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⁶ Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. ⁷ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. ⁸ And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” ⁹ And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. ¹¹ When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am 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.”

¹² When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. ¹³ And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. ¹⁴ Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. ¹⁵ They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” ¹⁶ But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. ¹⁷ But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

¹⁸ Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there. (ESV)

There is something humorous and human about this story: the church gathered to pray for Peter; Peter at the door of said church, knocking; Peter kept at the door because they can’t believe he’s really there. But there can be no doubt that this was a ‘great escape’ for Peter. The last two verses show something of Herod’s capabilities: he was petulant and ruthless.

The whole story seems to turn on verse 5. Like Peter (16), the church ”continued knocking”, all through the night (12). It also highlights Peter’s peace and God’s perfect timing. The angel’s arrival and departure were sudden (7,10) but right on time. It seems to me that the angel was rather like a parent, waking a child in the night for a journey and guiding them through dressing etc, etc, because the infant is still rather dopey.

So much of the narrative emphasises how securely Peter was guarded(4,6, 10) and thus reveals the power of God in the miracle. Peter was in ‘maximum security’, but this was not a problem to the Lord!

‘A quaternion numbered four: the total number of soldiers that guarded Peter, therefore, would be sixteen, exclusive of prison officials. But a praying household is stronger than the strongest precautions of human might.

God often delays His answers till the eve of our extremity; but Peter’s sleep is typical of the quiet faith that can trust God absolutely, whether to live or die. When God bids us arise and obey, we must do so without considering the obstructions that confront us. It is our part to arise and gird ourselves; it is for Him to cause the chains to fall off and the iron gates to open. What are iron gates to Him who cleft a path through the Red Sea!

Mark’s mother was evidently a woman of property, as her house was large enough to receive the many who felt that prayer was the key to open Peter’s prison. Rhoda is Rose. Her portrait has charmed every generation. It is so lifelike and natural. How good for every servant-maid to love the devotional meeting, and to be welcomed to it! Christianity had introduced a new spirit into the world. How often our deliverances seem too good to be true! These praying friends of Peter would not believe the maid, though she told them that their prayers were answered. This proves that while their faith was very imperfect, their request was granted. When we believe not, God remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself, 2 Timothy 2:13 . The James mentioned in Acts 12:17 was the brother of our Lord, and afterward head of the church in Jerusalem, Acts 15:13 . See James 1:1 .’ F.B. Meyer

 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. ² He killed James the brother of John with the sword, ³ and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. ⁴ And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. ⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. (ESV)

In this chapter, everything turns on verse 5. We witness a remarkable answer to prayer, and what an encouragement it is to us. But while it is true that, as William Temple observed, coincidences happen when Christians pray, and when they don’t pray they don’t happen, in the mysterious providence of God we don’t always get the thing asked for (at least, not in the form we envisaged). This wonderful chapter opens by showing us that there was no miracle of deliverance for James. To my mind, it just won’t do to say that he wasn’t prayed for (or prayed for with the same tenacity). That is an argument from silence. It’s hard to imagine that he wasn’t also the object of fervent prayer. What is true to Christian experience in this fallen world is an understanding that while some are miraculously healed/delivered, others suffer and die. Both are manifestations of the life of faith, as Hebrews 11 clearly demonstrates:

” I could go on and on, but I’ve run out of time. There are so many more—Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets. . . . Through acts of faith, they toppled kingdoms, made justice work, took the promises for themselves. They were protected from lions, fires, and sword thrusts, turned disadvantage to advantage, won battles, routed alien armies. Women received their loved ones back from the dead. There were those who, under torture, refused to give in and go free, preferring something better: resurrection. Others braved abuse and whips, and, yes, chains and dungeons. We have stories of those who were stoned, sawed in two, murdered in cold blood; stories of vagrants wandering the earth in animal skins, homeless, friendless, powerless—the world didn’t deserve them!—making their way as best they could on the cruel edges of the world.

^39-40 Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours” (32-40: The Message).

No-one why lives by faith in this world, gets everything now that they will one day enjoy – but some receive more of the miraculous than others. The purposes of God are ultimately mysterious to us, but it could be argued that, from an eternal perspective, James got the better deal. Peter was broken out of prison, but he had more suffering ahead, including his own martyrdom to face.

¹⁹ Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. ²⁰ But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. ²² The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³ When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, ²⁴ for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. ²⁵ So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

²⁷ Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). ²⁹ So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers^[d] living in Judea. ³⁰ And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Again we see God bringing good out of bad: there was a further gospel expansion, breaking through yet more barriers. Those who were ”scattered” preached, and God worked powerfully. Many became ”Christians”. (It seems that, initially, this was something of a nickname). So we see a rippling effect outwards from this terrible loss

It’s interesting to note that Saul (Paul) was to become the better known of these two. ‘Barnabas and Paul’ quickly becomes ‘Paul and Barnabas’. But there is no sense of Barnabas being threatened by Saul’s obvious abilities. Rather, he wanted to encourage him. Barnabas’s personal ministry to Saul was such a service to the church (see also 9:27).

