Trusting God’s Providence – Acts 12

Trusting God’s Providence

Acts.12:1-25

Introduction to the text:  What’s happening in the text, in the story?

• 2, God sends his Holy Spirit at Pentecost – many saved, and
  • the Church is founded in Jerusalem
• 3, God Uses Peter & John in healing a lame man, o/s temple
• 4, Peter & John are arrested, threatened & released
• 5, God Uses Peter to expose Ananias & Sapphira’s sin
• 5, God Frees the Apostles who’ve been arrested again
  • and then allows them suffer to a beating for: Witness
• 6, God Raises up Deacons to serve in the church
• 7, Deac. Stephen gives brilliant defence of Faith to Sanhed.
• 8, God Allows Stephen’s life to be taken in martyrdom
  • God Allows persecution to come thru Saul’s hand and the church is scattered and spread out witnessing to Christ.
• 8, God Uses Philip to preach: gospel to Samaria & Ethiopian
• 9, God Confronts & Saves Saul and 1st persecution ends
• 9, God Uses Peter to minister the Gospel in Lydda & Joppa
• 10, God Uses Peter to preach the gospel to the Gentiles
• 11, God Plants the church: Antioch, thru unknown witnesses
  • God Moves Barnabas fr. Jerusalem to Antioch
  • Barnabas collects Saul from Tarsus and they minister

• The Story of the Book of Acts is the Story of God’s Working Through His people, the apostles & disciples, to establish & spread His witness for Christ wherever He desires to send it

God is at work, He is always working, in the lives of all His Creatures

• God Sovereignly Uses men and women for a time, for a season before He moves them on to other places, other ministries.
• God is contin. raising, training, preparing, equipping, his people
• God also removes, moves, takes, his people out of our lives…

• When I was in Bible School, & Heath & I were spending endless hours discussing pastoral ministry w/ our old pastor & his wife, John & Lynn, she said to us one day,
  • “one thing you will have to get used to in ministry – and you’ll never get used to it, is saying “good-bye”…
• The church in Jerusalem had had to learn to say goodbye to their members, many of them in a short period of time.

• All of these changes that God Sovereignly brings can be difficult to cope with…
• We get into wonderful seasons of fellowship, ministry, encouragement, help, growth, enjoyment in Christian life…
• We’re enjoying great intimate friendships in ministry and…
• all of a sudden, we’re left standing
  • at an airport gateway, or
  • at a grave-side, or
• we’re hearing:
  • they’re leaving for good reasons… or more sadly…
  • they’re leaving for unbiblical, bad, even sinful reasons

• The Jerusalem Church has lost Stephen to Martyrdom
• They’ve lost Many Bros-Sis to Saul’s Persecutions
• They’ve lost Unknown, Witnesses leaving for missionary work
  • Phillip to a travelling ministry, now living in Caesarea
  • Barnabas has been called-sent to the church in Antioch
  • James has been arrested & not released, but beheaded
  • Peter has also been arrested, the word is: He will be brought out, sentenced to death and also beheaded
• How did the church in Jerusalem cope with these changes?

• How do we cope with these types of difficult changes?
• How do we deal with what Dr John Piper once described as
• The Bitter Providences of God?

What is Providence?

• God’s Providence is God’s upholding, directing, disposing and governing of all His Creatures, by His infinite wisdom and knowledge, to the praise of His Glory and for our ultimate Good
• God Governs all His Creation including the leaders and people in His Church,
  • for God’s Purposes,
  • for our Good, and
  • for the Glory of His Name.
• God’s Ultimate Goal in Providence is to Bring all Creation into Submission to Christ as the King of Kings & Lord of Lords

• The Providences of God, that while they are for our Good and God’s glory – they at times are painful, they hurt….
  • When God allowed the Disciples to be beaten, it hurt
  • When the devout men gathered up the bloody, broken body of Stephen for burial, they grieved w/ loud lament
  • No doubt, as they saw James, their friend & apostle being beheaded, it hurt, they grieved, they wept ov. loss
  • When we bury loved ones, it hurts…
  • When we say goodbye to friends-fam. leaving, it hurts…
  • When we see people leave the church, under good/bad circumstances, we grieve, we feel the loss, it hurts…
• The Providences of God can cause: human heart to grieve
• I want us to see what God’s Providence will means for Jerusalem church, and for us in our own Church….

