Mission Impossible

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2026 pm – PASTOR LAWRENCE KENNEDY

ACTS 12 VERSE 1 TO 16

There was a film franchise called Mission Impossible a number of years ago. I think it was Tom Cruz who played the part of Ethan Hunt. They are action spy thrillers. The first one was way back in 1996. There's been eight in the series. There was Mission Impossible 1, Mission Impossible 2, Mission Impossible 3, and so on. The last one in 2025 was Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. This historic event recorded for us in Acts 12 is a thrilling story in its own right. It is indeed a mission impossible. James has been martyred verse two. And for Herod, it worked in the population. It worked well politically. It was a popular move. And Herod looked around for another candidate to execute to boost his approval ratings. And his eyes fell on Peter. Peter was outspoken when the rest of the majority would be silent. Peter was dynamic when the rest of the church seemed to be timid. Peter was passionate when the majority of the church seemed to be restrained. It could be that Herod had possibly heard of Peter walking on the water to meet Jesus at Galilee there in Matthew 14 and he heard of this amazing event that happened as it was spread and rumoured about that he had walked on the water. Maybe he had heard how Peter had used violence at the arrest of Jesus and had cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest there in John 18. And he thought, yes, Peter, Peter will be the next victim. If I can silence Peter, then I will silence the church. Peter was soon imprisoned. It was Passover time. And so rather than rush a court appearance, he holds Peter until after the Passover to execute him. But God amazingly, miraculously rescued him. It is a marvellous story. It's a mission impossible. And tonight it illustrates for us what God is able to do tonight in the life of an unsaved person. He is able to do mission impossible. And I was thinking in the prayer meeting and mentioned it in prayer how we find in the Bible so many impossible cases. Namaan the Syrian general was a leper and he seemed to be an impossible case. yet through a wee servant girl he was brought to faith in God Jehovah or we have Rahab the harlot who lived in Jericho on the walls and entertained the men. Who would have thought that not only would she come into the family of God but she would be listed in the genealogy of our Saviour. What a work of redemption. Or Ruth, the Moabite girl who lost her husband and her brother-in-law and her father-in-law, and yet decided she would travel with her mother-in-law back to Bethlehem. And she said, "Where thou goest, I will go. Thy God shall be my God. Thy people shall be my people. Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried." What an amazing trophy of grace. Here we have another one. Peter in prison. chained with two chains, sleeping between two Roman soldiers. I want you to notice a few things tonight as we summarize this narrative.

First of all, I want you to see the danger he faced. You see, it's bad enough being arrested, but it's worse whenever you're imprisoned and Peter understood the significance of being in prison. It was the James scenario all over again. This was a death sentence and Peter knew that. And so there he is in the prison with two chains and two soldiers making sure there was no sign of escape. I don't know if he scribbled down a will. I don't know if he wrote a final note to his family and supporters. He sits awaiting the mock trial and for the guards to take him from the cell to the place of execution, the danger he faced. Now I see a parallel because as I look over this congregation, as I look into the camera there at the back, I need to remind you that God says if you have not turned from sin, if you have not embraced the work of Jesus Christ on the cross for you, then you are in grave danger. You might be sitting in your own home or sitting in church tonight. You might not have two chains or two soldiers, one on either side of you, but the Bible tells us that if you know not Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you are in grave danger. You're in bondage to the devil. You're condemned already. You're dead in your sins. And although you don't realize it, you're awaiting eternal execution and judgment. If Jesus Christ is not your Saviour, then by default he is your judge. If Jesus Christ is not your substitute, then he is your accuser. If Jesus Christ is not your sanctifier, then he is your condemner. And if you find yourself without Jesus Christ tonight, without knowing him personally as your Saviour, you are in grave danger. Because without Jesus Christ, you face suffering in hell. And we could spend time in Revelation thinking of the torment and the agony and the darkness and the weeping and the gnashing of teeth and the thirst and the eternal flame. And we go through a whole list of descriptions of what hell is like if you know not the Saviour. Not only the suffering of hell, we could think about the eternity of hell because it never ceases. There is no reprieve from it. There there's no way out. There's no light at the end of the tunnel. No. No. We could talk about the eternity of hell. We could if we wanted we could speak about the consciousness of him because you remember you remember meetings. You remember Sunday school days. You remember verses that were learned and choruses that were sung and maybe the prayers of a granny or mommy at the bedside. You remember those days of opportunity. Oh, the danger he faced.

