God's Word Spreads

Introduction

Our world is in political and possible military distress. Since 9/11/01, our country has had to change the way we conduct business and look at other nations. Our military has increased its world’s presence. The doves and the hawks are making their voices heard. We pray for God’s wisdom to be administered with equal clarity to all. But none of this is new. At different times throughout modern history, there have been times of political and military distress. And during those times, we, as Christians, may be torn. We want to honor our country and yet we may feel that the direction our country is heading is without merit. Or we may feel quite the opposite. We may think that our country is heading in a godly direction and cannot imagine why others do not see it that way as well. As Christians we search to know what God’s will is in much of what our country is doing.

Sometimes governments intervene in a way which does damage to God’s ways. For instance, in our country, court rulings in the past two to three decades has fortified the wall separating church and state. In some cases, this fortification has created some hardship on Christians resulting in Christianity being ridiculed and degraded. We do not necessarily feel the direct impact of such court rulings instead it is an accumulation of rulings which may have long term consequences for us. While American government has not taken a direct stance against Christianity, in other parts of the world this has not been true. In Laos, China, and some Islamic countries it is illegal to practice Christianity. The governments at time persecute, imprison, or kill those who claim to know Christ as Lord. We know very little of such situations.

In Acts 12, we read of another round of persecution in Jerusalem. This time it isn’t the religious leaders. This time it is the king himself who takes a direct role in the persecution. Following Stephen’s death in Acts 7, there is a general persecution fueled by the religious leaders. This persecution resulted in tremendous growth. The gospel goes to the ends of the earth through the teaching of the eunuch; those who are not Jews become convinced that Jesus is Lord and become Christians; and the Antioch congregation (a congregation of primarily non-Jewish people) becomes mission minded.

But in Acts 12, the political leader of the day becomes directly involved in trying to put a stop to Christianity. But his reasons are not religious, they are political. There was always a tension between Herod and the religious leaders. Herod was Jewish, but he was deeply influenced by the Romans. This Herod is the grandson of Herod the Great. He is known in history as Herod Agrippa I. Herod the Great was king when Jesus was born. The Herod of Acts 12 had spent a lot of time in Rome. He grew up with Caligula who ruled Rome from 37-41 A.D. Caligula demanded that he be worshipped as a god. It was during Caligula’s reign that Herod was given rule over Galilee in 39 A.D. In 41 A.D. when Claudius became Emperor of Rome, Herod’s power was expanded to include Judea and Samaria. Herod was a powerful king. What he didn’t always have was the approval of the people he ruled over—the Jews. They despised his connection with Rome, but it was that connection which allowed Jerusalem to thrive. And now Herod enters into religious persecution but for political ends.

First, Herod arrests James. After a brief incarceration, James is beheaded. Herod waits for the pollsters to report on public opinion. It is overwhelmingly positive. So Herod arrests Peter intending to kill him too. Much of chapter 12 is about Peter’s miraculous release from prison. The church prays for God to intervene. He does and Peter is set free. This puts Herod in a bad light. He had the guards killed who didn’t take care of their prisoner. And Herod continues to seek political strength while thumbing his nose at God.

Herod and God

So we come to our text. Herod is in Caesarea. There is some type of political upset between Herod and the people of Tyre and Sidon. We don’t know the problem but it is resulting in an economic hardship on the people of Tyre and Sidon. An audience is arranged with Herod for some negotiated settlement. Another historian, Josephus gives us some insight into this particular occasion. Josephus records that it was during a festival to honor Claudius, Emperor of Rome that Herod and the people of Tyre and Sidon meet. On the second day of the feast, Herod wore a robe made of silver which glistened in the sun. It was such a sight that the people cried out: “Be gracious to us! Hitherto we have reverenced thee as a man, but henceforth we acknowledge thee to be more than mortal nature.” Or as Luke records, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.”

Herod does nothing to refute this proclamation. He gladly accepted the praise of the people and gladly accepted the role of a god. Because of his arrogance, Herod is struck with a disease. Josephus says it was five days after this incident that Herod died. Luke says that God produced this result. Herod took God’s place and God put Herod in his rightful place—with the worms.

The Church

It would be easy at this point to talk about the arrogance of man and that when we oppose God we will suffer consequences. And I suppose such a lesson can be gotten from this text. But Luke gives us a clue about this text which he wants us to notice. The clue is verse 24. In this summary statement which occurs six other times in Acts, Luke is trying to show that God’s plan is working. In this case, the summary statement comes on the heels of political opposition, but the word of God continues to spread and God’s church continues to grow. In this case, Luke is making a special point. Political opposition will not stop the word of God.

Look at the previous three occurrences of this same summary statement from Luke. In 2:47, after the beginning of God’s plan for his church unfolds we are told that there was daily growth in God’s family. In 6:7 following initial persecution and internal opposition, we are told that God’s word continues to spread. In 9:31, following heated persecution from Saul, God intervenes and Saul is converted and God’s word continues to spread. Then here in 12:24 after political opposition, God intervenes derailing the political plans of man and lifting up his church so that the word of God spreads. Luke is using this text as he has used previous texts. Despite internal opposition, religious persecution, and political power, the word of God is moving forward.

It is in this summary statement that Luke allows us to see that there are two different purposes at work. There are political purposes. Purposes which find meaning in power, strength, negotiations, and popularity. And then there are God’s purposes. Purposes which find meaning in compassion, grace, forgiveness, and eternal life. And when the purposes of politics clashes with the purposes of God—the church takes hold of God’s purposes and seeks opportunities to demonstrate compassion, grace, forgiveness, and eternal life.

Our country appears to be on the verge of war. As an American I have certain feelings about that. As one who may be interested in politics, we may react in certain ways to what appears to be inevitable. But as a Christian I am looking for the hand of God. After WWII there was a great influx of mission work into Europe and Japan. Why? Because GI’s with God in their heart had seen the devastation and they had a heart for helping rebuild not just materially but spiritually. And the word of God spread. Islamic countries are virtually closed to Christian missionaries. Will God use this conflict with Iraq to open up venues for Christian missionaries? I do not know. What I do know is that God’s desire is that his word spread. And as Christians our desire is to see that all people come to know God.

So we pray for peace; we pray for God’s wisdom to be given to all leaders; we pray for harmony, but as Christians we focus on grace and forgiveness for all. We live in a great country, but our heavenly citizenship is not determined by political boundaries. Our desire is to have a part in spreading God’s word.

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