Then follows another grave fact. God is always wise. Ever since the conversion of Paul, we have heard no more of the agency of the priests in persecuting the saints at Jerusalem; perhaps that wonderful change wrought upon him, and the disappointment it gave to their design upon the Christians at Damascus, had somewhat mollified them, and brought them under the check of Gamaliel's advice--to let those men alone, and see what would be the issue; but here the storm arises from another point. intending after Easter [or really after Passover] to bring him forth to the people. This scene does show the stranger discovering the predicted Messiah in Jesus of Nazareth the Messiah suffering, no doubt, but accomplishing atonement. Without pronouncing upon the state of individuals in the sight of God, he assumed the whole body to be what they professed to be a body of real Christians. To pray, pray for, offer prayer. On the night before Herod was going to bring him before the people, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound by two chains; and guards kept continuous watch before the door. . It says Easter there, and that's a King James translation. But the point here is lost in our English version. Veszprm is a szvem cscske, rengeteg emlk kt oda s milli lehetsget rejt egy j e-session vagy eskv fotzshoz. We will deal with Herod Agrippa II, his son, in a few weeks as we move on in the book of Acts. He was assuredly, before Peter went, a converted man. The voice that said, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" There was at this time some quarrel between Herod and the people of Tyre and Sidon, for whom the quarrel was a serious matter. But the Risen Christ made a special appearance to James ( 1 Corinthians 15:7). Where, whither, when, in what place. Thus it might seem incredible, if it were not the notorious fact, that the only two known manuscripts in favour of that which is here most certainly requisite are the Alexandrian and the Cambridge Graeco-Latin of Beza. There was special exposure to this evil which called for so much the greater guard against it at Samaria. Father, every ungodly power that has penetrated to the position of authority in the church expose and disgrace them and if they fail to repent, uproot them, in Jesus name. He is mentioned in Matthew 2:22. God does not suggest a doubt of His own grace to them, or of the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice for them: unbelief does. 0UR hearts are thrilled by the remarkable deliverance of Peter from prison, recorded in Acts. And so it was. But not so the word of God. The Old Testament saints were just as safe before the work of Christ as they were afterwards, but this work put them on a ground of conscious salvation before God. It is always thus in the ways of God. Then we find that if the church at Jerusalem had become impoverished, the Gentiles minister of their carnal things to them. So he said, "Gird yourself up. He was ruler of Judaea, Samaria and Idumaea. Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. It is thought that her house was pretty much the headquarters of the church in Jerusalem. Archclaus, being accused of cruelty, was banished by Augustus to Vienna in Gaul, and Judea was reduced to a province, and united with Syria. After all, though it seems so simple as to be a truism, though nothing can well be conceived more certain; nevertheless, practically it is not always the plainest and surest truth that carries all before it in our souls. He was the grandson of Herod the Great who was the Herod at the time of the birth of Jesus. 407.]. Hence it is there were mighty powers that wrought by those who were employed by the Holy Ghost; as, for instance, by Philip himself; afterwards also by the disciples, when Peter and John came down and laid their hands upon them with prayer. God had published it already to the sons of Israel, and the good man rejoiced in it. Therefore, the more godly Cornelius was, the less would he dare to put forth his hand for the blessing before the Lord told him to stretch it out. "And the hand of the Lord was with them," as we are told, "and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord." The persecutor died but the church continued to grow (24-25). It was a public privilege he was warranted to confer on the Gentiles thus baptized of the Spirit. In almost every chapter in Acts, you find a reference to prayer, and the book makes it very clear that something happens when Gods people pray. Now about that time: This phrase refers to the time Saul and Barnabus make their trip to take the collection gathered by the saints in Antioch to the famine stricken brethren in Jerusalem. Herod stretched forth his hand against the church and he killed James the brother of John with the sword. II. Prayer to God for him was earnestly offered by the Church. . Contrasts mark Acts 12:1-23: James dies, God delivers Peter, and Herod dies. "All that dwelt in Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord." Nevertheless, being a good man and full of the Holy Ghost, he seeks out and takes Saul to the apostles when others stood aloof, and declared unto them "how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus; and he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem." Back in Jerusalem the church was experiencing much difficulty. 