Church Prayers Connects with HeavenActs 12:6-17

1. What was the church doing for Peter while he was in prison? Acts 12:5

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

Early Church Prayers addressed to God

• an expression of thanks

• Synonym: invocation

• People gather in homes-unsafe for public prayer.

• Days of Unleavened Bread

Unleavened Bread

Among Jews, the festival commemorating the Exodus, the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. During Passover, unleavened bread, called matzo, is eaten. In the course of the festival, the story of the Exodus is read.

2. What was Peter bound in shackles with while in prison? Acts 12:6

And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.

Jehovah-jireh means The Lord will Provide

'In the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.' The meaning is, that God, in the greatest difficulties, when all human assistance is vain, will make a suitable provision for the deliverance of those who trust in Him. Genesis 22:14

3. Who stood by Peter, told him to arise, and loosed the chains? Acts 12:7

Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.

Angel of the Lord

The angel of the Lord was one of the ministering spirits sent forth by Christ, to minister to his servant. He was a light shone in the prison. An emblem of the presence, majesty, and power of God, who was present, to work a great deliverance.

4. What instructions did the angel give to Peter? Acts 12:8

Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.”

Follow Me

And the angel said unto Peter "follow me;" suggesting that he should take care of him, and show him his way, and bring him safe out of the prison.

5. What did Peter think he was seeing? Acts 12:9

So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

The Transforming Power of God

• Genesis 45:26 They told him, "Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt." Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.

• Psalm 126:1 When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

6. When Peter was outside the prison, what happened to the angel? Acts 12:10

When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

Open Doors

This prison gate opened to them of its own accord. The gates of the temple are said to do forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem. They were opened by divine power because no human creature had any hand in it.

7. When Peter came to himself, what did he realize? Acts 12:11

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

Now I Know

Peter said, now know I of a surety, that the Lord has sent his angel. He gave thanksgiving to God, and an acknowledgment, that the deliverance, though it was by the ministry an angel, yet was the goodness and power of God. It was God that sent his angel and the salvation was of the Lord's doing. It was marvelous in the eyes of Peter. 

8. What was the people in Mary's house doing when Peter got there? Acts 12:12

So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.

Which Prayer the Church made for Peter?

• a. PRAISE - when our hearts are full of joy and love for God.

• b. THANKSGIVING - when our hearts are full of appreciation for God.

• c. CONFESSION - when our hearts are full of contrition for our sins.

• d. INTERCESSION - when our hearts are full of concern about others.

• e. PETITION - when our hearts are full of concern for our own situation.

9. Why Rhoda did not open the door for Peter? Acts 12:13-14

13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 

14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.

Girl overcome with Excitement

The door was kept shut, for fear of the Jews. A girl came to heard a knocking, she came out to the door, and listened, to try if she could know who it was, a friend or a foe, before she opened. When she learned it was Peter, excitement caused her to forget to open the door.

10. Did the people believe the girl was telling the truth? Acts 12:15

But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”

Miracles are Closer than we Think

How often do we pray for what we can hardly credit the One who bestowed the blessing! This perception shows how very near heaven and earth, the Lord and His praying people, are to each other.

11. What did Peter keep doing to get the people attention? Acts 12:16

Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

Keep on Knocking

But Peter continued knocking that they might let him in. What if his enemies saw him? It is natural that he felt the danger of being recaptured.When they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished!

Why was it important that Peter motion with his hand for the people to keep silent? Acts 12:17

But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.

Communicating with Hand

But he beckoning unto them with the hand or making signs, to hold their peace; to be silent, and not clamorous in their expressions of joy. Their joyful noise might alarm the neighborhood. He entered the house and declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of prison.

Anthony Hinton free after 30 years on death row

REVIEW

1. What was the church doing for Peter while he was in prison?

2. What was Peter bound in shackles with while in prison?

3. Who stood by Peter, told him to arise, and loosed the chains?

REVIEW

4. What instructions did the angel give to Peter?

5. What did Peter think he was seeing?

6. When Peter was outside the prison, what happened to the angel?

REVIEW

7. When Peter came to himself, what did he realize?

8. What was the people (church) in Mary's house doing when Peter got there?

9. Why Rhoda did not open the door when she recognized Peter's voice?

REVIEW

10. Did the people believe the girl was telling the truth?

11. What did Peter keep doing to get the people attention?

12. Why was it important that Peter motion with his hand for the people to keep silent?

What is the Good News in this lesson?