The Prision Of God's Power

[Music] now about that time Herod the King stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the church and he killed James the brother of John with the sword and because he saw it pleased the Jews he proceeded further to take Peter also then were the days of unleavened bread and when he had apprehended him he put him in prison and delivered him to four-quarter nians of soldiers to keep him intending after easter to bring him forth to the people Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him and when Herod would have brought him forth the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains and the keepers before the door kept the prison and behold the angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison and he smoked Peter on the side and raised him up saying arise up quickly and his chains fell off from his hands thank you you may be seated the grass withers and the flower fades but the word of our God shall stand forever I want to talk this morning about the prison of God's power the prison of God's power the early days of the church witnessed the power of God moving in miraculous ways 3,000 people who were saved in chapter 2 and then another 5,000 were saved in chapter 4 they were marked by the manifest presence and power of God to the degree that fear came upon every soul but not everyone was pleased the Jewish leaders arrested them and forbade them to preach the gospel but that did not stop the growth of the church they stalled Stephen to death but that did not stop the growth of the church they gave Saul letters of authority to prosecute the people of the way but that certainly didn't work because he got saved and became the Apostle Paul they scattered the church to the four winds by means of persecution and still the church continued to prosper and the growth that brings us to our text this morning this this Herod in verse number one is herod agrippa the first he is the grandson of herod the great he was raised in Rome by Gaius who became Emperor Caligula who gave him the Tetrarch is of Galilee and Judea and now he's on the throne and he stretches forth his hand he reaches out to vex certain of the church before I move into the text I want to I want to throw out one or two words to us that will help us to to get what what Luke is trying to say to us in acts he vexed certain of the church that were at Vic's in our vernacular is is a petty annoyance something that gets on your nerves vex is you if you are a morning person and your wife is a night person that vexes you if you are always on time and your wife is always late that that vexes you somehow to help me preach it if you if you get ready to go to an important meeting and your car won't start that vexes you if you put your cornbread in the oven and it doesn't brown all the way it's kind of soft in the middle that that vexes you well that's not what well if not what the text is talking about this morning it's not talking about a petty annoyance that you can just fix whenever you get ready it's talking about oppression persecution herod agrippa the first stretch forth his hands to persecute the second word certain of the church not everybody was being vexed and the reason everybody wasn't being vexed is because everybody wasn't serving God and if the devil is not bothering you this morning it may be because you're not bothering him I wish I had a witness here if you're not happy opposition in trying to serve God every time you try to do the right thing evil is always present if you are not having to win in your face it may be because you're not doing anything I wish I had one or two more witnesses here the only way Satan will vex you is if you're working in the kingdom the only way you will suffer persecution and opposition is if you're doing everything you can to please God and it's always an uphill journey to those of you who are at ease in Zion those of you who are comfortable in your Christianity the Holy Spirit comes not only the comfort the afflicted but to afflict the comfortable and whenever you are doing the will of God you can look for Satan to vex you to oppose you to persecute you to give you what what the scripture calls a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to to buff it you to to hurt you to to push you to to prune you and if that's not what's going on in your life it may be you're not doing anything CI quad you got right there if you're not giving God your best service Satan is not going to bother you come to church when you feel like it don't tithe not involving any ministries not concerned about the loss you just go right back to sleep God is not going to allow anything to oppose you but if you're giving God your all your spirit will be vexed your what will be vexed but God has a way of taking you out of your vexation walk with me around the table he he vexed Satan of the church and he he killed James the brother of John the same James the son of thunder is the first Christian martyr he's put to death for his faith and I'm sure before James died he thought about the words Jesus spoke when his mother came to Jesus to ask Jesus to give him and John right-hand and left-hand seats in the kingdom I wish I had a Bible reading that the wife of Zebedee the mother of James and John came to Jesus and said when you come in the kingdom give my sons right hand and left hand Jesus said right hand and left hand seats are not mine to give