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Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000632A
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00:01 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:06 Sermon #B632 - From Detained to Delivered 00:20 The word of God says in Acts 12:1, "Now about that time, 00:25 Herod the King, stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 00:31 And he killed James, the brother of John with the sword and 00:34 because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. 00:39 (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, 00:44 and delivered him to four quarternions of soldiers to keep him, 00:48 intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore, was kept in prison. 00:55 But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 00:58 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night, 01:00 Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains 01:05 and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 01:06 And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon them. And a light shined in the prison, 01:12 and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise up quickly.” 01:16 And his chains fell off from his hands. The angel said unto him, “Gird thyself, bind on thy sandals.” 01:22 And so he did. And he said that he have, “Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.” 01:27 And he went out and followed him and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel. 01:32 But he thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, 01:36 they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which opened to them of his own accord 01:40 and they went out, and passed on through one street and forthwith the angel departed from him. 01:44 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, “Now, I know of a surety, 01:51 that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, 01:56 and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. 01:58 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary, 02:02 the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered praying. 02:06 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, 02:08 a damsel came to hearken, by the name of Rhoda.” Everybody say Rhoda. [Congregation: Rhoda.] 02:12 “And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, 02:16 but ran in, and told Peter-- how Peter stood before the gate. 02:19 And they said unto her, “Thou art mad.” But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. 02:25 Then said they, “It is his angel.” But Peter continued knocking, 02:29 and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. 02:31 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, 02:35 declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. 02:37 And he said, “Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren.” 02:40 And he departed, and went into another place. 02:45 Just wanted to talk to you a couple of minutes on the subject, “From Detained to Delivered.” 02:52 God bless us now. We want to be free. Forgive us all of our sins 02:57 and may this word go forth today. And we give your permission, Holy Spirit, 03:02 permission to move in copious fashion, in Jesus name. Amen. [Congregation: Amen.] 03:09 From Detained to Delivered. All month long, we've been talking about what it means to be free. 03:14 From the Israelites, Exodus, out of Egypt to Jesus telling us that there is freedom in Him to Paul 03:20 and Silas being set free from the Philippian jail. 03:24 The Bible is full of stories that remind us that we serve a God, 03:29 who's in the business of setting people free. Everybody say free. [Congregation: Free.] 03:34 But out of all the freedom stories in the Bible, today's story is my favorite. 03:41 Acts 12 says that Peter is surrounded by four sets of soldiers. 03:46 Sixteen soldiers to be exact chain to him and there's no way out but God still sets him free. 03:55 And I believe I've got a witness in this place today that knows. 03:58 That we serve a chain breaking gods. That we serve a jail breaking God. 04:05 That we serve a prison breaking God and that there is no devil in hell, no devil on earth 04:12 or anywhere else that can stop God when God sets you free because God says, 04:17 “When the sun sets you free, you shall be free indeed.” 04:22 Now for a little background, the Book of Acts teaches that the early 04:26 New Testament church was witnessing God moving in a mighty way. That God was showing up 04:32 and God was showing out. The Bible says, the church was growing 04:37 and then the influence of the church was spreading. Acts 2 says, 3,000 were saved in one day. 04:43 Acts 4 says, 5,000 were saved in one day. The Bible says, “People were being saved every day.” 04:50 God was working and His presence and power was felt by saint and sinner alike. 04:57 God was glorified. The people were edified. The devil was horrified. 05:00 It was a great time to be a part of God's church. But you know how it is. 05:05 When everything is going well, everybody is not pleased. 05:10 Whatever God is doing something in your life, somebody is not happy. 