12:1-17. The Gentiles were sinners: why should they not dare to speak to the Gentiles? Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural. It is important to distinguish between the two things one, the charge to which man appointed him; the other, the gift which the Lord conferred. He had a conviction that this was the instrument the Lord would use for good. But the Lord said unto him, "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. "And he arose and went." Note, Those make themselves an easy prey to Satan who make it their business to please men. These chains have fallen off; I'm walking past these guards. The disciples gave themselves to prayer, yet they little believed their own prayers. The reading of the Sinai MS. ( ) is a mere blunder, not uncommon in that most ancient but not very accurate document, arising from confusion through a contiguous word; it would give the sense of "unto the preachers, preaching the Lord Jesus." She despised the Holy Ghost as she had despised the Messiah; and no wonder therefore that he who had gone up to Jerusalem to worship was returning with the yearnings of his heart still unsatisfied. And so it has been completely excavated around there and partially restored, and it is a very interesting sight and an interesting study in Roman architecture and it gives us a little bit of the culture.Now according to Josephus, it was into this theater, which is an outdoor theater that Herod came, according to Josephus, with this fabulous robe made of silver cloth. Keep me from reading into the Scriptures what I think it is saying, rather than understanding it in its correct context. They served in three-hour shifts around the clock in guarding the prisoner. It was at a prayer meeting in Philippi that God opened Lydias heart (Acts 16:13), and another prayer meeting in Philippi that opened the prison doors (Acts 16:25ff), 13. Nevertheless we learn hence that they had prayer-meetings in those days; and so they gave themselves up to this special prayer for the servant of the Lord, who did not fail to appear by an agent of His providential power. The first of the New Testament Herods (see Herodes G2264) is Herod the Great who reigned from about 41 B.C. It is therefore our wisdom to take heed of the beginnings of sin. It may be all right and in perfect keeping that one preaching the gospel should baptize; but occasion might well arise where he who preached would avoid it himself. Finally, and in few words (for I do not intend to say more on Acts 12:1-25 tonight), we have the completing of this second part of our narrative in this chapter. For assuredly he would never have been content with one or two murders, and so have abstained from persecuting the rest, but he would rather have piled up martyrs upon heaps, unless God had set his hand against him, and defended his flock. Luke seems to have wanted to close his portrayals of the Christian mission within the Jewish world (Acts 2:42 to Acts 12:24) with two vignettes having to do with Gods continued activity on behalf of the Jerusalem church." Thus we see the Lord was working, and, as so constantly happens, it was not only that He called out Paul for the Gentiles; it was not only that He sent Peter to a Gentile; but now these men, who might have been despised as irregular labourers, were in the current of the same work of God, even if they knew nothing of it, save by divine instinct. The people cried out, "It is the voice of a God and not of a man." But they lived very close to the spiritual world, to the spirit world. "The Church of Christ was not properly in existence before the day of Pentecost; much less did she, before that era, go forth on her mission to evangelize* the world. He ruled Judea for three years, A.D. 41-44 [Note: Josephus, Antiquities of . But there is not yet the revealed truth of the body, though involved in the word of the Lord to Saul of Tarsus when he said, "Why persecutest thou me?" He could not deny the might that proved itself without effort superior to anything he had ever wielded. The very essence of faith is that you do not run before God, but receive what and as He sends to you. The Spread of the Gospel in Jerusalem (Acts 1-7), B. "Nor is there any weight in the objection that many of these primitive Churches were very defective in doctrine or in, practice, or in both; that St. Paul speaks of the Corinthians as being, on account of their divisions, 'carnal,' and not 'spiritual,' as 'babes in Christ,' and sharply reproves them for their laxity of discipline in the case of the incestuous person, and their want of discipline in the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Hence the great importance of