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But in Acts chapter 12, we're obviously continuing our study through the book of Acts and we are picking up right after we got done with the story of Cornelius and in Acts chapter 11, if you remember, that's where he comes back to Jerusalem and is retelling that story and going through that. And then at the end of the chapter 11, we're dealing with Paul or Saul at the time and Barnabas and Antioch and that's where they were first called Christians but then we get back to Peter in chapter 12 and honestly after this chapter, it's gonna be pretty much Paul's story. It's gonna be Paul and obviously you're gonna run into Peter another time, you're gonna run into other people as you're going through that story but chapter 13 really starts off, it's gonna be all, it's gonna be Paul and then to the end of the book there. So but in chapter 12, we do have a story here with Peter and the first thing that we see is that James is killed by Herod and so in Acts chapter 12 and verse 1, it says, Now about that time, Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church and he killed James the brother of John with the sword. So this is one of the 12. This is the one of the upper three or the inner three, Peter, James and John and James is a very prominent, you know, disciple throughout the gospels and it's very clear, so there's a lot of James, okay? So here's how you get, this is how you really know who it is, is it says it's the brother of John and if you go to Matthew chapter 4, I just wanna show you one place but it's really in all these places that when you're dealing with the disciples and with this James, he's always being coupled with his brother John and so this is James and John, the sons of Zebedee and James is always mentioned first, so I don't know if James is the older one than John, but then John is obviously John of the gospel, John who was on Patmos, you know, and saw the vision of, the revelation vision and all that stuff and so, and obviously Peter is up there in that realm too, so this is a big character, this would be like Peter getting killed, right? If you think about it, James is one of those number, the top three and notice in Matthew chapter 4 and verse 21, it says in going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother and a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets and he called them. Now if you go through all these other places where it's like talking about the disciples and the names of the twelve, it'll be James and John his brother, you know, it's always that way that it's talking about that. Now the other James, he's James the son of Alphaeus and it says, and it couples this, it'll say Judas the brother of James, okay, meaning that there's Judas who's also Thaddeus, Labias, you know, he's got all these different names, those two are brothers, but that's obviously not the James, it's the brother of John, okay, and then there's James the Lord's brother, okay. Now the reason why I bring this up to really know who we're talking about here, not only, first of all, this is a big hit, right, Stephen got martyred, but this is one of the twelve that got martyred, and not only one of the twelve, but one of the top twelve, okay, so you can definitely see how this could discourage the church in general, you know, especially the church that said Jerusalem, but this could discourage Christianity because they're like twelve patriarchs, if you will, you know, the twelve apostles, one of them just got murdered by Herod, okay, but what we see actually at the end of this chapter is that the word of God increased and actually they kept moving forward, okay, so it's not about one man, it's not about the twelve apostles, meaning that, yeah, one of the twelve apostles got martyred, but the work still goes on, and it's not about, you know, like if someone that was high up or high respected or had a lot of clout, if something happens to them, you know, you still need to move on, and obviously Stephen was, you know, a man of authority and he was one of the first deacons and he was full of faith and obviously they mourned heavily for him, but it's just interesting how it just says that in passing here, it's kind of like, oh, by the way, and it's really just to kind of catch you up with what happens to Peter, whereas, you know, with Stephen, there's a lot mentioned about it as far as what's going on there, so I just think that's interesting because it's just like, you know, it's just kind of two verses where you deal with, okay, James was killed by Herod with the sword, but I believe this is the same Herod that Jesus called a fox, the same Herod that killed John the Baptist, okay, now it's different than the Herod that had all the children from two years old and under because he dies, right, he dies and then that's when Joseph comes back out of Egypt and all that stuff, so obviously different Harrods that you're dealing with there, but this Herod, I believe, it's kind of like Caesar, you have that name, that title, that family name, if you will, but I believe this is the same Herod, so but we'll see that he gets his demise, we read the end of the chapter, right, because Herod's going to die in a very horrible manner, okay, but going on from there, we see that when this happens, they also put Peter in prison, so in Acts chapter 12 verse 3, it says, and because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also, then were the days of unleavened bread, and when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people, Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. Now, quaternions, that's a hard word to say, but you can kind of think of a centurion, now what's a centurion? Well, you can think about what's cent mean, like as far as a centipede, how many legs does a centipede have? A hundred, right, then you have a millipede, so a thousand, I think, but centipede, you know, has a hundred legs on it, right, and so what's a centurion? Someone that's over a hundred people, right, because you have captains over hundreds, captains over fifties, but I believe a quaternion, I could be wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure a quaternion is someone that would be over like a quarter, meaning over 25, okay, so these quaternions were basically a lower rank than a centurion, if that makes sense, so, but anyway, it's just a way of saying that a quarter, a century, you know, all those different terms, there's a reason why they say it that way, it has to do with how many people they're over, okay, but basically he was delivered unto these four quaternions to keep him, and this is where you get into the whole debate as far as the King James Bible not being accurate and all this, okay, and this is the passage where Easter is mentioned, and I know I preached on this ad nauseam before when we were, I think it was this past Easter, maybe it was the one before, but I do want to say this, that Easter is the Passover, okay, and so when it says, then were the days of unleavened bread, intending after Easter, okay, so this is, okay, I'm just going to give you the argument that, you know, when I was in college, this was the argument that a lot of King James onlyists will say is that Easter is a pagan holiday, and that basically the proof that is that, well, it was the days of unleavened bread, therefore the Passover had already happened, okay, well, go to Luke chapter 22, because I want you to see that the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is a seven-day feast, it's lumped in with the Passover, I mean, it's called the Passover, okay, so the Passover is where the lamb is killed at the end of the 14th day, at even, that starts off the Feast of Unleavened Bread, okay, so basically when they killed the Passover, that's what, it's all one feast, okay, I don't believe that the Passover is a feast and the Days of Unleavened Bread are a feast, I believe it's all the same, okay, it's all the