"But Prayer"

Bulletin

Dan Peters
09/08/24 - Prayer

But Prayer

The end had surely come to Peter. he was in prison (Acts 12:3), and it was Passover, that is the same time of year when Jesus was crucified, about a decade earlier. The ruler this time was “Herod”, whom history calls Herod Agrippa I (41-44AD ruling). Herod already had “James the brother of John put to death with a sword” (Acts 12:2). Would not Peter think it is now his time to die? After all, Jesus told Peter,“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else
will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go. Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “ Follow Me!” (John 21:18-19).
Jesus says, “follow me”, even in death? Peter had the choice to either quit being a disciple, or finish his ministry. It’s been about 10 years since Peter heard Jesus says those words. Peter kept choosing to be faithful to Jesus ever since. Earlier, Peter failed Jesus by denying him, but not today! Whether imprisonment or death, let God be glorified in it. James had already glorified God, by maintaining his faithful testimony of Jesus to the point of death (Acts 12:2). He has gone on to his reward. So Peter appears confident that night, “asleep” (Acts 12:6).
“So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.” (Acts 12:5). Too often we don’t think God is listening to our prayers, our “fervent” prayers. We might think, “if James died and we prayed for him, why pray for Peter now that he is in prison”? Does prayer really help? But by the end of the chapter, Peter is rescued this night to go on preaching and teaching. Luke records the statement, “But prayer…” here, when the outcome was very uncertain. This is when we pray with more effort. We pray to God who, “In all their affliction   He was afflicted”, (Isa. 63:9). God who knows, cares, was afflicted even on a cross of his own, for us.
Peter later reminds us all to pray,
“FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS,
    AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,
    BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.” (1Peter 3:21), capitalized because it’s a quote from the Old Testament (Psa. 34:15-16). So this passage is true in the Old Testament and New Testament. When Peter was rescued from prison, he enters into a house full of christians, disciples of Jesus, who were at that time praying for him. How thankful he must have been to know they were praying for me!!! (Acts 12:12). Dan Peters