Episode 105: Trials, Martyrdom, and Faith

In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy

Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the.

Everlasting mercies which? Sent you to us, O Christ, the

light of the world and the life of all.

Give us wisdom by your law and enlighten our impulses by Your

knowledge. Sanctify our souls by Your

truth, and grant that we may be obedient to Your words and may

fulfil Your commandments at every hour.

O You who enlightens the rational with the knowledge of

Your greatness. Do enlight, O my Lord, our

thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and divine

Scriptures at all times, O Lord of all, Father and Son and Holy

Spirit. Forever.

Amen. Just imagine yourself.

Being locked up for no reason, No crime for no.

Fault whatsoever Locked. Up in a cell guarded by prison

guards chained to the prison guards chained to the.

Wall, What would your reaction be?

Let's continue reading the Acts of the Holy Apostles of Our

Lord, chapter 12. And we'll continue from verse 6.

Last week we started verses. 1:00 to 5:00.

And let's see what Simon does after being captured.

Now, just to recap, the church in Jerusalem is being

persecuted. James, the brother of John, the

sons of Zebedee, has been beheaded, preserving his

physical head. I'm sorry, forfeiting his

physical head. He was beheaded and preserving

his eternal spiritual head, which is Jesus Christ according

to one Corinthians 11/3. But I want you to know, writes

Saint Paul, that the head of every man is the Christ praise

between his name, Simon. Simon is captured and the church

is earnestly praying. And let's see, we're going to

now witness what that earnest prayer achieved that was offered

by the church. And we learn, and I think we

discussed this, when bad things come upon us, when we are

unfairly judged or we end up in a prison cell for no crime, no

fault, no sin, nothing whatsoever.

The best thing to do is pray. And there's something else that

comes along with that. And we'll read from, learn from

Simon Peter. So verses 6 to 9, let me read

those to you. And when Herod was about to

bring him, that is Simon, out that night, Peter was sleeping.

Peter was sleeping bound with two chains between two soldiers,

and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.

Now behold, an Angel of the Lord.

Here is the the fruit of earnest prayer.

Now behold, an Angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone

in the prison, And he struck Peter in the side, and raised

him up, and saying, Arise quickly, and his chains fell off

his hands. Then the Angel said to him, Gird

yourself and tie on your sandals.

And so he did and he said to him, Put on your garment and

follow me. So he went out and followed him.

And they don't know that what was done by the Angel was real,

but thought he was seeing a vision.

Again, putting ourselves in Peter's shoes, what would we

have done? And I always when I, you know,

when we, when we converse about, you know, prisons and jails, I

always give this disclaimer that if I ever end up in a prison

now, right now, I know that I will cry myself to death.

But reading the scriptures, I'm so rebuked now, if it's my

fault, if I've committed a crime, if I have acted

unlawfully, well, yes, I need to be locked up.

And if I'm crying myself not to death, but that may be the point

of my repentance in return, but having done nothing wrong

whatsoever, and in particularly being persecuted for Christ's

sake, I stand corrected. Peter gives us the the model of

how we are to conduct ourselves. Why was Peter sleeping?

Why was he so assured and so at peace that he is in the in the

prison and he is sleeping well, let's read some scripture.

John chapter 21 John chapter 21, verse 18.

John 21 · chapter mention John 21:18

Now this is after Peter restores him and during breakfast by the

sea. Jesus after restoring him three

times, asking him that he if he loves him more than these,

meaning more than the world, more than the disciples that

were there, more than everything around him.

And Simon replies, yes. And the third time he's a little

bit disappointed and he says, Lord, you understand you, you

comprehend that I love you. Jesus then goes on to say,

Simon, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where

you wished you. You did what you pleased.

But when you are old, there's going to be a time you will

stretch out your hands and other people will gird you and carry

you where you do not wish to go. Now that pertained to the death.

But Simon remembered this. Simon must have remembered that.

Here I am now, and my Lord has pre warned me, and specifically

to Simon. So he doesn't speak in plural

terms. He's speaking one person

singular. You, Simon.

Simon must have remembered this. We're going to talk about how

this, this can help us as well. He remembered that hey, my Lord

had already pre warned that this is going to happen.

