An Allegory of Salvation (Easter)

Peter is in prison and James has been killed by Herod. In these few verses there is a great picture of salvation. I don’t normally do this for Sunday School, but this morning I’m going to spiritualize the events here and apply them to your lost soul.

The need for deliverance

  • The enemy is real (vs 1)
  • The enemy has destroyed the lives of people you know (vs 2)
  • The enemy is after you (vs 3)
  • The enemy has you (vs 4)
    • Injustice may be his weapon, but usually, it is…
    • Sin – Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
    • When you choose to sin, sin controls you, you never control sin.
    • When you choose pride, pride controls you, you never control pride.
    • When you choose fornication, fornication controls you, you never control fornication.

Indifference toward deliverance

  • kept in prison (vs 5)
    • The early stages of sin will allow you to function and live normal life.
    • The early stages of sin are pleasurable.
  • prayer was made…for him (vs 5)
    • What you don’t think about is your bondage causes someone else pain.
    • You are the reason some people are praying.
    • You don’t want deliverance because you don’t care who you’re sin is hurting.
  • When Herod would have brought him forth (vs 6)
    • You don’t care that your situation will get worse.
  • Peter was sleeping… (vs 6)
    • You’ve become perfectly content in your prison cell. We have lived there so long that it is our new normal.
    • The hopelessness of your situation has caused you to stop caring about the fact that you’re in prison!

Preparation for deliverance

  • light shined in the prison (vs 7)
    • God will put some light on your problem, he will point it out to you.
    • He’s going to highlight and remind you of where you are.  And it’s not where you need to be.
  • he smote Peter on the side (vs 7)
    • The Holy Spirit will reprove you, bring conviction.
    • The Lord will try to get you to move and you better hope he kicks your side because if he doesn’t, you’re OK living in prison.
  • raised him up…and the chains fell off his hands (vs 7)
    • Peter was free at that point!
    • He removes the bondage of the enemy and makes it possible to be at liberty.

Your responsibility in deliverance

  • At this point in time Peter is free. But Peter can stay in prison or he can get up and leave prison.  This is his responsibility.
  • Gird thyself (vs 8)
    • Surround yourself with the truth.
    • Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth…
  • bind on thy sandals (vs 8)
    • Prepare for a new walk.
    • Shoes for different things. Basketball shoes. Boots for working. Steel toes for work.
    • Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel.
  • cast thy garment about thee (vs 8)
    • Get out of the prison clothes and put on free man’s clothes.
    • Cover yourself in righteousness.
    • Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and get the prison clothes off.
  • follow me (vs 8)
    • Follow the Lord.

Results of deliverance

  • and he went out… and followed (vs 9)
    • Leadership in deliverance.
    • You have to make the first move. The angel of the Lord did not carry Peter out of the prison, he, himself walked out.
  • wist not that it was true (vs 9)
    • You don’t need to understand everything. We stop and choose to remain in bondage because we need to know and understand the future.  
  • When they…they…them…they went… (vs 10)
    • Peter was never alone for the rest of the deliverance. God will walk with you through every obstacle until you are completely delivered.
    • I notice also that the Lord was with Peter until he fully understood what was going on. The Lord supplied the steps – follow me – when there was no understanding.
    • The Lord says to the pastor, Feed my sheep. The pastor says, But the sheep aren’t listening. All the sheep have their own agenda. I don’t think anyone cares.  That is questioning whether what the Lord is doing is true or not.
    • Be a witness. I don’t see any fruit.  Be a witness.
  • and when Peter was come to himself (vs 11)
    • The point of understanding just like the prodigal son.
    • The Lord got him into a church.
    • Gave glory to God. Psalm 50:15