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Who Holds the Cards?
Acts 12
January 29, 2012

Summary: We left off last week with Peter sleeping and the Lord “in agony” “praying very fervently. “Let this lesson illustrate praying according to God’s will, praying with fervency,” not My will, but Thine be done.”

Questions

1. As you think on the sermon title, pray the prayers of scripture that opened this worship service.
Psalm 18:1-3, 34:1-8, 67:1-7, 73:25-28, 90:1-2, 103:8

2. A. Begin where we left off, in “a place named Gethsemane.” What strikes you about Jesus’ prayer?
Mark 14:32-36, Luke 22:39-46

B. What do we see in Peter’s life over this stretch of time, from Gethsemane to the early chapters of Acts and on to the end of his life?
Luke 22:45-46, Acts 1:12-14, 2:42, 3:1, 4:24, 6:4, I Peter 4:7

C. Where are you in your prayer life? Can God change you as He did Peter? Is that what you pray for?

3. A. When the Lord called the Apostles, he called two sets of brothers, Simon (Peter) and Andrew, and James and John, the “sons of thunder.” They become prominent, even among the twelve Apostles.
Mark 14:33, Luke 8:51, 9:28

B. What happens as Peter and John go up to the temple to pray? How did the authorities react to these events?
Acts 3:1-10, 4:1-3, 13, 18

C. What was the first thing Peter and John did when they were released?
Acts 4:23-31

4. A. Who seems to be in charge, holds the cards if you will, as the lives of the Apostles play out?
Luke 23:8-12, Acts 12:1-4

B. Who holds the prayer cards? What privilege do you and I have? What is Peter doing?
Acts 12:5-6

C. What are the results of the fervent prayer? What happens, even when our prayers are answered?
Acts 12:7-16, James 5:16

As a side note, who might have been at this prayer meeting?
Acts 11:29-30, 12:25

5. A. When prayer is answered, who does it depend on? What is the key to prayer?
Luke 22:42, Psalm 72:18, 116:1, Proverbs 15:29, John 9:31, I John 5:14-15

B. Who holds the prayer cards?
Mark 11:24, Luke 18:1, Ephesians 6:10, 18

C. Do you say, why pray if God has it all worked out anyway? Was this Jesus’ attitude?
Luke 22:42, Acts 4:25-28

Scripture References

Acts 12

1 Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. 2 And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people. 5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

6 On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Gird 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 continued to follow, and 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 second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.” 16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, 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 led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brethren.” Then he left and went to another place.