discipline. At the passover, when the Jews came from all parts to Jerusalem to keep the feast, they irritated one another against the Christians and Christianity, and were then more violent than at other times. Thus we find the utmost simplicity and quietness. (ii) Herod Antipas (see G493) . On this occasion they of the circumcision see that the Gentiles receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; for they hear them speak with tongues and magnify God, and they were astonished. TovbbEskvi fotzs Eskv szervezs, Volt szerencsm Tibi es Szandra fergeteges eskvjn rszt venni. He is mentioned, under the name of Philip ( G5376) , in Matthew 14:3; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19. And not the angel but the Spirit guides now. King Herod persecutes the Christians, kills James, and imprisons Peter; whom an angel delivers upon the prayers of the church. 12 rakor kezdtnk egy kis kreatv fotval. He struck Peter's side and wakened him and said, "Rise quickly." There followed also such signs, or outward powers; but the Holy Ghost was given Himself, according to the Lord's word the promise of the Father, a promise which, as all know, was in the first instance assured to those who were already believers, and which was made good to them because they were believers, not to make them so. Now about that time,. That the famine was in Judea, and Saul and Barnabas were sent thither with what the church at Antioch had collected. What I am suggesting is that Acts 12 illustrates not profound unbelief in prayer, but the churchs early experience of a truth later enunciated by Paul: God is able to Vidm, bohks, letszer fotkkal tudok szolglni s f clom, mindenkibl kihozni a profi modellt. So he came in like a shining god, making this speech to the people and, of course, the people began to cry, "It's the voice of a god, not of a man!" Furthermore, forasmuch as he had said that the word was preached at the beginning only by the Jews, and he meant those who, being banished out of their own country, did live in Cyprus and Phenice, correcting this exception, he saith that some of them did teach the Grecians. Share whats on your heart and where you need Gods help, guidance, and healing. When Philip died, this region was granted by the Emperor Caligula to Herod Agrippa. B. What earnest desire should there not be to bow to all that which is. Hogy egy prat emltsek: termk-reklm, glamour, portr, csald, prfot. When he had seized Peter, he put him under arrest. Persecution of the Christians now swung from religious to include political motivation. Shall we turn now in our Bibles to Acts 12 . Without the action of the Holy Ghost faith is impossible; but this capacitating power and the gift of the Holy Ghost are two very different things, and the latter consequent on the former. Stephen prayed as he was being stoned (Acts 7:5560) 5. It is not His operation in enabling souls to believe, but a precious boon given to such as believed. James sheds his blood, as Stephen had before; for this Peter was destined by man, but the Lord disappointed him. Those that take one bold step in a sinful way give Satan advantage against them to tempt them to take another, and provoke God to leave them to themselves, to go from bad to worse. He was the founder of Caesarea Philippi which was called after him. A nevem Hring Attila, profi fotogrfus vagyok. And every word was made good. By means of this discipline, they having been separated from the society whose overt acts were contrary to their Christian profession, the apostle, not being endowed with the divine prerogative of inspecting the heart, was compelled to take the rest at their profession, and to deal with them as real Christians so long as there was no visible, tangible proof to the contrary . (v) Herod the Great had another son called Aristobulus (see Aristoboulos G711) ; his mother was Mariamne, a princess who was descended from the great Maccabaean heroes. Could it be otherwise, when, spite of proud unbelief and conceit of distinctive privilege, they were forced to feel that they were none the less the constant resisters of the Holy Ghost like their fathers, who had been guilty themselves, and suffered the consequence of their guilt in their prostration to the Gentiles; to feel now that they themselves were no better, but rather worse; that there was the same unbelief bringing out its effects even more tremendously; that they were guilty of the blood of their own Messiah, who was now risen and exalted in the highest seat of heaven? But as far as the record in the book of Acts, it shifts now from the church in Jerusalem and beginning in with chapter 13, Antioch becomes the center of church activity. This contrariety doth cause me to expound it of the Gentiles." As the Jews watched the gates to kill him, the disciples took him by night and let him down the wall in a basket. Cornelius was one of those who, among the Gentiles, had abandoned idolatry; but more than this was sometimes found. The fruits of the Spirit, whether