Prelude
Call to Worship 1 Kings 8:28
Hymn
JBC # 61 Morning has broken like the first morning
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn
JBC #515 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
Offering
Scripture Acts 12:1~19
Prayer
Sermon “Prayer for Peter”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 86 O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Doxology JBC # 673
Benediction
Those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord (Christians) and the churches where Christians gather were facing persecution from the very beginning.
Today's Bible passage describes the persecution faced by the disciples around the time when, approximately 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ was crucified, died, rose again, appeared to His disciples, and they received the Holy Spirit, becoming a community of believers and forming the church.
At the beginning of today's passage, it is written that it was King Herod who extended his hand to persecute the church.
Several people named Herod appear in the Bible. First, there is Herod the Great, who ruled Judea when Jesus was born as a human being.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 2, it is written that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of King Herod.
come from the east to Jerusalem asked King Herod,
“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2)
When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, as the Scriptures say. Thinking his position as king was threatened, Herod ordered the killing of all the boys in Bethlehem and its surrounding area who were two years old and under.
The King Herod mentioned in today's passage is the grandson of King Herod, who was king of Judea at the time of Jesus' birth.
Here, does the Bible intend to convey that all the rulers of Herod's dynasty were cruel?
That is not the case. The Bible depicts the reality that the evil inherent in our human nature is passed down across generations.
In today's passage, Herod began persecuting the church, (those who believed in Christ). Why did Herod persecute the church of those who believed in Christ?
Couldn’t Herod tolerate what these Christians believed, so in today's passage, he had James killed with the sword and even tried to arrest Peter as well?
Looking at today's passage, the reason Herod persecuted the church is clearly stated. It was “because doing so pleased the Jews.”
Herod persecuted the church because it pleased the Jews to persecute the Christians. Not because Herod could not tolerate what Christians put their belief and ideal in.
Herod persecuted the church in order to boost his approval ratings and popularity among the Jews, that is, because he needed their support to maintain his reign as king.
I believe that we humans often act based on whether others will be pleased or whether we will be valued by them, rather than on whether something is right or whether we truly desire it.
We inevitably become preoccupied with whether our actions and work will be evaluated by others, and whether that will increase the support and regard we receive.
As I reflect on my duties as a pastor, I am reminded that the pastor's calling is to faithfully convey God's word to you all.
However, there are times when I find myself preoccupied with how to speak in a way that will earn me praise, rather than remaining faithful to God's word.
Even pastors sometimes find themselves speaking more out of concern for others' opinions and their own reputation than out of devotion and being faithful to God.
Throughout the Bible, there are numerous passages commanding prophets to speak not words designed to please people, but to speak what God truly commands them to say.
In the Book of Ezekiel in the Old Testament, God spoke to one of the prophets named Ezekiel, saying: God intended to send the prophet Ezekiel to Israel and said to him:
Ezekiel 2:7
You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.
Church ministers are entrusted with the duty of conveying the true love of God in order to share God's love.
And at times, the preacher receives from God words that are harsh but necessary for the church and Christians to hear at that moment.
At such times, hearing God's words, even when they are harsh and speaking out them is never easy.
Therefore, I earnestly hope that all members of our church will continue to pray for the preachers who will deliver the Word of God in our church.
That prayer is for preachers and pastors: “Please speak not the pleasant words I wish to hear, nor the words the church desires to hear, but the words God truly commands you to speak.”
If your prayers reach God, He will surely grant the preacher the strength to speak fitting words, and the pastor to preach effectively.
And as believers, shall we not strive to live in a way that pleases the Lord God?
Rather than spending our entire lives preoccupied solely with others' opinions and attention, let us earnestly ask whether God finds joy in this, and live as He has shown us.
God is the One who shows us what is best. Therefore, we can believe that the way of life God has shown us—the way that pleases God—is the best way of life for myself and also the for those around us.
In today's passage, it is written that when Peter was arrested and put in prison, fervent prayers were offered for him in the church.
