1Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly. 2He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. 3When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread. 4When he had arrested him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him. 6The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison.
7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off his hands. 8The angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. He said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.” 9And he went out and followed him. He didn’t know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision. 10When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11When Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.” 12Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14When she recognized Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate for joy, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
15They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” 16But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.
18Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 19When Herod had sought for him and didn’t find him, he examined the guards, then commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.
20Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them. 22The people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory. Then he was eaten by worms and died.
24But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.
Our Tendency Towards Disbelief
13 When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate for joy, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.15 They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” 16 But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him and were amazed.
This is actually a rather humorous account concerning Peter’s imprisonment and miraculous escape. King Herod found it was politically popular to persecute the Christians. He put James, the brother of John, to death, and those Jews in power were delighted. He sent soldiers out who found Peter, arrested him, and put him in prison. Multiple layers of soldiers heavily guarded Peter. There was no chance for escape. When the church heard of this, they bathed the whole matter in prayer.
The night before Peter’s trial, while sleeping chained to two soldiers, an angel came and tapped him on his side, waking him up. The angel told him to get dressed, and they walked together out of the prison, passing the guards as they went. Peter didn’t know if he was dreaming or if it was really happening. Once he reached the open street in the middle of the night, the angel disappeared, and he came to himself. He realized that he really was free. He made his way to a house where the church had gathered to pray for his release.
When he arrived at the house, he went up to the front and knocked; a girl named Rhoda came out to answer. When she heard Peter’s voice, realizing that it was him, she went in to tell the group praying for his release that he was out at the front gate. The midnight prayers of the saints had been answered! So what was their response? They told Rhoda that she was crazy and that if there was anything out there, it was probably “his angel”. They didn’t bother to go see the answer to the very prayer that they had been praying. I suppose they just kept praying for his release. Peter was insistent and continued knocking. Eventually, they relented and came, and were astonished to find Peter there, standing at the front gate. The rest of the story can be read in this chapter.
Many times, we pray for something without really expecting God to answer our prayers. And when He does, we don’t even recognize it. This is because we often have a tendency not to believe that God will answer the prayers and petitions of our hearts. I think it is because, from a human viewpoint, it's so improbable that these prayers will be answered. We must remember that God is still in the business of answering our prayers. Pray expecting. He may answer with a yes, a no, or a wait, but He will answer. Expect Him to do so!