1stly: God Providence Means No Human Leader is Irreplaceable

• In vss.1-4, God allows Herod to arrest some from the church including James and Peter.
• God by His Providence, in Ch.12 removed both James & Peter.
• James was removed, delivered from prison, to glory.
• God delivered Peter from prison to be used elsewhere
  • It is likely Peter ministered in Northern Asia Minor, the Provinces of Pontus, Galatia Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia,
    • To whom he later wrote his 1st & 2nd Epistle
  • It is also likely Peter went to Rome & Ministered there
    • From where he wrote those two letters.
  • God moved him on, but God was far from finished with him

• God Raises, Uses, and Moves His under-shepherds-leaders into, and out of His churches, for His purposes.
  • We’ve all been in churches and felt the sting of sadness at the loss of a leader being moved on by God
• Sometimes, by God’s design, a particular shepherd, teacher, missionary will serve for decades in a particular place
  • Like John MacArthur, ministering for 53+ yrs.

• Sometimes, it is for a much shorter time period…

• Robert Murray M’Cheyne, ministering for few years

• But, Trusting in God’s Providence, we see that those moving’s of God’s people are for His Glory and for all Our Good.

• God brought Harry Seawright here and used him here for a number of years, then moved him on to other areas of ministry,
  • for our Good and God’s glory.
• God brought Brian Harper here and used him here for many years, and then moved him on to other areas of ministry,
  • for our Good and God’s Glory!
• I’m convinced God brought Me here to NPEBC, 5 yrs ago
• And, until God moves me on to another field of labour,
• Which could be this month, next year, or not for 20+ years…
• But, until God Sovereignly moves me, I won’t be going anywhere
  • If you’d like take a few mins to grieve over that fact…
• Whenever God does move me, it will be 4 our good & His glory

Bros & Sis, If U-I live with the mindset that:

• • The church starts and stops with us…
  • The church cannot continue/progress without us…
  • That if we leave, the Church will simply fall apart….
• Living w/ that Mindset, will hinder God’s work among His people
• God is Not merely Using U and I…
• God is also raising up: next generation of workers to use them…
  • Even as James is beheaded, Saul-Barn. R busy in Antioch Church, which will become a ctr. Locat. of Early Church
  • Even as Peter is in Prison, James, the Lord’s brother is being recognised as new leader of Jerusalem church.
• God raises, uses, moves & uses-again His people 4 his purposes

• One of the most critical activities of the church, this church, in its Leadership, is the preparation process of handing-on the baton, to the next generation of teachers, preachers, pastors, shepherds, elders, missionaries, evangelists, musicians, etc…..

• In the Providences of God, where God moves and removes His people for His purposes, No Human Leader is Indispensable to the Ministry of God’s Word in this-that place
• Beloved, Trust God, He has a Purpose in difficult providences His Glory and Our Good.

2ndly: God Providence Means His Word Will Increase & Endure

• In Acts 12:24, (our passage), Following James’ beheading, Peter’s rescue, and Herod’s death, Luke again records: “…the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.”
• In Acts 6:7, following the Apostles’ first suffering for their faith & witness, following the Ananias and Sapphira affair and the installing of deacons, Luke records: “The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem….”

• In Acts 13:49, Paul & Barnabas are in Pisidian Antioch, they have preached the gospel in the synagogue, the Jews have rejected and blasphemed – spoken against Jesus – and Paul & Barnabas continue preaching to the Gentiles, and once again, Luke records: “the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.” Immediately afterward, Luke records that persecution rose up against them from the Jews – but God’s Word prevailed

• In Acts 19:20 , Paul and Silas are in Ephesus, they have been preaching, teaching, working with the church plant there, the converted magicians and sorcerers had burned their books, and again Luke records, “So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.”

• Good times, bad times: Word of God grows, spreads, increases
• Leaders come; Leaders go: the Word of God prevails-spreads
• Persecution or Peacetime: The Word of God increases-spreads

Listen, God is Faithful to Himself and to His Word.

