I'm Still Standing

Copyright: South Bay Community Church
Sermon Reflections: I'm Still Standing
Date: 31st December 2023
Speaker: Pastor Emeritus Stan Long
Sermon Scripture: Acts 12:1-18

Sermon Preamble
            One day, the owner of a parakeet named Chippie decided to clean the bird’s cage with a vacuum cleaner. When the owner was distracted by a phone call, the parakeet was sucked up by the vacuum cleaner. Chippie was stunned and covered with soot and dirt, so the owner held Chippie under a faucet. Then realizing that Chippie was wet and shivering, the owner used a blow dryer to blast Chippie with hot air. Chippie had been sucked up, washed up, and blown over, so the bird was in no mood to repeat phrases or to sing like before. This feeling of being sucked up, washed up, and blown over was common in the year 2023 for many people. Perhaps it was an emotional or spiritual struggle, a year of difficulty with family, friends, or neighbors, a temptation, an illness, or the loss of a loved one that made you feel sucked up, washed up, and blown over. We may feel sucked up, washed up, and blown over when two things happen in our lives: (1) stuff happens when we are in the right place at the wrong time; (2) stuff also happens when we are caught up in someone else’s agenda. No matter what you have been through this year, you are still standing! God knew what you would face and got things ready for you to reach the last Sunday in 2023 still standing. You did not get to the last Sunday of 2023 by yourself, because God never left your side for a second in 2023. You won’t get through 2024 by yourself because God will overwhelm you with God’s blessings.

The Background of the Apostle Peter in preaching, healing, and time in jail
                        The Apostle Peter knew what it was like to feel sucked up, washed up, and blown over when he spent the day doing good only to spend the night in jail. It's not possible to talk about the Acts of the Apostles and not highlight the ministry of Peter. Peter came into his own on the day of Pentecost after preaching his famous sermon, and three thousand joined the faith community (Acts 2:40-41). We encounter Peter again on his way to a prayer meeting at the temple. There he encountered a beggar who was looking to him for money. Instead Peter healed him (Acts 3:1-10). Peter’s ministry was so powerful that people brought sick people from surrounding communities and laid their beds and mats along the streets, hoping that Peter's shadow would fall upon them, and they would find healing (Acts 5:15).
            People were astonished by Peter’s preaching, but the Jewish leaders found him annoying and sought to put him in jail (Acts 4:3). He knew what it felt like to be in jail; he had been there before. He knew what it felt like to be flogged and rejected, but he wouldn't stop teaching and preaching about Jesus. He traveled all over the countryside down to Joppa where he raised a woman from the dead (Acts 9:40-43), then over to Caesarea to lead Cornelius and his family to Christ which give fresh life to the Gentile movement (Acts 10:44-46).
           
Peter’s world collides with Herod’s world
            Luke sets the time of this encounter shortly after Peter’s visit to Caesarea. Up to this time, the chief enemies of the church had been the Sanhedrin, the political and religious heavyweights associated with the temple—the high priest, the aristocrats, the Pharisees, and the former high priest and crime boss, Annas. In the meantime, the church expanded dramatically, sweeping through Judea and Samaria. Its influence was primarily religious and sectarian; within Judaism only a few people outside the ranks of devout Hebrews took notice.
            “It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread” (Acts 12:1-3).           In this text, Peter’s world collides with Herod’s world. Like Peter, so much of our sucked up, washed up, and blown over feelings occurs when two things happen in our lives: We are in the right place at the wrong time, and things happen; (2) we are caught up in someone else’s agenda and more things happen. For example, preaching without notes can be the right place, but the wrong time to experiment. The expectations of others may be to preach without notes. But trying to meet the expectations of others is foolishly getting caught up in the moment.
            Shortly after Peter visited Caesarea, King Herod Agrippa began to involve himself for political reasons.  By this time, King Herod had acquired land and titles by choosing the right political partnerships and undercutting anyone who got in his way, including his family. He wanted to show that he was greater than his grandfather, Herod the Great. To show his greatness, he needs Judea, which Rome ruled through procurators.            

