Nov 09, 2014
Acts 12:1-24


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Outline:


One of the greatest complexities of life is that of human tragedy. Because tragedy is an inescapable part of our existence, art as it imitates life attempts to grapple with this conundrum by presenting it’s own moral positions. While the theatre may have been the stage whereby human tragedy was explored in the days of Shakespeare, today the moral quandary of tragedy dominates our television screens. 


In the “art imitating life” category The Sopranos presented an extreme. Good people died unjustly, bad people died justly, and in the end the fate of the main character Tony Soprano is left only to much debate and speculation. Does he die? Does he live? Does it even matter? The world is presented as either “survival of the fittest” or the end result of random chance.


AMC’s Breaking Bad creatively attempted to give more of an explanation to the essence of human tragedy than most shows have ever attempted to do. While in a world of meth, cartels, and the DEA good people died unjustly and bad people died justly, but in the end the “good souls” survived and the one truly “bad man” suffered his inevitable fate.


Critically acclaimed HBO series The Wire took an entirely different approach when attempting to explain the existence of human tragedy. In a show that endeavored to pull back the veil on life in an American inner city (cops, drug dealers, addicts, docks works, sex trade, unions, politicians, educational system, news media, etc) everyone was actually a victim and the core source of human tragedy can be laid at the feet of a broken, corrupted system.


By presenting the ugly underworld of biker gangs FX’s Sons of Anarchy has more recently demonstrated the end results of a culture moving towards Nihilism. In a world devoid of any meaning where chaos is the only norm each individual is free to establish their own code of morality and ethics since, in the end, the only inevitability is that human tragedy (or the reaper) comes for us all at some point or another.


Showtime’s Dexter also took a bizarre stab at human tragedy. Can a serial killer function in a world of injustice? The answer is ultimately yes… As long as this serial killer obeys “the code.” Though good people will still face tragedy, this show held to the core idea that if everyone adheres to an overarching ethic we can insure justice will ultimately reign supreme.


How about NBC’s hit show Scandal? In a fictional world of politics and PR spin, the ends always justifies the means. Olivia Pope presents a world of moral ambiguity where even those who murder, commit adultery, rig elections, lie, and ruin innocent lives can still “where the white hat” and be considered “gladiators” as long as the public good is ultimately served.


Of all the recent shows I’ve watched none does a better job of being honest with the reality and obvious complexity of human tragedy than HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. A time-period piece based in Atlantic City during Prohibition never mixes messages. While the show features notorious gangsters and America during the 20’s, in the end… Good people die. Good people survive. Bad people die. Bad people survive. Such is the way of life…


While there are those who often point to the existence of human tragedy as evidence against the existence of God, there are 2 realities often overlooked by these critics…


1. Human tragedy must be grappled with by every religion and philosophical position. Can you honestly say you’re ok living with the moral conclusions of our culture?


2. Christianity doesn’t avoid the issue of human tragedy. This morning we’re going to see tragedy presented in a brutally honest way as Acts 12 unfolds like the quintessential gangster film. A good guy dies an unjust death. Another survives against all odds. An evil crime boss get’s whacked and in the end 16 of his lieutenants are caught in the crossfire. And in the midst of all this action we’re going to try to unpack a core meaning behind it all and consider how we should view this tragic state of affairs.



Luke closes Acts 11 by informing us that towards the end of this year long period of ministry by Barnabas and Saul in Antioch “Agabus” prophesied that a great famine was going to take place “throughout all the world.” Since the “brethren dwelling in Judea” would be hit the hardest, “the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief.” 


While last Sunday was monopolized by examining the generosity of these disciples, Luke includes a detail in the final verse of Acts 11 that demands a few minutes of our attention. 


According to verse 30 the church sent this financial gift via Barnabas and Saul to “the elders” in Jerusalem. While we have already been introduced to “deacons” back in Acts 6 this detail is important as it’s the first reference to “elders” operating within the church community. 


In order to understand the role of an elder, you should note that in Scripture we find three different words (elder, bishop/overseer, pastor/shepherd) all assigned to the same role. 


1. In the Greek this word “elders” is “presbyteros” which was a term that indicated “a rank or position of responsibility” within the church. 1 Timothy 5:17, “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” 


2. While discussing the qualifications of the men who would fill the role of “bishop” in 1 Timothy 3:1 Paul uses the Greek word “episkopē” which was a compound word: “epi” meaning “over” and “skopeo” meaning “to look or watch” - literally they were “overseers.”


3. Then in Ephesians 4:11 Paul said that within the church community Jesus “gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” The Greek word “pastor” is “poimēn” which referred to “a herdsman or shepherd.”


Q: How do we know these three words are describing the same basic position within the church? A: We find examples of all three words being used to describe one person.


1 Peter 5:1-4, “The elders (presbyteros) who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd (poimainô) the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers (episkopos), not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”


Acts 20:28 Paul said to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17 - presbyteros), “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (episkopos). Be shepherds (poimainô) of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.”


Understand… All three terms aid in our understanding of this one role.


1. Elder (presbyteros): Reference to the Responsibility of the Position


2. Bishop / Overseer (episkopē): Reference to the Nature of the Position


3. Pastor / Shepherd (poimēn): Reference to the Activity of the Position


As we transition into chapter 12 there’s something you should keep in mind… Though the religious leaders have always positioned themselves against Christianity, the Jewish population at large was mostly supportive or at the least indifferent to the followers of Jesus. 


And yet, now that we move into Acts 12 this dynamic has changed because the Jewish church has recently started co-mingling with Gentiles. Not only is the religious establishment opposed to the followers of Jesus, but the Jewish mob has also turned against them!




Acts 12:1-4, “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 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. 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.”




“Now about that time Herod the king…” This is the 3rd Herod mentioned in Scripture… Herod Agrippa 1st who was the grandson of Herod the Great and nephew of Herod Antipas. 


“Stretched out his hand to harass some from the church…” Whereas earlier persecutions of the church had been based upon misguided religious convictions, this new wave of persecution instigated by Herod was nothing more than a political maneuver.


Keep in mind that since Augustus confirmed Herod in 30 BC the Herodian Dynasty had always been nothing more than a proxy arm of the Rome Empire. This detail becomes important as Luke is historically recording the first Roman persecution of the church.


“He killed James the brother of John…” Understand, while Stephen was the first martyr of the church the murder of James was an earthshaking, game-changing kind of event. James (not to be confused with the half-brother of Jesus also named James) was not only one of the twelve Apostles, but he had been one of three in Jesus’ inner circle. 


“With the sword” denotes “beheading” as the form of execution… Since it’s unlikely James was a Roman citizen, why wasn’t he then “stoned” according to Jewish law or “crucified” as mandated by Roman law? Answer: It was an unlawful execution. James was beheaded in much the same way that Agrippa's sister Herodias had executed John the Baptist. 


“Because Herod saw that” beheading James “pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also.” However, because it was “during the Days of Unleavened Bread” Peter was placed “in prison” under a constant detail of “four squads of soldiers” until “after Passover” was completed when he’d presumably be executed like James.


Note: There would have been a total of 16 Roman guards operating on a 4 man rotation every 6 hours. There would have been 2 guards chained to Peter with 2 outside the cell. Q: Why was there so much security for Peter? A: Don’t forget the jail break in Acts 5.




Acts 12:5-6, “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 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.” 




It’s the night before “Herod was to bring him out” and Luke sets two scenes of activity:


1. There is the church in “constant prayer…” In the Greek this word “constant” or literally “ektenês” presents the idea of something being “stretched out to the fullest.” The only other place we find this Greek adjective is in 1 Peter 4:8 when the Apostle writes, “Above all things have a fervent love for one another.” The idea is not that their prayers were “continuously occurring,” but that the activity of prayer was being done to it’s fullest. Basically, in light of what happened to James, the church is praying for Peter in a way they had never prayed before.


2. There is Peter “bound with two chains between two soldiers” sound asleep! This detail demands some consideration… How could Peter be sleeping? I mean Peter “resting” in the midst of his prison (defined as his current set of circumstances) is completely contrary to our normal reaction. Most of the time we believe rest can only be attained after God has first granted escape from our trying circumstances!


How could Peter rest in the midst of such a trying situation?


1. Peter had peace… God was in total control.


2. Peter had perspective… What was worse case scenario? 


3. Peter had practice… This was not the first storm he’d faced.




Acts 12:7-8, “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. 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.” 


Acts 12:9-11, “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. 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. 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.”




Observation: While God will do what only He can do (the miraculous) His plan typically operates with the simple expectation that we do the things we can do. 


God: Removed the chains, blinded the guards, translated Peter through the prison door, and opened the iron gate. Peter: Had to get up, get dressed, and follow the angel.