And he probably, he most assuredly, I think would have

thought this must be the end of my life.

I just witnessed James being beheaded and now because of the

feast that's that was coming, Well, this man is going to Herod

is going to Take Me Out and he'll probably do the same

thing. So I'm going to die.

And what does he do? He sleeps because he was at

peace. He accepted it.

He remembered this beloved. And how?

How did he remember what Jesus had told him many years ago,

10/15/20 years ago, what have you?

John chapter 14 verse 26, Jesus says to his disciples, But the

John 14:26

helper paraclate the Holy Spirit, not another person as

some claim that this is talking about a person, no the Holy

Spirit. Because in Matthew we read that

Jesus says he who is in you, no other person's in me, thank God

that person is not in me. It's the Holy Spirit he's

referring to, but the helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father

will send in my name. Praise be to your name, Lord

Jesus Christ, He will teach you all things and bring to your

remembrance all things that I have said to you.

So the Holy Spirit is reminding Simon, this is how Simon

remembers through the Holy Spirit, Simon, the Lord, your

Lord, whom you proclaim that if anyone would desert him, you

wouldn't. And you did three times, but you

were reinstated. And now your love for him is

evident. Well, that Lord, remember, he's

already foretold this, He's already pre warned that you're

going to go in through these situations, these difficulties,

these predicaments. So rest assured.

So right at this moment, Peter thinks, well, praise God again,

that's it, I'm going to die. Hallelujah.

Just as Nebuchadnezzar when he was trying to influence or he

was trying to encourage Daniel, persuade Daniel to just worship

that statue of mine. I don't want to put you to

death. And this is on their way to the

den of lions. What does Daniel say?

Daniel says, if this is the way that my Lord, well in my life,

I'm paraphrasing it, let it be his will, praise be to his name.

If I'm going to be devoured by lions, praise be to his name.

If not, the Lord will send and vindicate me.

The Lord will save me. And surely the Angel close the

mouths of the lions. See, Simon was probably

remembering all of these, beloved, and Simon too was at

the same peace, Peace of Mind, heart, soul.

If I die, praise be to God. Simon remembered the prophecy of

King David in Psalm chapter 23, verse four.

Psalms 23 · chapter mention

And we always, we always claim and read this, but we should

understand it too, and we should live by it too.

Don't only use Scripture to comfort others and to rebuke

others and to somehow admonish others.

Use Scripture to comfort yourself as well, to rebuke

yourself as well, because then the ground becomes hypocrisy.

Psalm, chapter 23, verse 4. Even if I shall walk in the

Psalms 23:4

valleys of the shadow of death, there's a song about that,

right? I will not be afraid of evil and

notice, notice, walk, not sit, not be complacent in evil.

No, no, no, walk, go past it. We must always walk through

evil. We must always run away from

evil. Run past evil, not sit and be

complacent in evil. I will not be afraid of evil

because you are with me. Oh God, King David says you are

with me. Your rod and your staff, they

comfort me. What are the rod and the staff?

What are they? What is what is David referring

to? It's a prophecy and every

prophecy referred to some something pertaining to Jesus

Christ. Praise be to his name and you

say Amen. Each time I praise Jesus name.

Listen to me, beloved listeners, you better be saying Amen.

And if you're, if you got your, what are these called airport

headphones on and the apple, whatever you're in a, you're in

a library or you're, you're listening in a restaurant, you

say Amen. Don't worry about what people

say. And if they say, what was that

for you say I'm just praising my Lord Jesus Christ.

I'm agreeing to a praise that was ascribed to my Lord and my

Savior Jesus Christ. Saint Theodore of Sire who was

an Antiochian Bishop and theologian and this is late 3rd

century, comments on this on the rod and the staff that apply to

the cross. You see, the cross is assembled

from 2 rods, 2 pieces of timber with the upright staff that is

going from the earth to the sky. With that we are confirmed in

our faith, in our assurance of the risen Lord, and we are

directed, beloved, directed from the heavenly, from the sorry,

from the earthly to the heavenly, through our walk in

life, through our spiritual life.

In that rod we are strengthened. In that rod our our weaknesses

are strengthened, our foolishness.

Foolishness is made wise when we embrace.

