Cleveland County herald., 1920-02-19
|. Peters imprisonment (vv. 1-4).


 Things Wrought by Prayer. |. Peters Imprisonment (vv. 1-4).
 l. By whom (v. D. Herod the grandson of the wicked Herod who slew the innocent children at Bethle- hem.
 /. The reason (v. 3. It was to gain the favor of the Jews. Herod was not Jew, and therefore knew that his success was GeDendent upon having the good will of the Jews. He did not particularly hate the Church, but loved popularity. Herod, for the sake of popularity, assumed deep sympathy for degenerate Judaism. Since the Church had developed into a success ful rival of Judaism-indeed was al- ready displacing it-he saw an oppor- tunity to curry favor with the Jews by putting his hand forth against it.
 3. The method (v 4). Peter was ar- rested, put into prison and guarded by four quaternions of soldiers. A qua ternion is a guard of four soldiers on duty at the same time. Four quater- nions meant that special group was on duty each watch of the night. It was the custom for two soldiers to be in the prison, one on each side of the prisoner, bound to his arms with chains (v. @. The third one to watcI outside the door and the fourth to be near the outside gate. Humanly speaking it was impossible to escape. However, they made one fatal mis- take; they left out God.
 II. The Church of God in Prayer (v. D.
 The Church was in crisis; her sit uation was most grave. James, one of the pillars of the Church, was dead, and Peter, the most prominent of all, was in prison. In this desperate strait they did the wise thing; they betook themselves to prayer. There is nath- ing too hard for God. Theirs was noteworthy prayer:
 1. It was unto God, not unto men to be heard of men. This is a very com mon fault today. All true prayer is unto God.
 2. It was united prayer It was made by the Church. God hears the prayers of individuals, but there is peculiar power in the united prayer of Gods people.
 3. It was an intensely earnest prayer. It was more than unceasing prayer; it was the yearRing desire of the soul as it stretched itself out to- ward God.
 4 It was definite prayer. They spe- officially interceded for Peter. Their prayer was concentrated definite and specific
 III. Peter Delivered by an Angel (vv GID.
 This occurred the night before Her. od's plan to make a public display of him.
 1. Peter sleeping (v. @. The angel found Peter asleep. The Lord keeps In perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on him Isa 26 :3). Again, he gives his beloved sleep Psalm 127 p.
 2. Peter leaving the prison (vv. 7-10). The heavenly light shone in the prison. The angel smote Peter on the side, the chains fell off, Peter put on his clothes, passed by one guard after an- other through the iron gate out into the city.
 8. The effect upon Peter (v. ID. Al though the event was so wonderful to Peter, and at first he thought it a vision, when he came to himself he was assured beyond peradventure of doubt that God had miraculously de- lvered him from Herod's wicked hands.
 W Unconscious Unbelief (vv. 12-19).
 l. The behavior of Peter and the Church (vv. 12-1D. Peter went to the house of Mary and knocked. The knock was answered by Rhoda, who was so overjoyed on hearing Peters voice that she forgot to open the gate and ran in and told them that Peter was at the gate.
 2. The behavior of the soldiers (vv. IS. 19). There was great agitation among them over Peters disappear ance. This was serious matter, since they were responsible for him. Not being able to account for Peters asoana Herod commanded that they