The second thing I want you to notice is this. The prayer he attracted. Verse five tells us, "Peter was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." The church was in a lockdown, a 247 prayer vigil. There they were on their knees, maybe lying prostrate and they were crying out to God. And there's only one topic of prayer. They were praying for Peter. Lord, move in this situation. Lord, we need you to move. We need you to bring Peter out of prison. We need him. We love him. We appreciate his ministry. And they were crying to God. I imagine tears in that prayer meeting. I visualize burdened, agonized prayers of saints broken with worry. Peter was being prayed for. And tonight, if you're not a Christian, I want you to understand that before the service tonight, we were praying for you. We zoom just in here, we were praying for you. Praying for those physically here, not saved. Praying for those tuning in online, not saved. Praying for family members not saved. My prayer list just seems to get longer and longer. People have promised to pray for and it takes a while getting through that prayer list. Some of you have been prayed for years. You know what I would love? I would love for some unsaved people to slip into our prayer room, slip into our prayer meeting that that you would hear people, Christians crying out to God to save your soul. I would love you to hear them praying with a choke in their voice and tears on their face as they cry to God for you. sometimes maybe mentioning you by name. I think you would be shocked. I think maybe you'd be embarrassed. I think maybe you'd be humbled to think that others care more about your eternal soul than you do. Lord, make it simple for them tonight. Lord, make it obvious to them tonight. Lord, make the gospel powerful tonight that they'll understand it. Lord, save them tonight. Give them the joy of forgiveness. You know, in in Acts chapter 12, there was some people in the prayer meeting praying, but they didn't really believe anything would happen. Because whenever Peter turned up at the door, they thought it was a ghost. And they didn't believe we wrote it. Whenever she went to the door and came back. You see, they were praying. They were sincere. They were they were passionate. Have no doubt. And they really knew that God was able. But somehow in the back of their mind, they didn't really believe that he would he would answer there and then. I'm a wee bit like that, you know. Pray and pray, but maybe if God answered, I'd be shocked. I'm a wee bit like the man who said to the Lord, "Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief." Dear friend, as we pray, I want you to know that God is able to answer. He's able to meet the need. He's able to answer in ways that we couldn't even imagine. And maybe even in the prayer meeting tonight as we prayed, maybe some of us just didn't believe that God would answer. But God answered in Acts chapter 12, God answered and he can answer tonight. The danger he faced Oh, it was it was fatal. And without Jesus Christ, you face a danger you can't even imagine. An eternity without God, an eternity of torment whenever God has provided an answer. Not only the danger he faced, but the prayer he attracted, the believers were praying and probably people at home looking in have no idea the number of people who are praying and holding on to God. Maybe a mom, a dad, a brother, a sister, a child praying and praying that God would move. The prayer he attracted.