When we embrace that rod, that stick that is vertical on the

cross, and using the crossbar where Christ's hands and arms

pertaining to strength were enforced, that crossbar, that

rod is a rod in our hand against Satan and his demons who attack

us. Let us to beloved embrace, be

confirmed in the faith in the risen Lord, be directed from

earthly to the heavenly by the upright, the vertical staff of

the Holy Cross, and let us take hold firmly the cross bar of the

cross by which we can strike the demons who are continually

attacking us through various temptations.

So Simon not only remembered, but believed and rested.

He was assured in these promises of God by the power of the Holy

Spirit, by God the Holy Spirit. He remembered Isaiah chapter 54,

Isaiah 54:17

verse 17, though his time there was no verses and lines.

There was no verses right? Simon remembered the prophecy of

Isaiah chapter 54 verses 17, though there was no chapters and

Isaiah 54:17

verses back then. But for our own understanding

sake reference which reads No weapon that is formed against

you shall prevail, and every tongue that shall rise against

you in judgement you shall condemn.

This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord God and

their vindication that is their righteousness, they're clearing

from blame, which is from before me says God, says the Lord God.

Simon remembered this beloved, see this teaches us something.

In every circumstance, in every predicament that we are in, in

any mess, in our ups and our downs, our highs, our lows, our

health, our sickness, our happiness, our joy, our sorrow.

We should remember scripture. We should remember the pre

warnings of Jesus Christ. We should remember the promises

of Jesus Christ. We should remember the

commandments of Jesus Christ. And we should.

There is no excuse. We have the Holy Spirit,

beloved, the Holy Spirit that was leading Simon and all the

disciples and the apostles which they vested on the day of

Pentecost we receive in Holy Baptism.

There's no excuse for you. Don't make excuses.

That's Satan trying to fool you and condemn you.

There is no excuse. You cannot stand before the Lord

and say, I did not know, I did not remember.

No, because the Lord will reply and say no, no, no.

You did you. You chose not to know.

You chose not to remember. So our, so our comfort, our fear

at times, our concerns at times, our joy should be from the

promises of the Holy Scriptures. When we end up in messes such as

this and verses 7 to 9, we now see the fruit and witness the

fruit of the prayer, the earnest prayer, and we now witness the

fruit of Simon's remembrance of the promises of Jesus Christ.

We now will witness the vindication of Simon.

Simon was all happy, all joyful, rested, content, ready to die

for the Lord. He didn't know this was going to

happen. He was waiting for the Lord's

vindication. But then just as Daniel would

have probably, probably convinced himself or or calmed

himself, encouraged himself to say if I die, well my Lord has

pre warned me and I will be with the Lord.

He is presented with a miracle, yet he perceives a vision.

This just shows that he was so ready to die.

A miracle is happening. An Angel is going to appear.

Beloved. You see, God works His miracles

according to His will, according to His time and according to His

way. And that is what Simon had

resigned to. I will wait for the Lord.

And here it is. It pleased the Lord to have

Simon released. Why hindsight now?

Benefit of hindsight, the scriptures knowing the history

now. Because Simon had a lot of work

to do in the field of our Lord. Question.

Why did God not just save him from Herod?

We may ask these questions. Why did he just not save him

from Herod in the 1st place? Why allow him to be captured?

Bring him in the dungeon in the prison, tie him up with 3000

chains and have 16 gods sitting there guarding him and then

release him through an Angel. Well, God works in mysterious

ways. Praise his name.

You know, if he would have just allowed Simon to walk through

the people just as Jesus did, because his time had not come to

be captured. He just walked among the people,

know and saw. He just didn't escape Christ

didn't escape the people. He walked among the people and

they just found that he's not there.

He could have done the same with Simon.

But no, that people would have been amazed then it would have

been amazing. It would have been something,

something wow. And then in few weeks time, few

months time, people would have forgotten it.

But this is everlasting, beloved.

This was beyond the thoughts and imaginations of the people.

This brings to mind Ephesians chapter 3, verse 20.

Ephesians 3:20

God can do greater things than what we asked or imagined

according to His power that is active in us.

So when sometimes we're asking, Lord, why didn't you just give

me this now? Why did you?

Why do you let me go through this?

