The Chain Breaker
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 11 viewsWhile Peter was captive, the saints of God prayed for deliverance and God delivered.
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Introduction |
When all hope is lost, all comfort is gone, and dread surrounds us, may we be reminded of who God is. He is the chain breaker, the way maker, and pain taker. He is the sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God, the Creator of the heaven and earth. He is God.
Focus Passage | Acts 12:6-17
Opening Passage | Acts 12:6-8
On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near Peter, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Put on your belt and strap on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
Outline |
God, the Chain Breaker (vv. 6-8)
Remember, part of praying is the waiting - ‘…On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward…’
In life, so it would seem, that practice of way too many is that their prayer time is like their use of an ATM/Debit card. They wish to pray (i.e. put their card in the card reader), put in their pin (i.e. ask in Jesus name), and get their cash (i.e. have their prayer answered). There is a fallacy with this mind set though. God is not an ATM machine and your prayers aren’t a debit card. It’s not that God doesn’t answer prayers, because He does. He answered the prayers of the saints within our text. However, we must look at a couple details about the type of prayer that was being lifted up.
We first see, from our text last week, that this prayer was not a one and done type prayer. As we look back to our text last week…
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church.
This type of prayer, intense prayer, within In the Gk reveals the idea of ‘unceasing activity’, ‘continuous action’, ‘repeated intensity’. This is not a prayer that is just a shot in the dark. This is tears pouring, snot flying, knee quaking prayer. When is the last time that you prayed like this? When we pray this way, God moves.
The saints of God, as we read within the context of our passage, prayed for seven days, around the clock for Peter. Peter was taken into prison in the 14th day of the month of Abib and he was going to remain until the days of Unleavened Bread prayed ceased, as we read last week in v. 3. The days of Unleavened Bread lasted for seven days (the 15th of Abib ‘our April’ to the 21st of Abib). This was the night before Herod intended to release him, so it would have been around the 21st.
The saints of God for seven days, with tears and on their knees prayed for Peter and his release. But what was Peter doing during this time. While the saints prayed, no doubt Peter was praying, but Peter was doing something else in the midst of his prison experience. A key that we cannot forget as we face our own times of imprisonment.
Remember, part of praying is the resting - ‘…Peter was sleeping between two soldiers…’
Peter understood a truth that many within the church forget today, God is the chain breaker. Peter had already been released from prison before and lead the Philippian jailer and his family to the Lord. Why would he not trust God this time. This is a truth that we often forget in our trials and times of imprisonment when see no freedom and only see being trapped. Remember, Peter is being guarded by sixteen soldiers. As we read last week, Herod sent four guards (4 soldiers to a guard) to watcher over Peter. As Peter sat there between two soldiers and two chains holding him down, he did what most would not dare in his case, Peter was sleeping. How was Peter able to just sleep in this environment? He is chained up. He is well guarded. He’s going no where, and his life could easily be over. For me, I’m not sure that I would be just chilling. I think I would be fretting and wondering what’s next. What does he do? Oh, well, I’m here, I’m not going anywhere, and God is still on this thrown and sovereign. So, this looks like a nice rock pillow, I’m going to take a nap.
Low and behold, God did what God does. He honored Peter’s faithful rest in the midst of his imprisonment. As he slept, we find that God shows up. He sends an angel to Peter and we find that Peter’s chains fell off his hands. After God showed that He was the chain breaker He, through the angel, told Peter to get. So, my question for you is a very simple…
Are you getting…
Are you getting up - ‘…Get up quickly…’
Are you getting ready - ‘…Put on your belt and strap on your sandals…wrap your cloak around you…’
Are you getting gone - ‘…follow me…’
God, the Way Maker (vv. 9-10)
And he went out and continued to follow, and yet he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. Now when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
Peter obeyed in faith (v. 9)
Peter did not know whether he was dreaming, thought he was seeing a vision, or if this was real. We read that Peter did not know that what was being done by the angel was real. All he knew is that he was making a jail break. He thought either I am having one of the best dreams of my life or God has done showed up and showed out show enough. What a time it is when God shows up and shows out in our life and at the right time. All it takes is being as Peter, and obeying in faith. If you feel that you are imprisoned by a past, a present, an addiction, whatever it may be, God is the chain breaker and…
God, the Way Maker (vv. 10-11)
Peter was shackled and chained by two chains, between two guards and on the outside of the cell there was at least eight other guards, and he has done made out of that depressive state, and now he makes it two the outer area of the prison, which would have been a huge iron gate that was locked up and guarded. Here comes the end, he might have thought. This is the end of this dream. Now, I’m about to wake up and realize I’m still in that damp, dark, dreary cell. However, where Peter thought there was sure to be no way, God, once again, shows that He is not only the Chain Breaker, He is also the Way Maker, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself. You may feel as if you are like Peter was in this story. You may have some victory, but you question whether it will last. You say, it’s been good for a minute, but there will be a road block that keeps me staying faithful and God continuing to make a way. Trust God. Obey God. Live for God. Follow God. Those iron gates that kept you from making a jail break, God will open for He is the Way Maker.
