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Starts a few words into Austin's opening. Ends just before the final amen. Words that could not be made out are marked [unclear].
Great summer. As we prepare, everybody's shushing me. I know guys, it's inevitable. As we prepare the transition to kids being back in school and pumpkin spice being back in our lives. Fall is coming. And you know what? The last few weeks, my family and I had the opportunity to soak up What's left of summer and we spent some time up in Monterey, California, including a drive up the coast, a day at the aquarium, afternoons by the pool, and evening walks along the beach.
And it was on our way up to Monterey that we stopped in Santa Barbara for lunch and then Morro Bay for coffee. Any fans of Morro Bay? That beautiful rock out there, right? And then we decided, here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna take the scenic route, and we're gonna take the one from Morro Bay all the way up to Monterey. Which under a normal set of circumstances is actually a great idea. And I recommend that you all do it and experience the beautiful Big Sur coast.
But under our circumstances, it was a questionable idea. Let me tell you why. The passengers in my car, two of them are seven and under. One of them, seven months pregnant. And what I did or didn't do is that I failed to remind them or even tell them that when you leave Morro Bay and you're on your way up the one to Monterey, what can you expect to experience? Twists. And turns and ups and downs, not just for a few miles or a few hours, but for about a hundred miles and quite a few hours.
And you have literally no exits and no options but just to carry on and carry through through the California coastline with all of its twists and turns and ups and downs and Blind curves and steep drop-offs and let's just say our family vacation was off to a rocky start. Now I'm really grateful because we got there and we made it and we had a great time. In hindsight, in retrospect, you always see behind you in the rear view mirror and you appreciate the downs because they helped to accomplish the ups.
And you know what, I tell you the story of that little experience we had up along the one. Because I think of nothing else, it's a picture, it's a reminder that all of us can relate to regardless of how our summer is going. It's a picture of how life is actually full of twists and turns. Life is full of ups and downs. Life is full of highs and lows. And life is full of praises and struggles. And sometimes, actually oftentimes, [unclear].
We have no exit and we have no option but to go through that season. Whether it's up, whether it's down, whether it's a twist, whether it's a turn, life is inevitably full of those ups and downs. But what I want to remind you of today is that you are never alone in that season of up or that season of down. And as we look to God's word together today, we're going to see the story of Peter. And we're going to be reminded how in his life he experienced ups and downs and highs and lows.
But he was never alone in those seasons of up. of his life. So turn with me to Acts chapter 12 if you have your Bibles and let's see how Peter experienced some of the greatest highs and some of the greatest lows. And let's see if we can't connect to Peter's story and let's see if we can't acknowledge that we experience highs but we experience lows. We know what it's like to have a season where things are on the up and up
But we also know what it's like to have a season where things are, well, down and out. And we're going to see Peter had a mix of them all. He was on the up and up for many days of his life and seasons of his life. And he was also down and out when we experience him and read about him this morning. Peter, you know what? He actually had the opportunity to witness and confess Jesus as the Christ. He had the opportunity to plant the very first church.
He experienced Jesus on the mountaintop when he revealed his glory. And he experienced and discovered Jesus when he had risen from the dead. I mean, of all people, Peter experienced some highs. Peter experienced some incredible opportunities. But Peter also had some real incredible lows. And that's what I want to acknowledge today. There's [unclear] seasons of up and there's [unclear] seasons of down. And Peter's actually in a season of down today.
Let's turn our attention to Acts chapter 12. We're going to be in verses 6 through 21. And the spoiler alert is that Peter's season of down ends with a season of up because God delivers him and God rescues him. But when we discover Peter, after all of those highs, he experiences the low of being down. Sent to prison and the text seems to indicate that he's going to be sentenced to execution. So we have this moment where Peter feels like everything is lost and everything is out of control.
But what I want you to notice about Peter's life is that what happens when things feel like they're out of control is the church prays earnestly. Peter rests peacefully and we're going to see that God works earnestly. Providentially to bring joy and to bring hope and to bring wonder and amazement to his people. And if you're like Peter and you're you have those seasons of up, but you're in a season of down.