05:15 I say it all the time. I've learned that the greatest moments in my life often 05:19 produce the greatest moments of envy and jealousy in somebody else's life. 05:23 The Jews hated the early church because the church said, “Jesus was the Messiah.” 05:29 The church said, “Jesus had been killed by the Jews,” and more than that, 05:33 the church said, “Jesus was risen from the dead.” So, the Jews hated the message of the gospel. 05:38 And with many Jews leaving Judaism to follow Jesus, the enemies of God got to working. 05:44 Let that be a lesson for us today. Don't feel bad when you are attacked 05:49 by Satan because if you're not a threat to Satan, then you and Satan must be running in the same direction. 05:56 Whenever God is doing something in your life it makes the devil mad. 06:00 But I believe I've got some witnesses in this place that know that 06:04 God can deliver us from the hand of the enemy. Somebody I believe knows 06:09 that no weapon formed against you is going to prosper, that if God before us, who can be against us? 06:16 Acts 4 teaches that the Jewish leaders tried to arrest the apostles 06:20 and stop them from preaching the gospel, but that didn't work. So, then they stoned Stephen. 06:25 They killed him in order to stop him from preaching the gospel. 06:29 And that didn't work. They got to Paul Saul and he was persecuting the Saints 06:34 but that didn't work either because Paul, Saul became Paul, got converted 06:38 and the church grew even more. That's our next lesson. The work of God can't be stopped. 06:44 The gospel will be preached. Souls will be saved with or without you. 06:50 People tell me all the time. They've heard me say it. 06:52 They say, “Well, the charge won't make it without me. It will die without me. 06:58 Well, the cemetery is full of folk that thought the church would die without them.” 07:03 This is God's church, His troop marches on. We have nothing to fear for the future, 07:08 lest we forget how God has led us in the past. 07:11 In the text, there is an arrogant king named Herod. There's a martyr named James, 07:18 a prisoner named Peter, a praying Holy Ghost fill the church and a little servant girl named Rhoda. 07:24 Let me tell you first about Herod. This Herod in Acts 12 was Herod Agrippa. 07:29 Everybody say Agrippa. [Congregation: Agrippa.] 07:31 Come on. Say it like you mean it. Say Agrippa. [Congregation: Agrippa.] 07:33 All right. This Herod was the evil grandson of Herod the Great. 07:39 Herod the Great was the Herod who said that all Bethlehem children at Jesus' birth had to be murdered. 07:47 Herod Agrippa was not only the grandson of Herod the Great, 07:51 but Herod Agrippa was the nephew of Herod Antipas. Herod Antipas was the one who had John the Baptist beheaded. 07:59 Then it was Herod Agrippa's father, Herod Aristobulus, who was Herod Anticipa's brother, 08:06 who was executed by his father, which was Herod Agrippa's grandfather, Herod the Great. 08:11 He executed him because he was afraid that his son, Herod Agrippa's father, might usurp his throne. 08:19 So, scheming and murders were a part of this family's DNA. 08:26 So, this Herod Agrippa persecuted the early church to convince the 08:32 Jewish people of his loyalty to the traditions of his fathers. Herod Agrippa. 08:38 Herod in Acts 12, skilled politician. Not at all concerned with principle 08:45 and willing to do whatever he had to do to maintain his comfortable hold on power, 08:49 seeking to keep the favor of the Jews, arrested James, the brother of John, 08:55 had him beheaded and when he saw it pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter and plan to kill him too. 09:01 To Herod, Christianity was seen as some form, some fad. 09:04 He imprisons Peter in a maximum security prison with the idea that after Passover, 09:08 after a bogus court, Herod will stage a trial 09:11 and execute Peter as a warning to other folk who might follow Jesus. 09:15 So what does he do? You know the story. He assigns 16 soldiers, 09:19 four sets of soldiers to make sure that his plan is not obstructed by some 09:24 Christians who are on the inside. Why would he do this? Why would he have 16 soldiers to one man? 09:32 Ellen White makes it clear in Acts of the Apostles, that Herod did this 09:36 because Herod had remembered the State of the Apostles from prison early on. 09:40 So, he wanted to on this occasion to take double precaution. So, my question again to us, 09:45 why is it my friends, that people, other folks know the power of God 09:50 and the people of God don't know his power? Ellen White says, in his cell, 09:54 Peter was placed between two soldiers bound by two chains. 09:58 Each chain was fastened to the wrists of the one of the other soldiers. 10:01 So Peter then was supposedly to be unable to move without their knowledge, 10:06 with prison doors locked securely, a prisoner, prison guard at the front of the prison, 10:12 all chance of human escape was supposed to be cut off. 10:17 But I believe I got a witness that knows with God, all things are possible. 10:25 That with God, man's extremity is God's opportunity. 10:30 That with God our set backs are just set ups for comebacks. Herod knew who he was up against. 