Unbelief

Acts 12:12-17 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” 15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” 16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the brothers about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.
 
THIS scene is very similar to the disciples’ response to Jesus’ resurrection. The church meeting in Mary’s home did not believe, “Peter is at the door!” “You’re out of your mind.” was their unbelieving response.
   In the same way, Mary Magdalene, Joanna of Cuza and other women went to tell the disciples, “He’s not here. He has risen!” (Luke 24:6) But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. (Luke 24:11) Both circumstances demonstrate a fundamental doubt in God’s Word and his power to fulfill what he says. In faith the disciples should have anticipated Jesus’ Word, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” (Luke 24:7) Because Jesus came out of the grave, would it not be easy for Peter to come out of the prison?
   But the church did not believe God would release Peter. They knew they needed to pray. But they seemed not to expect God to answer their prayer with a resounding, “Yes! I will bring Peter to you.” Did they believe Herod’s and the Jews’ power would destroy the church? Any hope for Peter’s life seemed to disappear behind the barred doors, armed guards and locked chains. If even Jesus and his apostles were subject to death, what hope was there for the church of “ordinary” people?
   Yes, it seems they had forgotten Jesus’ triumph over death. God’s life-power still ruled! Peter’s “resurrection” from the jail would become another seed of hope and faith the Spirit planted into the church.
   The Lord wants you to know his rule will triumph past the persecution and the evil human heart. Long ago in his grace, God promised to cover us with a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. That hasn’t changed. Jesus’ resurrection is the greatest garment of praise possible. When we have a sure hope in the risen Jesus, we will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. (from Isaiah 61:3)
   No jail can imprison true hope in Jesus.
 
Note: Mark mentioned here is John Mark, author of the gospel. James is Jesus’ half-brother, head of the Jerusalem church. Mary is Mark’s mother, apparently a leader in a house church in Jerusalem.