Thank God for such ”a good man”. However, the church did not grow because of a good man. Rather, its growth was due to a great and gracious God. Without His ”hand” upon us there will be no true progress.

 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, ³ “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴ But Peter began and explained it to them in order: ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. ⁶ Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. ⁷ And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ ⁸ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ ⁹ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹ And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. ¹² And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; ¹⁴ he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ ¹⁵ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” ¹⁸ When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (ESV)

The repetition of this story underlines its strategic importance. This was a major juncture in the unfolding history of the church. Here are one or two observations from this passage:

• Note God’s perfect timing (11): ”…at that very moment…”;
• There were other witnesses to what happened (12), and what happened was out of their hands (15): ”As I began to speak…”;
• Verse 14 underlines the point that, as virtuous as these Gentiles may have been, they were not ”saved” – not until they ‘repented’ (18), and put their faith in Jesus (10:43);
• Like Peter himself, those who heard Peter’s testimony were open enough to have their hearts and minds changed (even though they had previously been critical and prejudiced (2,3). ‘ The facts compelled a favorable verdict upon Peter’s action. They tacitly confessed that the seal of God’s approval had been unmistakably affixed to his action, and that he had no alternative. When a man lives in union with the Spirit of God, crooked things become straight and rough places plain, Isaiah 40:4 .’ F.B. Meyer

PRAYER: Lord, change my mind where it needs to be changed. Enable me to keep in step with you.

Thought: ‘If the Holy Spirit had been removed from the first Christian church, ninety-five per cent of what they were doing would have stopped; but if the Holy Spirit were removed from today’s church, ninety-five per cent of what we are doing would continue.’

³⁴ So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶ As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), ³⁷ you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, ⁴⁰ but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, ⁴¹ not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. ⁴⁵ And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. (ESV)

It might be possible to read verses 34,35, and imagine that people are saved by good works. But verse 43 is crucial, and it puts any such thinking to the sword. It is through faith in Jesus that our sins are forgiven.

If we hear echoes of Acts 2 in verses 45,46, it was more so for Peter and his friends. This is the Gentile Pentecost. Jesus Christ is ”Lord of all” (36) – Gentiles as well as Jews. All who trust in Israel’s Messiah will be saved.

‘The address with which Peter answered the centurion’s inquiry was largely a recapitulation of the great facts of gospel history. The ministry of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit was probably already familiar to his hearers. The story of the crucifixion was equally well-known. These things were not done in a corner. But the third division of the address, Acts 10:39-41 , in which the Apostle told of the Resurrection and of our Lord’s appearance to chosen witnesses, of whom he was one, was probably replete with new and startling tidings. Notice the implied invitation of Acts 10:43 to them all to believe in Jesus, for the remission of sin.

The Holy Spirit fell upon the audience, as on the day of Pentecost, Acts 10:44 . There must have been that wonderful stirring and moving among the people which we have beheld, in a modified form, in modern audiences, when moved by the celestial wind, as a harvest field by the breeze. Peter never finished his sermon. It seemed as if the Holy Spirit put the Apostle aside, saying, “Thou hast spoken enough; leave the rest to me!” ‘ F.B. Meyer

⁹ The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. ¹⁰ And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance ¹¹ and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. ¹² In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. ¹³ And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” ¹⁵ And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” ¹⁶ This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

¹⁷ Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate ¹⁸ and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. ¹⁹ And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. ²⁰ Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” ²¹ And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” ²² And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” ²³ So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴ And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. ²⁶ But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” ²⁷ And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. ²⁸ And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. ²⁹ So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

³⁰ And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. ³² Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” (ESV)

Is there not an overwhelming sense of God writing this story, and the main characters being ‘actors’ in God’s unfolding drama? Peter refused to be treated as if he were the author of this storyline (26). He knew emphatically that he was not. As I heard a preacher say, in the early church the Holy Spirit was ‘President’ and not just ‘resident’. It feels like people are having to run hard to keep up with Him.

This is a remarkable story of God speaking clearly and people responding promptly, and willingly. Peter had his own deep rooted convictions and prejudices, but he was open enough to the Holy Spirit to be ”shown” a different way (and sufficiently honest to admit it).

