Acts 12

Big Picture

God’s hand is at work in the world, which is an encouragement to the church to continue to do its part regardless of our circumstances, and the word is continuing to expand in its reach across the globe.

Timeline

1. The Great Commission (Acts 1:8)

2. Jerusalem – God brings Jews from all over the world who are then saved; church experiences supernatural unity (Acts 2)

3. God’s work constantly being affirmed through mir-acles, signs, and wonders (Acts 2:22, 2:43, 5:12)

4. The gospel message is solidified (Acts 2:14-36, 3:12-26, 4:8-12, 5:29-32)

5. The church experiences internal and external opposition, and comes through stronger (Acts 5)

Timeline

6. Leadership is established and roles begin to emerge (Acts 2:42, 6:1-7)

7. Stephen is martyred and those who came from all over the world and have been established in the apostles’ doctrine and the function of the church are dispersed back out into the world (Acts 7:54 – 8:2) 8. Paul is introduced as a significant persecutor of the church who later comes to faith (Acts 8:1, 9:1-30)

9. The gospel spreads to Judea and Samaria (Acts 8)

Timeline

10. God reveals to Peter that the gospel is open to Gentiles, and Cornelius is saved (Acts 10)

11. Barnabas goes to Antioch and many are saved; Barnabas then goes to Tarsus and brings Paul back to Antioch with him (Acts 11:19-30)

The Angel’s Strike

Peter Herod

Godly man Wicked man

Clothes removed Royal apparel

Chained Free

Sitting in a prison Sitting on his throne

Scheduled to die Day set for his praise

Struck to be made free Struck to be imprisoned by death

Humility v. Pride

Peter / Church Herod

Desired help from God; constant prayer

People-pleaser; receives constant praise

Recognize God’s hand inPeter’s release

Fails to recognize God’s hand in Peter’s release

God gives grace to the humble God resists the proud

Prayer v. Blasphemy

Church Tyre and Sidon

Constant prayer Repeated blasphemy

Community of faith banding together at the throne of grace seeking the intervention of the one who controls everyone’s destiny

Cry out to an arrogant tyrant who sat on a temporal throne that would be taken from him immediately

Excitement v. Anger

Peter / Church Herod

Rhoda, the church, and Peter all evidence excitement when they saw God’s hand at work

Herod disregards God’s intervention, gets angry, and has the soldiers killed

The Sword

Peter / Church Herod

The word of God (the Sword of the Spirit) is growing and multiplying

Herod’s physical sword lasted only a short while

The Transition

Door of the gospel opened to the Gentiles / preliminary fulfillment of the Great Commission; Peter as the predominant character

Plan for the worldwide progress of the gospel by establishing new local churches; Paul is the main character

Church Principles

1. The church is a group of people committed to each other and the progress of the gospel.

2. The emphasis in the New Testament is on local autonomous churches, not the universal church.

Review

1. Timeline

2. The five contrasts

3. Luke’s transition from Peter to Paul

4. Foundational principles about the church

5. Character introduction and overview