Why not now? I trust in you, Lord God, if I'm

going to die, Hallelujah, praise your name.

Take me now and then 3 is later. You're still asking the Lord or

to take you. Now you know why?

Because God has a plan that when you do leave, for example, you

leave a legacy. If not for the whole world, if

God wanted for the whole world, but if not for the whole world,

a story for your great, great grandchildren.

To to say that my grandfather, in pain and suffering for three

years, continued to ask the Lord to take him, but the Lord

didn't, and he was still praising the Lord.

See, there's the power of God. You know, I've always said don't

ask God for something according to your will, your time, your

knowledge, your understanding. Don't do that.

That is only temporal. You just want to receive it then

and you want to go and give that testimony.

Oh, God did this for me. And then, wow, excellent.

Praise God. And few months down the track,

it's forgotten. No, no, no.

He can do something where your children's children's children

will be telling the story. Why an Angel and not just wake

up Simon, a voice coming to him, Wake up the chains falling, and

walk out of the prison. One of the fathers writes this

so amazingly that it is God honoring him.

You see, you see, if God had allowed Simon to depart or to

escape, Simon would not receive this honour.

An Angel of the Lord is sent to save Simon, an Angel of the

Lord. This comes to mind.

St. Stephen the first Deacon, Acts

Acts 7 · chapter mention

Chapter 7. When he was being stoned to

death, he lifted up his head, his face was bright and shining,

and he looked up into heaven, and he saw Jesus standing,

beloved, standing. A king does not stand before

servants when they enter His auditorium or His His presence.

The King remains seated on his throne.

Jesus stands because Jesus honors those who are martyred.

Jesus honors those who are martyred.

We, we want to downplay the martyrs today.

People out there who don't believe in the martyrdom and the

Saints. Well, let me tell you, my dear

brother and sister, before you mock the Saints and the martyrs,

your Lord and Savior whom you claim that you are preaching and

you love stands for them. It's in the scripture.

So the Scripture. Go and read scripture chapter

Acts Chapter 7, verse Acts Chapter 7.

Acts 7 · chapter mention Acts 7 · chapter mention

God works in mysterious way. Beloved, God's mysterious ways

are incomprehensible, unspeakable.

His works, His playing plans, His His ways are truly not of

ours. Beloved, truly, His thoughts are

not your thoughts, His thoughts are not our thoughts, and our

ways are not His ways, according to Isaiah chapter 55.

Isaiah 55 · chapter mention

And when we are assured by the Holy Scriptures, we are assured

by the Holy Scriptures, beloved, that all things work together,

all things, everything, the bad and the good.

All things doesn't mean just those holy, pleasing and and

soothing things, everything, even the bad God uses evil at

times. All things, good or evil, work

together for the good of those who love God.

Romans chapter 8 verse 22. Bad things are happening to you

Romans 8:22

and you believe in God and you're trusting God and you're

always serving God. I'm always praying.

I fast, I read the scriptures, I read the lives of the Saints, I

come to church, I take partake in the Holy Mysteries and yet

look at what's happening to me. Well, that's all things.

Whatever is happening to you, along with those things that you

want to happen to you, they'll work together for the good of

you. If you love the Lord and

continue to love the Lord. God works mysteriously.

You see, in checked Acts chapter 16, Saint Paul and Silas were in

Acts 16 · chapter mention

prison too, but they were singing hymns.

They weren't sleeping. You know why?

You know why they didn't sleep? You know why God didn't want

that to happen? It was because the prison guards

were going to convert. That's why.

But here Simon sleeps, he's being still, and he's waiting

for the Lord's will either way. And the Lord's will was for him

to be released. So let me ask you in conclusion,

what predicament are you in as we speak now?

What is bringing you down? What is disappointing you?

What is frustrating you? Maybe even being frustrated with

God annoying you. What is it as we speak?

Well, let me tell you, knowing that God knows all, God sees

all, God can do all, and as a perfect purpose for all should

give you an eye, the Peace of Mind, a Peace of Mind, a peace

of heart and a peace of soul. To lay our heads to sleep, and

wait unto Him to be glory, praise, and Thanksgiving, now

and at all. Times and forever.

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double edged sword. Until next time, God bless you

all.