I just want to remind you that people are praying for you. That you can rest in those seasons, that you can know that God is working in those seasons and he's going to ultimately bring you joy and hope and wonder and amazement as he shows himself strong in your life. So let's look at this passage and let's remember that God is in control of the ups and the downs. That's the title of today's message.
That's the theme of our morning. God is in control of Of the ups and the downs. And we're going to see Peter, who had both of those seasons, in a season of down. And we're going to see three things about his story and about his life in this passage and relate to him. Whether you're in a season of up, whether you're in a season of down, let me tell you three things that are true of both of those seasons.
And three things that were true of Peter's life in this story. Number one, God is with you. And I just want you to remember today that God is present. Like God has not forgotten you. God has not abandoned you. God has not neglected you. God is with you and he's present in your life, even when he might feel absent. So number one, God is with you. And I just want to remind you of that today. Number two, God is for you.
Like you realize God is working everything together for your good. And he is working even when we can't see his invisible hand orchestrating the events of our lives. We're going to see how God was for Peter and he's for us today. And then finally, we're going to see that God is using you to accomplish something incredible for the good of others and for his glory and to bring joy and hope to people's lives.
So here's our outline for today. As we think about how God is in control of the ups and downs, number one, God is with you in the ups and downs. Number two, God is for you in the ups and downs. And number three, God is using you in the ups and downs to accomplish his great purposes. So let's read God's word together. Let's look at Acts chapter 12 together. I want to read verses 6 through 21, and then we'll pray together, and we'll get started this morning.
This is what... We have as a record of Peter's season of life in which God showed himself strong. We're told in Acts chapter 12, verse 6. Now when Herod was about to bring him out, him is Peter, he's in prison. So when God is about to bring Peter out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. Verse 7. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him and a light shone in the cell.
Okay, he struck Peter on the side and woke him saying, get up quickly, Peter. And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, dress yourself and put on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him again, wrap your cloak around you and follow me. And he went out and followed him. Now Peter did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city and it opened for them of its own accord. And they went out and they went along one street and then immediately the angel left them. So verse 11 says, Here's Peter's commentary. When Peter came to himself, he said, now I'm 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.
Okay, so now look at verse 12. It says, when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose other name is Mark, and where many were gathered together and praying together. And he knocked at the door of the gateway and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer and recognizing Peter's voice in her joy she didn't open the gate but she ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate and they said to her you're out of your mind right how is this possible but she kept insisting that it was so and they kept saying it it is his angel but Peter continued knocking and
And when they opened, they saw him and they were amazed. But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. And he said, tell these things to James and to the brothers. And then he departed and went to another place. Let's pray together this morning. Father, we just thank you for this opportunity to gather in this place to pray. in this place, to worship in this place and to be reminded in this place that God, you are with us.
God, you are for us. And God, you are using us to accomplish great things for your glory. And as we think about the life of Peter and the seasons of up and the seasons of down that he experienced, Lord, would we see ourselves in this passage? Would we see your work in our lives? Would we be reminded that Then in our seasons of up and our seasons of down, God, you are with us. And you love us. And you are working everything together for our good.
Lord, help us to experience the joy and the hope of knowing that you are with us in the ups and the downs. Lord, we love you. We thank you for this time. We commit to you now. We pray all these things in Jesus' name and all God's people say. Amen. Again, I wanted to say we are so grateful that you're here with us today. And we're so grateful for the opportunity to study God's word together today. I want to take a couple of moments just to remind you where we've been and where we are in our study of the book of Acts, which is called the book of Acts because it's all about the acts of the spirit, the acts of the church, the acts of the apostles, the acts of the disciples.
I want to think about where we are in the storyline of Scripture, where we are in the timeline of Jesus' life and ministry. See, Acts is this unique book we have in our Bibles because what it does is it serves as a bridge or a hinge from what Jesus began to do and teach to what we begin to do and teach as we carry out his mission from his ascension into heaven and his return to this earth. We see how God is working through the lives of his people.
We see how God is working in the life of his church in our study of the book of Acts. It was actually Luke that wrote the book of Acts and the gospel of Luke. And I like to think about it this way. Luke is the story of Jesus, right? If you've ever read the four gospels, you learn about the story of Jesus and who he is and what he's done. It's Acts that's actually functioning as the story of the church, right?