they be produced within our own inclosure or beyond it, are always the same, and always to be recognized; otherwise our Lord would never have given us the simple test whereby we are to distinguish false from true prophets 'by their fruits ye shall know them.' what had high priest or Sanhedrim done for him? The reading sanctioned by the best and most ancient authorities is the singular not the churches, but "the church." And when she knew Peter's voice, she did not open the gate for gladness, but ran in [scatter-brained girl], and told how that Peter was standing at the gate. Note, Blood to the blood-thirsty does but make them more so, and the way of persecution, as of other sins, is downhill; when men are in it, they cannot easily stop themselves; when they are in they find they must on. 1.Here followeth new persecution raised by Herod. From pros and euchomai; to pray to God, i.e. On these I need only remark how grace used them for the spread of the testimony. It is not the church of Judea, the church of Galilee, and the church of Samaria, but the churches of Judea, etc. "About that time" probably harks back to the famine visit of Barnabas and Saul mentioned in Acts 11:30. The presence of the Holy Ghost was a new and quite unexampled thing even among believers. It is little wonder that this Herod has murderous intentions toward the people of God. He was led of God. Undoubtedly throughout these districts churches existed; but it was all one and the same church too, and not different bodies. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. quietem, perpetual rest. It was their responsibility now as ever to accept the gracious offer of God. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 20 Prayer Points With Bible Verses | PRAYER POINTS - prayerguide That the mode of interpretation alluded to involves a deviation from the obvious meaning of the New Testament phraseology is not, indeed, sufficient reason for at once rejecting it; but it does warrant us in requiring that the necessity for such deviation shall be clearly made out. But just as the great apostle of the Gentiles was the one that wrote the final word of testimony to the Christian Jews in the epistle to the Hebrews, so the great apostle of the Jews was the one sent to fling open the door to the Gentile. There now broke out upon the Church, and especially upon its leaders, a new wave of persecution instigated by King Herod. F terleteim:eskv fotzs, csald , portr , glamour , s reklmfotzs. The Syriac so renders it expressly, and the chronology requires us so to understand it. He caused the chains to fall from his wrists, kept the guards asleep, and opened the iron gates (vv. It was the Lord undoubtedly, and the Lord declared He was Jesus, and Jesus was Jehovah. To Antipas, Galilee and Perea; and to Archclaus, Judea, Idumea, and Samaria. He killed James, John's brother, with the sword. Those to whom they addressed themselves were really Gentiles. They requested one day that they be granted to sit one at the right hand and the other at the left hand of Jesus when He was in His kingdom. Wherefore, we must think with ourselves that he was tied by one that had the rule over him, that he might not more vehemently oppress the Church. Reading: Acts 5:12-16 (NLT) The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. The angel had to do with providential circumstances, but the Spirit with that which directly deals with spiritual need and blessing. Acts 12:23), and moved his headquarters to Jerusalem. (750) In duces et capita animadverti solet, punishment is usually inflicted on the heads and captains. (Prophetic prayer: Let us fight from the heavenlies Lift up your two hands to the heavenlies as if you are beckoning and shout this prayer point:) By Your Rushing Violent Wind from heavens, O God Arise and SWEEP AWAY every power fighting against my promotion and glory this year 2012, in the name of Jesus. (c) Drusilla (see Drousilla G1409) , who was the wife of Felix, the governor before whom Paul was tried ( Acts 24:24). "Saul arose and was baptized, and when he had received meat he was strengthened, and remained with the disciples for some time.". He said, "He's beside Himself" and they came down to rescue Him. Summary: Acts 12 has both answered and unanswered prayers within it. That the gifts mentioned in the chapter were, for the most part, extraordinary, and in process of time were to cease, makes no difference as regards the argument; for it is the essential character of Christian worship, not the particular vehicle of its expression, that is the point now under consideration" (pp. But before Aristopollis was murdered, he had this son Herod Agrippa. He martyred James, seized and imprisoned Peter, planning to execute him publicly after the Passover festivities. For it must be remembered that, however far his profession may be from being a true one, every professor of Christianity professes to be a true, not a mere nominal, Christian.

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