her and all the believers that it had been him who had been knocking at the door and not his angel. The believers were shocked to see him but overjoyed as well as you can read in Acts 12:16

But Peter kept on knocking, and wheyn they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

He then gave them all the details of his miraculous escape before leaving for a safe place as you can read in Acts 12:17

Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the brothers about this," he said, and then he left for another place.

(Note: Peter is here talking about James, the half-brother of Jesus, who is mentioned in Acts 15:12

When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me...." He was one of the leaders in the Church in Jerusalem. And he is the author of the Book of James.)

Peter, knowing that no doubt Herod would order that a thorough search be made for him as soon as he discovered Peter's escape, did not stay long with the believers, for he did not want to endanger their lives as well as his own life as you can read in Acts 12:18-19

In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.

Not long after, Herod himself died a very gruesome death while he was giving an important speech as you can know from Acts 12:21-23

On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

The wonderful thing is that the Church continued to blossom as you can know from Acts 12:24

But the word of God continued to increase and spread.

That work is still happening for even today the word of God continues to increase and spread.

In Herod's Clutches: Peter P/3

                               Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS PART XII - III

 "It was only a short while ago that I, Peter, was in my prison cell being guarded by four soldiers.... That  had happened at the command of king Herod.... However, an angel had appeared to me in my cell.... He had woken me up... And he had told me to get dressed.... He had then told me to follow him to the Street.... He left once we got there....It was only then that I realised I was not having a dream.... No, I was really outside the prison gate.... I knew I should not stay there.... Instead, I should hurry to the house of Mary... No doubt, many of the believers would have gathered at her home.... They would be there praying for my release....So I began to run.... For I knew that very soon my escape would be discovered.... Soldiers would be send out to catch me.... I knocked on the outer entrance of Mary's home once I got there...To my delight, the sweet servant girl Rhoda came to the door....She was, of course, very cautious.... So she would not open the door.... But she asked who was it that was knocking on the door....I told her, "It is I, Peter."... I expected her to open the door right away.... But she did not.... Instead she ran back inside....And she has not come back.... Do they perhaps think she is mistaken? ... That it is just my angel who is knocking at the entrance?.... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn about the prayer gathering at Mary's home....

                        ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                               PART XII - III

After the angel who had gone to Peter's prison cell to set him free, had gone back to heaven, Peter realised that he should hurry to the house where the believers were meeting for prayer as you can know from Acts 12:5

So Peter was kept in prison but the Church was earnestly praying to God for him.

He should tell them that their prayers had been answered and he should do so quickly for, no doubt, his escape would soon be discovered and soldiers would be send out to find him as you can read in Acts 12:12

When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.

While Peter was making his way to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, the believers, who had gathered together there, were praying that the Lord would give Peter strength and wisdom for his trial in the morning. As they were praying, they heard a loud knocking at the door. Someone was at the door. Who could that be at this late hour? They asked Rhoda, the servant girl of Mary, to check out who this could be, but they told her to be very careful. After all, it was very late and they were not expecting anyone at this hour.... Rhoda came back in the room and exclaimed "Peter is at the door," as you can read in Acts 12:13-14

Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognised Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door."

Everyone looked at Rhoda and wondered what had happened to her for they all knew that it could not possibly Peter who stood outside the door since they all knew the fact that Herod had him guarded by four soldiers at a time and it would, therefore, be impossible for him to be free. The only possiblity was that she had seen his angel and they told her so as you can read in Acts 12:15

"You're out of your mind, " they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."

But it was Peter who was standing outside the door.

Read Part Four HERE

In Herod's Clutches: Peter P/2

                                           Read Part One HERE

                                          A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                                     PART XII - II

"As I, Peter, said, I decided to go to sleep... After all, I was once again in prison... And I was heavily guarded... What else can anyone do under such circumstances?.... I then had a very unusual experience.... For while I was in a deep sleep I felt someone striking me on one of my sides.... I wondered if I was having a dream... Or possibly a nightmare... I was quite upset with that being for trying to wake me up... I wanted to continue sleeping.... For I was tired... And I knew I had to appear before king Herod in the morning...However, that being would not let me continue my sleep... Instead, he told me to get up!!... But how could I get up?... I was chained to the soldiers... I then noticed that my chains had fallen off!!... How strange!!... This being, who looked like an angel from heaven, then told me to put on my clothes... He told me as well to put on my sandals.... I did obey him eventhough I still felt very sleepy.... He then walked out of the prison... I followd him... Once we got to the street outside the prison gate this being left... I then woke up... And I realised that it had not been a dream... An angel had really appeared to me.... And he had taken me out of prison."....Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Peter's escape out of prison...