10:40 Herod knew he was not up against Peter. But Harold knew he was up against the Almighty God. 10:46 I wish I had a church in his place. Now, the Bible says in verse number one, 10:50 that Herod was after certain folk in the church. That he came to vex certain people in the church. 10:58 It's important for us to understand that the devil is not after everybody in the church. 11:04 The devil is only after certain people in the church. 11:08 The devil is after people who are filled with the Holy Ghost. 11:11 When you got the Holy Ghost, you are a problem for the devil. Herod arrest Peter, throws him in prison 11:19 and he would have killed him. But the Bible says it was too close to Easter, a religious holiday. 11:25 So, Herod delays the trial and execution of Peter until after Easter. Herod was religious. 11:34 And what you will discover is some of your worst enemies are religious people. 11:39 They have a form of godliness. But they deny the power thereof. 11:44 Can I just park my kickstand here? I know my time is against me. 11:47 But I just stay in just for a minute. Whether you say yes or no, I got the mic. I'm going to do it anyhow. 11:51 Come on, say amen. [Congregation: Amen.] 11:53 Some of your worst enemies are religious people, who have no relationship with Jesus. 12:00 Folk that sit up quoting scripture. Folk that can study the Sabbath school, the lesson. 12:06 Folk that know the Bible from cover to cover. 12:09 But everybody that comes to church is not on the Lord's side. 12:13 Everybody talking about Jesus ain't serving Jesus. 12:17 Everybody talking about heaven and God, is not always the people on the outside, 12:21 but sometimes it's the phony faith, pretentious angels on the inside that are the 12:25 problem because the devil goes to church, too. I wish I had a witness to this place. 12:30 Now, if we get to verse number five, look at it quickly. I've got to move quick. 12:34 When you get to verse number five, the Bible says, that Peter is taken captive. 12:39 Everybody say captive. [Congregation: Captive.] 12:40 Peter, the Bible says, was therefore kept in prison, but prayer. Peter is put in prison, 12:54 but prayer. Peter is thrown into jail, but prayer. Somebody is going to get this in minutes. 13:04 It's that little conjunction but, the situation looks desperate. 13:10 But, it looks as if Peter might be put to death. But, it looks as if you might lose the fight with cancer. 13:18 But, it looks as if you might lose your marriage. But, it looks as if you might lose your children. 13:25 But, it looks as if you might lose your mind. But I found the answer. I've learned how to pray. 13:34 Peter is in prison. But the church is at Mary's house, praying. 13:40 I believe if there were ever a time we needed to pray, do I have a witness that is right now? 13:46 If we ever needed some folk who wanted to pray is right now. Listen, gun control is out of control. 13:53 Race relations are worse now than they've ever been. We've got alleged Russian collusion in our government. 13:59 We've got the daily threat of a government shutdown over a border wall. 14:03 The daily threat of a declared national emergency. We've got the Me Too Movement. 14:10 We've got actors allegedly lying over getting assaulted. [Congregation: Mercy !]. 14:16 Alleged pedophiles finally being brought to justice. We've got a billionaire sports owner, 14:24 allegedly caught up in a prostitution ring. It's praying time. Little prayer is little power. 14:33 Some prayer is some power. But much prayer is much power. I don't know about you, 14:41 but we need some power. The church is praying for Peter's escape, not to Herod 14:47 but to God. They didn't picket the government. They didn't protest outside the White House. 14:53 They didn't sign a petition. They didn't appeal to the Supreme Court. They didn't call a riot. 15:00 They didn't call an elders' meeting. They didn't call a church board meeting. 15:06 They didn't call a church business meeting. But the Bible says, they called a prayer meeting 15:13 because some things only come by prayer and fasting. 15:17 The effects to a fervent prayer of a righteous man, availeth much. 15:22 Jesus said, "Ask and it shall be given. Seek and he shall find. Knock 15:26 and the door shall be opened up to you." This is the confidence that we have in approaching God, 15:32 that whatever we ask, we know we have. 15:36 Prayer for Peter was the specific prayer for a specific need. I dare somebody to get specific with God. 15:47 Go in your secret closets. Go in your bathroom and write your prayer request down. 15:52 And then, I dare you to go back two, three, four months later and see how God has answered your prayer. 15:58 And if God is able to do it back then, you know God is able to do it up here. 16:03 They all praying for Peter's release. The old folks used to say, "You got to push. 16:07 You got to pray until something happens. You've got to pray for a miracle." 16:13 The reason why many people don't pray like that, the problem is not that God doesn't do miracles. 16:20 The problem is that people aren't praying, expecting God to perform miracles anymore. 16:25 But I'm looking for a miracle. I expect the impossible. I feel the intent. 16:32 I see the invisible sky is the limit to what I can have. 16:36 I'm a king's kid. I'm a child of the most high God. 16:41 Verse six says, "And when Herod would have brought him for us, the same night, 16:47 Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains and the keepers of the door kept the prison." 