The 1st Reading for the Commemoration of Peter and Paul
June 29, 2008

Acts 12:1-11

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’

This Sunday we Commemorate Peter and Paul. From Acts we hear of a time when Herod started to try to rid the area of Jesus followers. An angel of the Lord rescues Peter from jail. After these verses we hear that once Peter escaped he went to a house where many followers were. The woman who started to answer the door was so excited to hear his voice that she ran to tell the others - without letting Peter in. (You can read those verses here.) I recommend reading it - mostly because it's kind of funny.

Peter, the rock on which the church was built, but also one who made many mistakes as he attempted to follow Jesus, also doesn't fully know what is going on as he is rescued from jail. He thinks he's experiencing a vision - not actually walking out of jail accompanied by an angel of the Lord.

There are times when God's amazing works do seem somewhat surreal. I get this feeling sometimes at the Soup Kitchen or at times in worship. I sometimes get this feeling as I run by the lake front or when I'm just falling asleep or waking up. These times, when God's greatness is evident, do have a bit of a surreal quality, in which I feel I need to pinch myself or can't fully grasp everything that is going on.

But, these are the in-the-moment realizations, when so often recognizing God's amazing works happens in retrospect. Maybe not for everyone, but for me that is how it most frequently occurs.

The thing is, we do wake up. We wake up and realize...and then where do we go? What do we do when we realize that God has just done something great?

Peter went to be with other followers of Christ (even if they didn't let him in right away) to show what God had done. How do we share these experiences of God's amazing works with one another?

What is a time that you recognize God's greatness?

Peter's chains fell off his wrists - he was literally freed. When have you been figuratively freed?