Even if Not, No Matter What - Part 1

You probably don’t remember this, but my very first Easter here, back when I was still your interim pastor, I introduced a style of preaching I called “noodling.”

Now noodling, in case you aren’t aware, is a very basic and fancy-free way to catch catfish popular back home in Alabama, where I’m from. There’s no fishing rods or line, no bait, and no boat.

You are the rod, line, bait, and boat!

Preaching noodling style is preaching a text from the Bible free from all the fancy add-ons they teach you in seminary: a thought-provoking story at the beginning, in-depth analysis of all the Greek words, at least three points (using alliteration or rhyme or both).

Some of you are thinking, “Aw, I know what it is. The pastor didn’t have time for all that this week!” May I challenge you to study the sermons of Jesus and see if he preached fancy or more noodling style. And that’s all I’m going to say on that.

I want to preach a text from Acts noodling style as the introduction to a new mini-series called “Even if Not, No Matter What.” When we get to the end today I’ll show you a question this story begs to be asked but hardly anyone ever does which will launch us into truths about God and the Christian life we need all need to wrestle with.

Ready? Let’s jump in.

Now first I need to set up what’s happening.

Jesus was crucified on a cross and buried in a tomb but three days later did what no man has ever done: he came back from the dead.

Just before he went back to heaven he spent time preparing his disciples for what was ahead…

Acts 1:6–11 (ESV) — 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

The rest of Acts, and the whole NT really, is about the disciples, Christ followers living that out. Problem was, those early followers of Jesus were not without opposition. The Jews hated them because they thought Jesus was a heretic, a blasphemer, for claiming to be on equal terms with God. They rejected him as the Messiah, and they didn’t take kindly to those Jews who did accept him.

And to make matters worse, one of their own, a highly respected Jewish leader named Saul left their ranks to follow Christ!

With all that going on, we come to Acts chapter 12…

Acts 12:1–5 (ESV) — 1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 

Herod was the king of the Jews politically at that time, well-liked by the common folk and in the good graces of the Romans. But politics are politics whether it’s 2018 or 2,000 years ago…

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. 

James and John were brothers and two of the twelve disciples Jesus chose. Their nickname was the sons of thunder perhaps because they were pretty brazen back in the day. John was the disciple who later went on to write the gospel of John, three letters, and the book of Revelation.

Peter was one of the twelve as well, leader of the early church.

This happened during the feast of unleavened bread, part of the Passover celebration still observed by Jews to this day. The city of Jerusalem would have been full of Jews from all over. A good time to play politics.

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.

That’s important. When trouble came, God’s people prayed. Note they prayed earnestly. They got down on their knees and asked God to intervene, praying with all their hearts.

And look what happened…

Acts 12:6–11 (ESV) — 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.”

My translation of that is “You rock, God!”

Acts 12:12–17 (ESV) — 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. 

When you preach noodling style, there are no fancy titles, but if I were to preach this text fancy, I’d title it after a 1970s song by Dave Edmunds.

You went away and left me long time ago

and now you're knocking on my door

I hear you knocking but you can't come in

I hear you knocking go back where you've been.

Before we go to verse 15 look back at verse 5…

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Now…

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.

I think Luke, the one who wrote Acts, intended for us to snicker a bit here. This story was probably told often. Yet another indication that this is accurate and true (her name and their gaffe!)

Conclusion: We’ve noodled the text, and there’s blessing just in doing that, but what would be our points if we were going to make them (note the alliteration)?

1. When the gospel is preached, persecution comes

Which reminds me of what Jesus said…

Luke 21:12 (ESV) — 12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake.

2. When God’s people pray, the miraculous occurs

Which reminds me of what Jesus said…

John 14:13–14 (ESV) — 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

3. When we goof up, God is still gracious

Which reminds me of when the disciples could not cast out a demon…

Matthew 17:19–20 (ESV) — 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

These are pretty obvious and all make for great messages, but if you know me, you know I like looking for the stuff in God’s word that hides in plain sight. I like asking questions others won’t or don’t, because the answers to them give us great blessing and a better understanding of who God is.

Something hides in this story, something that at first observation makes an awful point for a message. Look back at … 

Acts 12:1–3 (ESV) — 1 About 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.

Acts 12:11 (ESV) — 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.”

What question begs to be asked here?

Why Peter and not James?

Surely God’s people prayed for James too. Like Peter, James was an original disciple, and, like Peter, he was one of the three disciples closest to Jesus! But he was allowed to die at the hands of a cruel and sinful king when Peter was miraculously delivered.

For every person able to say God protected them, there’s another able to say he didn’t. For every person able to say God healed them, there’s another able to say he didn’t. For every person able to say, “God answered my prayer,” there’s another able to say he didn’t.

Would this point then be “Why pray? God may not answer it anyway.” Or “Some people ain’t good enough to get their prayers answered by God.”

Of course not. The answer to why Peter was saved and James wasn't takes us deep into the ways and will of God, and it points us to the bigger picture of his plans.

And that’s what we’re going to look at in this new series, “Even if Not, No Matter What.” Next week, we’ll run straight to one of the most famous stories in the OT to give us guidance here.

We may have someone here today that really latches on to this because they are searching for answers about God (so glad you’re here). There’s so much they don’t understand and so much that doesn’t make sense. And they may be thinking, “Hmm. OK. Give me the answers to this tough question about God and I’ll think about becoming a Christ follower.”

Problem is, there are more tough questions about God than can be answered. That’s how we know we’re talking about the God of the universe by the way!

You’ll never find God if you wait until all your tough questions are answered. God by his very nature is one eternal, infinite enigma. And enigma is just another way of saying something really hard to figure out.

There’s only one tough question we need to focus on:

Romans 5:6–8 (CEV) — 6 Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. 7 No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. 8 But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.

Why would God love us so much he’d crucify his own son on a cross to save us?

We didn’t deserve it. Garden and the fall.

Romans 3:23 (ESV) — 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

We all fall short of God who is perfect.

No one wants to hear this. This is a sticking point to many. What if you went to a doctor and he diagnosed you with some disease and you realized all the symptoms you had made sense. Would you never go to a doctor again for diagnosing your condition?

You’d ask for the cure.

Be honest. Are there things in your life you know are wrong? Things you’ve done you don’t want anyone to know? Symptoms…

We didn’t ask him to save us, cure us. But he made a way anyway. 

Romans 5:6–8 (CEV) — 6 Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. 7 No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. 8 But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.

Why would he do that? That is an enigma all its own.

Deal with that question, and all the others ones will take care of themselves.

How? Faith (Jesus is who he says he is) and repentance ( we are who God says we are)

Romans 10:9–10 (NLT) — 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.