When Hope Feels Hidden (Acts 12:1-19)

This sermon, When Hope Feels Hidden, delivered by Pastor Jeff McLain at River Corner Church on February 2, 2025, centered on cultivating expectancy in prayer. Drawing from Acts 12:1-19, Pastor Jeff emphasized how the early church faced hopeless circumstances with earnest prayer, reminding listeners that God is always at work, even in the midst of the impossible.

Who we are together.
River Corner Church is a growing church community of everyday people who gather to worship God, follow Jesus, and journey through life together.

What we practice together.
Our small church community is uniquely caring, simple, laid-back, and intergenerational. As a church, we want to be a welcoming, safe, and healing community for those who are seeking, hurting, or need a place to belong. Our practices are contemplative (reflective) charismatic (Spirit-driven), conversational, and informative. The times we share together are intentional and intimate, and a mix between modern and traditional. We want to be a place in which love and honor are lived out, where humility is central, and where hospitality is woven into the threads of our community. There is room at the table.

When we gather together.
River Corner Church gathers weekly on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM to worship and experience God, study the scriptures, journey through life together, and partner with the Holy Spirit. We meet in a simple worship meeting house at 524 River Corner Road in Conestoga, Pennsylvania. You are welcome as you are, just be yourself. There are other times that we hold small groups, events, and more.

Our Pastoral Leader.
As the pastor of River Corner Church, Jeff McLain leads our church community and helps others to think differently about Jesus, life, and everything in-between. Jeff also serves as the Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission, where he works with those facing homelessness and poverty. Jeff, Katie, and their three wander-filled daughters look to lead quiet lives. Committed to lifelong learning, Jeff is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Kairos University and completing a Master of Business Administration with a focus on Executive Leadership at City Vision University. These academic pursuits complement the two masters he completed earlier at Fuller Seminary. Jeff has a passion for baseball, boardwalks, beaches, bays, and books, but above all, his greatest joy lies in spending time with his family and guiding our church community on our journey of faith together.

Learn more about us at rivercornerchurch.com.

Transcript

In 2010, the world watched as 33 miners in Chile were trapped underground in a collapsed mine. You may remember it. For 69 days, they faced extreme conditions, with little hope of rescue. The world’s attention was fixed on the situation, and rescue teams worked around the clock to find a way to bring them to safety. The rescue was no small feat, and it took great strategy. However, what a lot of people don’t realize is the way prayer was involved in this situation. Besides the countless people praying for the miners on the outside, inside the mine, an individual began to lead prayer meetings. They were up against their wall, with not enough food for more than a few days, and it seemed like there was no way out. All they could do was pray. During that time, the miners held onto their faith, with many praying for their survival. Their families and the world joined in praying for their safe return, hoping against hope. We are going to look at a story like this today where prayer is all one can do.

SERIES

Since the beginning of the year, we have concentrated on fostering a spirit of expectancy, which is our theme for this year, and we have delved into our key verse from Hebrews 12. This serves as one more exploration of this theme for now. While I was away last week, speaking at Lancaster First Assembly of God due to my work at Water Street Mission, Kevin did an excellent job examining expectancy with the Holy Spirit. I appreciate that he directed our time together in Acts, as I also intended to discuss a story from Acts this week. 

This morning, we talked about learning to be expectant in prayer. 

PASSAGE

I invite you to turn with me in Acts 12:1-19. I will read Acts 12:1-19 from the New International Version. We will pause and reflect as we move through this passage.

12 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

In the New Testament, there are six Herods. Some skeptics argue that the Bible contradicts itself, claiming there’s no way one Herod could have lived that long. This can be explained by understanding what the title “Herod” represented. The Herodians were a political party acting as intermediaries between the Jewish people and Rome. Some of the Herods were more like kings, ruling large regions, while others governed smaller territories or aspects of land. Different sects of Judaism—such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes—had varying opinions on the significance of Herod’s role, and they had complicated relationships with their nationalistic way of thinking. However, not only was the Herodian party a political institution, but it was also a deeply dysfunctional and broken family.

