Acts (11)

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24.27
Be sure to view the video introducing our study of Acts 12 (Lesson 11) by clicking here.

Read and meditate on Acts 12.18, 19.
Our story turns suddenly terrifying and tragic, and that in two parts. We’ll consider part 1 here.

For reflection
1.  Peter is gone, perhaps as far away as Antioch. It is neither cowardly nor unwise to steer clear of those who intend to do you harm. The Kingdom spreads wherever we are, but we must continue to be for that to be the case. Staying in Jerusalem was not an option for Peter at this time, although he will return when things have settled down a bit. How do we know when it’s time to “back away” from talking to others about spiritual things? How can we continue to be a witness (Acts 1.8) at the same time?

2.  We read that “there was no small stir among the soldiers” about Peter’s being gone. They understood what this meant. And this time there weren’t any Jewish religious leaders to keep them from Rome’s “justice” (Matt. 28.11-15). Failure of duty was a death sentence in the Roman world, and Herod was only doing what the limits of the law required and allowed. Life can be suddenly cut short. Do you keep this in mind as you’re with the unbelievers in your Personal Mission Field?

3.  What a callous king! He orders the death of four squads of soldiers, then heads off on holiday to the seaside. It’s interesting to see that the death of James and the attempted murder of Peter had just the opposite effects on the enemies of the Gospel. God knows how to protect His own, and to bring to the consequences of their sin all who seek to oppose Him. Should our presentation of the Gospel include a warning to this effect? What would that sound like?

4.  Here is another example, as in Acts 4, of the blinding power of sin. We might have thought Herod would revisit that policy of laying “violent hands” on church leaders (v. 1). Instead, he does violence to his own forces. Occurring, as this incident does, during the days of Unleavened Bread, it bears some similarities to that first feast of Unleavened Bread, while the people of Israel were preparing their exodus from Egypt: A king’s foolish stubbornness results in his own people’s injury. Meanwhile, the object of his anger escapes by a miracle. What do you think are the primary obstacles keeping believers today from bearing more consistent witness to the Lord? How can we help one another overcome these?

5.  How should this story of Peter’s captivity and release encourage us in our daily walk with and work for the Lord?

Summary
The wages of sin is death, as we know (Rom. 6.23). Death is not just a fact of life or an inevitable consequence of being human and sinful. Death is the enemy of life, and Christ, in His death, dealt death a death blow. Now He is our Life, and death has no hold over us. How does this make the Gospel we are called to proclaim really Good News?

Closing Prayer
O God, do not be far from me;
O my God, make haste to help me!
Let them be confounded and consumed
Who are adversaries of my life;
Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor
Who seek my hurt.
But I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more.
My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And Your salvation all the day,
For I do not know their limits.
I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.

Psalm 71.12-16

T. M. Moore

Each week’s studies in Acts are bound together into a free PDF that you can download for personal or group use (click here). Each week also features a video related to the studies of the week, which you may find helpful as you work through our studies in Acts.

Acts is the record of Christ’s ongoing work as King and Lord. This is the work of bringing the Kingdom of God to earth as it is in heaven. Read more about the implications of this work in our new book, The Kingdom Turn (click here).

Please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Or, you can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal.