He Tried To Hurt God's People
Acts 12
Dr. Jason Robertson
November 8, 2020

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GOD IS IN EVEN IN THE WORST OF TIMES!


Acts 12:1 - About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.


When you fight against Christians, you are actually fighting against . (cf. Acts 5:39)

Why is it stupid to fight against God?



Acts 12:5 - So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. 6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”


Nothing can hold you when God wants you to be .
Nothing can you when God wants you to .
Nothing can you when God wants you .


God what God .

Acts 12:12 - When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed.


God is not by my lack of faith.
God is not by my faith or to it.
God is bound only to .


is based on … not .

Victory is guaranteed for

and people.

is guaranteed for all who God and His people.


Acts 12:21 - On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
24 But the word of God increased and multiplied.


If you fight God and try to hurt his church:
• ONE you will .
• TWO you will be .
• THREE God and Christians will come away .


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BIBLE STUDY QUESTIONS

  1. On a scale of 1-10, how much do you sense the kingdoms of the world (self, money/consumption, sex/pleasure, education/technology, power/fame, know-it-all/do-it-all) pressuring you? Where do you feel it the most?

  2. The story in Acts 12 contains a remarkable reversal: At the beginning, James is dead, Peter is in prison, and Herod is triumphing; At the end, Herod is dead, Peter is free, and the word of God is triumphing. How is this actually a description of what God does for us in the gospel?

  3. Have you ever been surprised by one of your prayers that God answered? Describe.

  4. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the visible power of the world when all we have is prayer. But why is prayer such a powerful weapon? How does God use prayer to bring the kingdom to the one praying?

  5. In Acts 12 God allows James to be murdered but Peter to be rescued and miraculously opened the city gate but made Peter knock on Mary’s door. Sometimes the way God does or doesn’t do seems inconsistent to us. What should we do when God’s ways are confusing to us?

  6. In the face of trials and pressures, we pray (12:5) and we sleep (12:6). Read Exodus 20:8-11 and answer this question: How can sleep and rest function as an act of worship?

  7. What is one area you’re hoping to grow in spiritually? Why?