but it is given of my father and to sit in those seats you got to suffer persecution you you you you think you've been called to preach it's not a call to glamour it's a call to persecution I wish I had a witness here you you want a pastor it's not about glamour it's about persecution it's about loneliness it's about suffering it's about doing without for the kingdom sink because if it's about you you will never be vexed in your spirit but if it's about God you are on Satan's hit list [Applause] those who would live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution jesus said in this world you will have trials and tribulation but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world but but hear me if you're gonna live godly in Christ Jesus you're gonna have to suffer the call to serve God is a call to give up your life give up your pleasure give up what you want to do talk back to me if you can you may not be invited to everything come on talk back to me if you can but you may not have time to go out with everybody you got to prepare yourself to serve God because in serving God you're gonna lose some friends you're going to offend some family it's gonna be some folk who used to talk to you who don't talk to you anymore but it doesn't matter if you're serving god I'm trying to leave that alone but but Peter came to Jesus one day and said Lord we've left everything I wish I had a Bible reading we forsaken everything to follow you what are we gonna get in return jesus said no man having left mother and father brothers and sisters houses and land for my sake when I come in the kingdom he will receive it 100 full serving the Lord will pay off not just after why but there's some benefits the servant guard right now [Applause] [Music] they're my brothers and sister you you need to see in this text that when he saw when Herod Agrippa saw that it pleased the Jews that that the Jews were bloodthirsty ask Herod Agrippa was he went beyond James to Peter I want you to hear me now he went out to the main leaders don't be quick to put your hand the leadership [Music] cuz cuz when you put yourself out there Satan is going to try you to see if you're in it for the right reason [Applause] someone would help me preach it because serving God does not mean you won't get cancer see how quiet she got right there God he ain't not answer your prayer if I can show it through before I get to protect James is killed Peter is delivered both of them serving God both of them preaching the gospel both of them doing the right thing one is killed and the other is delivered which means God does whatever pleases him for whatever reasons he chooses to do it and it's none of your business all you got to do is trust God if you die or if you're delivered because if he does not deliver on this side he delivers on the other side have a got a witness here because death is not the end for the believer dr. Martin Luther King said death is not the period that ends the great sentence of life but rather a comma which punctuates it to more lofty significance he said death is not a blind alley which leads into a state of nothingness but rather an open door that leads into life eternal if he chooses to let me be killed is for his glory if he chooses to deliver me is for his glory if he chooses to let me get out of my sick bad is for his glory if he chooses that I die of my illness it's for his glory and so I'm gonna come to church and celebrate I wish I had somebody to help me here von dieter offers wife is in church this morning because God chose to deliver not how we breathe we prayed for laughter the get up but he gotta he just didn't get up over here someone ought to help me preach it I wish I had one or two more witnesses that if this earthly House of this Tabernacle is dissolved we have another building a house lelou you not made with hands but eternally in heaven and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and to those who are the called according to his purpose and we know but what we have committed unto Him and he's able to keep it against that day what you see in the text God's power is seen in his peace God's power is seen in how God gives his children peace it's right here in the tape Herod kept Peter in prison but pray that's that's that's where the situation starts to turn but prayer peter is in prison but he's not Herod's prisoner someone help me shout here and whatever prison you are in this morning if you are God's child you are not the devil's prisoner but every time you see that word but in the scripture but is in the Bible three thousand seven hundred and forty-nine times three thousand seven hundred forty nine times the word but is in the scripture and if you add the Apocrypha as four thousand four hundred and seventy seven times but is in the scripture and just about every time it's mentioned God is turning something around Joseph told his brothers you meant this for Eva but God meant it for good I wish I had one or two more witnesses here now are we the sons of God but it does not appear what we shall be but we know that when he comes we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Shadrach Meshach and Abednego said King we're not careful to answer you in this matter for the God we serve is able and he will deliver us out of your hands but if not someone ought to help me preach it every time but is in the scripture God is about to turn something around your enemy