Acts - Week 39

Week 39 Acts 12 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 12:4-5 

4 Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. 5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. 

Herod wanted to make sure Peter could not escape. There had been the resurrection of Jesus and Peter’s previous escape so this time he had 16 guards watching over him. The Passover was not a time to put someone to death, except that’s when Jesus was crucified as the Passover Lamb. Peter was to be kept until it was this time of celebration was over. Reference to the “church” here is not referring to a building; it was referring to believers. They surely expected Peter to be killed so they “prayed earnestly  for him.”  

REFLECT 

Have you had a loved one face death and earnestly prayed for that person? If so, you know how the believers felt as they prayed for Peter whom they thought would be killed. 

RESPOND 

Read James 5:16-18 to see an example of Elijah’s earnest praying. Help your disciple to realize, however, that God is sovereign and does not always answer as we think He should. If you believe God is sovereign then you do not believe in “accidents” or even “premature deaths.” 

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 12:6-8 

6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. 7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8 Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. 

Think of all that was going on while Peter was chained between two guards and yet they didn’t wake up. An angel had to give Peter instructions about dressing; it was if he wasn’t thinking clearly at this point. Peter had a vision before God sent him to minister to Cornelius; perhaps he thought this was just another vision. Now he was dressed and ready to follow the angel. 

REFLECT 

Think of this miraculous working of God during the early days of the church. God would not allow opposition to wipe out believers in Jesus. God was establishing His church and nothing was going to succeed in opposition to it. 

READ 

See Matthew 16:16-19 for what Jesus said after Peter acknowledged Him as “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Remember that the word “church” is not referring to buildings but to believers in Jesus. 

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 12:9-10 

9 So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. 10 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. 

After Peter dressed, he followed the angel. They went by the other guards outside and the iron gate opened for them. After they were out of the complex, the angel left Peter. He was now free and on his own! What would he do when he finally came to his senses and the angel was gone? Would he hide or seek out fellow believers?  

REFLECT 

What do you do when you have news to share? Do you keep the excitement to yourself or share it with other Christ-followers? 

RESPOND 

Talk with your disciple about trusting God in difficult experiences but not necessarily expecting a miracle as God did for Peter. Many have given their lives for Jesus, both in the First and Twenty-First Centuries. Pray for others in such extreme situations. 

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 12:11-12 

11 Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!” 12 When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. 

Now we see what Peter did. He went to where he knew believers were praying for him. The “John Mark” mentioned here is the one commonly known as “Mark” and the writer of the second gospel in the New Testament. His mother must have been well to do and had a large house where many could gather. Peter was anxious to let those praying for him know that he was now free. They were praying for him, but what would they think when they heard God has answered their prayers? 

REFLECT  

When God answers one of your prayers do you thank Him for it and tell others? Often requests are made to God but not remembered to thank Him after the answer comes. 

RESPOND 

Read Matthew 6:5-8, which leads into what is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer.” John 17 records His prayer, but this is an example of how to pray.  

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 12:13-14 

13 He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” 

The servant girl goes to answer the door. She recognizes Peter’s voice and doesn’t open the door but runs back in to tell those praying that Peter is at the door. Now is the test about whether the ones praying really believed God would answer their prayer. This was an exciting time in this home and lessons will be learned from the response of those praying.  

REFLECT 

When you pray, do you really expect God will answer? Sometimes, however, one does not know how to pray. That is when the indwelling Holy Spirit is relied on to express to God for His will to be done. 

RESPOND 

With your disciple, read Romans 8:26-28. This reveals how the Holy Spirit prays for believers when they don’t know what to pray. Read also 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 that mentions praying.