Not only is God the chain breaker and the way maker, He is also…
God, the Pain Taker and Prison Shaker (vv. 12-17)
And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. When he knocked at the door of the gate, a slave woman named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place.
God, the pain taker - ‘…because of her joy…’
As the people set in discouragement and emotional worry and pain over what was going to happen to Peter, God showed up. As the wondered if he would be like James, the brother of John, and find death at the end, God showed up. As they sat and prayed in tears, God showed up. God turned their mourning into joy. As I prepare this message I am reminded of a Psalm that doesn’t exactly speak of God breaking some free from their prisons in life, rather it deals with God’s chastisement of His people, but it’s end of the passage that always brings me hope and comfort in seasons that are dark, damp, and dreary. It’s an end that reminds me that through the power and sovereignty of God, my pain will be turned to joy.
For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
As the saints of God prayed for Peter in tears, a knock came at the door and that pain was going to be taken away and replaced with joy. In fact, when the dear sister of God, Rhoda, answered the door, we find that because of her joy, she did not open the gate even. She left the door shut and went told the other saints, our prayers have been answered and Peter stands at the door.
They acted like many do today. They prayed, but many of them didn’t believe that their prayer would be answered or if it was answered, it would be answered like this. They told her that she was out of her mind. They said, if anything it’s his angel but not him. He is either in prison or he is dead, but he’s not at the door. However, as they were telling young Rhoda that she was crazy, there was a continued stead knock on the door. Soon, the saints who had been praying for Peter would understand the truth that Peter understood…
Amazing grace, my chains are gone - ‘…But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed…’
Testify of God’s grace, mercy, and life changing power - ‘…he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison…’ (Report these things to James and the brothers…’
Conclusion |
There is but One that can break your chains, provide a way where there is no way, take your pain away, and turn your mourning into joy, Good God Almighty.
As Zach Williams sings in his song, “Chain Breaker”
If you've been walking the same old road
For miles and miles
If you've been hearing the same old voice
Tell the same old lies
If you're trying to fill the same old holes inside
There's a better life, there's a better life
If you've got pain, He's a pain taker
If you feel lost, He's a way maker
If you need freedom or saving
He's a prison-shaking Saviour
If you got chains
He's a chain breaker
We've all searched for the light of day
In the dead of night
We've all found ourselves worn out
From the same old fight
We've all run to things we know just ain't right
When there's a better life, there's a better life
If you've got pain, He's a pain taker
If you feel lost, He's a way maker
If you need freedom or saving
He's a prison-shaking Saviour
If you got chains
Oh, He's a chain breaker
If you believe it, if you receive it
If you can feel it, somebody testify
If you believe it, if you receive it
If you can feel it, somebody testify, testify
If you believe it, if you receive it
If you can feel it, somebody testify
If you've got pain, He's a pain taker
If you feel lost, He's a way maker
If you need freedom or saving
He's a prison-shaking Saviour
If you got chains
He's a chain breaker
Oh, if you need freedom or saving
He's a prison-shaking Saviour
If you got chains
Oh, He's a chain breaker
I wonder how many of you this morning, need chains broke in your life? I wonder how many of you need ways made in your life? I wonder how many of you need your pain taken away and replaced with the joy? There is but one way and that is through Jesus Christ.
Want you come this morning and receive, embrace the gospel of Jesus and Him as Lord and Savior.
As Ryan Stevenson sings…
To the captive, it looks like freedom
To the orphan, it feels like home
To the skeptic, it might sound crazy
To believe in a God who loves
In a world, where our hearts are breaking
And we're lost in the mess we've made
Like a blinding light, in the dead of night
It's the Gospel
The Gospel that makes a way
It's the Gospel that makes a way
Conclusion |
