On Sunday we learned that SAME power that miraculously rescued Peter from prison is the same power that gave strength to Peter for REST and the church to PRAY despite Herod’s might and means. Let us reacquaint ourselves with this POWER. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 12:1-17
TITLE: Getting Reacquainted With The King Of Glory
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: God is always in control, always for our good.

POINTS:
I. People’s Prayer
II. Peter’s Sleep

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”James is dead. Peter is locked down on death row. A tremendous BLOW personally and corporately for the church. The mission has been on cruise control in Antioch. One can imagine the anxiety, fear, hopelessness, and sense of senselessness that must have come over the believers. …Have you been there? Are you there now? The early believers were there.”

“In a situation where most people would panic in powerlessness, Luke reacquaints us with true reality by showing us how the power of God gives strength to His people in two particular ways.”

“On the one hand, Herod is carrying out his seemingly unstoppable wicked assault on the church, while on the other hand, Luke wants us to see there are two forces here—God’s people are praying their hearts out for the power of God.”

“Peter knows his friend’s fate is soon to be his own. The last thing one would think Peter could do was sleep. And he is SOUND asleep. Like, snoring sleep. In 7, not even the light of an angel woke him and the angel had to strike him and say, Get up! Peter is at complete peace in the Lord.”

“Christians have been set free, made heirs with Jesus so we can follow him wherever he leads, and trust him in whatever he brings, knowing that at the end of the day we will be with him forever. How much more will he not care for you every moment until then?”

“It’s so easy for us to lose sight of the MAGNITUDE and GREATNESS of the God we belong to. In times of trial, suffering, and uncertainty, we are prone to MINIMIZE His greatness and power by MAGNIFYING our trial. The result is instead of running to an All-powerful God, we run from an all-powerful God. Prayer gives way to panic. Rest gives way to anxiety. But God’s desire for us, and He gives grace for this, is to trust Him in our trials.”

“We are jars of clay. We are fickle in nature. We are prone to unbelief. But take heart, God is supremely faithful, even when your faith is severely lacking.”

QUOTES:
John Stott- “What could the little community of Jesus in its powerlessness do against the armed might of Rome. Here then were two communities, the world and the church, arrayed against one another each wielding a weapon, the church turned to prayer which is the only power the powerless possess.”

Charles Wesley’s Hymn “And Can It Be” -
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth, and followed thee

Eckhard Schnabel - “Trust in God implies the confidence that God will give strength to endure suffering, courage to endure persecution, and boldness to be a witness of God’s power and grace right to the end…Believers express their faith, they formulate their hopes and wishes in prayers, they acknowledge God’s sovereignty to do as he sees fit, and they leave their fate in his hands”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Peter 5:7
Hebrews 12:3-4

APPLICATION:
-Is that your view of prayer—The power of the powerless? We live in a society that increasingly views prayer as a sign of impotence and weakness. Prayer is the power of God’s people to tap into the power of their God who is infinitely greater than any power in this world. Do you need to REACQUAINT yourself with prayer?

- Peter didn’t PANIC, he RESTED in the providence and sovereign power of God. Perhaps Peter remembered that transforming moment not too long ago when he watched Jesus sleep in the boat as the storm raged. Perhaps it was this moment in Acts 12 that led Peter to write some 20 years later to a group of beleaguered churches in 1 Peter 5:7—Cast all your cares on Him, because HE cares for YOU. Do you need to REACQUAINT yourself with gospel rest today?

- In light of this text, what do you need to do right now? In your circumstance, what is wisdom right now for you? 

• Panic less and PRAY more?

• Take your anxious thoughts captive and REST in Christ’s righteousness and forgiveness?

• Stop compromising your faith to appease your oppressor out of fear and stand firm, speaking the truth with humble courage in faith?

• Put off doubt and put on praise to God for His unwavering faithfulness?