9/28/2025 Prayer is Love

Acts Sermon 61

Date: 09/28/2025

Title: Prayer is Love

Scripture: Acts 12:8-19

[Acts 12:8-19 NIV] 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.” 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 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. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

English Translation

Sermon

Last week, we looked at the figure of Job, a man who was extremely diligent in his worship. He was the type of person who would offer sacrifices in advance, just in case he or his family had committed a sin, even without being certain.

This shows that Job’s spiritual state was similar to that of the Pharisees in Jesus' time. They kept the law meticulously, even to an excessive degree.

For example, when the apostle Paul was seized by the Jews and was to be flogged, he recorded it this way. In 2 Corinthians 11:24, he says, "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one."

This means that he was flogged five times, and each time he was struck exactly 39 times. But why 39 times?

Deuteronomy 25 says, "If the guilty person deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves, but not more than forty. If you beat them more than forty lashes, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes."

The maximum was 40 lashes, so why did they only administer 39? It was because if they miscounted and struck 41 times, they would have broken the law. So, to be safe, they administered 39 lashes.

Doesn't this sound similar to Job? Didn't he offer sacrifices in advance, going a little overboard just to be safe and avoid upsetting God?

Misfortune struck Job, a man who enjoyed blessings and diligently offered sacrifices to protect them. His three friends came and tried to explain who God is, much like false prophets who speak without truly knowing God.

Then, the final appearance of Elihu correctly defines God. Elihu, acting like John the Baptist who prepared the way for the Lord, rightly explained that if we could understand all of God's will, He would not be God, and that God can allow suffering to help us grow into better people.

And then, God Himself, much like Jesus, came directly to Job and revealed Himself. Through this experience, Job directly encountered God.

Job was overwhelmed by the fact that the God who is larger than the universe knew him, a speck of dust. He was moved that God would show him the created world and explain it to him, a man less than a worm who had shaken his fist at God. Through this, Job came to know that God is personal... and that He is love.

He was breathtakingly moved by this realization. He saw that all the worship he had offered so mechanically and meticulously was like an employee working flawlessly in advance so that a demanding boss would have no reason to call on him.

But the Lord knew everything. He knew the difference between Job’s inner thoughts and his outward words and actions. He knew all the moments Job pretended to be faithful on the outside while seething with anger on the inside.

Job realized that the Lord knew all of this and had still been patient with him. That is why he could not lift his head before God.

A couple of weeks ago, I showed you a short video clip, didn't I? It was a scene where a man awkwardly enters a church and then breaks down in tears. I mentioned how surprised I was because it was so similar to when I first met the Lord.

The only difference was that I was completely prostrate on the floor, weeping for over an hour. At that time, I was a very proud and edgy person who couldn't stand showing any weakness. But on that day, when I met the Lord, I completely fell apart.

I realized how much humiliation the Lord had endured to save one insignificant creature like me. How patient He had been, how long He had waited, knowing the full reality of this cowardly, cold, and dirty person—a worm, completely unworthy. I completely broke down before that love.

Even after that, I continued to fall, betray Him, and break promises—not just breaking them, but often not even remembering I had made them. Yet, He has continued to hold me up, lift me, and take my hand to bring me this far, a person who is utterly unqualified.

People like me, who have no church background, as well as those who have lived a life of faith like Job, need to encounter God in this way.

Even today, Jews prohibit turning any switches on or off on the Sabbath, for fear of violating the command not to light a fire for cooking. They also forbid even touching a writing instrument to avoid breaking the law against writing.

In apartment buildings near us where many Jewish people live, a Gentile part-timer is often hired on Friday evenings to press the elevator buttons for them. In buildings with a majority of Jewish residents, the elevator automatically stops on every floor on that day.

To some, this might seem absurd. But if you're going to laugh at such behavior, you must be in one of two positions, right? You either don't believe in God at all, which would make such strange actions laughable. If God doesn't exist, aren't all these events happening every Friday evening in Jewish neighborhoods worldwide just a global comedy?

However, for believers in God to laugh at them, they must at least be convinced that such acts are not what God desires. And shouldn't that conviction come directly from God?

Only when we truly live a daily life of acknowledging and respecting God—just as Job no longer offered meaningless, preventative sacrifices to avoid disaster—can we then begin to feel a sense of sorrow for the scenes that unfold on a Sabbath evening in Jewish homes.

As I wrestled with this word this past week, a sad and heavy thought came to my mind. Aren't there people, even those who attend Jesus' church, who worship as correctly as possible or serve excessively, driven by the thought that they must not get on God's bad side?

At the same time, don't they also live in fear that if they receive too much praise from God, they or their children might end up like Job? They believe in God, of course, but their faith life is actually similar to that of the Jews, or to Job's state before he met God face to face.

What is God showing us through the book of Job? Is it that we should practice our faith in moderation to avoid becoming like Job? Is that the lesson?