King Herod Agrippa ruled Judea and Samaria on behalf of the Roman emperor 
            To gain Judea, King Herod needed to convince the royal powers of Rome that their interests were better served with him, a local Jewish ruler, instead of a Roman Gentile. Gentiles had been a constant source of irritation to the Jews, and Jewish irritation always unnerved Rome. To be a local Jewish ruler, you had two major responsibilities: to keep the people from revolting and to keep the money flowing to Rome. Agrippa could easily position himself as the best candidate. Who better than a Jew, a descendant of Herod the Great, and a loyal friend of the emperor?
            If King Herod could convince the Jews that he would be a better option than a Roman, he might just succeed. And what better way to develop favor with the Jews than to side with them against an insignificant, upstart, sectarian group following a dead Messiah?
            So, when Claudius became the Roman emperor, he gave to Agrippa rule over Judea and Samaria. Herod then moved his capital to Jerusalem and began solidifying his relations with Jews at all levels, from the Pharisees to the Sadducees. Because Agrippa ruled Judea directly as a representative of Rome, he had the power to sentence people to death without needing anyone’s permission. He had exercised that power by killing James. So he arrested Peter, intending to execute him as well, to gain favor with the Jews.

Peter in prison had walked right into Herod’s agenda
            “After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.  The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance” (Acts 12:4-6). Agrippa placed Peter in prison and quadrupled the guard, assigning four squads. Peter is probably not worried because he sleeps like a man without a worry in the world. He sleeps so deeply the angel must strike him to wake him up.

Challenges you deal with due to timing (right place but wrong time) or someone else’s agenda
            The right place and wrong time raise timing issues. How much drama was added to your life this year just because the timing was not right? How many decisions would have been good decisions except for timing? How many financial decisions and relationship decisions would have been better if the timing was different?   How much drama did you encounter this year because you unwittingly got caught up in someone else’s agenda? We love to talk about God’s plan for our lives, but the truth is people have a plan for our lives. Far too often, their agenda plans our lives.  If we are not careful, their plan and their agenda will become ours, which can have all kind of implications.

Angel of God appears – presence of God with us
            “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. ‘Quick, get up!’ he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then the angel said to him, ‘Put on your clothes and sandals.’ And Peter did so. ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,’ the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision” (Acts 12:7-9). Peter thinks he is dreaming. The chains fall off Peter. Peter puts on shoes and garment clothing. The presence of God is demonstrated by the appearance of an angel.

Goodness of God overwhelms with God’s blessings
            “They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron-gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.’”(Acts 12:10-11). They pass the first and second guard stations. The gate opens on its own. The angel then leaves Peter. Peter is aware that he is not dreaming.

Peter goes to church where people are praying for Peter but not expecting an answer
            “When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, ‘Peter is at the door!’ ‘You’re out of your mind,’ they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, ‘It must be his angel.’ But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.” (Acts 12: 12-16). Peter goes to church. The people are praying but not expecting an answer to their prayers. They assumed Peter could not be with them, and it must be an angel.

Peter tells his story; Peter tells them to tell others that he is still standing
            “Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. ‘Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,’ he said, and then he left for another place. In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. (Acts 2:17-18). Peter tells his story of God in his life journey. He tells the people to go tell others that Peter is still standing. The application to your life is: No matter what you have been through this year, you are here on the last Sunday of this year, and you are still standing!

You did not get to the end of 2023 by yourself. God knew in 2022 what you would face in 2023, so God started getting things ready for you to reach the last Sunday in 2023 still standing
            “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and lay bare before His eyes” (Hebrews 4:13). God can see it all. God is not limited by time.  God can be in the past, the present, and the future all at the same time.  God can see it all at once.  Similarly, if you were in a blimp looking down on a parade, you could see the beginning of the parade, the middle of the parade, and the end of the parade all at once. The people on the ground can only see what is in front of them. From God’s perspective, nothing is hidden. God knows everything because God already knows the future as well as the past. When Peter got up, he had no idea he would be in jail that night. God knew it and already had a plan for how Peter would end the whole ordeal still standing.
            No matter what you have been through this past year, you have no idea how often an Angel has kept you from a worse fate. Not all angels are supernatural beings. Some angels are everyday people who God sends to help you overcome your challenges. Some will help us break some chains; some will wake us up. Whatever God has assigned them to do will help us keep standing!

You did not get to the end of 2023 by yourself. God never left your side for a second.
            “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5). God means that God is with you and is going to keep being with you! You will never go through anything alone. This is God’s faithfulness. God cannot lie; God cannot break a promise; God does exactly what God says that God will do. God cannot be unfaithful to you because of who God is. It is impossible.
            “If we are faithless, He will remain faithful for God cannot disown Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). God cannot be unfaithful. God’s nature is to be faithful. God always keeps God’s promises.
            “The Lord is faithful to all his promises” (Psalm 145:13). For every challenge you faced, there was a corresponding attribute of God’s character, personality, or nature. That is why you are still standing. The character of God would not allow God to abandon you. The more you understand God, the more you will trust God. The more you trust God, the more you stand on the promises of God’s Word.
Let’s view the video, “Thank you for it all” by Marvin Sapp.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYormAJoEk8