same feast, now, the day of Passover is on the 14th, right, the end at even, but then the 15th day is what starts the Feast of Unleavened Bread, okay, but notice in Luke 22 and verse 1, it says, now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover, okay, so, that kind of puts that out the window that, well, you know, Easter is, the reason that he's saying after Easter is because he's not talking about Passover, now here's the problem with that, you're going to have to say that the Greek is wrong, this is where the ruckman knights will come in, okay, now I am King James only, but I do not believe that the King James corrects the Greek, or the Hebrew, or the Aramaic, I believe it's all good, okay, now if you were to go back to the Greek and look at that word, it is the word that's used for Passover in all these places, you know, it's like, but you know what's an interesting thing, is that, you know how they say Happy Easter in modern Greek right now, is kalo paska, which is literally like Passover, and so it's like, you know, they even know like that's what it means, and that Passover is Easter, okay, so they don't have like this other name that they use or whatever, but here's, that doesn't, that's not definitive, and that's not like a dogmatic way of saying it, because you say, well, you know, they say it right, you know, and we're the only ones that say Easter, and that's wrong, or something like that, well how about this, William Tyndale is the one that made up the word Passover, and in his Tyndale version, which is one of the first English translations, he put Easter in a lot of the places in the New Testament where it says Passover, you know, where it says Christ our Passover, it says Christ our Easter lamb, and then other places it'll say, where it says Passover, the Passover drew nigh, Easter drew nigh, and it'll say the Easter lamb and all these other things, so, so I think William Tyndale is a, you know, what it comes down to is Easter was an older way of saying Passover, and William Tyndale came in with the word he invented, Passover, and he put it in the place, and by the time the King James came out, so basically if you look at Tyndale's version, you look at the Great Bible, you look at the Bishop's Bible, you'll see it in other places besides this passage right here, but by the time the King James came out, they pretty much just put Passover everywhere except for this one spot, okay, and so it's just an older way of saying it and all that, so yeah, it's just Passover, and listen, just because a word looks familiar or looks similar to something doesn't mean it's the same thing, we have words in our language, in the English language that are called homographs, you've heard of homophone, phones, you know, like something that sounds the same, but a homograph is something that is literally spelled the same, but means something different, think of the word bear, right, like I'm gonna bear, you know, like you think of the animal bear, right, but then you think of like bearing something, and you know, there's other words like that, like back and back, like I'm gonna go back there, or you have your back, right, those are things that not only say the same thing, but they're literally spelled the same way, so it'd be like saying like in a sentence, I'm gonna go back to the house, and you're like, are you talking about your back, like your physical body part, and that's what people do, honestly, this is why people that don't understand, you know, like that language need to stop pretending like they do, because they'll literally look up a passage, and they'll be like, well that word's used here, and it's talking about like some time period or whatever, and it's talking about your body part, like your back, and they'll be like, there's a correlation here, no, there's no correlation, it's called the fact that it's a homograph, right, it's things that are used as different words that sound the same, and are spelled the same way, and so all that to say is that, you know, this is not an error than King James Bible, and you know, it just means Passover, okay, it's not a pagan holiday, it wouldn't make sense in context, okay, for this to be like some other holiday, because the whole point is that it says, and then were the days of Unleavened Bread, it's basically saying there's something going on right now, it would be kind of ridiculous to be like, oh, by the way, after this other, you know, holiday that I've never mentioned before, not in context at all, we're going to, you know, present them under them, the whole point is that he didn't want to bring him out during the Passover, when they're doing this feast, isn't that what all the chief priests said, they're like, oh, we don't want, you know, take him down, you know, because we don't want to be defiled for the Passover and all this stuff, they wanted to get it done before they went into the Passover, and so the same thing here is that it's during the Passover, so they're like, you know, not until after that, okay, and so anyway, again, listen to my sermon on Easter, I forget which one it is, I have the Tyndale Bible in here though, so if you literally want to see, I have it highlighted in here, if you want to see the passages where it says Easter lamb, you can look it up, you know, and just see where it actually says that in the Tyndale Bible, but you could also just look at those same verses in the Tyndale Bible or in the other versions that came before the King James and how it uses Easter in those places as well, so it's not some pagan holiday, it's, now, I'm sure there is some pagan holiday, Ishtar and some goddess and all this other stuff that's called that, but just because it looks similar doesn't mean it's the same, okay, and so, but going on in this passage, we see that God is actually going to spring him out of jail, so Acts is actually a big jailbreak, you know, story, and we already saw that, you know, with the apostles in chapter five and all that, and all that, we're going to see it again with Peter, we're going to see it with Paul, and so this is an interesting story, obviously, in how God does this, but in verse six there of chapter 12, it says, and when Herod would have brought him forth the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the prison, you know, something that I notice here when I'm just reading this is the fact that, man, Peter's a dangerous guy, you better bind that guy, I mean, he's just going to, he's going to harm somebody, isn't it how ridiculous how they treat Christians, and how they're just like, oh, you're just like, they like bind them with chains, like he's, he's like a dangerous person, they make us out to be like, we're these dangerous people or something like that, but then they have a bunch of sodomites just running around, and a bunch of child molesters just roaming free, but they have him chained up, you know, you know, just holding this guy down, that's just preaching the gospel, that's just preaching God's word, and so, but then in verse seven there it says, and behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison, and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, arise up quickly, and his chains fell off from his hands, and so imagine this, you know, there's basically, I don't know if he's like sleeping up against the wall, what's going on, but he's between two soldiers, okay, so I imagine, you know, maybe they're like leaning up against the wall, and he's like chained up in the cell, and these two soldiers are literally chained to him, and it's just interesting the wording that it uses as far as the angel's modem, so I don't know if he just like, you know, hit him on the side, or you know, like kind of waking him up, you know, like get up, you know, and then the chains fall off, and notice what it says in verse eight there, it says, and the angel said unto him, gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals, and so he did, and he saith