Acts 12:1-19
1About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

18 Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19 And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death.

Acts 16:16-40
16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

Peter, Paul, and Silas. Jailbirds.

These two stories mess with our perception of God and what he does. For instance…

We expect God to watch over us and protect us, yet there are tons of stories in the Bible where bad things happen to good people.

What do we do with that? Four Questions to ask:
1. Is this punishment for sin?
2. Is this God trying to change something in me?
3. Is this really an opportunity cloaked in misery?
4. Is this a result of poor choices?

Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?
Age old question, and we could come to a lot of conclusions, but if we are going to trust God with eternity, we have to trust him with now, too. Maybe you say, “That’s just a churchy cop-out.” Maybe, but if God is in control, how do you explain moments when it seems he isn’t?

We have to be very careful that we don’t blame God for other peoples’ actions.
God doesn’t violate our free will. He doesn’t send people to hell. They CHOOSE it. God also doesn’t force people to do good things. He wants them too, but if he forced them, he’d have to violate their free will. Everyone is cool with that unless it is their free will being violated.

Now this works well for why people do bad things to us, but what about sickness and disease, etc.? Genesis 3 and the fall explains that. We sinned, and because of that, the negative entered the world.

The best question isn’t why does God allow it, but what is he doing about it? Jesus.

Did Peter, Paul, and Silas have this same moral dilemma? Look at what Peter thought:

1 Peter 1:3-7
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

I recently did a wedding for Logan and Melynn where I asked them if they’d stay committed for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. What good is untested faith?

Untested faith is just insurance. You only use it when you need it.

James 1:2-4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I don’t know why whatever happened to you happened to you. But that thing can do one of two things: Destroy you or develop you.

Peter didn’t count being imprisoned as a death sentence, even though that was Herod’s plan. Paul didn’t hate God because he was stoned and beaten. James had his head cut off for the cause of Christ. EVEN STILL they counted their suffering as an honor.

This is why I am telling us all:
Don’t be so quick to make God the enemy when bad things happen to good people.

What miracle are we missing by being so consumed with the misery?

What happened to Peter’s faith after that angel freed him?
What about Paul and Silas, singing praise in that prison?
What about the jailer. There is a man and his family in Heaven right now because, rather than complain about the situation, Paul and Silas took the opportunity their misery offered them.

The Book of Acts goes on to talk about Paul’s missionary journeys, and honestly, we could spend weeks on them, but these two prison stories have really made me think this week.

These stories made me ask three questions that I’d like to talk about for the time we have remaining.

1. Am I playing it too safe?
In the first week I talked about how Peter was seized and how the angel released him and told him to go right back to where he was arrested and keep preaching. He didn’t even hesitate. But we do, don’t we?

“Go pray with that person.” I don’t even know them! What do I say?!?!
“Give that lady $50.” I need that money Jesus!
“Go tell that guy not to give up, that Jesus loves him.” He’ll think I am crazy.

Francis Chan
Luke warm people are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God.

Why do we play it so safe?
Don’t want to ruffle feathers. Don’t want to fail. Don’t want to create turmoil.

Matthew 10:34-36
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.

Again, this messes with our conception of who Jesus is! Jesus came to upend what a relationship with God was!

Matthew 11:12, 20-24
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”

Jesus walked into Jerusalem knowing he’d die. Jesus didn’t play it safe.
Peter in Acts 2 told the religious leaders they killed Jesus. Peter didn’t play it safe.
Paul was stoned in Lystra and was persecuted all over the place. Paul didn’t play it safe.

You know God said xyz but you’d rather play it safe in the harbor. You don’t want to put yourself out there because you might fail or otherwise. God didn’t build you for the safety of the harbor. He didn’t call you to a life of ease and luxury with anemic faith.

God’s ultimate plan for your life is you having a relationship with him.

He didn’t play it safe when it came to his sacrifice. We shouldn’t play it safe when it comes to our service.

Is there an area of your life where you realize you’ve been playing it safe? Maybe it is saying yes to Jesus or being serious about your relationship with him. Maybe it is forgiving someone or reconciling a relationship. Maybe it is in your service to God through serving or stepping into purpose

Pete sees Jesus walking on the water. The safe move is stay in the boat. The courageous one is to walk on water.

If you’re playing it safe, I get it, you don’t want to rock the boat, but God has something better for you on the water.

Are you playing it safe?

2. Am I really moving the Kingdom?
Galatians 2:9-14
9 James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. 10 Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.

11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13 As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?

Pastor Tony mentioned this last week. Peter was being a hypocrite. He was acting one way with the Gentiles until the Jews showed up, then he demanded the Gentiles be like the Jews.

It’s easy to be a Christian in the church, but not so much outside of it.
You don’t want to ruffle feathers. You don’t want to rock the boat. You don’t want to attract the dox squads.

But are you moving the Kingdom?

