God Always Wins

Acts 12:1-25

– Because the purposes of our sovereign God can never be thwarted, God’s people can rest confidently in the trials of life just as Peter slept soundly the night before he was scheduled to die

– This final snapshot of the Apostle Peter in Luke’s narrative contains three important reminders for all believers:

I. The Pretension of our Enemy (vv. 1-5)

1)     Satan is Defeated but Dangerous!

a.       His doom was sealed at the cross

b.      His stubborn pride keeps him on the prowl

2)     Herod Agrippa was a Satanic Agent (vv. 1-3)

a.       A wicked ruler from a wicked lineage of tyrants and despots

b.      One of many ‘anti-Christ’s’ who have come into the world (cf. 1 John 2:18)

c.       A reminder that we are in a spiritual war!

3)     A Hopeless Situation… ???

a.       Fervent security from the Romans to prevent Peter from escaping a second time (cf. Acts 5:17-26)

b.      Fervent prayer from the Church

c.       What is impossible for man is possible with our God!

II. The Power of Prayer (vv. 6-19)

1)     Divine Intervention (v. 2)

a.       “An angel fetched Peter, but prayer fetched the angel.”  – Thomas Watson

b.      Peter is sleeping soundly the night before his execution

• Faith in God’s Word (cf. John 21:18-19)
• Absolute trust in God’s Providence

c.       Have you learned to rest securely in God’s sovereign hands?

2)     Divine Comedy or Human Tragedy?

a.       The humourous story of Rhoda and Peter

b.      A tragic lack of faith in the Church

c.       Do we pray in faith, believing that God can accomplish the impossible?

III. The Penalty for Pride (vv. 20-25)

1)     Pride lies at the root of all sin

a.       Pride is the futile attempt to usurp God’s authority

b.      Pride is the original sin that caused Satan’s Fall

2)     Pride cost Herod his life, his crown and his soul

a.       He receives worship and flattery from the people and is promptly struck down by God in a very undignified way

b.      Luke’s historical precision here is vindicated by the Jewish historian Josephus (cf.Antiquities 19: 343-350)

3)     God’s Judgment may seem slow to us, but it is 100% certain – Our God will win the day!

a.       The punishment of the wicked in this life serves as a gracious warning for humanity

b.      No wickedness will be overlooked on the day of judgment when we stand before God

• Are you ready to meet a holy God?
• Have you joined the winning team?