unto him, cast thy garment about thee, and follow me, and so it's interesting here, because we kind of see his clothing a little bit here, and sometimes it's just interesting to think about what they were wearing, you know, he was wearing sandals, and you know, another thing too to think about here is that he girded himself before he cast his garment upon him, and they want, you know, people always want to make you think like he's just wearing this like overcoat, and that's it, you know, he put on, you know, I don't know if like he girded up his pants, you know, and then he put on a garment over top of that, he could have cast the coat upon him, you know, I don't know what exactly he was wearing, but it's just interesting to kind of think of the clothing that he's wearing and all that stuff, but that he was wearing sandals and all that. There's other places in the Bible where it talks about sandals, but it, you know, it talks about shoes as well, so I don't think they always wore sandals and that's all they ever wore, they didn't know about shoes or like enclosing your whole foot or something like that, but anyway, I always just try to pick up those little details and just kind of try to picture what's going on in this story and kind of think about, see the surroundings, and you probably do that when you're reading a story, you kind of think about like, you know, as he's walking through these different areas, what it looked like and just thinking about that, so I'm just trying to get a visual as far as what we're dealing with here. Now, going on in verse 9 there says, and he went out and followed him and wished not that it was true, which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. Now this is something that's interesting because you say, well, how in the world did you not know this was true? There's many times where something happens, you're like, is that really happening or am I just imagining that? Like whether good or bad, and you know, we talked about different scenarios where things have happened, like where people are being like, you know, doing wrong, and you're like, what in the world? Did that just happen? Or someone, you know, it's just like crazy things will happen, you're like, did I just see that? Or it's like, on our anniversary, Holly and I's anniversary, we were driving to go out to eat, and there was this big wreck right in front of us, like it happened at this intersection, and we were like two cars back behind it, and we're just, it's just kind of like processing, you know, like, did that just happen? Like, did I just see that? And it's kind of interesting how that works where something out of the ordinary happens, and that wasn't that out of the ordinary, that someone gets into a wreck, but obviously this is out of the ordinary, and he's literally thinking he might be just seeing a vision, but he's not actually walking through here, and so you may look at this and be like, how in the world does he not know whether that's a vision or if it's reality? But this could happen to anybody when it comes to, you know, seeing something, and this is why, too, you'd say, well, how in the world did Peter doubt, how did all these apostles doubt when they saw all these great miracles? Because you honestly are probably thinking, did that really happen? Did that really happen like I think it happened, or was I just like in the moment? This happens a lot when it comes to people getting saved, and you're like, did that really happen the way I thought it happened? Did that person really get saved? And in the moment you're like, they definitely got it. There's no doubt they got it, but then you second guess yourself because it's so awesome, right? I think of my grandma that got saved, and I'm like, did she really get it? I don't, maybe she didn't, you know, but in the moment I'm like, there's no doubt she got it, and it was awesome that it happened, but those type of things, you're kind of like, it's too good to be true. Does that make sense? It's too good to be true. There's no way this is going, this is happening, and I see that with Peter where he's probably just like, there's no way this is happening. You know, this must be a vision. God's just trying to show me something, right? But it's obviously happening. Now in verse 10 there, it says, when they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which opened to them of his own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street, and forthwith the angel departed from him. Now it's interesting because this, he goes through these like one or two wards, so it's basically, he's going through this prison, and it doesn't really say what he does, right? As far as, you know, there was four quaternions, man that's a hard word to say, four quaternions that were holding him, and remember there was like two that were, that were the keepers, and then there was two soldiers that were next to him as he was sleeping, and basically, I don't know if he put him into a sleep, you know, that's probably what happened, he put him into a sleep where everybody was just asleep, and he just allowed him to walk past all these people, but it doesn't really give us all that information. But notice that the iron gate, it says, which opened to them of his own accord, so this gate just opens up by itself. So if that's not cool, now listen, that's not that cool in our day and age, right? You're like, oh, you know what, yeah, of course, they have those gates all over the place, right? You go into the supermarket and the doors open up, it's magic, right? This is not, back then you got to understand that this was like a miraculous thing, you were just dealing with mechanical, you know, pieces of steel and, and, you know, door nails and all that stuff that's holding the stuff together. So you know, it's kind of, you kind of wonder sometimes why God came in the time that he did and all this other stuff, because you can definitely see how people would explain away in our day and age, like the miracles and different things that were done, and they would really explain it away today. We're like, oh, it opened by itself, big deal. You know, I have a gate in front of my house that does that, you know, our development has a gate that opens up by itself. And, but this is obviously a miracle. So it, you know, you got to think about in their time and their mindset that how miraculous that is that this gate that doesn't normally open by itself is opening up by itself. And so and then notice in verse 11 there says, and when Peter was come to himself, he said, now I know of a surety that the Lord had sent his angel and had delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. So we see that he finally comes through. He's like, okay, it's real, right? He's standing outside of the gate. You know, he's already gone past another street. He's like, all right, I'm not seeing a vision anymore because the angel leaves, right? I think when the angel leaves, that's when it's basically like, okay, you know, this is what happened. This is really happening because if it was just a vision, the angel would be there telling him something, showing him something or whatever, but the angel is just like, see you later. That's not what he said. Okay. But basically just like peaced out and then he's there by himself in the street. And so just a miraculous story and don't let that get lost on you, these little things that happen here. And it really just shows you that, listen, especially in our day and age and when, when you know, go going out soul winning or something like that, they'll try to like, you know, crack down on us or something, something as far as, you know, may say you're gonna have to go to prison. Listen, the God in Acts chapter 12 is the same God we have today. And if God wants to get us out of prison, he will. And there's cases where, you know, God uses, he's gonna use Paul to win people to Christ in prison and he's using these situations and all this stuff. So just keep serving God because I believe that God can still break someone out of prison just like this. And he can open that gate, whether it's automatic or not, it doesn't matter. He'll get past that key code and get you out of there and all this. So it is a miraculous story on what happens here. And it's just interesting when he finally comes to this house. And there's certain things that just make you laugh, you know, when you read these stories and what happens here. But it's just humans being humans and people being, you know, just typical people when it comes to being excited about something and all that. But I first want you to see what house he goes to, where he goes right after he gets broken out of prison. Verse 12 there, it says, And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together, praying. You say, well, what's significant about this? Well, remember how I was talking about how I believe that Mark is his son? So if this is the case, then he just went home. Okay. He really went and it doesn't say that it's his wife. And again, this is just a theory. Okay. But it wouldn't it kind of makes sense that he would go to his house where his family's at, you know, if he got if he got busted out of prison, that he would go there. And so this may give us an idea that his wife's name is Mary, and that his son Mark was there. And I just wanted to show you go to I want to show you that is how that he has a house. Okay. You say, well, you know, I know it's kind of on the but you kind of think about the apostles, you're like, they didn't have anywhere to live, you know, Jesus didn't have anywhere to lay his head. Okay, so that's true. He didn't have a house or anything like that. But that doesn't mean that his disciples didn't. You know, when we get this false idea to where the disciples are literally just living under a bridge with them, and they never see their family again. Okay. It's not true. And actually, I'll show you go to Matthew chapter eight, because we're gonna see that, obviously, they were seeing their family, because they'll say, Well, you need to forsake your family. No, listen, you need to forsake your family, if they're reprobate, or if they're they're causing you not to follow God. Okay. That's where you have to be willing to do that. You need to love God more than your family. Okay. But it, but it also says that if you don't provide for your own, especially they have your own house, you have denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. Okay, so you can't say well, you know, they just left their family. No, then they they're denying the faith and they're worse than an infidel because not providing for their own. Okay. And how can Peter be an elder be a pastor, as he says in First Peter chapter five, if he's not keeping his own house, if he's not ruling his house well. Okay. And so, just to show you that Peter has a house. Okay. In Matthew chapter eight, verse 14, it says, And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, okay, he's got a house. Okay. And it says, he saw his wife's mother laid in sick of a fever. So there's a couple things you see here. First of all, he has a dwelling place, he has a house, but he also has a wife. You know, because he wants a mother in law without a wife. Right. But it's very clear. Yeah, you don't just get your wife's mother and then don't get a wife out of it. Right. Now, I have a really good mother in law. Right. My wife has the best mother in law. So it's an old Ken Hovind joke. But anyway, but all I'd say is that there's a couple things to see there that he has a wife, that he has a house. Okay. And so it's not that out of the ordinary that he has a house when he gets out of prison to go to. Okay. Now, it doesn't say like he went to his house with his wife Mary and his son Mark, but go to First Peter chapter five, because, like I said, I do believe that Mark is his son, which explains, you know, why the book of Mark is, you know, why Mark wrote the gospel. Because, you know, Peter was there from the beginning. That means Mark was around that whole time, too. Okay. And so I believe Mark is an apostle. And you say, well, you know, he wasn't, how do you know that he believed and all that? Well, James, the brother of Jesus, didn't believe until afterwards, and he's an apostle. I already preached on that and showed you that. So, but in First Peter chapter five, verse 13, it says, and this is obviously Peter talking, it says, the church that is at Babylon, I'd like to gather with you, salute with you, and so doth Marcus my son. And you say, well, you know, maybe he just want him to the Lord. Well, usually when it says that, actually most all the times it says that, actually, I can't think of another time that it says that it's not the fact that it says my son in the faith. You know, it says that about Timothy, my son after the common, you know, and then it says about Titus, my son after the common faith. And so he's saying my son after the faith, but here it just says, Marcus, my son, salute with you, right? And so that makes a lot of sense when you look at this story though, doesn't it? That he gets out of prison, and then what house does he go to? His house, right? He goes to his house to where Mary, the mother of John, whose surname is Mark. And so, you know, to me, this just bolsters a little more that I believe that Peter, you know, obviously was married, but I believe actually his wife is probably married here, and that his son is Mark. And, you know, that makes sense because if he's going to be qualified to be a pastor, he's got to have children, and he's got to rule well. Same thing with John. I believe John is married and has children at this point as well, okay? And so, but you just don't see him mentioned, so you just kind of think of these guys as being these, like, single guys or something like that. That's what, listen, that's what these movies will show you, but that's just not reality, okay? You got to get, you know, the greatest story ever told out of your mind. You got to get, like, these other movies or different things that have been depicted on TV and all this stuff, you got to get it out of your mind and know that most of these guys were married. Actually, they probably all were, except for Paul, okay? Paul's the only one that we know for sure wasn't married, didn't have children. Barnabas might have been the same way too, but we don't know that for sure either, okay? And so, but Paul made it a big deal, like, hey, you know, but he didn't make it sound like most people were like him, okay? He was the anomaly as far as not being married and not having children, okay? Now, going on from that, we see that Rhoda, there's his damsel. Now, we don't really know who this is. This could very well be his daughter, okay? Just not telling this information. You know, you could assume that it's not, and you could assume that Marcus and his son, even though it says that, you could say that this is a different Mark, though, right? You could say, well, there's Marcus and then there's, well, that will clash with where it talks about Marcus' sister's son, the Barnabas, and all this other stuff. So, I believe Marcus and John Mark are the same person, okay? But again, you know, I'm just kind of giving you some logic as far as why I think that's the case. But notice in verse 13 there, so Acts chapter 12, verse 13, because as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to harken named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in and told how Peter stood before the gate. This just makes me laugh, okay? And so, you've got to imagine what's going on here, right? He's knocking on the door, and then he's, you imagine that this girl comes up and says, who's there? It's me, you know, it's, you know, it's Peter, and then she just runs away, okay? Is that, that's just hilarious to me, because he's just like, he got broken out of prison, and then he's like knocking and saying, hey, it's Peter, open up, and then she just runs off because she's so glad about it, but leaves him there, okay? This happens all the time when people are excited about things and, you know, whatever, but it's just kind of funny, and you've got to have a sense of humor when you're reading the Bible every once in a while, when there's things like this that happen, because you've got to, you understand where she's coming from, because she's running back like, oh, Peter's at the gate, but you've got to understand where he's at. Can you imagine what he's thinking? Like, are you going to open up? Like, where'd you go? You know, aren't you opening the door? And so, anyway, I just find that funny, but going on from there in verse 15, it says, and they said unto her, thou art mad, but she constantly affirmed that it was even so, then said they, it is his angel, but Peter continued knocking, and when they had opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. So they were obviously like not believing it, you know, when she said that, they're just like, you're mad, you're crazy. And so, but they've been praying for Peter this whole time, so that's where it talks about how the church was praying, but it says that he went to the house, it says in verse 12 there, it's talking about the house that he went to, it says where many were gathered together praying. So they were praying as this was going on, and so you can imagine that they're just like, there's no way that he's here. It's like our prayer is being answered right now. Like, are you, are you serious? And so, and so that, that's why it is crazy sometimes to see our prayers answered, where you're just like, there's no way, I just prayed for that. I just prayed that exact prayer. And you run into that, and it just happened this week, you know, with people in our church, but also with people that are just needing to get saved, and they're just like, and a lot of us have run into that, and I love seeing other people see that same truth, because I've seen it happen where people are just like, I prayed this exact prayer that someone would come to my door and show me how to go to heaven. And they'll literally say that to you, and you're just like, this is amazing. There's no way this is, this is happening right now. And you can almost be like, Peter, be like, is this a vision? Is this, is this real? And you know, you're, you know, months will go by, and then you'll think about it like, did that really happen exactly like that? And you'll be second-guessing yourself and all this stuff, and so that's why you got to keep doing it. You got to keep praying. You got to keep going, soul-winning, because those things are going to keep happening, but if, you know, you're not going to know what that's like, and so you're actually in the work doing it. And so, but it's interesting, you know, that they're obviously astonished, and you imagine that you're praying, but you don't think that's actually, that God's going to break him out of prison. You're probably thinking, well, you know, he's going to go up before them, and then God's going to somehow deal with it to where he's just going to get out of it. And you know, they're kind of probably praying in a manner of like, how we would think something would go down to get someone out of it, but not the fact that he's literally going to pull him out of prison, open the gate by itself for him, and then he's going to be there that night as they're praying for him. So, because remember, the next day is when Herod wanted to bring him out, okay? So they're praying, I'm sure, like all night. They're fasting. They're doing all this because they know that the next day is when this is all going down, and there's Peter standing at the gate like, hey, guys. So it's just kind of a cool story. Now, notice what it says here. You may look at the way they say things and what they say, and you're like, what are they talking about? Because they said, they said, or in verse 15 there, then said they, it is his angel. Have you ever really wondered what that meant, or like what he's talking about there? Now, you know, you tend to like think, well, are they saying it's his spirit? You know, like, but I don't think that's necessarily what they mean there because I think they would have said it's his spirit, okay? I'm going to give you my thinking as far as who, or what they think that's at the gate. I believe they think it's actually like Peter's angel, like, I believe each one of us has an angel that's basically designated for us, okay? At least one. I don't know. There could be more, but go to Hebrew chapter 1, Hebrew chapter 1 and verse 7. This is just a theory. Again, they said it, so who knows what they meant or if they were even right, you know what I mean? It's not like the narrator saying like, his, you know, his angel did this or whatever, but there is some language that's used about angels being like belonging to people, okay? And that's what I kind of want to get to is it says it is his angel. And so Hebrew chapter 1 and verse 7 there says, and of the angels he saith, who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire, okay? So we know that angels are spirits, but we also know that they can take the form, they can look like people, right? They can look like a person. We saw that with when Jesus was risen from the dead and how there was angels, but they also look like men, okay? And then go down to verse 13 there. Verse 13 it says, but to which the angel said he at any time sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Are they not all ministering what? Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. So their whole purpose is that they're supposed to be ministering spirits, right? And notice it says that he maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire. The whole purpose of why the angels were even created was to minister unto us. You're saying really? Yes. That's what it's saying here. Their whole purpose is to be ministering spirits unto us who shall be heirs of salvation. And so I believe that that's what they do. And if you think about it all throughout the Bible, what is their purpose? They're like giving a message unto us. They're doing stuff for us. They're working. Obviously God is using them and working for them, but the whole reason that they're doing things is to help us out or do things for us. And so go to Matthew chapter 18. Matthew chapter 18. I believe every child has an angel, has their own angel. And not only do they have their own angel, this could very well be a very special case where their angels are always beholding the face of the father. So this is very interesting too. And you can say, well, this is just talking about those that believe them. Yeah, but I believe all children that are under the age of understanding the knowledge of good and evil are all spiritually alive. Therefore they'd have angels and all that stuff looking after them. But notice what it says here in Matthew chapter 18 verse 10. It says, take heed that you despise not one of these little ones. So who are we talking about? These little ones. And it says, for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my father, which is in heaven. Notice there is a possession, right? The possession of who? These little ones. So these little ones have angels that are theirs. Okay. And so when they say it is his angel, I believe that Peter has his angel. But I also believe each one of us that are saved have our angel. And I actually believe that, you know, Cornelius had an angel. I believe that was his angel that was talking to him to say, hey, send him for Peter. And there's certain angels that are designated certain people. Think of Daniel. Daniel, you don't have to turn there, but Daniel chapter 10 verse 21, we see angels talking to each other and all this stuff. But Daniel had Michael, the archangel as his angel. And because it says this, it says, but I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth. And