I had a conversation this week with a friend about narcissism.
A narcissist is someone who is very concerned with their own interests and may seem to forget that others exist. Narcissism is a personality style that is self-centered and characterized by an excessive preoccupation with oneself and one's own needs, often at the expense of others.

A question came to my mind: how many Christians are narcissists?

If I were to say:
- Jesus is the only way to the Father,
- Your works don’t save you, his grace does,
- If you confess your sins he is faithful to forgive, most if not all would say “Amen.”

If I were to tell you:
- Without Jesus you are lost,
- that he is the key to a fulfilled life,
- and that everything we need comes by Jesus through the Holy Spirit, you would agree.

If all of this is really true, why aren’t we more active in sharing that info?
If I saw a kid about to put a fork into an electrical socket, I’d stop him. If I saw you about to walk off a cliff, I’d warn you. If we really know the secret to life (Jesus), then why aren’t we more adamant about telling it?

Could it be that we are more preoccupied with ourselves and our own needs, even at the expense of others?

I know this sounds harsh, but remember the question here: Am I really moving the Kingdom?

What is more important than the Kingdom of God? Maybe we need to define “moving the Kingdom.”

What is the Kingdom?
Romans 14:17-19
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Upbuilding is oikodome from home oiko and dome to build
“constructive criticism and instruction that builds a person up to be the suitable dwelling place of God, i.e. where the Lord is ‘at home.’"

The Kingdom is restored relationship with God, peace and joy in the Spirit, and the intentional act of building places where the Lord is at home.

HOW are you doing this?
We often say here that we are about building God’s Kingdom, not our own castles. You cannot build the Kingdom when you are busy on your own castle. Narcissism has no place in the Kingdom.

So what is moving the Kingdom?
Doing anything that restores relationship with God (evangelism and discipleship), brings peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (dealing with issues, serving, embracing God’s best for you and your family), and building people (encouraging them, instructing them, loving them, speaking life over them, etc.).

Are you really moving the Kingdom, and if not, what is keeping you from it?

3. Am I all in with Jesus?
I titled this message “Lessons From A Jailbird” because that’s what Peter, Paul, and Silas were, and we can learn a lot from how they responded to trials and persecution. We can learn a lot from their willingness to suffer whatever for the Kingdom. So, naturally, in this context you might think I am asking if you are willing to go to jail or worse for your faith. One day it might come to that.

But more simply, are you willing to do what God tells you to do? Are you willing to sell all and take the step? Are you willing to uproot your family to follow? Are you willing to sacrifice your rights or justice for potential restoration? Romans 5:8 - That’s what Jesus did for us!

How far are you really willing to go? Well…
- As long as it doesn’t interfere with my kid’s extracurriculars.
- As long as it doesn’t stir the pot in my family.
- As long as it doesn’t force me out of my comfort zone.
- As long as I don’t have to tell people what’s really going on behind the scenes.
- As long as I don’t have to deal with my issues or change in the slightest.
- As long as I am not challenged.

What do you think Peter and the other disciples felt when Jesus called them?
Matthew 4:18-22
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Some of us have been willing to follow Jesus, but we’ve carried our father with us.
I don’t literally mean you’ve carried your physical dad with you, but you’ve carried what he said, what he did, how he was. You’ve wanted to follow but you could never get him out of your mind. May have been a mom, someone in your family of origin, a leader.

Luke 9:1-4
1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.

You can’t go where Jesus wants to take you with baggage. That’s baggage from your past and baggage in your hands now.

God will call you to some places that are joyful and fulfilling. Transfiguration. God will call you to some places that are painful and difficult. The jail cell. But you can’t accomplish what God wants to put in your hands if they are clenched onto that which you refuse to let go.

Let me ask it again - are you all in with Jesus?
Let’s be careful that we aren’t unwilling to go to the extreme for Jesus, but then asking Jesus to go to the extreme for us. We love to live in verses like “he leaves the 99 to go after the one,“ but we love to ignore the verses like “take up your cross, deny yourself, and follow me.”

Are you willing to do whatever he wants? Go wherever he wants? Say whatever he wants? No matter the cost? Are you willing to let go of the past? Embrace your calling? Fulfill your purpose?

Peter didn’t know what awaited him. Jail. Suffering. An eventual martyrdom on a cross. Paul didn’t either. Persecution. Suffering. Death.

Peter finishes the book of 1 Peter with 1 Peter 5:6-11
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Paul felt the same as he gave Timothy his charge in 2 Timothy 4:3-5
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

In that 2 Timothy 4 passage, Paul ends his thought there with verses 6-7
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

I want to ask you today if, like Paul, you’d be willing to pour your life out as a drink offering to the Lord.

Are you willing to obey him, trust him, follow him, whatever the cost?

Just three questions:
Am I playing my faith too safe?
Am I really moving the Kingdom?
Am I all in with Jesus?

What’s it going to be?

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?

How does he want you to respond?