Acts is our story. And as we study this story, we can see ourselves on the pages of Scripture. And we've been reflecting on how Acts chapter 1 was the last moment in time that Jesus set foot on this earth, right? If you remember in Acts chapter 1, Jesus ascends into heaven. It's the last moment in time that Jesus was present on planet earth. And yet we've been thinking about how God's presence has never been stronger.
And God's power has never been more present in our lives. Through the work of the Holy Spirit. Right? It was Acts chapter 1 verse 8 that Jesus gave his church a promise. And do you guys remember what that promise was in Acts chapter 1 verse 8? We've been thinking about it most weeks of our series, most weeks of this summer. Acts chapter 1 verse 8, Jesus says, but you will receive what? Power when the Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria [unclear].
All the way to the ends of the earth, right? God promises that he is going to give us power and fill us with his spirit that we might be equipped and empowered to carry on his mission. Everywhere we are and everywhere we go. And that's exactly what happens. If you read Acts chapter 2, you see God indeed pours out his spirit as he promised. Acts 2 verse 4 says they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
And then Peter, he gives his first message ever. And he quotes Joel chapter 2 in which God said, and Peter says in Acts 2:17, I will pour out my spirit on what? All flesh, all people, all Christians, all believers. And so that's what we find in the book of Acts. We find Peter sharing the gospel, the church is born, the spirit is poured out, and now all Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit. Now, we've been asking ourselves, what does it look like for a group of spirit-filled Christians to do life together?
Like what does a group of spirit filled Christians look like and do together? And what we've actually seen on the pages of scripture is Peter and the other disciples modeling that really well. And they modeled that by seeing people in their circle and serving people in their circle and certainly sharing Jesus with people in their circle. A spirit filled Christian sees and serves and shares Jesus. with people in their circle, and then we begin following the story of certain people.
I want to acknowledge that in Acts 8 all the way through Acts 12, the church is being scattered by persecution, but it's also being sent with purpose to bring the message of Jesus to new people, new places. And we begin following the stories of Stephen, Philip, Paul, and most recently we've been following the story of who? Peter. We see those stories unfolding as the church is experiencing a level of trial and persecution, which takes us to Acts chapter 12.
If you've got your Bibles there, verse 1, which we didn't read, actually says this. About that time, Herod laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. So if you know Herod, he's not a good guy, is he? Right. There was multiple Herods in history. This is Herod Agrippa I, a descendant of Herod the Great. And Herod was a megalomaniac. I mean, he was all about himself. He was all about power.
He was all about control. He was all about his kingdom, certainly not God's kingdom. And so Herod is not a friend. He's an enemy of the church. And he begins persecuting the church. And we see what happens in the book of Acts. Chapter 12, actually James is sentenced to execution. And that happens. And then Herod, what he does is he sees that the Jewish people actually liked that. That he was actually diminishing the role of Christians and the spread of the Christian movement.
And so what Herod does is he throws Peter where? In jail, in prison is what happens. And so in Acts chapter 12, we see the church beginning to experience some persecution. Now, it's interesting because as much as Herod thinks that he can hinder God's people, he cannot hinder God's purposes. And that's really the irony of this passage. If you read the verses before and after our study, you see what ends up happening to Herod.
Is that he thinks he's in control, but truly God is in control. And I need you to see verse 4, which we also didn't read. As all of this begins happening to James and Peter and other leaders of the church, how does the church respond to all of this? It says in verse 4, but earnest prayer was what? Made for him by the church. So we're reading something quite miraculous here. supernatural, right? Peter is literally breaking out of prison and escaping out of Herod's guard.
And what we're going to see unfolding in this passage is nothing less than the result of answered prayer, right? God is answering the ordinary prayers of ordinary people and Like you and like me. And he's using the prayers of the church to providentially work in Peter's life and deliver him from his persecution. Now, God, what he does is he answers our prayers in his perfect way and in his perfect time.
And God shows up in our lives exactly when we need him to. I just want to tell you. That God is present in your life exactly when you need him to be. And that's what we see happen with Peter. The church is showing up and praying for him. I just want to remind you that people are praying for you. Maybe you've not thought of that actively, but I want to remind you of that, that people are praying for you.