• God is Accomplishing all His purposes, of bringing all things under one Head, who is Christ.
• God has a purpose in allowing, what is for us, Difficult Providences of God – yet through them all, God is Faithful
• We need never fear that if some particular person leaves or is moved away, that the Word of God will fail.
• God will not leave Himself without a Witness to Christ & Gospel
• We respond to the Difficult Providences of God by Trusting in God’s Faithfulness to Himself and His Word.
• We Respond to the Difficult Providences of God by Trusting God who is Faithful to see His Word Increase, Grow, Spread

3rdly: God’s Providence Means No Opposition will Endure

• Notice, in20-25, Because Herod did not give glory to God, God struck him down & he died… a horrible death as it happens
• Herod rose up in opposition to God’s Church, God’s Word, and Ultimately against God Himself…
• Herod exalted himself, by allowing the statement that he was god to stand unopposed – But, God does not share his thrown…
• And, Herod fell under God’s Horrific Judgement

The Great Doctrine of the Providence of God,

• …of God governing all the affairs of all His creation,
• With the singular goal of gathering all creation, in submission to One Head, who is Christ
• means: No Opposition against God will Endure, will stand
• All Opposition to God, to Gospel, to God’s People will ultim. fail.

Look at the record of Scripture:

• In 12-14, Pharoah of Egypt rose in Opposition against God, against His Word, and against His People
• and Pharoah fell under God’s Judgement and Wrath…
  • Drowning in the Red Sea
  • Not even one of Pharoah’s Army escaped

• In 1Kings 16-21, Qu. Jezebel arose in Opposition against God’s Word and God’s Prophet: Elijah…
• She ultimately fell under God’s Judgement exercised thru Jehu
  • Thrown down from the window by her servants
  • Trampled and Crushed under the horses hooves,
  • Nothing but the skull and palms of hands remaining
  • God vindicates His Word and His People
  • No Opposition Rising against God will succeed
  • All who oppose God & the Gospel will face His Judgem’t

• In Bk, Haman the Agagite rose in furious, jealous, opposition against God’s People, and by his own pride and arrogance, Haman fell under the judgement of God exercised thru: hand of Ahasuerus, Esther & Mordecai

• In 16:18, Jesus identifies Himself as: Rock upon which
  • He will build His Church, and
  • not even the Demonic Gov. of Hell will prevail against it.
• Even: Greatest Opponent in all creation cannot prevail ag. God.

• We watch men rise in Opposition to the Gospel and the Church
• And, in one sense we grieve, as opposition rises:
  • we want the Gospel and the church to be free,
  • to be able to meet,
  • to minister,
  • to work openly in communities
• Opposition has meant that that is impossible at times…
• But we must never fear, despair, lament that the church will fall under yet another Opposition – it cannot, for God is Providentially working to preserve and sustain his church, regardless of the Opposition that rises against it
• Christ is the Victor The Devil is defeated
• The Battle is already won The Church cannot fail
• God is Righteous, He will Judge all who oppose Him & His Word
• When Opposition arises, as it is steadily in our day, we Trust God’s Providence at work, that it will not, it cannot endure.

4thly: God’s Providence Means No Prayer Goes Unanswered

• In vs.3-4, Herod seeing: James death has pleased the Jews…
• Herod now arrests Peter also…
• In vs.5, the church is fervently praying for Peter.

Beloved, God is Control, exercising His power and authority to bring about whatsoever He desire to….

By God’s allowance and permission, alone…

• Herod can arrest a man Herod can imprison a man
• Herod can secure a man to soldiers, by chains to the left wrist and to the right wrist
• Herod can post soldiers to his heart’s content, in all the hallways, at every door and every window…
• But Herod cannot keep any man, one second longer, than what God intends, for God Brings Deliverance, Becoz God is Sovereignly, Providentially in Control of all things!
• God brings Deliverance to Peter,
  • Out from locked chains on his wrists
  • past awake, but unaware, guards
  • thru locked gates
  • out into Jerusalem’s streets
• This is the 2nd time that Peter has been delivered fr. prison
• 5:17-21,
  • The priests and Sadducees had arrested Peter and Apostles and thrown them in prison
  • During the night an angel came, set them free & told them to continue preaching in the temple courts

God Delivers His People becoz God is Sovereignly in Control

• God had Delivered Stephen thru martyrdom to Glory
• God had Delivered James thru martyrdom to Glory
• And, God was, in a day yet to come, Going to Deliver Peter thru Martyrdom on a cross, to glory, but for this day….
• God Delivered him out of prison to further ministry elsewhere

• God Delivered Fiona from Cancer thru death to glory
• God Delivered Helen from long term illness thru death to Glory
• God Delivered Edna from cancer and covid, thru death, to Glory
• God Delivered June from the terrible flu, from her many long term ailments, thru death, and into Glory.
• God will Deliver all of us, if Christ does not return, thru death to Glory, it may be by cancer, by car accident, old age, by any number of means – but God will not allow the circumstances of this life to separate us from him.

