Timely Death, Timely Deliverance, Earnest Prayers (Acts 12:1-19)

Acts Sermon Series at Elmira Christian Center

After learning about the church in Antioch (Acts 11:19-30), Luke includes a fascinating incident involving Herod and the Jerusalem church before transitioning to the missionary activity of Paul. Here, we read of the martyrdom of James, the miraculous deliverance of Peter, but also the earnest prayers of the church. We love to read exciting (and comical) stories like this, but Luke is not recording this story simply to entertain us. In the providence of God, this story took place—and was included in God’s inspired and preserved Word by Luke—to reveal truths about the God of our salvation and the prayers of his church. In this sermon, Keith Ryoo shows that outcome of prayer belongs to God, who intervenes to do the impossible for the glory of his name and good of his people.