For those who are fans of the program "24" on the FOX network, you will be familiar with Jack Bauer and his miraculous escapes. As I read the story of Peter escaping from prison, it occurred to me how unbelievable this story may seem, almost like the fictional escapes and escapades of Jack Bauer, who needs no angel because cel phones and cleverness are his way out of danger. But that is television fiction in the 21st century. Here we are talking about real life, something that is part of recorded history. It is a fantastic story.
Peter and his brothers in faith could not imagine any way that he would be able to escape such powerful security. He appeared to be doomed. But what should happen but a real miracle. This one in particular leaves one with astonishment. Here is Peter chained up. You can imagine the guards squished up, sleeping next to him to make sure he is going no where. Then an angel comes into the prison cell and Peter is lead out of the cell and out of the gates of the prison. He is rather dumbfounded himself about the whole thing. Yet, as the angel disappears, Peter is left there on the streets-- out of prison – no explanation except that it did happen. It was an impossibility-but it did happen. As the story progresses, something even more surprising takes place. King Herod, who is the one who has imprisoned Peter, is struck down by an angel of the Lord and is eaten by worms, a rather gruesome and pointed pronouncement of the Lord.
I can understand a non-believer or someone considering Christianity, reading this and going "whaaaat?" They might have some real misgivings: "How could this happen? How can anyone believe such stuff?" It may be hard to accept that these sort of things would happen to the men of Acts, who seem so much like us. How is it that these incredible occurrences happened to these ordinary men who were, at one time, just fishermen? How did they suddenly find themselves full of divine power with extraordinary things happening around them— things that would seem impossible?
The answer lies in what had happened to these men that made them very different. The Holy Spirit entered, and the Pentecost took place and both of these events were to change the world. It is a point that often we do not give as much attention to as we ought to, because here is the evidence that God was doing something extraordinary, beyond the normal or the expected. Even more so, these events occurred after the overwhelming miracle of the resurrection of Jesus. Christian belief accepts this with God's Son. Yet, the events that the apostles experience, particularly this one for Peter, seem somewhat unexpected. We should not be so surprised by any of this. After all, God had been doing unexpected things through out the scriptures. The scriptures, in many ways, are a recording of how often God keeps showing us who He is and what He can do. It culminates with Jesus, because He is the greatest miracle: the birth of a child who is 'God with us', born to a virgin, who, when he dies, dies to take on our sin; defeats death and rises up from being dead, as He had predicted. Could there be a bigger story then this?
Here is the place where we should help our non-believing friends or those who are considering Christianity, understand that this is part of a very large "whole plan of God." Too often we take these events as separate incidents to consider. What we are really seeing in this incident is this unbelievable, on-going plan set in motion by God so long ago. It involves men and women who God definitely chose for incredible purposes that we read about throughout the Bible. This remarkable story continues as the events of the apostles are carried out.
It continues today, though we sometimes fail to have the eyes to see it. But make no mistake, remarkable things are happening. Change is on the way. God is in control. God lets us know that He is who He says He is and can do anything and all things that He says He can do. We can choose to be watchful for these things and believe some of it some of the time, or none of it some of the time. But in the end the truth will prevail. The truth is not dependant on us. It is God's truth and God's story—always unfolding.
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