I know I'm being prayed for and I'm grateful for the prayers of this church. And this church is a praying church. And we're praying for you and your family and your needs and the things that you go through. And as the church was earnestly praying for Peter, just know this church is earnestly praying for you. And God answers those prayers in his perfect way, in his perfect time. And he shows up in the lives of his people exactly when they need him to.
And that takes us to verse 6. Here's what's happening. It says, Now Herod... Was about to bring Peter out of prison. And you probably can fill in the blanks and understand. Why is Herod going to bring Peter out of prison? To put him on trial and potentially to take his life. And so there's this defining moment. There's this hour of need. And what we're told in verse 6 is that God acts. And God intervenes.
It says on that very night. Maybe you've been in an experience where something happened just in the nick of time. Maybe you received something that you had been waiting for. You were able to make it somewhere before something took off to the next destination. Maybe you received a phone call or a text message or a letter or something that you had been waiting for or even praying for. We've all had those moments where
When we think that something's never going to come through and then just in the nick of time, it shows up and God shows up and he answers our prayers. And that's what we see happening in Peter's life. God shows up right on time, just in the nick of time. And here's what he does. He interrupts Herod's plans and he foils Herod's plot. Right. God shows up and he interrupts Herod's plans. He foils Herod's.
Herod's plot to reveal his presence and power to Peter. And I just want to pause and acknowledge. Maybe you're in a season of up. And you've experienced God's blessing in your life. Maybe in the last few days, the last few weeks, the last few months, the last few years. And if you're in that season of up, it's God's grace. And he has showed up. And he is right on time. And he's giving you his blessing today.
But maybe you find yourself today in a season of down where there's discouragement, where there's uncertainty about the future, where there's maybe something that you're going through, something that you're carrying and you're in a season of down. And I want you to see that God is showing up right on time. God is never early and God is never late. Right. Are you with me? God is never early and God is never late.
But he is right on time and he shows up in the lives of his people exactly when they need him to. And I want you to hear and I want you to know that God has not forgotten you or forsaken you. He is not late, but he is right on time and he is going to show up on that very night, just in the nick of time, exactly when you need him to. He acts, he intervenes in the lives of his people, and he's present exactly when we need him to be.
You know, I've been praying for all sorts of things for all sorts of years. For friends, for family, for my own children, for people's salvation, for God to work and for God to act. And some of those prayers, they get answered sometimes in days, right? And it brings me such joy to see God answer those prayers daily. In a relatively short amount of time. But you might resonate with. There's also prayers that I've prayed.
That have taken years. For God to answer. Some of them. He still hasn't answered them. But I'm still praying them. And I'm still believing that God is always on time. And he shows up exactly. When we need him to. And I had this moment this year. When I've been praying for something. For years. And on the very night when I thought all hope was lost and God was never going to answer that prayer, he answered that prayer.
And he said yes. And it's because it was his perfect time and his perfect will and he knew that any earlier wouldn't have been right and any later wouldn't have been right. But that very night, the time was right. And God showed up and he answered that prayer. And maybe you just need to be reminded to not give up. To not grow weary. To keep praying, to keep asking, to remember that God will show up exactly when you need him to and exactly where you need him to.
And that takes us to verses 6 and 7. God is always present where we need him to be and he's showing up in the lives of his people. And you know what? You know how I would have prayed for Peter? The church was praying for Peter, right? I would have prayed something very realistic. That's just how my brain operates, right? Just something within the realm of possibility. So like, okay, God, show him favor with Herod.
Like, help the sentence not to be as bad as it could be. Or God, just give Peter peace in the midst of his prison cell. Like, help him just to know that it's all going to be okay one way or another. Like, how would you pray for Peter in this moment? How do you think the church prayed for Peter in this moment? Well, you know what? Let's see what happens and how God decides to show up in Peter's life in this moment.
Verse 7, here's how God is answering the prayers of his people. An angel of the Lord stood next to him and a light shone in his cell. Right? Every time in scripture an angel appears or light appears, it's a signal to us of God's presence. Right, Jesus' birth, there's an angel, there's a light, God is present. Paul's conversion, just in Acts chapter 9, there's an angel, there's light, God is present.