Notice thirdly, the rest that he enjoyed. Verse six tells us that Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains and the keepers before the door kept the prison. Peter was sleeping in spite of the danger. In spite of the pending execution, Peter was asleep. I don't think it was that he felt he needed his beauty sleep. You see, Peter was content because he appreciated that all was well for eternity. He appreciated that God was in full control and he knew that he was not in Herod's hands. He was in his heavenly father's hands and he wouldn't need to lose a night's sleep because God was in control. My is this not a great message for us as we go into another week. We waken up tomorrow. We don't know what will come our way. We don't know what will happen. Maybe a phone call and our life has just turned upside down. Isn't it lovely to know that our times are in his hands? My God, I wish them there. Our hands are not in the hands of some dictator in Iran. Our times are in God's hands. Christians are unique because whenever we become Christians, we lose the fear of death. Now, we still fear illness and we get apprehensive about how and when and how death might come. That's a human instinct. We're only human at the end of the day. But we don't fear what lies beyond the grave. We don't fear eternity because we have the assurance from God that it will be far better. It it'll be better in every way. We will be so overcome with the glories and the wonders of Christ and the glories of heaven that the cares of this world will not even enter our thoughts. We have the assurance of God that all is well. We need not fear for Jesus Christ has already taken our judgment. We need not fear for Jesus Christ has already taken the wrath of his father. We need not fear because he's already taken my place. And I could bring you to the cross of Calvary in mind tonight. And we see there three crosses standing side by side of the broken law sign. Two for their own transgressions died. The middle one for mine. The blood of Jesus Christ shed for all takes away my fear and apprehension. The blood of Jesus Christ, the empty tomb, reminds me that all is well when my trust is in him. You know, there's another kind of sleep. There's a satanic spiritual sleep. That makes us oblivious to our danger. There's a sleep that makes us blaze to the cross. There's a there's a sleep that anesthetizes us to the danger of our sin. and we're just lulled to sleep and we speak to them every day. People who pass us by and if we were to talk to them, they say, "Okay, I'm all right now. I'm all right. I go to my church and I know the Bible and I'm good. I'm the best neighbour in the street and I do anything I'm needed to do. I'm all right there." And Satan has lulled them to sleep and have no idea of the danger that they face. no idea of the prayer that has been attracted on their behalf and they've been lulled asleep. But Peter is in a sleep of peace and contentment knowing that all is well. Peace in a troubled world. You know the story of a painting competition and the title of the competition was tranquillity. And so the artist went away and one painted a meadow scene and there was the sheep and the field and the cattle and a beautiful peaceful scene, beautiful tranquillity. Another artist he went in another track and he painted a wee harbour scene and the waters still as still could be and the sun going down and the wee boats in the harbour - tranquillity. The winner of the competition went on another track completely. He painted a roaring waterfall crashing down over the precipice and churning up underneath. And it you can nearly hear the sound of it and the crash of it and the noise of it. But if you look very closely at the painting, behind the waterfall was a wee branch. And on the branch was a wee bird singing his heart out. Peace, in spite of the roar of the waterfall, in spite of the chaos and the noise, peace in a troubled world. What a wonderful thing. And here's Peter asleep. Even though the waterfall of trouble is all around him, peace in a troubled world. Is that how you'll sleep tonight? Knowing that all is well. The danger he faced. Oh, the danger not knowing the Savior. The prayer he attracted. There's people praying for you, concerned about you. The rest he enjoyed.

But number four, the deliverance he experienced. Look at verse seven. “Behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison and he smote Peter in the side and raised him up saying, arise up quickly and the chains fell off from his hand.” He told him to get up and guard himself, bind on his sandals, cast his garment about him and follow him. What a wonderful illustration of the gospel. This is supernatural. This is divine. This is mission impossible. God intervenes. There he is asleep to his need. Asleep in the prison and God intervened. The light shone. Peter was raised up. The chains fell off. He was clothed. He followed. An illustration of what God does in salvation. God intervenes. The light of the gospel dawns on a soul into the darkness of the mind. The penny drops and suddenly it makes sense. It seems obvious. There's an awareness of sin. There's an appreciation of Jesus Christ. He took my place. Peter responds. He is raised up. I was thinking of Psalm 40 when the psalmist says, "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit and out of the miry clay and he put a new song in my mouth. Even praise unto our God." When you respond to Jesus Christ, the chains fall off. You're clothed in God's righteousness. You follow the Saviour. Maybe tonight in cold rain, your chains are religious pride. Hard to break. You know, “I'm all right. I go to my church. I am as good as you.” Maybe your chains are self-righteousness. Maybe your chains are faulty theology or peer pressure or hurts and scars from the past. And you were hurt in church and you say, "I'm not going to be like one of them.” And God tonight is shining his light as he intervenes in your life. He commands that you respond by repentance and faith and trust. The chains will break. You'll be clothed in salvation and you follow him. Notice please that this was not initiated by Peter. No, this was initiated by God himself. Peter was unconscious. It was initiated by heaven. Was it um Haldor Lillenus who writing in the 1900s wrote that hymn?