The things we fear most in life: losing our wealth, losing our children, losing our health, being abandoned by people. God shows us this man who experienced all the things we fear most and tells us, "These are not what make you unhappy in life!"

A truly unhappy life is one lived without knowing God. It is living like the old Job, worshipping mechanically and holding onto a vague, anxious belief that if you live a good life, you might be able to avoid most misfortunes.

But Job himself would never have wanted to go back to his former self. He would never have wanted to return to that time when he had everything but was constantly anxious about losing it all.

He now truly knew—not because someone told him, but because he knew for himself—that God knew him and that the Lord of the universe loved him. In the Bible, the expression "to know" can refer to the most intimate relationship, like that between a husband and wife. Therefore, it is mutual.

You cannot use that expression just because you know about a celebrity who doesn't know you. The Hebrew concept of "knowing" includes a sense of possession. Job became God's Job, and God became the God of Job.

So, could that Job ever want to return to the time when he only knew about God, the distant Creator, and worshipped Him mechanically and diligently just to avoid His displeasure? Absolutely not.

The Prayer at Mark's House

Peter, miraculously freed by an angel, at first thought it was a dream as he followed the angel. It was only when the angel left that he realized what had happened to him was real. He then headed to the house of Mark's mother, where the brothers and sisters often gathered.

If Peter had been praying with faith that he would be released, he would have been overjoyed and welcomed the angel. However, even if he had prayed for his release, his prayer lacked expectation.

This was understandable because, just a few days earlier, James, whom Jesus loved, had been tragically beheaded. At that time, he and the entire church had prayed earnestly, but in the end, the Lord had allowed James to be executed.

However, Peter was not afraid like ordinary people. He had seen and touched Jesus, who had been brutally killed on a cross but was raised to life. And since the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, he had felt the Spirit with him.

2 Timothy shows us what that mindset is like.

[2 Timothy 4:6-8 NIV] "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

He was living for the Lord. His life was being guided by the Lord. You have no idea how wonderful that assurance is.

After I had COVID, I lost about 30 pounds in a few weeks and spent most of my days lying in bed. I could barely eat porridge and couldn't digest it, and no matter how many painkillers I took, the headache wouldn't go away.

Due to a backlog of appointments, I couldn't even get a detailed examination. Lying in bed all day, tears would stream down my face when I heard my children's voices from the living room.

Yet, as I reflected, I felt a sense of gratitude. Though I still had many flaws to fix, I was living a more upright life than at any other time. I was loving with all my strength not just my family, but the church and the people the Lord had entrusted to me. When I saw one of them sick, I prayed that their pain would be transferred to me.

I realized that I was more prepared to see the Lord than at any other time in my life. So, I can understand a little of what Peter was feeling. With that same heart, even on the night before his execution, Peter had entrusted his weary body to the Lord and was sleeping soundly.

And when he was freed, rather than getting excited, he remained calm, trying to discern God's will and assess the situation. When he arrived at Mark's house that night, the church was gathered there, grieving over Peter's impending execution and pleading with God to rescue him.

Peter knocked on the door, and they likely asked a young girl named Rhoda, probably the daughter of a church member, to see who it was. Rhoda recognized Peter's voice and, overjoyed, ran back to the adults and exclaimed, "Brother Peter has returned!"

What was the reaction of the believers when they heard Rhoda's excited shout? "This girl is out of her mind." That was their common first reaction. The text says that Rhoda insisted it was true, and the phrase "insisted" means she kept saying it continuously.

Ironically, the church, which had been praying earnestly late into the night for Peter's release, could not believe it even with a witness present. While they were praying, they firmly believed that Peter's release was impossible.

From this, we need to seriously reflect on our own prayers. The people gathered at Mark's house were not people swept up in a wave of revival and emotionalism.

These were people who had seen James' beheading in the public square a few days earlier, an event meant to be an example that believing in Jesus could lead to death. They were people who gathered to pray despite that risk.

Furthermore, at the end of chapter 12, we see that Paul and Barnabas, who had been sent from the church in Antioch with a contribution for famine relief, were also there. These were not Christians in name only; they were disciples who seriously followed the Lord.

Yet, they were praying without any real expectation that God would rescue Peter. Here, we need to clear up some misunderstandings about what it means to walk with God.

The figures who appear here—Peter, Barnabas, and Paul—are among those in history who met and walked most closely with God. However, it's clear from this scene that they did not know God was going to rescue Peter. None of them knew.

When God rescued Peter, He gave very detailed instructions: "Put on your belt," "Put on your sandals," "Wrap your cloak around you," "Follow me here." But after that, He left it to Peter.

God helps us and guides us on the right path, but He does not want to remote-control us. There are times when He intervenes directly and miraculously in urgent situations, but in most cases, He helps us indirectly, allowing us to judge and make the right decisions.

That's why we say God guides us, not that He remote-controls us. This guidance sometimes comes as a small stirring or impression in our hearts, sometimes through the circumstances before our eyes, and on days like today, He reveals His will and guides us through a preacher like me.