thought you are finished but somebody in your family thought you'd never be anything but somebody in your circle of friends thought that the mistake you made would in your career but doctrine - Afra time bop appears in the scripture God is getting ready to turn it around [Applause] they kept Peter in prison but prayer yeah I'm supposed to be in the pen but God saved me somebody else in here this morning supposed to be on the streets but God made a deacon out of here I wish I had somebody to help me preach some nothing in your background says you ought to be where you are right now but greater is He that is in me I've a got a witness here somebody is supposed to be dead and in your grave but the grace of God kept you from going all the way to destruction but man I'm glad somebody prayed for me I'm glad my old grandmother prays I'm glad my mom and dad had prayed for me cuz somebody [Applause] [Music] [Applause] was made without ceasing constant prayer earnest prayer me without ceasing Inditex mean they prayed like jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane they pray it's so hard they prayed so uninterrupted that their favorite show didn't get in the way of their prayer their sorority meeting didn't come before pray someone ought to help me appreciate their shopping spree did not come before prayer have I got a witness here don't put anything before prayer because if you don't undertake anything for the Lord you gotta bathe it in prayer Peter I want you to see God's probably in his peace Peter is scheduled to be tried and executed the next morning and what does he do come on come on ask me what he's doing come on come on what did he do he's not praying for deliverance he's not writing his last will and testament he's not crying screaming or begging for mercy the night before Peter is to die he's sleeping [Applause] I need a real shouter right here Peter heard Jesus say in John chapter 19 and verse 27 peace I leave with you I wish I had a Bible reading my peace I give unto you not as the world gives give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid Philippians 4 verse 6 and 7 says be careful for nothing here's that word again but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known under God and the peace of God hallelujah which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus you can sleep in the midst of your prison yeah brothers and sisters I wanted to get me the fact that Peter is sound asleep the fact that Peter is sound asleep the night before his trial demonstrates his trust in God because the Bible says he'll make you sleep sweet while Foucault's walking the floor worrying about being laid off you sleep in while folk are tearing their hair out worrying about that fool in the White House real Christians are sleeping because I've been young not old I've never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed I wish I had a Bible reading while the world seems to be going to hell in the handbasket the earth is the Lord the fullness thereof the world and they that dwell therein he's founded it upon the Seas and established it upon the floods who shall have sinned unto the hill of the Lord or who shall stand in the Holy Place he that hath clean hands you can help me say it and a pure heart who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive blessings from the Lord I wish I had a Bible reader and righteousness from the god of his salvation this is a generation of them that seek thee that seek your face o Jacob lift up your head he's talking to the church now o ye gates and be lifted up he everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in who is this King of glory the Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in the battle lift up your heads o ye gates and be lifted up he everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in who is this King of glory the Lord strong and mighty he is the king of glory I will lift up my life come on you can help me quote it unto the hills from whence cometh my help my help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth he will not suffer thy foot to be moved behold he that keepeth thee will not slumber behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber no see the Lord is my keeper somebody ought to help me shout him the Lord is the shade upon my right hand the Sun shall not smite me by day nor the moon by night the Lord shall preserve me from all evil he shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and even forevermore the fact that Peter is sleeping the night before his execution demonstrates he had great trust in the law my brothers and sisters here for me is the shout in this thing Peter is sleeping so hard I want you to stay with me Peter is sleeping so soundly it is right here in verse seven and behold which means pay attention it is the angel of the Lord came upon him light shined in the prison here's the shout and he spoke Peter on the side I want you to help me holler right here Peter was sleeping so hard the angel didn't just shake it the angel said get up [Applause] because when you trust God whatever is going on outside ain't bothering you [Applause] watch it watch it watch it watch it watch it's in the text the angel struck him punch them hard in his side it's right here in the text and raised him up raised him up does not mean brought him to his feet raise him up me and the angel hit him so hard Peter was sleeping like he was