Once I was bound in sins galling fetters
Chained as a slave, I struggled in vain.
But I received a glorious freedom
When Jesus broke my fetters in twain.
 
Freedom from all the carnal affections
Freedom from envy, hatred, and strife
Freedom from vain and worldly ambitions
Freedom from all that saddened my life
 
Freedom from fear with all of its torments
Freedom from care with all of its pain
Freedom in Christ my blessed redeemer
He who has rent my fetters in twain.
 
Glorious freedom wonderful freedom
No more in chains of sin I repine
Jesus the glorious emancipator
Now and forever. He shall be mine.
 

What a glorious deliverance. This can be your experience tonight. Maybe you've been asleep spiritually up to now. Maybe not even thinking about God and thinking about Jesus Christ and what he meant and what he did and what he accomplished. But God can intervene in your life. The danger you face, the prayer that is attracted for you. The rest that you can enjoy, the deliverance that can be experienced. Jesus died to take your place. Jesus died to take your punishment. Jesus died to be your substitute so that you can come to God through him and say, "I believe that I'm a sinner. I believe I can't save myself, but Jesus died for me. Jesus took my place. What a glorious truth. Let me finish. Not only the danger he faced, the prayer he attracted, the rest he enjoyed, the deliverance he experienced, but the rejoicing that he created. Verse 12 “And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, "Thou art mad." But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. And they said, "It is his angel." But Peter continued knocking and when they had opened the door, they saw him and they were astonished.” Who said there's no humour in the Bible? This is hilarious. The prayer meeting in Mary's house and there's a knock at the door and Rhoda comes and recognizes the voice. Instead of opening the door, she runs in to tell them in the prayer meeting that their prayers are answered and they don't believe her. Eventually they see him and they rejoice together. Our prayer is that we might rejoice together over souls in bondage set free and souls in danger delivered because of the danger you face and the prayer that is attracted. Maybe Satan has put on you just a sleep of death. The deliverance that you can enjoy. The rejoicing that we can have together over a sinner that comes and puts their trust in him.

Some of you will know I worked in the bank. That's where I started my career before going to Bible college. A young fella came to work in my department. Charlie was his name. Charlie was a bit of a rascal. You were always in Charlie's van to get work done. He seemed to be not too worried about banking. One day in my office, the phone went and it was for Charlie. And I called him in. “Charlie, that's for you.” I left the office to give him a bit of privacy. And the when the phone call was over, I said, "Charlie, is everybody okay? Everyone okay?" He says, "Lawrence, I need to speak to you. My mom and dad and my aunt and uncle are in Enniskillen on Lough Erne and on a cruiser and he says they've invited me up for the weekend. Could I get away early?” I told him “Charlie you get your work done and you can get away early.” Well I never saw him work as hard in all his life. He worked like a trooper and away Charlie went then to Enniskillen. Now the story goes like this. He parked the car. The cruiser was just off the jetty. Charlie thought that if he ran he could jump onto the cruiser. He ran and Charlie almost made it. Almost. He fell into the water. His foot got caught in something under the water. His uncle dived from the boat, got his arm, but couldn't release him. He had to come up for air and tried to duck dive and couldn't get low enough. And they got Charlie's body two days later at Lusty Beg. That was in 1982. He almost made it.

The greatest tragedy would be if you almost made it but are lost. To know the hymns, to know the verses, to know the Bible stories, to know about the cross, to know about Jesus, to know about his death, to know about the resurrection, and know it all in theory in the head and never do anything about it. And death comes and you're lost. You almost made it.  Come tonight and say, "Lord, I'm a sinner, but I believe that God loved me. Christ died for me. He died on the cross to take my punishment, to take my place. Tonight, I'm turning away from my old life. And I'm putting my trust and my confidence on him who died for me. The light will shine. The chains will fall. He will dress you in righteousness that are not your own but his and you'll be set free. Hallelujah. What a Saviour. May God help you to come tonight. What a wonderful passage. What a wonderful illustration and what God can do in the life of someone bound by sin. May God help you to come tonight.