And our response to that guidance is also largely up to us. We can listen to that voice and focus on the Lord's will, or we can cry out with our lips for Peter's release while our minds are busy writing various scenarios for the future of the church.

It is truly surprising that all the disciples gathered there were unable to discern the Lord's will and were only pleading with their lips. These were not Pharisees who prayed formally, nor were they figures from the Old Testament.

These were people who had met the resurrected Jesus, received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, preached fluently in foreign languages, and performed miracles. Isn't it amazing that such people were praying without expectation of God's work?

In some ways, this can be comforting, because we are often like that too. After directly experiencing a miracle God has performed, as time passes, we find ourselves praying with little to no real expectation. We offer so many prayers without faith.

Although I am a pastor and a spiritual leader, I do not always know God's will. Some things are very simple and clear, but other times, I pray and still don't know. I have to listen to people's opinions, do research, and knock on various doors.

When moving, there might be times when God says, "This is the house!" but most of the time, in addition to prayer, we need to seek counsel, do research, and visit places in person. When God seems unclear, it can be perplexing, and we often don't know the specific purpose for Him leaving us in such an ambiguous state.

However, one thing is clear. If I am praying and seeking the Lord's will but still don't know, it is a time to continue relying on Him in prayer while diligently making the efforts I can—seeking and knocking. He has left me in that process because that process is necessary for me.

In today's text, the rescue of Peter from Herod's grasp by an angel is undoubtedly an important event in church history. But why does the Bible record in such detail what happened at the church that night—them calling Rhoda crazy, Rhoda insisting she was right, and so on?

It must be that the Lord is trying to teach us something. One of those lessons is that we are often worse than children like Rhoda. The child prayed and believed, so she immediately trusted it was Peter and ran in to share the good news. But the adults were firmly convinced that it couldn't be true.

For 2,000 years, the Lord has shown Rhoda to all Christians. When you pray, first believe. Even if God says "No" later, at least while you are praying, believe that it will be done.

Last Wednesday, we concluded a 23-week study of Richard Foster's book "Prayer," which we started in April. As we wrapped up the book together, we concluded that if we were to define it in one word, prayer is "love."

This isn't talking about a one-sided fan's affection for someone who doesn't know them. It speaks of a mutual love, a belonging to one another. To love God, who is Spirit, we ultimately pray, whether or not there are outward actions. A respected American pastor I know once said that the Sunday worship service is the time for the highest form of prayer.

The book we read together begins with an "Invitation to Prayer." I will quote a part of it.

"Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to him. He grieves that we have forgotten him. ... For too long we have been in a far country: a country of noise and hurry and crowds, a country of frustration and fear and intimidation. And he welcomes us home: home to serenity and peace, home to friendship and fellowship and honesty, home to intimacy and acceptance. The key that opens the door to this home, this heart of God, is prayer."

"Perhaps you do not believe in prayer. Perhaps you have tried to pray and have been deeply disappointed and disillusioned. You have little or no faith. That is no problem. The heart of God is open; you are welcome."

"Perhaps others have wronged you. Perhaps life has bruised you. Perhaps the bitter memories of the past have left you in a place of perpetual pain. You avoid prayer rather than engage in it because you feel too distant from God, too unworthy, too defiled. Do not despair. The heart of the Father is open to you."

"Perhaps God seems to you to be distant, unapproachable. Listen to me now. The heart of God is an open heart. The key to this home is prayer, and the door is Jesus Christ."

I loved this passage because, like a poem, it continually invites us, saying, "The heart of God is an open heart." It's okay if you feel you've come too far. It's okay even if you have no faith at all.

Sometimes, when the word given on Sunday strikes you so deeply that your heart feels heavy, even then, the Lord's arms are wide open. He has given you that discomfort to call you to Him. He has opened His arms, telling you that you are not okay as you are and inviting you to come.

Just like the song we sang together two weeks ago: "Father's arms are opened wide! Jesus is calling! Come to the Father."

Let me conclude by sharing a wonderful story from the book that illustrates what prayer is like. A two-year-old son was being particularly fussy one day. His father tried everything to soothe him, but nothing worked.

Suddenly, the father swept the boy up into his arms, held him close, and began to sing a spontaneous song of love. "I love you. I'm so glad I have a boy like you. You make me happy. I love the sound of your laughter..." The child quickly grew quiet. As the father was buckling him into his car seat, the boy looked up and said, "Daddy, sing it again."

Prayer is something like this. It is coming with a simple heart into God's embrace and asking Him to sing a song of love to you. Let us pray like that.

Even if we have lived in a far country full of noise and anxiety, the Lord's arms are wide open. No matter how defiled we are, the Lord's heart is wide open.

The day I first met the Lord, the tears began to flow because even though He knew everything about me—things I thought no one knew—He opened His arms and said, "My beloved child, come to me."