Acts 12:16-18

The Voice

¹⁶All this time, Peter was still out in the street, knocking on the gate. Finally they came and let him in. Of course, the disciples were stunned, and everyone was talking at once. ¹⁷Peter motioned for them to quiet down and then told them the amazing story of how the Lord engineered his escape.

On the night before his execution, Peter sleeps like a baby. Here he is, chained in a room full of soldiers while James’s blood is still moist on the ground. Although he can only assume this is his one last night before his own torturous death, he is not afraid. So peacefully does he rest, in fact, that the heavenly messenger has to prod him to wake up; and while he is walking, he questions if he is dreaming. Does the thought that believers are on their knees all day appealing to God for him give him peace? Maybe. But certainly Peter trusts that God is in control. A church that started with a few people is now over 8,000, and God is redeeming the rest of the world through these people.

Peter: Could you please get word to James, our Lord’s brother, and the other believers that I’m all right?

Then he left to find a safer place to stay.

¹⁸But when morning came and Peter was gone, there was a huge uproar among the soldiers.

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