16:54 Now, this is the part of the story I like. I'm a shout a little bit. 16:57 Then we all go home. All right. This is what I like. Get this. Peter's in jail. 17:04 Peter's on death row. Peter is going die tomorrow. Soldiers on both sides of him. 17:13 Soldiers are in front of him. Soldiers are chained to him. Soldiers are at the door. 17:21 He's going to die tomorrow. But the Bible says, Peter is asleep. Somebody's going to get it in a minute. 17:29 No tossing, no turning. No counting sheep. No riding his last will and testament. 17:37 Oh, no screaming. No crying. No begging for mercy. That night before his execution, Peter is asleep. 17:47 Somebody said on average. Peter is about to die. But Peter goes to sleep. Peter is not panicking. 17:56 He's not saying, "Oh, my goodness, what am I going to do? In the morning, I'm going to die." 18:00 Peter [snores] sleep. [Congregat ion: applause] 18:05 What can we learn from Brother Peter? If your faith is awake, then you can go to sleep. 18:12 Hallelujah. Somebody. That's peace, my friends. Peace is not the absence of tension. 18:18 Peace is security in the midst of tension. Which means it doesn't make a difference what it looks like. 18:24 It doesn't make a difference what it looks like in the morning. 18:26 It doesn't make a difference what the doctor says, “I'm born sleep.” 18:31 God told me, tell somebody to stop worrying about that thing. Go to sleep. 18:35 Stop worrying about how the bill is going to be paid. Go to sleep. 18:39 Stop worrying about how you are going to pay that tuition. Go to sleep. 18:43 Stop worrying about how you're going to pass that class. Go to sleep. 18:47 Stop worrying about your medical bills. Go to sleep. Stop worrying about what folks say about you. 18:53 They don't have a heaven or hell for you. Go to sleep. [Congregation: applause] 18:58 So, we get back to verse number seven. 19:00 The Bible says, “And the angel-- the word, everybody. [Congregation: Angel.] 19:03 Pastor Byrd: Come on, the word everybody. [Congregation: Angel.] 19:05 I'm almost done. "Came upon him and a light shined in the prison. He smote Peter on the side 19:10 and he rose him up and said, “Get up quickly.” The Bible says, "His chains fell off his hands." 19:18 Verse number eight. "And the angel said, “Gird thyself, bind thy sandals.” 19:22 And so he did and he said unto them, “Cast thy garments about thee and follow me.” 19:28 Now, quickly, why would the angel tell Peter to put on his clothes? 19:34 It's only natural that when you go to sleep, you take some operative words, so, of your clothes off. 19:41 Do I have a witness in this place? But now the angel speaks to him and says, 19:45 "Wake up. Get up. Get dressed. Get ready. You get ready to go somewhere." 19:55 Now, you need to understand that gates and guards, understand, kept all of his friends from him. 20:00 But gates and guards couldn't keep God's angels from him. 20:05 But to Peter, he says, "This doesn't make sense." He's saying, “Put your clothes on, put your shoes on. 20:10 What do you mean? I'm in jail. But sometimes when you're following the Lord, your ways are not His ways. 20:15 Your thoughts are not His thoughts.” So, even if it doesn't make sense, 20:18 if God says, "Go, guess what you got to do. Go." Peter's in jail. Soldiers are on both sides of him. 20:24 Soldiers at the door. There's another door, outside the door, another soldier at that door. 20:28 And soldiers are by those doors, an escape doesn't make sense. 20:33 But I've learned in my life, God will never take you to it, unless He's glad enough to bring you through it. 20:38 That's why even if it doesn't make sense, go. So verse nine, "He went out and followed him 20:42 and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel. 20:44 But he thought he saw a vision." Everybody say vision. [Congregation: Vision.] 20:47 Pastor Byrd: Verse ten. "When they were past the first and the second ward, 20:50 they came unto the iron gate that leadeth to the city." 20:52 The Bible says, "Which opened to them of his own accord." 20:56 That should've made somebody shout right there. 20:58 We shout at the wrong time. Understand, do you see in your mind's eye, what's going on here. 21:03 Peter didn't have to even push the gate of the door open. The door opened up by itself. 21:08 God all hear what I'm saying. He passed through one street 21:11 and the Bible says, "Then the angel forthwith departed from him." 21:15 In other words, he'd not only gone to prison, but he got off the prison property 21:19 and passed the prison guards right on by. 21:22 And I'm going to close-- but it is a fact, that when God delivers you and you know beyond a shadow of a doubt it was God, 21:29 you can't keep it to yourself. Do I have a witness that knows when God does something for you, 21:36 I know you wonder why some of us stomp our feet and clap our hands and wave our hands. 21:40 But when God does something for you, you can't just keep it to yourself. But you got to tell somebody. 21:50 I don't know Senator Jones, but maybe when you won that election night, God had done something for you. 21:55 You just couldn't keep it to yourself. But you had to tell somebody. 