The Christian Transformation - God: Satisfied the penalty of sin, regenerated the dead into life, yields Godly attributes from a person’s heart. You: Repent of sin, accept Jesus’ work on the cross, and walk in the Spirit (reading your Bible, attending church, guarding your eyes and bringing into captivity your thoughts).




Acts 12:12-15, “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. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 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. But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” 




Once the sleepiness had worn off and the reality of what had taken place had fully set in, Peter decides to go to “the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark” knowing full well that “many were gathered together praying” for the present situation.


Notice the reaction of those praying for Peter’s release.


1. When Rhoda “announced that Peter stood before the gate” they actually accuse her of being “beside herself.” This Greek word “mainomai” literally means “to be mad.” And to make matters worse Rhoda is described as “a girl” or more accurately translated “a young girl.” They accuse little Rhoda of being nuts!


2. Then following Rhoda’s persistence and the antidotal evidence that “she recognized Peter’s voice” Luke tells us they found it easier to believe she heard “his angel” than to actually believe Peter was standing at the gate. Note: Jewish tradition taught that a person’s guardian angel could take that person’s physical form and voice.


Here’s the point… Was Peter released because of their faithful prayers? No!




Acts 12:16-17, “Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them 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.” And he departed and went to another place.” 




Don’t overlook this detail that following his report to these believers Peter “departed and went to another place…” After his jail break in Acts 5 Peter immediately and boldly returned to the Temple to continue preaching Christ, but in this instance he chooses to leave the scene to escape imminent danger. Why the difference? 


In Acts 5 the angel provided specific instructions to “go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life,” however, in this instance no such command is given. 




Acts 12:18-19, “Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 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.”




“No small stir among the soldiers…” According to Roman law if a guard allowed a prisoner to escape it was required for that soldier to take the prisoner’s punishment upon themselves. Since Peter was to be executed in the morning this explains why “when Herod had examined the guards” he “commanded that they should be put to death.”




Acts 12:20-24, “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. So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 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. But the word of God grew and multiplied.”




I told you… The chapter plays out like a mob flick. A good guy dies an unjust death (James). Another survives against all odds (Peter). An evil crime boss get’s whacked (Herod) and in the process 16 of his lieutenants are caught in the crossfire (the Roman guards).


Though human tragedy may appear to be random, this chapter demonstrates a reality that is often very difficult to accept… God is in total control. Consider the “Bad Guys” - Sure it’s random that 16 guards die as a result of circumstances beyond their control… but this divine hit taking Herod out was clearly orchestrated! Think about the “Good Guys” - Sure it’s random that James was beheaded… but Peter’s jailbreak was also clearly orchestrated! 


Here’s the point… If God does intervene in some instances it means He can intervene in all; therefore, the decision not to intervene is in and of itself an act of God. 


Now before you get upset with the implications of this reality… Ask yourself this question…What would you prefer in the face of human tragedy… The belief that everything is left to random chance or that there exists some type of a divine plan and purpose?


I think Luke couples James’ death with Peter’s escape to force us to consider this reality. You see on the surface there is no reason one should have died and the other lived. I mean it wasn’t as though one was more important than the other. They were both Apostles, both members of Jesus’ inner circle… You can’t even make the case that the prayers for Peter tipped the tide in his favor. The inescapable reality of Acts 12 is that God’s intervention in Peter’s situation demonstrated His allowance of James’ execution. 


Our problem with this dynamic is twofold… 


1. We only evaluate human tragedy from an earthly vantage point when we should be considering it from the vantage point of heaven. Why was James executed and Peter spared? From an earthly perspective it’s hard to come up with a rational explanation! However, if I adopt a heavenly perspective I can at least conclude James had finished “the race set before him” while the finish line for Peter was still not in view.


2. Death as a core component of the human experience is either the ultimate tragedy or a most glorious moment. In Hebrews 9:27-28 we’re told “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.” 


What this verse tells us is that (A) Death is inescapable - “appointed for men to die,” (B) Death not the end of life but a translation into an eternal existence - “after this,” (C) This existence will begin with a “judgment” based upon a relationship with Jesus. 


Understand, James’ execution was not a tragedy. It was the most glorious moment of his entire existence! Instead, real human tragedy occurs when a person passes into eternity  apart from Christ. It’s been said, “For the believer the worst this life has to offer is the worst it’s ever going to be. While for the unbeliever the best this life has to offer is the best it’s ever going to be.” Now that’s a true human tragedy!

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