                          ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                                PART XII - II

God had been watching all of king Herod's activities so He knew of the imprisonment of Peter. But God had a plan of His own. And when it was dark God began to set His plan into action by sending an angel to the prison where Peter had been taken to and where he was guarded by four soldiers. However, God had "forgotten" to tell Peter about His plan so Peter had gone to sleep as you can read in Acts 12:6

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.

After all, Peter was very tired. And, as far as he was concerned, he was not going anywhere since he had four soldiers to guard him. But as he was having his deep sleep it felt like someone was disturbing him very rudely by shaking him. However, that person seemed to be an angel. And it seemed as if his chains had come off. But he was so tired. And tomorrow he had to go and stand before king Herod. And he knew he would have to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to king Herod. But this angel kept pushing and prodding him. And the angel began to talk to him as you can read in Acts 12:7-8

Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up,"  he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and your sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me, " the angel told him.

So Peter, still in a dream like state, followed the angel out of prison as you can read in Acts 12:9

Peter followed hin out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing  vision.

They passed by guards and walked through the prison gate without any difficulty. Then after they had walked onto the street the angel left him as you vcan read in Acts 12:10

They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel lef him.

It was only after the angel had left Peter that he realised he was not having a dream but he had really had a visit from an angel from heaven and that he really had been taken out of prison by this angel as you can read in Acts 12:11

Then Peter came to himself and said, "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."

Peter knew too that he should not just stay where he was for he would then be picked up again and put back in prison.

Read Part Three HERE

 

In Herod's Clutches: Peter P/1

 

                                           A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                                 PART XII - I

"I, Peter, am once again in prison.... I could call it my home away from home.... For this is the third time that I have been put in prison... The first time I was put in prison was when the Lord Jesus healed the crippled beggar through me... The second time I was put in prison was after the tragic situation with Ananias and Sapphira... This time Herod put me in prison after he had put James to death... That is a very sad loss for the Church... It seems Herod is very worried that I might esape.... For he has arranged for four squads of four soldiers each to guard me... I wonder if this is because the last time I was in prison an angel opened the prison door.... Being so well guarded, I may as well have some rest...I am supposed to appear before Herod in the morning."... Pease read the typed out attachment when you will learn about James' death and Peter's subsequent arrest..... 

                        ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                                 PART XII - I

Soon after the Church in Jerusalem had begun to accept the fact that God loves Jews and Gentiles equally, she had to face some real challenges for the Apostle James was imprisoned and put to death as you can read in Acts 12:1-2

It was about this time that king Herod arrested some who belonged to the Church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

When king Herod realised that the death of James was pleasing to the religious Jews he decided that he should take further action to remain in their favour. And he thought what he should do. The idea came to him that he should select Peter and have him put in prison for Peter was one of the main leaders of the followers of Jesus.

And, no doubt, it would really please the religious leaders if Peter were silenced. So he had Peter arrested and put in prsion as you can read in Acts 12:3

When he (king Herod) was that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of the Unleavened Bread.

But king Herod remembered that not so long ago when Peter and the other Apostles had been in prison they had somehow been set free and were found preaching in the Temple Courts the next morning. And rumours had it that this had happened because of an angel as you can know from Acts 5:17-20

Then the high priest and his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled wih jealousy. They arrested the Apostled and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. "Go, stand in the Temple Courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life." At daybreak, they entered the Temple Courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

Be that as it may, he was going to make sure that Peter would not be able to escape prison this time, so he had him guarded by four squads of four soldiers each as you can know from Acts 12:4

After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him our for public trial after the Passover.

The night before the trial king Herod went to sleep totally at ease for he was convinced that even heaven could not help Peter because he was guarded by four soldiers at a time and that, therefore, his prisoner would still be in his prison cell the next morning.

Read Part Two HERE

Return To Jerusalem: Believers' Meeting P/4

                                                                                  Read Part One HERE

 

                                                                           A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                                                                       PART XI - IV 

I, Peter, am so encouraged by the change of heart of the other Jewish believers in Jerusalem.... I know that not everyone may have fully grasped everything that has happened.... They may not yet fully understand what having Gentile believers in our midst will mean...But our God knows.... And we are all so very excited to discover more of what God has in story for His Church.... We are beginning to see more Gentiles come to faith in Christ Jesus... That is especially happening in a city called Antioch....So we are going to send Barnabas.... He is going to test the work over there.... For we want to make sure the work over there is a genuine work of the Holy Spirit....Thankfully the Holy Spirit lets us know of any challenges we may face... That way we can be prepared for them.".... Please read the typed out attachment to learn about Barnabas' visit to Antioch and to learn about a famine...