It appears that Peter was praying as part of his daily routine. Such times can feel uninspiring and mundane. Not every day in prayer is going to turn out like this one did for Peter and Cornelius. There will be many (seemingly) ordinary days. But it is in the faithful, regular habit of prayer that we are likely to be ”shown” things by God. Prayer, after all, is not a monologue but a dialogue, and what God says to us is more important than anything we say to Him. Let’s commit to keep on ‘showing up’ – whether we feel like it or not; whether we feel like we are ‘getting anywhere or not.’ Here are two of many weapons Satan uses against prayer: making us feel it is hum-drum and ineffective. Prayer, however, isn’t just about ‘getting things’ from God, but it is a relationship with Him. Lord, teach US to pray…and never give up!

‘It should be carefully noted that the mental impression which was produced by Peter’s vision was corroborated by the fact of the knocking and inquiring group at Peter’s door. This is God’s invariable method. For us all, as we contemplate taking a new and important step in life, there are the urging of the Spirit, the impression or vision of duty, and the knock or appeal of outward circumstances.’ F.B. Meyer

I have heard it said that verse 33 shows the attitude we should have as churches when we gather for worship. We recognise we are in the presence of God, and we want to hear everything HE has to say to us!

 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, ² a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. ³ About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” ⁴ And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. ⁵ And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” ⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, ⁸ and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. (ESV)

Again we see the sovereignty of God. The ground is being prepared for the next movement in the Acts 1:8 sequence. Cornelius – a Gentile, a Roman, a God-fearing man – is himself being prepared to hear and receive the gospel. He is so ready. Note how the instructions to Cornelius are specific, and he is immediately responsive. God knows precisely where Cornelius is and where Peter is, and He is going to bring them together. It is another example of the Lord working ‘at both ends of the line.’

‘At this point the Church took a new departure, and the gospel broke over the walls of Jewish exclusiveness and was preached for the first time to pure-blooded Gentiles. Caesarea, built by the great Herod, was practically a Roman city, and the official seat of the Roman government in Judea. Cornelius was an officer of high rank, and it would seem naturally of noble character. He had no sympathy with the religious fables and sensuous indulgence of his time, and was attracted to the Jewish faith, which stood alone in the world for pure and undefiled conceptions of God. He adopted some of its characteristic features-its hours of prayer, its practice of fasting, and its almsgiving.’ F.B. Meyer

³² Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. ³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. ³⁴ And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. ³⁵ And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶ Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas.^[d] She was full of good works and acts of charity. ³⁷ In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. ³⁸ Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” ³⁹ So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics^[e] and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. ⁴¹ And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴² And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner. (ESV)

These two little cameos from Peter’s roving ministry are so like the gospel stories. They have that feel, that atmosphere and tone. Jesus is alive and still ‘doing’ and ‘teaching’, with the same sort of impact The ministry of Jesus continues through people like Peter, and other followers. But it’s still Christ’s ministry. The ‘Tabitha story feels so much like that of Jairus’s daughter.

Notice again the importance of the one. Ministry to individuals leads to wider impact.

‘John Stott in his book “The Contemporary Christian” writes:  The Book of Acts has a central figure.  It is not Paul, nor the other disciples.  It is the Holy Spirit who is the central actor in the book of Acts, demonstrating God’s power through the apostles.’ Clarence Eisberg

PRAYER: Lord, in your grace and mercy, please take me and use me in the story you are writing, for your glory.

For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. ²⁰ And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” ²¹ And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” ²² But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

²³ When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, ²⁵ but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

²⁶ And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. ³⁰ And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

³¹ So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. (ESV)

Verse 21 underlines the point that Saul was a transformed man. From the beginning, he began to preach with power, persuasiveness and pluck. The man had courage. For his opponents, the issue wasn’t whether or not he had a point. They just continued to hate the message, and so they set themselves against the messenger, and their preferred weapon was death. (It no doubt didn’t help that this particular ‘leopard’ no longer shared their ‘spots’). The ”suffering” (16) was almost immediate. So was his influence. We note that, from the first, Paul’s missionary strategy was ”to the Jew first”. ‘He probably showed from a comparison between the predictions of the Old Testament and the facts of our Lord’s life, that the key exactly fitted the wards of the ancient lock, and so proved its genuineness.’ F.B. Meyer.

You have to love Barnabas: such an encourager; big-heart; eyes to see what God was doing, and the courage to be in step with it (even if it put him out of step with others). You can, of course, understand the initial reticence and caution of the church that had felt the scorching temperature of this man’s wrath. (We would do well to consider the vital roles played by lesser known characters such as Ananias and Barnabas).

Saul’s conversion, and the events around it, put booster rockets on church growth (31).

PRAYER: Make me a Barnabas Lord. I don’t ask to be great, only to be useful. Give me eyes to see those who need bringing in, and a heart to move towards them.