Herod the Great, who was Herod when Jesus was born, was notorious for killing some of his own sons and wives and was succeeded by his son, Herod Archelaus. Herod Archelaus was equally as weird, and this is why Joseph, after fleeing to Egypt, was hesitant to return to Bethlehem—because, like his father, Herod Archelaus was a ruthless ruler. After Archelaus, Herod Antipas took the throne. He was the son of Herod the Great and the Herod who ruled during Jesus' ministry. In Luke 13, Antipas tries to stop Jesus’ work, but Jesus calls him a "fox," a term that not only insults his cunning but also highlights his lack of true authority. This same Herod divorced his first wife, married Herodias (who had been married to his brother, another Herod), and beheaded John the Baptist. He also formed a friendship with Pontius Pilate. At the same time, Herod Philip the Tetrarch ruled another region and married his own niece, the daughter of Herodias. Next in line was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great and the nephew of Herodias. This is the Herod mentioned in Acts 12:1. He is also the Herod who, according to both historical accounts and Acts, died of a disease caused by worms in his stomach, shortly after exalting himself as a god. After Agrippa I, his son, Herod Agrippa II, succeeded him. This Herod is featured in the story of Paul’s third missionary journey.

So, it is Herod Agrippa I in this passage — or the current “King Herod.” Scholars say he ended up ruling even more territory than his grandfather, Herod the Great. With that seemingly came an undeniable ego. This “Herod’s” eyes were set on the persecution of the church, and he believed that arresting Peter would help crush the movement. Peter was undoubtedly a notorious leader of the early church — the one Jesus said would be a leader whom he entrusted with his church (Matthew 16:18) and one who asked Jesus to feed his sheep (John 21:17). Herod seemed to be strategically invested in arresting the church. Acts tells us he had already “arrested some who belonged to the church.” However, Herod didn’t only have a few unknown faces and names, he already had “James, the brother of John (not James the brother of Jesus), put to death with the sword.” 

I imagine the early church, including Peter, felt the great pressure of the moment on them. Everywhere they looked, there was trouble and danger, threat and concern. 

Some people are motivated by the way others look at them. Those in power often are concerned with the affirmations and expectations of others. This is a dangerous place to be for this reason. Acts tells us that these arrests and persecutions were “met with approval among the Jews.” Their approval and affirmation fed his ego and pride, as approval and affirmation often do. This made him want to go even further with his persecution. Seemingly, Herod isn’t concerned with the early Christians nor Peter for his own personal reasons, but rather merely for the excitement and affirmation it brings him from the Jews. Because of the “approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also.” 

Herod finds Peter during “the Festival of Unleavened Bread.” Have you ever noticed how many dramatic moments in the New Testament occur around feasts? There are several reasons for this. First, there are many feasts. There is a good chance of these events happening near feasts. Second, time is often marked by these feasts. Just as we associate events with certain seasons, Jewish authors often anchored their stories in the context of the surrounding celebrations. Third, there’s sometimes theological timing and prophetic fulfillment at play in a passage between the event and the celebration. Fourth, the early church took advantage of these opportunities to proclaim how these festivals pointed to Jesus, so they were active around these public celebrations. Fifth, these festivals were public events, drawing large crowds. These individuals were spiritually and culturally obligated to participate in these public celebrations and were often found in the midst of them, which made for dramatic moments. Public celebrations, with their large gatherings, provided an easy opportunity for arrests and confrontations. Herod, in this case, is exploiting the public celebration to seize Peter. He knows Peter will be sure to stick his head up and he uses that to his advantage. 

This King Herod was ethnically Jewish on his mother’s side. His father and grandfather were converts. For this reason, he adheres to the Jewish Calendar and because he wants to keep their favor. Peter seemingly is arrested, perhaps on the first day, the public gathering, and because Herod wants to adhere to the calendar, he knows that no execution nor trial can be held at this time, especially by a Jewish King. So, Herod waits.

While Passover is a one-day celebration, the Feast of Unleavened Bread follows immediately after and lasts for an entire week. Passover itself is akin to how we view Christmas as a season, even though it's only one day. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is rooted in Exodus 12:15-20, where God commands the Israelites to eat unleavened bread for seven days to commemorate their hasty departure from Egypt. The unleavened bread serves as a tangible reminder of how they had to leave in such a hurry that they didn’t have time for their bread to rise. It also represents God’s provision of Manna. During the Feast, the Israelites would cleanse their homes of all yeast, making a physical declaration of their commitment to purity and separation from sin. They also would attend assemblies on the first and seventh day.

Peter is captured in one of these dramatic moments. Herod leaves nothing to chance when it comes to Peter’s imprisonment. He goes to great lengths to ensure Peter doesn’t escape. These aren’t just the usual guards working for the Sanhedrin; these are military-trained soldiers, demonstrating the full extent of Herod’s power. Peter isn’t simply thrown into prison—he is "guarded by four squads of four soldiers each," meaning 16 soldiers are assigned to keep watch over one man. One scholar notes that it was common practice to rotate the guards every three hours during the twelve-night shift, ensuring they remained alert. Beyond this, the facility itself is likely locked and may be watched by additional guards. Can you imagine a situation that would feel more hopeless? There’s no chance of escape. Peter is chained not only to his physical circumstances but also to the grim reality of what lies ahead. Every moment is filled with the weight of inevitable uncertainty and hopelessness.