You won’t get through the nextyear by yourself; God goodness will overwhelm you with God’s blessings
            Psalm 23 lists 9 different benefits of God’s goodness to you like David’s testimony. 1. God will meet my needs when I’m worried! “The Lord is my shepherd; I will lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1). 2. God will teach me to relax when I’m stressed out! “He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters” (verse 2). 3. God will replenish my strength when I’m empty! “He restores my soul – He gives me new strength” (verse 3a). 4. God will guide me when I’m confused! “God guides me in the right paths for his namesake because He is a good God” (verse 3b). 5. God will walk with me in my dark and fearful days! “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (verse 4a). You are going to go through some dark days ahead. You will have some fearful times, but God will be with you. If God is with you, it doesn’t matter who is against you. 6. God will protect me when I feel insecure! “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (verse 4b). The rod and the staff are two tools of shepherd in leading sheep. God assures me that God will protect me when I feel insecure. 7. God will publically show His favor in my life! “You prepare a banquet for me before all my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (verse 5).  God’s goodness and grace shows God’s favor. God will publicly show favor on your life, even when others are attacking and criticizing you. Meeting your needs with abundance is going to overflow in your life if you trust God. 8. God will be good to me no matter what happens! “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life” (verse 6a). God will be good to you, no matter what happens. God’s goodness and mercy are with me. That is God’s love and benevolence. 9. God will take me to heaven one day! “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (verse 6b). Forever is a long time.
            Everybody needs what God has to offer. We look for it in the wrong places. We expect needs to be met by our careers, our bank accounts, our relationships, our marriages, our boyfriend or girlfriend. No. God is the source of all goodness in your life. You make anybody else the source of goodness for your life, they are an idol. Who does not need this? Everybody needs this. Everybody wants this.            
Let’s view the video “Bless your name” by Donald Alford. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PUEXijpoXg

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS INCLUDING FOR USE IN FAMILY GROUPS
Sermon Preamble
-In what circumstances in your life have you had the feeling of being sucked up, washed up, and blown over, but you are still standing?
The Background of the Apostle Peter in preaching, healing, and time in jail
-The background of the Apostle Peter was focused on Christian mission within the Jewish world. Gentile Christians have often erroneously thought that divine activity on their behalf means no divine activity on behalf of Jewish Christians. Their unconcern for Jewish people resulted in horrendous calamities throughout history. In what ways are the Christian mission to the Gentiles and Christian mission to the Jews similar?
Peter’s world collides with Herod’s world
-Discuss the ways Peter felt sucked up, washed over, and blown over from the activities of the local Jewish ruler, King Herod Agrippa, set up by the Romans?
-What things have happened in your life when you have been at the right place, but at the wrong time?
-What things have happened in your life when you got caught up in someone else’s agenda?
King Herod Agrippa ruled Judea and Samaria on behalf of the Roman emperor
-Within a group of oppressed people some people related by blood are given positions of prominence and economic security. Their status helps facilitate the chains of oppression by the dominant group. Examples from biblical days include Jewish tax collectors and King Herod Agrippa. What similar examples are in today’s world?
Peter in prison had walked right into Herod’s agenda
-King Herod made sure that Peter could not escape on his last night before execution. Peter could do nothing about the problem, so he slept soundly. Divine intervention from the angel was required. In your life journey, when has divine intervention been required?
Challenges you deal with due to timing (right place but wrong time) or someone else’s agenda
-How much drama is added to your life just because the timing was not right?
-How much drama did you encounter because you unwittingly got caught up in someone else’s agenda?
Angel of God appears – presence of God with us
-Does God always promise deliverance from persecution and death?
-In what ways have you seen God step in at crucial times for honoring God’s glory not attributable to our own efforts (other than prayers)?
Goodness of God overwhelms with God’s blessings
-In what ways have you seen God step in for the benefit of God’s people?
Peter goes to church where people are praying but not expecting an answer
-Look at Matthew 18:10. In what circumstances have others humans acted as angelic agents of God’s presence in your life?
Peter tells his story; Peter tells them to tell others that he is still standing
-Jesus was the brother of James (not the James previously executed). James was a devout Pharisee who also had seen the risen Jesus. Why was it important for Peter to share his story with James and other brothers and sisters?
You won’t get through the next year by yourself; God goodness will overwhelm you with God’s blessings
-Of the nine different benefits of God’s goodness that overwhelms you with God’s blessings as listed by David in Psalms 23, which most resonates with you?