Here in this prison cell, there's an angel, there's a light, and God is present. And we have to remind ourselves that even if he doesn't show up in our lives in the form of an angel and a bright light, God is omnipresent. I just want to take a moment to remind you of what that word means. You know what omni means, right? All, right? Like omnidirectional. All directions. Omni just means all or everywhere.
So what does it mean that God is omnipresent? Well, he's present everywhere with his whole being at all times. Now, certainly God shows up in different ways and God acts in different ways with his presence. But I just need you to remember that God is omnipresent. He's present everywhere with his whole being at all times. He's present with you. He's present with me. He's present here and he's present there.
And it's actually Jesus in Matthew 28 verse 20 that said, Behold, I am with you, what? Always. And then in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5 says, We're told that God says in Hebrews 13:5, I will never leave you and I will never what? Forsake you. And so we're being reminded that God is with Peter in this season of down. He's literally with him in his prison cell. And God is with you in your seasons of up.
And God is with you in your seasons of down. And you can trust him in those moments. Now there's one detail that I love. about the text in verse 7. It says that the angel had to what? The angel had to wake Peter up, right? It says that he struck him on the side. I kind of picture that like a tap on the shoulder, right? Because angels are supposed to be nice. But I actually think this angel is actually nudging him in the ribcage, right?
Like, Peter, wake up, man. It's time to go. Okay, so commentators are kind of all over the place on why why was peter sleeping i love this detail why was peter sleeping in that prison cell okay so some people say that sleep was a sign of his trust in god right like everything's gonna be okay like my life is in god's hands some people were talking about how how how sleeping is a sign of peter's like resignation to god's will like you know what
Whatever happens, happens. God, whatever your will, your will be done. And I think both of those are great interpretations. But maybe Peter's just tired, guys. Maybe it's like 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning and he's had an exhausting few days. He's thrown into prison and maybe there's blackout curtains in the prison cell. Anybody have blackout curtains? Man, we just put those in getting ready for baby in October and
Man, it is hard to wake up in the morning when you've got blackout curtains in your bedroom. Okay, so Peter's tired. But here's the point. While Peter is sleeping, God is working. Guys, I love this. While Peter is sleeping, God is working. God shows up in his prison cell through the presence of an angel. He's already got a plan to deliver him and to rescue him. And while Peter is sound asleep, he can know that God is working.
And we have had this moment lately with my kids that I just love where they're ages 7 or 8 now and 5. And before bed, we huddle up on the bed and we pray together as a family. And we just pray about the day. We pray prayers of gratefulness. We pray about tomorrow. And one thing we always pray for is just for a good night's sleep with the kids. Because really, I want them to have a good night's sleep because I want myself to get a good night's sleep.
Now, the thing I always remind them of and pray about is, you know, thank you, God, that we can go to sleep tonight. And we don't have to stay up. Because God, you stay up, right? And while we sleep, you stay up and you stay up so we don't have to. And we can sleep and trust that you're working. And I think that that's exactly what is true of what's happening with Peter. God is working even while he's sleeping.
And God is not only with us, but he's for us. And we see him beginning to unfold his providence and his power in this prison cell. So look at verses 8 through 11. God is with us. And the ups and downs, God is for us in the ups and downs. I want you to notice how vivid the text is when describing Peter's escape from prison. There's no sleight of hand. There's no Houdini magic going on here, guys. This is God delivering [unclear]
Peter from prison in a miraculous and supernatural way. And I want you to notice how detailed and how specific the text is. I think part of the reason it's so detailed is to juxtapose how Peter thinks, or I'm sorry, how Herod thinks he's in control. When truly God is the one who's in control. So look what Herod does to think that he's in control when all the while we know that God is in control. So Peter, he's sandwiched between what?
Two soldiers. He's bound by what? Two chains. And then just to be sure, Herod puts a few soldiers by the door and a few sentries in. By the gate, it was actually in verse 4, which we didn't read. It says that when Herod seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him. Now a squad is a group of four soldiers. So four squads, 4 times 4 is 16. And so Herod is actually, he's not just [unclear] Herod,
But this is maximum security that Herod is placing over Peter. Just wanted to make sure that nothing happens. 16 soldiers, two chains. Peter is on lockdown. And yet God is with him. And God is for him. And so I want you to listen to how Peter literally walks out of a Herodian prison like it's child's play. Listen to the text. It says the chains fell off his hands. He passed the first and the second guard.