there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael, your prince. Notice the possession of that, your prince. Okay. And we know that these princes are talking about angels. So Michael, the archangel. And so it's just the theory, but they could be thinking like this is his angel that's like designated to him. That's like there to tell us something or whatever. But I think it's definitely interesting. There's not that much talked about with angels besides the fact that, you know, it talks about to be careful to entertain strangers because some have entertained angels unawares, you know, that they're among us. And so there's probably, you probably run into an angel before you don't even know it, you know, and so that's a real thing. And just something interesting to think about, but it could be, you know, it could be the fact that that's what they were thinking of. Obviously that's not what it was, right? It was Peter. Okay. But they're saying it is his angel. I don't think it's that far out of left field. I don't think they're just making up some kind of crazy idea here. I think that this is a kind of a known thing that each saved person, at least each saved person has an angel that's designated for them. Okay. And so, but again, this isn't a sermon on angels and all that stuff, but listen for the whole reason of why angels are even here is for ministering unto the saved. So it wouldn't be that out of, out of the way there. Now, going on from that in verse 17 of Acts chapter 12. So basically, you know, they're astonished. And then in verse 17, it says, but he beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the, out of the prison. And he said, go show these things unto James and to the brethren. And he departed and went into another place. So, you know, obviously he's saying, hold your peace. So you imagine that he comes in there and they're just like all talking and they're like, what in the world is going on? So it's just all this commotion and he's just like, listen, I'm going to tell you what happened. And so then he tells them what happened, how God, you know, how the angel Lord came and brought him out and all this stuff. But then he says, go show these things unto James and to the brethren. Now this clearly isn't James, the son of, or the son of Zebedee, right? That wouldn't make any sense. So this James, and we're going to get into this when we get into, especially to Acts chapter 15, that I believe that James, because he's a prominent character that's going to be brought up later on as far as dealing with the church at Jerusalem. I believe James, who's basically the lead pastor, if you will, of the church of Jerusalem is James, the Lord's brother. Okay. But at the very least, you know, as he's talking about James, the son of Alphaeus, right? The other, the other James of the 12. But I'll say this, I think it has to either be one of those two, as far as if he's going to mention him by name that James, because James is going to be brought up later. And I'm going to give you my reasons when we get to James chapter or James chapter, and when we get to Acts chapter 15, I'm going to give you my reasons why I believe it's James, the brother of Jesus, you know, his physical brother. Because James is actually the one that kind of messes up a little bit, and he gets Peter into trouble. And then he's actually gonna get Paul into trouble with basically the Judea, I can't even talk, Judaizing them, and the fact of like trying to keep them under the Levitical laws and all these different things, right? And so, but anyway, it is important to understand that James, the brother of John, died. Okay, so from here on out, when you're going through the book of Acts, he's not there anymore. Unless they're like, unless they were, which they don't, but unless they were like to talk about, about like something that happened in the past, right? But he's not around at this point, after this chapter. So even in the same chapter, he brings up James, so he's obviously not talking about James, the brother of John. And that's when you, when you're in Galatians chapter 2, and not to steal my thunder for that sermon, he brings up Cephas, James and John, and talks about how they seem like pillars, and he brings up James again. That is not talking about James, the son of Zebedee, James, the brother of John, okay? But you would think that would be, because who do you think of when you think of Peter, James and John? You think of James, the son of Zebedee. So, just something to know when we, when we get further into that. So this chapter will definitively show you that. In chapter 15, you are not talking about that James, okay? But going on from there, we see that Herod finds out, obviously, that Peter's not there. In verse 18, it says, now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers what was become of Peter. So I imagine they're waking up like, what in the world happened? We were like chained to a tomb, and all this stuff. So they had him fast in the prison, right? And so in verse 19, it says, and when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea and their abode, okay? Now, this passage right here, how he puts these, these keepers to death makes a lot of sense, you know, makes Acts chapter 16 make more sense, okay? Go to Acts chapter 16 and verse 27, because we use this passage all the time dealing with this Philippian jailer, but you may ask yourself, why was he trying to kill himself? Well, this passage in Acts chapter 12, you're reading that before you get to Acts chapter 16. So when you get to Acts chapter 16, you're like, well, yeah, I mean, Herod killed those two keepers because, you know, they didn't, and it could have been not just the two, but also the other soldiers could have been four people that were killed because they didn't have Peter there when he woke up in the morning. But in Acts chapter 16, verse 27, it says, and the keeper of the prison, awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword and would have killed himself. Why? Supposing that the prisoners had been fled. So it's exactly what happened with Peter, although obviously we know the story that they're like, no, we're all here, don't kill yourself, you know, don't do that. And so it's interesting the difference between those two stories, obviously how the Philippian jailer gets saved and those other keepers die, they're put to death, but it definitely makes sense. That's why, you know, when the keepers at Jesus' tomb, the Jews said, listen, we're going to pay you money, just say that they took Jesus by night while you slept, and if it comes into the governor's ears, we'll secure you. Why did they say that? Because they could have been put to death for it because they didn't do their job because they fell asleep on the job. It was a very serious thing to be a keeper of a prisoner or a keeper, you know, after your post and you fell asleep and didn't do your job, okay? So, but going on from that, we're going to see where Herod finally dies. He dies in a manner that's very similar to a king in the Old Testament that we haven't got to yet, of Judah, where his bowels, like he has this disease in his bowels. I mean, it's just, I mean, that's not the way I want to go, my friends, you know, when it comes to this, and what happens with Herod here, you're just like, oh, no, no, I don't want to go that way. But listen, you got to understand, Herod's the one that had John the Baptist beheaded. He just killed James with the sword, and so he's a fox. You know, that's what Jesus called him. He's a fox, and Jesus wouldn't even speak to him when Herod was trying to talk to him. I believe Herod had a chance, you know, back when John the Baptist was preaching to him, and he liked it and all that stuff, but he crossed the line, and at this point, this guy is a reprobate. This guy is deserving of what happens to him. You kind of think of how Judas dies, right, and how his bowels