• All the while that God is Delivering Peter, the church is fervently, diligently, late at night, praying for him…

Since God is in Sovereign Control, should we pray? – Yes, 1,000x Yes

• Two sub-points I want to make here:

1) God Sovereignly Uses the Prayers of His People…as part of the

• ….Exercise of His Sovereign Control in all things
• God calls His people to pray….
• God commands His people to pray
• God waits for His people to pray…
• God hears the prayers of His People…
• God uses the prayers of His People for His Purposes
• God answers the prayers of His People… always! And….
• God sometimes answers, exactly as His People pray and ask…
• In this case, God Delivered Peter from prison in Answer to His People’s Prayers, which brings me to 2nd minor pt.

2) God Always Answers Prayers, But, Sometimes the Answer… is No!

• I have absolutely no doubt that as James was arrested and about to be beheaded for His faith and Witness for Christ
• The church was also fervently praying for James’ release from prison and martyrdom – But God’s answer was No…
• God, for His own purposes freed James from prison to glory
• Bros & Sis, we must pray, in Jesus name, meaning
  • we pray for the things that Jesus desires to give us…
  • we pray in submission to His will…
  • we pray in agreement with what the Bible teaches….
  • we pray w/ God’s Glory as: Ultimate goal of our prayers.
• Bros & Sis, we must also pray, in the understanding that sometimes, God’s simple answer to our prayers is No…
• Jesus’ own prayer in Gethsemane is clear example, 27:39
  • “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.”
• If anyone deserved to have a prayer heard & answered – Jesus
• God is Sovereignly in Control But, God is not in Submission to our Prayers, He is not compelled or required to give us all we ask for in prayer – he knows what is best for us.
• So, we Pray, Knowing God’s Providence means: God answers every Prayer we Pray in Jesus name, for His Purposes & Glory

5thly: God’s Providence Means No Believer can be Separated

• Notice in vss.5-6, On the night Peter was to be brought forward, Peter was Sleeping…. Sleeping!!
• First, we need to understand, the phrase “brought forward”, or “brought out”, is more indicative of condemnation
• Peter wasn’t going to be tried w/ lawyers accusing & defending,
  • he was going to be brought out,
  • the charges under which he’d be condemned, read out
  • and then he would be sentenced to death
  • execution to be carried out immediately!
• Yet, here he was sleeping… sleeping so soundly, the angel, in an almost comic moment, had to hit him on the side to wake him!

• How could Peter sleep so soundly?
• He had no notion of his deliverance beforehand…
• While being delivered he thought he was seeing a vision…
• How could Peter sleep so soundly?
• How could Peter have so great a peace about all that was happening in his life, in the life of the church?
• How can you and I have such a great peace before God?
• Peter knew several things:
  • He had been told by the Lord Jesus at his commission
  • That one day they would lead him where he did not want to go, to have his hands stretched out – crucifixion!
• I’m convinced, that He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt,
• Becoz of God’s Providential Care and Working in His Life, that nothing could separate him from God’s love, in Christ Jesus…

Rom.8:35-39:

• Not tribulation, nor distress Not persecution, nor famine
• Not nakedness, peril, nor sword, Not death, nor life
• Not angels, nor principalities – Nothing!
• Peter was at Peace, despite his looming execution, to the point that he slept soundly while waiting for it to come…
• Peter was at Peace with God and within Himself….

• How can we all have that great peace, that re-assurance that even when the Providences of God are Bitter, Difficult….
  • nothing will separate us from God’s Love in Christ Jesus

The answer is of course the Gospel

• Peter knew that Christ had died for him
• Peter knew that his sin had been borne by Christ on the cross
• Peter knew his sin was forgiven by God, even tho he’d denied 3x
• Peter knew he had been restored by Christ on the beach
• Peter knew his life would end violently, but like His beloved Lord, He would be raised to Life, to Glory, to reign with Christ in His Kingdom
• Peter knew that whatever circumstances he would endure, Christ would never leave him, nor forsake him
• Peter knew that the work of God, begun in him would be completed by God.
• Peter knew that his death, while painful in the moment, was merely a doorway to being face to face with Christ for eternity

• Peter was trusting in God
• Peter was trusting God’s Providences as only for his good
• Peter was trusting God’s Providences as only for God’s Glory
• To lie in bed at night knowing that whatever God brings our way, is only for our good, and His glory releases us from the worry, the striving and the wrestling….

Beloved Christian

• Trust God’s Providences, He is working them for Your Good & His Glory