Reboot: Responding to a Crisis
Acts 11:25-27
Acts 12:1-5
Acts 11:27-30
27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the reign of Claudius. 29 Each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers and sisters who lived in Judea. 30 They did this, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 12:1-5
1 About that time King Herod violently attacked some who belonged to the church, 2 and he executed James, John's brother, with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 4 After the arrest, he put him in prison & assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.
Introduction
Two crisis situations are seen in Acts 11:27- 12:24
1. Famine was coming, 11:27-30
2. The Church in Jerusalem was Persecuted 12:1-4
How do YOU respond to a Crisis?
1. The Churches Response
Grown and learned to give, stand on own…
See: 7:9-13; John 19:25-27; 1 Tim. 5:4-8
·The Church Prayed , v.5 – Persistent, Earnest, without ceasing! Together – v. 12
2. God’s Response to the Church
1 Peter 3:12 - "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
1 John 5:15 - "And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."
3. Herod’s Response
18 At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. Acts 12:18-19 (CSB)
4. God’s Response to Herod
20 Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. Together they presented themselves before him. After winning over Blastus, who was in charge of the king's bedroom, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king's country. 21 On an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a speech to them. 22 The assembled people began to shout, "It's the voice of a god & not of a man!" 23 At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, & he was eaten by worms & died. Acts 12:20-23 (CSB)
How Do We Handle a Crisis?
Our response is important…
Do we draw closer to our brothers & sisters?
Do we turn to God and look to Him in faith & prayer?
God responds to OUR response…