                      ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                           PART XI - V

Did these Jewish believers fully understand what their recognition that Gentiles were to be included in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ would mean for them? I doubt it. But there would have been a peace in their hearts and a joy and an expectation of what was to come for they began to sense that God had great things in store for His Church. Of course, they did not know that these great things included your salvation and mine.

And so the Jewish believers began to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with other Jews as well as Gentiles as led by the Holy Spirit as you can read in Acts 11:19-21

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution with Stephen, travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them to Good News about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

So the believers in Jerusalem sent a man named Barnabas to Antioch, to make sure that the work was blessed of the Lord, as you can read in Acts 11:22

News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

Barnabas was very encouraged by what he saw happening in Antioch, as you can read in Acts 11:23

When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

Moreover, the Holy Spirit made the church aware of future issues so that she could prepate for it in advance, as you can read in Acts 11:28-30

One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a sever famine would spread over the entire Roman world (this happened during the reign of Claudius). The disciples, each according to his own ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

So we can clearly see how the Holy Spirit was leading the believers  on an individual basis as well as leading the church corporately in ways they would never have considered. And so it is for us, the same Holy Spirit that led the early Church, wants to lead each one of us in ways that we may have never considered. All He asks is that we open our hearts to be willing to do what He asks of us. In the case of these Jewish believers He asked them to open their hearts to receive Gentile believers in their midst. In our case, He most probably wil asks something very different, but it may be equally challenging. The question is: are we willing to do what He asks of us?

Return to Jerusalem: Believers' Meeting P/3

                                           Read Part One HERE

                                          A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                               PART XI - III 

"I, Peter, noticed all the believers looked intently at me... I had begun to share with them about my visit to Caesarea.... When I had gone to see a Roman Centurion Cornelius.... They obviously did not want to miss a word I said.... I had first of all shared with them my God-given vision.... I had then told them of the visit of three men from Caesarea... I had told them as well that the Holy Spirit had made it clear to me that I should welcome these men.... And the Holy Spirit had shown me I should go back with them to Caesarea...And that I had done so....I had then shared with them details of Cornelius' vision....And how that had been followed by me sharing the Gospel with the people in Cornelius' home.... And that while I was still speaking the Holy Spirit had come upon them....And it happened exactly as it had happened to us on the Day of Pentecost..... So God had obviously given them the same gift He had given us.... Who was I to think that I could oppose God?...After I had spoken these words I  saw the faces of the believers in front of me light up....They understood... God had accepted Gentiles and they should as well."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Peter's meeting with the Jewish believers....

                       ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                                PART XI - III

Peter continued his sharing with the Jewish believers in Jerusalem by telling them that after he had had a good night's rest, he, some other believers from Joppa, and the three men from Cornelius' household set off for Caesarea the next morning. Once they arrived at Caesarea they went straight to the house of Cornelius as you can read in Acts 11:12b

"These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house."

Peter explained that he still did not know what his mission was until Cornelius shared with him that an angel had appeared to him. And the angel had told Cornelius to send some men to Joppa where they were to look for him, Peter, so that he could bring them the message of salvation as you can read in Acts 11:13-14

"He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, "Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved."

Peter saw these Jewish believers listening very intently to his words. After all, they had never imagined that God cared about Gentiles and that He cared about them so much that He would even send an angel to a Gentile so that he and his household could hear the message of salvation.But they did not dare question Peter's words for they did see the sincerity with which he spoke these words. Moreover, they had heard him say that the Holy Spirit Himself had sent him to Caesarea. So they continued to listen to Peter as he told them that he had begun to share the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ with all those who were present at the home of Cornelius. Moreover, he told them that as he was still speaking the Holy Spirit came upon these people just as He had come upon them on the Day of Pentecost as you can read in Acts 11:15-16

"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as He had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said, "John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit."

The believers in front of Peter could hardly believe their ears: Did they hear it right that the Holy pirit had come upon these Gentiles just as He had come upon them on the Day of Pentecost? That could only mean one thing: These Gentiles were truly born again after they had heard the message of salvation just like they themselves had been born again and had been baptised with the Holy Spirit at the Day of Pentecost. And this meant that God had accepted these Gentiles in the same way that He had accepted them.  

