Context
Herod killed James
Seeing how it pleased the Jews, Herod had Peter arrested.
God sent an angel to the prison to get Peter out.
The focus of this message is the response from the church.
Commend the church for praying…
“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” (Verse 5)
“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.” (Verse 12)
But we see three clues that let us know that they weren’t expecting properly…
“You are beside yourself” (verse 15) — The church to Rhoda
“It is his angel” (verse 15) — The church to Rhoda
“They were astonished” (verse 16) — Description of the church when they saw Peter at the door
If we are going to pray, let’s pray
.
Expectation is faith in
.
The church wasn’t necessarily lacking faith.
They knew what to pray, but sometimes outward circumstances get in the way.
Faith is a mindset. Not an emotional response.
9So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. —Luke 11:9-10
Expectation comes from the
of the one being asked.
The church had seen God do great things up to this point.
What is about God’s character that we lean into? He is good.
11If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! —Luke 11:11-13
Expectation is a part of the
process.
Though they missed it to a degree, the church was still praying with a level of expectation. God answered.
12Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”
And His disciples heard it.Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” 22So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. —Mark 11:12-14, 20-24
Struggle with faith?
Struggle with seeing God big?
Struggle with expectation?
Be encouraged today that God wants to hear from His children.