The church is also feeling the hopelessness of the situation. Their friend, an authoritative teacher who traveled at Jesus’ side, has now been lost to them. The joy that should fill their celebrations and lives at this moment has been snuffed out. Hopelessness fills their waking moments too. They do the only thing that they can do.

We all have situations in life where we feel completely hopeless. There are places meant for joy and celebration, but the weight of our anxieties robs us of that joy and possibility. Sometimes, we feel chained to circumstances beyond our control, with no way out. Our friends see it, and they feel it too. It’s as if there are 16 guards and the looming threat of defeat holding us down in a dark, concrete cell. We become convinced we know what lies ahead—bad news that feels inevitable.

In Peter's story, the church did the only thing they knew to do: they prayed. I imagine Peter was doing the same, though Luke doesn’t tell us. The church couldn’t defeat Herod, outsmart the guards, or stop an execution order. There was no human solution to their problem. But prayer was the only thing that mattered.

In moments of tragedy or disaster today, it’s common to hear phrases like "Our thoughts and prayers are with you" from public figures and social media users. Lately, this has been met with criticism—people saying thoughts and prayers aren’t enough, and that action is needed. That strong reaction to the sentiment “thoughts and prayers” makes sense when "thoughts and prayers" become a hollow statement, a detached response without real care or investment.

But we can't reduce everything to action either. There are times when prayer must precede action. Often, God calls us to be the answer to our own prayers, working alongside God to bring about change. We can’t expect God to do what God expects us to do. Yet there are also times when only God can intervene—when no human effort can alter the situation.

In these moments we may be in right now, where fear grips us, anxiety fills our waking hours, and we feel chained to the inevitable—prayer may be all we have. But it’s enough. That is the power of this story.

This story should tell us to never underestimate the power of prayer. Peter’s story in Acts 12 is a story of prayer, and it reminds us that even when things look darkest, God hears and moves in ways beyond our understanding.

Listen to the power of prayer.

6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

First, prayer didn’t work miracles, nor did they reverse the situation overnight. As Jesus taught his disciples, there is power in prayer that keeps on seeking, keeps on asking, and keeps on knocking. Peter didn’t get released the first night they prayed. They were praying and kept praying at the last hour when hope was certainly extinguished. Luke tells us that it was “the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell.” I am sure Peter thought he was staring at the end of his journey. However, the church did not stop praying for him. Peter is somehow able to sleep at that moment. Sleep often robs us of our joy in anxious moments. Peter exemplifies the power of prayer and contentment with Jesus in his ability to sleep first and foremost. Peter is so asleep that an angelic light doesn’t wake him up, so he needs to be smacked awake by an angel.  The word used for “struck” in Greek can be used to describe a violent act, like when you strike someone with the intent to hurt him or to use a sword against someone. The angel had to shake Peter to wake him. Even more, he had to yell at him to get up quickly.  

If I woke up surrounded by angelic light with an angel tapping my side, you wouldn’t need to tell me to get up quickly—I’d be floating in shock and probably needing a change of clothes. Yet Peter, perhaps groggy or confused, finally gets to his feet, and immediately the chains fall off.

Oddly attentive to Peter’s appearance, the angel tells Peter to put on his sandals and cloak. Seemingly he wasn't only in a bleak situation but a humiliating one. I suppose the angel didn’t want to be responsible for Peter becoming "the streak" running through the streets on his way home.

Still in a daze, Peter follows the angel, unsure of what’s real. Perhaps he was half-awake, or perhaps this was some quantum, other-dimensional work beyond his comprehension. Either way, Peter thinks he might be seeing a vision. Luke describes how they passed effortlessly by the guards and how the iron gate opened on its own—a scene straight out of the mythology of their day, but Peter is living it in reality.

That probably added to his confusion. When we experience deliverance or witness a miracle, there’s often a moment where we think, I’ve read about things like this, but now it’s really happening. Is this real? Or am I dreaming?

It wasn’t until Peter found himself outside the city that he fully realized this was no vision. God had truly provided a way out. This moment also built Peter's faith. Peter knew God was faithful to keep His promises and fulfill what God said He would do. Before this, Peter likely prayed but didn’t fully understand what God was up to. He was in a place where there seemed to be no way out and likely had little expectation left.