The iron gate opened for them of its own accord. And they went out. Right? And that's it. The story stops there. There's no strain. There's no struggle. There's no scuffle. There's no tussle. Right? Peter literally just walks out. And it's as if he's just waltzing out of a Herodian prison, guarded by 16 soldiers with an iron gate, like it's a toddler breaking out of her crib from nap time. In fact, I actually caught on footage a toddler breaking out of her crib.
during nap time. So let me see if I can't just play that for you. It's as if the toddler stands up during nap time, tosses out blankets and pillows, and decides that the four walls of her crib are no longer anything that can stop her. And so she effortlessly just decides to climb out of that crib and walk right out of her prison cell to enjoy the freedom that awaits her on the other side. Like, can you believe that, right?
I've been waiting six years to show you that video. I mean, this is like child's play. Here you have Herod providing maximum security, all of his resources to lock Peter down. And he walks right out like it's a toddler at nap time. It's child's play for God. Because he can deliver us out of absolutely anything. And I just want to remind you that there is no soldier. There is no prison. There is no chain.
There is no cell. There is no sentry. There is no soldier. There is no hurdle. There is no obstacle. There is no situation or circumstance that God cannot deliver you from. And so let's believe in him and let's pray to him and let's trust in him and let's rely on him. And here's what I want to say. I cannot guarantee you that God is going to immediately deliver you from the challenging situations that you're going through.
Because he might have a plan in it and he might have a purpose for it. And he might allow you to go through those things for a season for your good. God is working all things together for the good of those who love him, for those who are called according to his purpose. And he might have a purpose in those temporary difficulties that you're going through. So I can't guarantee that he's going to immediately deliver you from those things the way that he immediately delivered Peter from those things.
But let's remember that, and I can promise you that God is going to ultimately deliver you from those things once he's allowed them to be used for your good and maybe allowed you to be used for the good of that situation that you were a part of. God has a plan and a purpose for everything that we go through. And he's working everything together for good. And he wants to use that situation for your good or use you for the good of that situation.
And once that good has been accomplished, I promise you he will deliver you. And that's why Peter went on to write in his first letter. I think there's so much. When you study Peter's life and then you hear what he has to say about it in his letters, there's so much to glean and so much to resonate with. And it's why he says in 1 Peter 5, verse 10, he says, after you've suffered for a little while, right?
After you've suffered for a little while, like in the grand scheme of things, In God's scheme of things, any challenging situation we go through, it's a little while, guys. Hang in there. It's a little while comparative to God's plan for your life and all that he has in store for you after you suffered for that little while. Hang on. Because here's what's going to happen. The God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore.
Restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. God is going to restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but it sounds really good. I think Peter's talking about the hope of heaven. I think he's talking about God's eternal glory. I think he's talking about our future glory. I think he's talking about the vindication of God's people. I think he's talking about our liberation from the pain of the fall.
All of those good things. But he's also going to restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you in this life as well. I don't know how. I don't know when. But I know who. And I know who God is. And I know that he's all powerful. And I know that he's all loving. And I know that he is not going to let anything separate you from his love. And I know that Romans chapter 8 verse 31 says, If God is for us, who can be against us?
So friends, let me just remind you that nothing can stand against you. Because God is for you. And he's working everything together for your good. And then finally, [unclear] for his glory. And look at that. That's the conclusion that Peter makes in this passage in verse 11. What does he say? The angel leaves him, which that's just kind of a funny scene. Am I right? It says that the angel got one street away from the prison and then immediately left it.
Like, good luck, Peter. Like, head home. Like, get a move on. And so Peter runs to Mary's house, which is where the church is gathered. It says, okay, after the angel left him, he comes to his senses. He thought he was seeing a vision or caught in a dream. He discovers that he really is freed from prison, that God has really done this. And what's his conclusion? He says, now I am sure that what? The Lord has sent his angel and rescued me.
From the hand of Herod. Right? They say that hindsight is what? 20-20. Hindsight is 20-20. It's when we're in the moment. We can't totally understand with full clarity exactly what's going on and why we're going through what we're going through. But hindsight, that's 20-20. That's clear. When we look back and we see, that's why God allowed that. And that's how God was working in that. And that's how he delivered me from the hand of whomever with his hand of power.
