谁是王？
那时，教会正面临艰难的逼迫。希律杀了约翰的哥哥雅各，和另一个耶稣最近亲的门徒。现在看来，似乎要轮到彼得了。
希律想拚命证明自己在掌权。他的政治盟友，犹太当局不喜欢耶稣的门徒，所以他就开始迫害他们。他很喜欢用这样的方式来抬高自己！
但是到了晚上，在监狱里，一个天使把彼得叫醒，松开了他的锁链，把他领出来。彼得却不知道发生了什么事，还以为是做梦。就连那些为他获释祷告的信徒们都对他出现在门口感到震惊。然而神透过彼得要做的工作还没有结束，所以祂要多给彼得一些时间。
这个越狱的故事以希律对狱警极度的愤怒而结束。接着，我们听到从推罗西顿来的政治盟友赞美希律，使得他自满。因此神击打希律。他被虫咬而死，但神的话继续得以广传和兴盛。
我曾有幸见证在监狱里服事的信徒。你知道吗，今天神依然在监狱里和其他地方释放人的心灵。毕竟，祂才是真正的王。
圣父，圣子，圣灵，我们赞美你。我们承认，我们很多时候更像希律，而不是我们以为的样子。愿我们无论环境如何，都看你为我们的主。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
使徒行传 12:1-24
1那时，希律王下手苦害教会中几个人，
2用刀杀了约翰的哥哥雅各。
3他见犹太人喜欢这事，又去捉拿彼得。那时正是除酵的日子。
4希律拿了彼得，收在监里，交付四班兵丁看守，每班四个人，意思要在逾越节后把他提出来，当着百姓办他。
5于是彼得被囚在监里，教会却为他切切地祷告神。
6希律将要提他出来的前一夜，彼得被两条铁链锁着，睡在两个兵丁当中，看守的人也在门外看守。
7忽然，有主的一个使者站在旁边，屋里有光照耀。天使拍彼得的肋旁，拍醒了他，说：“快快起来！”那铁链就从他手上脱落下来。
8天使对他说：“束上带子，穿上鞋！”他就那样做。天使又说：“披上外衣，跟着我来！”
9彼得就出来跟着他，不知道天使所做是真的，只当见了异象。
10过了第一层、第二层监牢，就来到临街的铁门，那门自己开了。他们出来，走过一条街，天使便离开他去了。
11彼得醒悟过来，说：“我现在真知道主差遣他的使者，救我脱离希律的手和犹太百姓一切所盼望的。”
12想了一想，就往那称呼马可的约翰他母亲马利亚家去，在那里有好些人聚集祷告。
13彼得敲外门，有一个使女名叫罗大，出来探听。
14听得是彼得的声音，就欢喜得顾不得开门，跑进去告诉众人说：“彼得站在门外！”
15他们说：“你是疯了！”使女极力地说：“真是他！”他们说：“必是他的天使。”
16彼得不住地敲门。他们开了门，看见他，就甚惊奇。
17彼得摆手不要他们作声，就告诉他们主怎样领他出监，又说：“你们把这事告诉雅各和众弟兄。”于是出去往别处去了。
18到了天亮，兵丁扰乱得很，不知道彼得往哪里去了。
19希律找他，找不着，就审问看守的人，吩咐把他们拉去杀了。后来希律离开犹太，下恺撒利亚去，住在那里。
20希律恼怒推罗、西顿的人。他们那一带地方是从王的地土得粮，因此就托了王的内侍臣伯拉斯都的情，一心来求和。
21希律在所定的日子，穿上朝服，坐在位上，对他们讲论一番。
22百姓喊着说：“这是神的声音，不是人的声音！”
23希律不归荣耀给神，所以主的使者立刻罚他，他被虫所咬，气就绝了。
24神的道日见兴旺，越发广传。
Who Is The King?
“Peter ... said, ‘Now I know ... that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches...’” — Acts 12:11
The church was facing a hard time of persecution. James, the brother of John and one of the disciples closest to Jesus, was put to death by King Herod. And now, it seemed, Peter would be next.
Herod was trying to show that he was in charge. His political allies, the Jewish authorities, didn’t want the followers of Jesus around, so Herod began persecuting them. And he liked how this improved his ratings!
But at night in Peter’s prison cell, an angel woke Peter up, released him from his chains, and led him outside. Peter had no idea what was going on. He thought it was a dream. Even the believers who were praying for his release were stunned when he showed up at their door. But God’s work through Peter was not finished, so God gave more time to serve.
This prison-break story closes with Herod’s deadly anger at the prison guards—and then we hear of Herod’s self-satisfaction when political allies from Tyre and Sidon praise him. So God strikes Herod down. His body becomes a meal for worms, but the Word of God continues to spread and flourish.
I have been privileged to see believers serving behind prison walls. Did you know that God still shows up inside prisons and other places to set hearts free? After all, he is the true King.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we praise you. We confess that we are like Herod more often than we like to think. May we always see you as Lord, no matter the circumstances. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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