dead so the angel had to resuscitate him when you know God got your back they got to wake you up and say wow you sleep hard you don't know who's keeping me you don't know who's got my situation under control you don't know who's taking care of me that's why I go to bed at night cuz if god is up all night I need to go to sleep he will keep you in perfect peace if you keep your mind stayed on him God's power is seen in his peace but as I hurry I want to talk about peace and and in presence and Providence and propose I don't have time for Providence and purpose right now but I'm gonna look at now how God's how God's power is revealed not only in his peace but in his presence as Peter lay sleeping the angel of the Lord came into that very cell I want you to get this shot the bars the locks the guards the walls open to the angel with no barrier now help me priestess Peter is chained to four quaternions of soldier sixteen soldiers on watch every three hours every three hours four more soldiers come and chained themselves two of them are chained to Peter and two are watching the door but when God gets ready to deliver him no no walls no bars no locks no guards can do anything to stop God from coming in my brothers and sisters you're gonna have to you're gonna have to help me right here because I'm trying to restrain myself because then studying for this for this little message this morning I found something matter you have to pay attention to words in the scripture because the scripture is very economical with words don't read it now because you're gonna miss what I'm saying but when you get home read the Gospel of Mark chapter 1 and in the Gospel of Mark chapter 1 Mark's Gospel is as vivid as this rescue mission that the angel is sent on to help Peter in the Gospel of Mark when Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan the scripture says the heavens opened and a dove descends and the voice of God is heard saying this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased but that's not where the shout is in that passage of Scripture the scripture says the heavens open meaning that not just a door is open but it's ripped off the hinges it's ripped off the hinges and the voice of God is heard and a dove descends and John baptizes Jesus but here is the implication to open a door means you can close it but when you rip it off the hinges it can't be closed normal meaning that you have access into God's presence with the door being open but since the doors been ripped off God can get out to come see about you somehow help me preach it and I thank God that I have a God that locks and walls and gods and doors can't stop cuz when he's ready he can get out to come see about me the door being ripped off is not just to let me in but to let God out it's the same word used at the resurrection when the women went in the tomb Bom Jesus the Bible says the door was already open not not just taken aside it was ripped off the hinges not just to let them in but to let him out and when you let God out in the circumstances of your life no wall no lock no door no circumstances no sickness no enemy no devil no situation no weapon formed against you shall be able to prosper I want you to get this the angel came and shook him struck him resuscitated him and say put your clothes on and follow me follow me the verb in that text following is get right behind me this last word and I'm through dr. Harry Wright who was the Dean of the chapel at Bishop College was doing some preaching up in North Texas and it was during the winter time and dr. Wright was coming back to Dallas and he was near Wichita Falls and it started snowing heavily so dr. Wright said he turned into a truck stop to get him a little rest then to try to wait for the snow to stop falling and he said he had some heavy business back at Bishop college but it was snowing really hard and he had to stop and get off the side of the road and he said when he got to this truck stop he got a meal and got ready to get back on the road but it was still snowing really heavily and a trucker said sir wait you're on your way - and dr. Wright said I'm on my way to Dallas but I'm trying to wait for the snow to abate and the trucker said I'm on my way to Dallas as well he said I'll tell you what I want you to do get behind me and follow me to Dallas I'm headed to Dallas myself he said get in the the tracks that my 18-wheeler tires will make he said don't get too close because the snow is gonna get on your windshield and you won't be able to see but don't get too far because the road will iced over and you will go off on the side of the road somebody ought to help me close it don't get too close because the ice will get on your windshield and you won't be able to see but don't get too far because the road will ice over and you're gonna slip off the side of the road can I help somebody this morning following Jesus don't get too close cuz it's holiness is more than you can bear but don't get too far because the enemy will get a chance to make you slip off the side of the road is there anybody here [Applause] here following Jesus don't get too close because his holiness is more than you can stand but don't get too far because the road will iced over and the enemy will make you slip off the side of the road [Music] [Applause] [Music]

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Length: 38min 22sec (2302 seconds)

Published: Wed Dec 19 2018