And that's what Peter does is he pauses to give God the credit and give God the glory for delivering him and rescuing him from prison. Oh, what would it look like for us to pause when God shows up, when God answers our prayers? When God shows himself strong and makes known his presence, when God works and when God moves, what would it look like just to pause and give him the credit and give him the glory of thanking?
I think if you're in a season of up, that's beautiful. That's wonderful. And just pause and give God the glory for that and give God the credit for that. And just be overcome with gratitude and thanksgiving for that. And just rejoice and be filled with the joy of God working in your life. It's okay to be in a season of up. And if you're in a season of down, I want to remind you that seasons of up are coming.
And not to confuse the moment for the story because your story isn't finished yet. God is working and God is moving and we can give him the credit and the glory for when he works in our lives today. And I just want to conclude with this thought that God is not only with you and God is not only for you, but God is using you in the situations that you're going through. Like he's got a plan. He's got a purpose and he wants to use you in an incredible way for his glory and for even the good of others.
And we see that when Peter runs to Mary's house. A little girl named Rhoda hears him knocking. And what does she do when she hears Peter's voice through the gate, through the door? Rhoda responds with what? With joy, like excitement. The people in Mary's house were just praying for Peter by name, and then she hears Peter by his voice, and she's overcome with joy. Like God answered our prayers. We were praying for Peter, and here he is at the gate, guys.
And I think that sometimes God can use us to bring joy in other people's lives. Because when people are praying for us and God answers those prayers, for a moment, we're not just the subject of their prayers, but the object of their joy. Because we become that reminder that God hears us and God answers us and God uses the prayers of his people. And when God shows up in your life, it's bound to bring others joy.
And secondly, it brings others hope. And that's how we see the passage really begin to conclude here in these verses. You know, Rhoda insists that it's Peter. And they don't believe him, do they? They don't believe her, do they? They don't believe it's possible. Even though they're praying for it, they don't believe it's possible. That's a commentary on human nature right here. We prayed for things, and then God answers, and then we question, wait, did he really just answer my prayer?
Okay, so Rhoda insists, and Peter keeps knocking. He's like, guys, let me in. Like, I'm fresh out of prison. Help me out. And they open the door, and it says what? They were astonished or amazed that God had answered their prayers. And then Peter comes in. I mean, I'm thinking people are like, you know, Or squealing or shouting or jumping or something because it says that Peter had to motion to them to stay quiet.
And he begins to unfold to them the story of how God delivered him. When you share your story of how God delivers you, it brings hope to those around you. Because if God could deliver Peter, he can deliver me. And if God delivers me, he can deliver you. And God is always working for the good of his people. So I just want to encourage you to share your story. Because God is going to use you when you come through that season of down.
You might feel like there's no exit and no way out. But you're going to come through that season. And God is going to give you a story. And that story that you're going to share is going to inspire people and fill them with joy and give them hope that God can work in their lives too. God is with you. God is for you. God is using you in the ups. And in the downs. And I want you to take this home with you.
I want you to make this personal this week. And so I want you to begin thinking about what would be your response to what you heard today about Peter's life and story. And about how God is with us in the ups and downs. I think in many ways we rejoice. And in many ways we remember that God is for us. That God is with us. And that God is using us. To accomplish his purposes. So why don't we take this home?
Why don't we make this personal? And if you believe that this is true, would you just read back with me the points from today? But rather than me telling it to you, would you just speak it to yourself? Would you just pray it to God? Would you just in his presence remember these three points are true if you believe? And the points would be that God is with me. That God is for me. And that God is using me.
And maybe you'd write that down and maybe you'd focus in on one and maybe you'd remind yourself of that each day of this coming week. Would you say those things with me one at a time? God is with me. God is for me. God is using me. In the ups and in the downs. of our lives today. Would you pray with me this morning? Father, thank you that you are with us. God, thank you that you are for us. And thank you, God, that you are using us in the ups and in the downs of our lives today.
Lord, help us to be filled with joy and hope as we think about how you delivered Peter. And would we remember that that same power is at work in our lives today. Father, we just love you and we thank you for this time. We pray all these things in Jesus' name.