But when Peter stood outside those gates, free, he believed. God had made a way where none seemed possible. Action is required in this story, action of obedience. Peter had to follow. He had to step. He had to believe as much as he could. Peter had to take hold of what God was offering. However, it was prayer that unlocked it. It was prayer that made it possible. It was prayer that changed the circumstances. 

Quickly, let us listen to the witness of the church.

12 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 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 other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place. 18 In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.

It seems the church prayed with little expectation or anticipation. When Peter finally escapes and makes his way to his friend's house, he knocks and calls out. Rhoda, hearing his voice, rushes to the door. But in her excitement, she forgets the obvious—Peter probably wants to come inside—and shuts the door in his face.

Even when Peter stands right there, the very people who had been praying for his freedom struggle to believe it's real. They hoped and prayed but seemingly doubted and didn't fully expect God to answer.

Meanwhile, Peter, aware that he's still a wanted man, keeps knocking urgently, probably nervous about being caught out on the street. Finally, despite their fear and uncertainty, they open the door—and their disbelief turns to overwhelming joy. Their celebration becomes so loud that Peter has to motion for them to quiet down, warning them not to draw attention and risk getting him arrested again.

Once the room settles, Peter shares the incredible story of how God delivered him from prison and the threat of death. Peter makes it clear that this isn’t just about his escape—it's a sign that God still has much work to do through them. Peter instructs them to spread the news to other believers, including James, the brother of Jesus, who was serving as a key leader in the church.

After delivering this message, Peter says goodbye to his friends and moves on to continue his mission elsewhere. This experience wasn’t just about deliverance—it was meant to build their faith and remind them of God’s ongoing purpose.

The church could have easily felt defeated and overwhelmed by Herod’s growing persecution. They had already lost James and others and now faced the possibility of Peter’s death. But rather than succumbing to despair, they chose a posture of prayer. Even when the odds seemed impossible, they gathered to pray, to seek God’s intervention.

Here is what I want us to see Acts 12:5 tells us, “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” They didn’t pray with mere routine or obligation. They prayed earnestly — fervently, with sincerity and hope, even when their situation gave them little reason to expect a miracle.

This moment offers us a profound lesson: earnest prayer isn't about how much faith we have but about trusting in God despite what we see. The church wasn’t filled with certainty that Peter would be released. Their prayer wasn't fueled by perfect confidence; it was fueled by a desperate hope in God’s power and love.

Friends, when life presses us with uncertainty, challenges, or grief, we have a choice. We can pray small, shallow prayers with little anticipation, or we can pray boldly, earnestly, even when we don’t know what the outcome will be. Peter's story reminds us that God is always at work, often in surprising and transformative ways. So the invitation today is simple: How might we become a people who pray with expectancy, trusting that God hears us, even when we have little reason to anticipate immediate answers?

SERMON POINTS

In the situation, you feel arrested right now,

1. Be praying and have others praying for you. Just as Peter's friends gathered to pray while he was in prison (Acts 12), persistent prayer invites God’s intervention even when the situation seems hopeless. You pray. You keep on praying. You keep asking for others to pray with you and for you.
2. Keep prayer going even when the situation feels written and final.The believers continued praying despite Peter’s imprisonment, showing that hope perseveres when God's timing isn’t yet clear (Acts 12:5, 12). They kept praying even when he was at the door. Get people like that in your life.
3. Listen for the knocks.Peter stood knocking at the door while Rhoda joyfully ran to tell others — but they initially didn’t believe the answer to their prayer was already at hand (Acts 12:13-16). If they would have ignored the knocks they would not have seen the answer. Listen to the way God might be beginning to answer your prayer now.
4. Allow stories like this to keep you expectant in prayer.Just as God freed Peter through miraculous intervention, hearing stories of answered prayers strengthens our faith that God will move again. Read this story, and others like it throughout this year, and the situation you are in. Allow it to remind you and inform your prayer practice on what is possible.

CLOSING

I started by telling the story of the Chilean miners. After weeks of uncertainty, underground with diminishing hope, a breakthrough came, and all 33 miners were safely rescued, one by one, in a remarkable operation. They decided to pray one last time before they left. They knew despite the grim circumstances, their prayers, combined with relentless action, brought about an extraordinary outcome.

Sometimes life can feel like being chained between guards, with doors locked tight and no way out. But God is not limited by what we see. When there is no way out, pray. God invites us to pray persistently, to stay watchful for the places where the Kingdom of God is in movement, and God calls us to remain open to surprising answers. As we hold onto hope, may we remember that Jesus Himself taught us to keep asking, seeking, and knocking — with the confidence that our heavenly Father hears and responds.

Let us now hear Jesus' words from Matthew 7:7-8: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."