It was a critical situation for them. Peter was the foremost leader of their church.
Their leader had been captured by the authorities. They must have been overcome with considerable fear and tension.
However, such crises led them to pray earnestly and fervently. It could be said that critical situations give rise to prayer.
We want to avoid difficulties and troubles as much as possible.
But I wonder if we truly would pray earnestly and fervently to God if we had no experience of suffering, hardship, worry, or pain.
In times of difficulty, it becomes an opportunity for us to unite through prayer.
It becomes an opportunity for us to offer fervent prayers together, and also an opportunity for us to gain greater trust in God, knowing that He will surely hear those prayers.
In times of difficulty, let us join together in prayer.
God may not guide the outcome according to our prayers or wishes.
However, God always hears our earnest prayers, and the very experience of praying with such sincerity and fervor strengthens our faith.
While entrusting to God how He will answer our prayers and what the outcome will be, let us, even in the midst of difficulties, bring before Him the things we desire and humbly ask through prayer.
In today's passage, Peter was arrested and imprisoned, his hands bound with chains. However, an angel appeared and rescued him.
An angel of the Lord appeared beside Peter, and light shone in the cell (verse 7). The angel poked Peter in the side to wake him.
While Peter was being rescued by the angel in this way, he did not understand what was happening for some time.
The angel said to him, “Get up quickly,” “Tie your belt, put on your sandals,” and “Put on your cloak and follow me.” Without fully comprehending what was happening, Peter obeyed the voice.
Peter was led by the angel through the prison gate and out into the street. As they walked along, the angel left him.
Then Peter realized that the Lord had sent an angel to rescue him.
Looking back on our journey of faith so far, aren’t there a time when we may realize that even though we didn't understand it at the time, God was always protecting and guiding us.
Even when we wonder, “What will happen next?” or “Is it already hopeless? Is there no hope?” looking back now, God sustained us in countless ways.
It may be the words of the Bible, or kind words and help from others, or friends and family who are there for you.
Even when we feel there is no hope left, that it is hopeless, God's helping hand remains steadfastly with us.
God will continue to help us. Trusting in God's helping hand, let us walk in faith, joining our prayers especially in times of difficulty.
Finally, today we conclude our sermon by focusing on one believer whose name is recorded in today's Scripture passage.
She is a servant girl named Rhoda. The term “servant girl” in the original Greek of the New Testament literally means “little girl servant”.
Peter came to the house where fervent prayers were being offered for him (the house of Mary, the mother of John called Mark) and knocked at the door.
When the servant girl Rhoda went out to answer the door, she recognized Peter's voice. Overjoyed, she didn't even open the door but ran back to the others and told them, “Peter is here!”
Rhoda immediately believed that Peter had returned and that everyone's prayers had been answered, and she told everyone about it.
However, the first reaction of the others who heard Rhoda’s words was, “You are out of your mind” (verse 15).
They had been praying fervently for Peter's release. Yet it was hard for them to believe that their prayers had been answered so quickly, that Peter had returned from the heavily guarded prison.
But among them, a servant girl, Rhoda, heard Peter's voice without doubt, rejoiced that he had returned, and shared the joyful news with the others.
Those who had fervently prayed for Peter's release yet found it hard to believe he had actually been freed and returned home, this reveals the weakness of our human nature: that even while trusting in God, we harbor doubts somewhere deep inside.
How distrustful we are, it makes us wonder why we cannot fully trust God.
Amidst all this, Rhoda's example of praying fervently, trusting in God, and then immediately accepting and believing the outcome, stands as a model of faith for us.
No, rather than an example, we wish to have such pure faith and trust in God ourselves.
Let us also seek such faith, praying earnestly and trusting God purely. God will surely grant what we seek with all our hearts and in earnest.
Let us pray without doubting or hesitating for what we desire. And let us accept the answered prayers and the results that are given.
As God is the One who always hears our prayers.