22:02 The Bible says in verse eleven, that when Peter was come to himself. He said, "Now, I know of a surety, 22:07 that the Lord has sent His angel, deliver me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews." 22:13 Verse number twelve. "And when he had considered the thing, he realized I can't keep this to myself. 22:20 So, he goes and he comes about to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark." 22:27 Because there were many folk, the Bible says, that what that house praying. Are you all hearing what I'm saying? 22:32 Never underestimate the power of a praying church. God is sovereign and God can do what He wants, when He wants, where He wants. 22:39 And He doesn't have to ask us for permission to do as He wants. But sometimes He chooses to work through the prayers of His people. 22:45 Congregation: Yes. 22:48 Now, Peter could have gone in hiding because most people when they escaped from prison, El Chapo. [Congregation: laughter] 22:58 They dig tunnels. They had motorcycles waiting for them. They go on the run, go to another city, 23:06 state or country to avoid being caught again. But not Peter. Peter said, “The Lord's been mighty good to me. 23:17 I've got to tell somebody.” So, Peter goes to the house of Mary. And Verse 13 says, “He starts knocking.” 23:30 Now, when you knock on a door, it means I'm here. He says, “I know you're praying. 23:42 I know you're praying that God will deliver me from the hand of Herod. But I'm here.” 23:53 Now, when Rhoda, the servant girl in verse 13 comes to the door. She hears his voice. She knows it's Peter. 24:04 So, what Rhoda does is she runs back to the church folk and tells the church folk, what you're praying for is already at the door. 24:14 You all hear what I'm saying? Sooner than right now, faster then immediately, the Lord answers prayer. 24:22 The Bible says, that the folk thought Rhoda was crazy. Just like some of you all think I'm crazy, when I'm jumping up and down. 24:28 And they thought she was crazy. The Bible says they thought she was mad. 24:31 They told her it was an angel because the common Jewish belief of the day, 24:34 was that a guardian angel was assigned to each person and assumed the appearance of those whom they protected 24:40 and they appeared and served as their double. 24:43 You're seeing things. You're hearing things. I know this Pastor. Now, the formally faithful are now faithless. 24:55 That's why you can't put your trust in people. The same folk that shout, Hosanna, 24:59 at the beginning of the week are the same people that will shout, crucify him, at the end of the week. 25:03 You all hear what I'm saying? But Rhoda knows it's Peter. She didn't argue with him. She didn't open the door. 25:14 But Peter keeps on knocking. "I'm here." They finally opened the door. 25:25 Peter says, "I came to let you know that I'm here. 25:31 There's been a prison break. I was detained. But now I've been delivered. I didn't have to kill anybody. 25:44 I didn't have to fight anybody because if I hold my peace and the Lord fights my battles, victory shall be mine. 25:55 The Lord is my life and my salvation. Who shall I fear? God saved me. God rescued me. God delivered me. 26:08 God's been better to me than I've been to myself. And the reason I keep knocking is 26:14 because if it had not been for the Lord on my side, where would I be." 26:21 As we close this month of freedom, I came to tell somebody what Jesus has done for me. 26:27 If the sun sets you free, you shall be free indeed. Jesus picked me up, turned me around, placed my feet on solid ground. 26:39 So, don't look at me funny when I raise my hands. Don't look at me funny when I stomp my feet. 26:45 Don't look at me funny when I shout, glory. You don't know like I know what he's done for me. 26:53 Excuse me, if I get loud. Excuse me, if I stomped my feet. 27:01 But Jesus, Jesus, Jesus has made me smile and this joy that I have, the world didn't give it. 27:15 And the world can't take it away. Give God some praise right now. 27:20 Give Him praise. Somebody wants freedom. [Congregation: applause] 27:25 You want freedom today. 27:28 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life broadcast. 27:32 We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 27:37 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, 27:39 please feel free to visit us at www.breathoflife.tv. 27:45 Or, call us at (256) 929-6460. 27:52 [END] 27:56 Breath of Life is on the road again! 27:59 Join us on March 6-9at the Andrews Memorial Church in Kingston Jamaica 28:06 for a special weekend revival with Dr. Carlton P. Byrd. 28:10 You don't to miss this event! 28:13 For more information about this upcoming revival, 28:15 please visit us online at www.breathoflife.tv 28:21 or give us a call at 256.929.6460 28:28 Huntsville, the 2019 Breath of Life Spring Revival begins on March 16. 28:35 It's Fake News vs. Good News! Whose news will you believe? 28:41 Come hear Dr. Byrd give God's solution to the lies of the enemy! 28:47 For more information about this upcoming revival, 28:50 please visit us online at www.breathoflife.tv 28:56 or give us a call at 256.929.6460 |
Revised 2019-03-05