burst asunder. I don't know what it is about the people that die dealing with their bowels. It's just a horrific death, okay? Now, in Acts chapter 12 and verse 20 there, it says, and Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Zidon, but they came with one accord to him, and having made blastest the king's chamberlain, their friend, this desired peace, because their country was nourished by the king's country. And upon a set day, Herod arrayed in royal peril sat upon his throne and made an oration unto them, and the people gave out a shout, saying, it is the voice of a god and not of a man, and immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost. He was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost. That's what happened first before he gave up the ghost. That is horrific. I don't even want to think about how that happened, okay? But, I mean, that's a horrific death. It doesn't say how long that took either, okay? But, you know, when you think about these wicked people that are out in the world that are, like, have this high authority and all this stuff, their day is coming. You know, you think of, like, Herod when he had John the Baptist beheaded, and when you read this story, you start off the story and you're like, Herod, you know, I hate this guy. You know, he just killed James. And you just think about that, and you're just like, this guy is wicked. You know, he just killed James, and he's trying to go after Peter, and at the end of this story, you're like, yep, he got what was coming to him. He didn't just get killed with a sword. He didn't get a quick death. You know, this was a horrific death. But, notice what happened here. You know, it says that he gave an oration. Now, what's an oration? You think of, like, an orator, right? Someone that's giving basically a speech. You think of something, like, what's in that word a little bit? Oral, right? So, something that you're speaking, something that's oral, right? And so, an oration is basically just giving this speech, and they, you know, I don't know if he actually gave a good speech, okay? Or if these people were just flattering him. Because, if you think about it, Tyron Zidon, he was displeased with them, and it says they came with one accord to him, and having blast this, the king's chamberlains, so they were friends with one of his chamberlains, right? It says desired peace, so they were desiring peace with him. So, you can imagine what's going on here, right? Is that he gives this oration, and they're like, it's not even the voice of a man, it's the voice of a god, you know? To me, this is probably flattering. I almost doubt that it was actually that good of a speech, okay? But, because they had ulterior motives of trying to get on his good side, they're just like, oh, that was great, that was fantastic, you know? And they brought it up to this other level of, you know, you got the voice of a god, you know? Now, that's ridiculous, but basically Herod ate it up, fork and spoon, and didn't give God the glory. Basically he just said, oh yeah, I am that good. Now, this is very dangerous, okay? Especially because, here's why this is so dangerous, because sometimes people will come up to me and say, you know, that was a great sermon, you know? And I've had people say, that's the best sermon I've ever heard in my life, okay? And I'm just like, can you start listening to some more preaching, you know? But I've had people say that to me, and I'm constantly saying, well, praise the Lord, I'm glad it was a blessing to you, you know, I'm glad you enjoyed it, and all that stuff. I don't want to be like, yeah, I know it was, wasn't it? You know what I mean? Now, that's not as bad as what happened here, but I don't even want to come close to that. That would be ridiculous, by the way, and be like, yeah, it was good, wasn't it? You know, it's so ridiculous. Or I may say, well, yeah, that's a good truth, isn't it? You know, that's a good little, you know, thing in the Bible, you know, it's amazing how the Bible's just so deep, and stuff like that. And sometimes I don't know what to say, because it's kind of weird, you know, when people are complimenting you on stuff like that, because you want to be nice, you want to be like, thanks. I don't think there's anything wrong with saying thanks, because you know people are trying to be nice, they're wanting to give you a compliment and all that stuff. But some people are over the top, some people are just like, to the point of ridiculousness, you're like, no, I don't think it was that good, you know, I've heard other preaching that's a lot better than this. But anyway, but in this case, they were putting him on par with a god, you know, they're basically saying he's, he's got the voice of a god. Okay, so this is on another level, right? Because it'd be like someone coming up to me like, and I felt like I was listening to the Lord Jesus Christ, you know, it'd be like that. I'd be like, what in the world? Stop talking. No, you know, because that's where you gotta be like, no, I'm nowhere near the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm not even worthy to like, lose his shoe latchet, right? To even be even be anywhere compared to that is ridiculous. Okay. And so you got to shut that thing down, right? You got to give God the glory be like, no, the only reason I can even speak at all is because God gave me that ability to even speak. Okay. And, you know, to think otherwise is foolishness. And I think about these verses. So go to Isaiah 42, as far as God's glory, meaning that he didn't give God the glory, he was taking the glory for himself, because people were saying, you know, hey, you know, you got the voice of a god. It's not, it's not a man speaking there, it's a god. And obviously, you think of the first commandment, have no other gods before me. So they're like saying that he's a god. So he needs to be rebuking and saying, hey, there's no other God but one. So he needs to be putting them in their places it is. But in Isaiah 42, verse eight, there, it says, I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Okay. So obviously, in these cases with these graven images, or what are they're false gods, okay. And in Isaiah 48 says something similar to that. But Isaiah 48, in verse 11, it says, for mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it, for how should my name be polluted, I will not give my glory unto another. Okay, so, you know, obviously, this shows that this is also a great way to show the deity of Jesus, because he says glorify thy son, you know, because I have glorified thee in the glory they share together, because it's the three persons and one God, right. And so it says, I will not give my glory to another. Well, how is he given Jesus glory then? Well, because he's God, okay, because it's the Trinity. And so all that works together, obviously, in that, because the Lord is the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. Okay. But, but anyway, all that to say is that, you know, he doesn't give his glory unto another. And so for Herod not to admit, hey, listen, no, no, don't give me that high of an accolade, right. And go to First Corinthians chapter four, First Corinthians chapter four, and this is what we need to be constantly reminding ourselves is that, listen, any ability that we have, if we're good at something, it's only because God allowed us to be good at that. We should never have this attitude like, well, I earned it, I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps. You know, everything that I do is because I earned it. Listen, the only reason that you even took a breath today is because God allowed it and God gave you that ability to do it. Okay. And I'm not up here to preach about the sovereignty of God, you know, and like, basically, God is just controlling everything you do. But I'll say this, that if you if there's anything good that you do, it's only because, you know, God is allowing