Peter then ended his speech to his Jewish brothers by saying to them that since God had given the same gift to the people at the home of Cornelius that He had given to them he dare not oppose God as you can read in Acts 11:17

"So if God gave them the same gift as He gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?"

Peter was watching the faces of those in front of him while he was speaking these words to them and he could see that the Holy Spirit had indeed been able to transform their minds for their face were totally softened and this was confirmed by the words they spoke as you can read in Acts 11:18

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life."

Peter's recollection of events of the day that he visited the house of the Roman Centurion Cornelius helped the Jewish believers to understand that God loved Gentiles as much as He loved them and they praised God for it.     

Read Part Four HERE                             

Return to Jerusalem: Believers' Meeting P/2

Read Part One HERE
 

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                    PART XI -II 

"I, Peter am back in Jerusalem...As soon as I arrived I found out something... I found out that believers there knew of my unusual visit.... Now I have been making many visits during my time in Joppa...But that visit was unusual for one reason... It was a visit to the home of a Gentile.... And Jews never visit the home of a Gentile... But I had done so...I had visited the home of a Gentile named Cornelius.... He was a Roman Centurion....And the believers here in Jerusalem were having many questions about this visit.... For I am one of the Apostles..... So how could I have gone into the home of a Gentile?.... Never mind that he is a Roman Centurion.... I understood that they were very confused about my visit.... So it was time to bring the believers together.... I could then explain to them why I had made that visit...I knew too that I should give them all the details of what had taken place... To begin with I should share with them the vision I had had in the home of Simon the Tanner....I was confident that the Holy Spirit would then help them to see things differently... Just as He had had helped me to see things differently.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Peter's meeting with the believers in Jerusalem...

                        ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                                 ACTS XI - II

Many of the Jewish believers came to the meeting that had been organised to hear Peter give details of his visit to the home of a Gentile. They sat down and Peter stood in front of them. And he looked at them with eyes of love. These were his brothers and sisters in Christ. He knew them so well. And he knew exactly what they were thinking for not too long ago he had been like them for he too had believed that to be pleasing to God he had to remain separate from Gentiles by not entering their homes and eating with them. But then God had transformed his life. He knew too that God could do the same for these believers. But ti would need careful explanation of what had happened to him.

So he began to tell the story of the time that he had been at Simon the Tanner's house in Joppa. He told them that he had been praying when God ha given him a vision of a sheet from heaven as you can read in Acts 11:4-6

"I was in the city of Joppa praying and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. I looked into it and saw four footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air."

Peter next shared with them that he was told to kill and eat these animals, which was a very tantalising offer for he was, in fact, quite hungry at that time as you can know from Acts 11:7

"Then I heard a Voice telling me, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat."

Peter continued by explaining to them that he felt he had to say "No, Lord" to this offer even though he was looking forward to a good meal. The reason he felt he had to say "No, Lord" was because the sheet contained animals that he, as a good Jew, could not eat as you can know from Acts 11:8

"I replied, "Surely not Lord" Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth."

Peter's listeners would have been very pleased with Peter's response to these words for, according to them, this was the only response a good Jew coul give.

However, then Peter told them the Voice from heaven spoke again as you can know from Acts 11:9-10

The Voice spoke from heaven a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again,"

These believers would not have known what to make of these statements for they seemed to be so contradictory to everything they had been taught. Moreover, it seemed that Peter has been as confused about these statements as they were now, which must mean he was still a good Jew up to that point.What had happened to him to make him change so much?

Peter, knowing that his fellow believers would have great difficulty understanding his transformation began to talk about some visitors from Caesarea as you can read in Acts 11:11

"Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying."

As Peter was saying these words to his friends he studied their faces for he just know that they would be greatly puzzled by his words. He, therefore, needed to explain to them that he had invited these men into the home of friend Simon the Tanner because they had been sent to him by none other than the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit had told him to go back to Caesarea with them as you can read in Acts 11:12a

"The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them."

Peter knew that his fellow believers needed to hear that it was not his own idea to go to Caesarea but that it had been the leading of the Holy Spirit that had made him go to the home of a Gentile because the Holy Spirit had made it clear to him that the vision he had received had not been about so-called clean and unclean animals but had been about so-called clean and unclean people or Jews and Gentiles. God, had, thereby, shown him that He accepted Jews as well as Gentiles. Therefore, he, Peter, should do likewise.

Read Part Three HERE