Why Does God Let One Christian Be Murdered Yet Miraculously Rescues Another

Acts 12:1-25 by Pastor Gregory Van Court. Pastor Van Court (website: http://www.DSF.org; all his sermons can be found at http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Greg_Van_Court) is the husband of Sandra and father of their two daughters, Abigail and Rebecca. He is a native Austinite. He received his B.A. in English from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX, and his M.Div. from Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY. He is currently completing his Ph.D. in New Testament from Southern Seminary. The Van Courts united with Dayspring Fellowship in August, 2002. Greg was called as Dayspring's pastor in February, 2012. He is the author of "The Obedience of Christ" (New Covenant Media, 2005). Greg is also associated with the "The Spurgeon Underground - Brothers Advocating Sola Scriptura" (this fellowship consists of men who are active in the ministries of their local churches and hold to the practice of Believer's Baptism, the Five Solas of the Reformation, and the Doctrines of Grace). The sermon here is on Acts 12:1-25 & the sovereignty of God in all things. Luke relates the death of the apostle James (the brother of John) (12:2), Peter’s arrest and miraculous escape from prison (12:3-19), and the death of Herod (12:19-23). As we shall see, the three events form one unit with a special message for readers.

These things apparently happen during the same general period of time as the growth of the church in Antioch (11:19-26), and before Paul’s trip to Jerusalem (11:27-30). Using secular records, historians place Herod’s death (12:20-23) in a.d. 44, while Paul’s visit to Jerusalem (11:30) may be two years later.