you, you know, basically to do those type of things. And, you know, you got to be thinking about that with your abilities. You should never be thinking, you know, well, I'm just really good at this. I'm just talented. Well, God gave you that talent. And there's a lot of people that are talented at a lot of things and they're wasting it. Okay, meaning that God gave them those abilities and God gave them all that. And they're basically praising themselves like, look at me, look how good I am at this, and not giving God the glory. First Corinthians chapter four and verse six, it says, in these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself until Apollos, for your sakes, that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. And that's exactly what they were doing with Herod here. They were puffed up one for another against another. It says, For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou didst, hadst not received it? And remember, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and coming down from the father of the light. And it's very clear that God is giving us those gifts, those talents, those abilities, and talks about how he gives the gifts of the Spirit to every man severally, meaning that they're separate gifts, different kind of gifts that people have. Not everybody has the same gifts. And he's basically saying, don't think that that didn't come from God. You're basically, glorying as if that you didn't receive it. Someone gave you that. That's God, obviously. And so, if there's any good ability that you have, it's because God gave it to you. And you need to be glorying in God and giving him the glory for that. So if I ever preach a good sermon, listen, it's only glory to God that God gave me that ability to even preach in a manner that was in a good manner where people were edified by it. That doesn't take away from the hard work that goes into it. I don't want you to get me wrong here, because obviously you've got to work hard, you've got to practice, you've got to do it, and all that. But listen, I don't care how much practice you do, if God doesn't give you the ability, if God doesn't give you the gift to be able to actually even speak well and do these different things, then I don't care how much you practice. Because you're saying, well, I'm going to do it on my own ability, not God's, and good luck with that as a Christian. Now, obviously, people that aren't saved do that all day long, and they're going to do it by their own bootstraps, and they're going to use God's abilities that he's given them and kind of spite him as they do it. Those are days coming, just like Herod. But as Christians, let it not be said. And listen, Paul says in Galatians chapter 6 and verse 3, it says, for if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceive himself. And he says later on in that same chapter, he says, but God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. And so we need to glory in the cross, we need to glory in God that gave us those abilities. And I don't think most people, you know, like, I haven't had anybody in the church be like, you know, I'm just really good at this. Most people can see through that, right? If someone just says, man, I'm really good at this. You're just like, you need to be knocked down a peg. You need to get that chip off your shoulder, right? And it doesn't matter if you are good at it. If you're really good at it, you don't need to say that you're good at it. I'll say that. You know, the people that are like, I'm really good at this. It'd be like, well, then you need to get better at it because you're obviously not that good. Because someone that's really good at doing things, they don't need to tell people that because people know that you're good at it. Does that make sense? And so, I can't stand that. When people do that, they're just like, I'm really good at this. It's like, really? You know? And so, and we've all been guilty of doing that. So don't get me wrong. We've all said that. And there's a difference between joking too, right? If you're just like, I'm really good at this and you're just joking, you're being sarcastic, okay? But all I'd say is that, you know, obviously, Herod got what was coming to him. Now, ending the chapter there in Acts chapter 12, it says in verse 24, after all this, you know, James is killed, but then Peter's broken out of prison. And then Herod dies and says, but the word of God grew and multiplied. So the word of God is still going strong. Words are getting preached. People are getting saved. And this is in verse 25. It says, and Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry and took with them John, whose surname was Mark. So if you remember what happened at the end of chapter 11, because, you know, where's, where's Paul or Barnabas and Saul coming from here? Well, they went to Jerusalem. If you remember at the end of Acts chapter 11 there in verse 29, it says, then the disciples, every man, according to his ability determined to send relief unto the brethren, which dwelt in Judea, which also they did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. Okay. So in chapter 11, where did Barnabas and Saul go? They went to Jerusalem. They went to Judea to send relief, right? They were in Antioch and they sent relief. And what's happening at the end of chapter 12, they're returning from that. They're returning from Jerusalem. Okay. So they're coming back, but when they came back, they brought John Mark with them. Does that make sense? So, you know, John Mark, obviously, which is the house where Peter went to to tell them what happened on their way back from Jerusalem, going back down to Antioch, they brought Mark with them. Okay. Which makes sense in that manner too, because I believe Barnabas is his uncle. And so in Colossians chapter four, you don't have to turn there. I already hit on this in another sermon, but Colossians four and verse 10, it says, Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, salute with you and Marcus, sister son to Barnabas, touching whom you received commandments, if he come unto you, receive him. And so, Marcus is sister son to Barnabas, which would make him his nephew, right? And which would make, if Peter is the father of Marcus, that would make Barnabas, I mean, I'm sorry, that would make, yeah, so it'd be Peter's son, Barnabas's nephew, and Barnabas would be like brother-in-law to Peter, because it would be his sister would be married to Peter. Okay. So anyway, that's just a theory though. Okay. Some of these things are very clear, who's married to who and who's related to who, but I think that it makes sense when you look at all these things and you match up all the different verses that talk about it. But as we get, that's the end of chapter 12, but we'll get into chapter 13 next week, Lord willing. And you know, that's where we really get into Paul's story. That's where he's going to be start, he's going to start to be called Paul. So at this point where he's still being called Saul, but in chapter 13, he's going to be called Paul. And it's really going to be Paul's story from here on out. So really the next half of the book of Acts is Paul's story and just different people that are around him and all that. And so I'm excited for it because there's a lot of cool stuff that's going to be coming up in these stories. And so there's, I don't think there's a chapter where you're going to be bored as far as what's going on in the story. But let's end with a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this evening and just pray that you be with us throughout the rest of this week. And I pray that you'd help us to know your word and thank you for the book of Acts and just how we can see how we are to live for the Lord today. And you know that it hasn't changed as far as what we need to do today from what they did back then. And Lord, we love you and pray all this in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.