Acts 11:27-30 & 12:1-19
Teaching Notes
As the gospel continued to spread powerfully in Antioch, the Spirit began to guide the church in practical ways. Prophets came down from Jerusalem, and one of them, Agabus, foretold by the Spirit that a severe famine would strike the Roman world during the reign of Claudius. Rather than responding in fear, the believers in Antioch immediately chose generosity: “each according to his ability” contributed to send relief to their brothers and sisters in Judea. Barnabas and Saul were entrusted to deliver this aid, an act that not only met real needs but also demonstrated the reconciling power of the gospel—Gentile believers, once despised, now sending tangible love and unity to Jewish believers in Jerusalem. This gift showed that the Spirit’s work creates a new family where compassion overcomes centuries of prejudice.
But as the church grew, opposition intensified. Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great, sought to win favor with the Jewish leaders by persecuting the followers of Jesus. He executed James, the brother of John, shattering the assumption that the apostles were untouchable. Emboldened by the approval this act brought him, Herod arrested Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, planning a public execution after Passover. Peter was placed under maximum security—sixteen guards rotating shifts, chained between soldiers, locked behind iron gates. Yet while Herod schemed, the church prayed. Earnest, constant prayer rose to God on Peter’s behalf.
In the night, God answered. An angel appeared, the chains fell off, and Peter was led past guards and gates that opened of their own accord until he found himself free in the city streets. At first thinking it was a vision, Peter realized that the Lord had truly delivered him from Herod’s hand. He went to the house of Mary, John Mark’s mother, where believers were gathered in prayer. In almost comic detail, a servant girl named Rhoda recognized Peter’s voice at the door but in her joy left him standing outside while she ran to announce the news. Though the others doubted, Peter kept knocking until they finally saw him, astonished at God’s power. He reported the miracle and departed to safety, while Herod, furious at the escape, executed the guards responsible.
This passage holds together both mystery and assurance. James was martyred while Peter was miraculously delivered—reminding us that God’s purposes for each servant may differ, yet His goodness never changes. The church’s role is not to unravel the “why,” but to remain faithful, trusting God’s wisdom even in loss, and persevering in prayer. Through famine and persecution, opposition and deliverance, the story of Acts shows that nothing can stop the advance of God’s kingdom.
