Sleeping Through The Harvest

The book of Acts tells the unlikely story of how a group of eleven ordinary men--who were uneducated, without influential connections, and residents of a second-class province on the edge of the Roman Empire--carried the message of Jesus Christ to the far-flung corners of the world, and turned it into an unstoppable international force. 

The story features two primary protagonists: Peter and Paul.  While Paul dominates the latter half of the story, Peter is the featured character in the first half.  Although Peter was not always the most reliable disciple during Jesus’s life, he really came into his own after the Day of Pentecost.  Before Pentecost, he was timid, afraid, and inconsistent. He was the big talker who promised to never deny Jesus, then became the first to run when pressure came. A friend of mine often quips that people are like tea bags: you don't really know what's inside of them until they're put in hot water.

Well, when Peter was put in hot water, he didn’t fare so well.  But Jesus forgave him because he saw  something in Peter that hadn't yet manifested. He called him "the rock" long before Peter acted anything like one. But after Pentecost, Peter became a powerhouse. For eleven chapters, we find him  becoming the leader that Jesus always knew that he was.  He introduces order, preaches sermons that save thousands, heals the sick, and defies the illegal and ungodly forces that were attempting to suppress the rise of Christianity.

Success always attracts persecution, and Peter’s case was no different.  So by Acts 12, he finds himself in prison.  Undeterred by this assault on their leadership, the church began to pray!  It is noteworthy that they didn't organize a protest or call a press conference. Instead, they unleashed the most powerful weapon in the Christian arsenal: prayer.  In response to their prayer, God dispatched an angel to orchestrate Peter’s release. 

This is where the story gets interesting.  When the angel arrived, Peter was sound asleep. And not only was he sound asleep—he had taken off his coat, kicked off his shoes, and was sleeping with chains on his wrists. He had gotten comfortable in captivity. According to Acts 12: 7-8 this is what happened:

Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered.

The word that is used in the Greek language to describe the angel’s action is "patasso.”  It is not a tame, mild-mannered term.  It is a violent word. The angel’s action wasn't a gentle tap on the shoulder or a love rub. This is the same word that is used when Moses struck and killed an Egyptian, when Paul violently persecuted the church, and when Peter cut off the ear of the soldier in the garden of Gethsemane. The angel had to smack Peter awake!  

This passage presents a comical but challenging truth: Peter needed to be smacked…and so do many of us!  Many of us are like Peter—sleeping in our season of harvest.  We have become entirely too comfortable with a variety of chains around our wrists and feet. We've grown so accustomed to our limitations that we've taken off our shoes and settled in for the night.

So while God is trying to build His kingdom, far too many of His people are asleep. As gifted as you are, you shouldn’t be struggling. As anointed as you are, you shouldn’t be stuck. And with all of the blessings that God has for you, you shouldn’t be asleep. 

Today, I want you to strongly consider the possibility that  every financial setback, every emotional challenge, and every psychological battle you have encountered was not just a random difficulty.  It may have been an angelic smack, designed to rouse you from your lethargy and to prepare you for and propel you towards a breakthrough. When the angel smacked Peter, the chains fell off. The doors opened. And Peter walked out of prison and into his purpose.

One of the best gifts that  God can give you is to disturb your equilibrium, disrupt your comfort and interrupt the extended nap that you have taken. 

A great harvest is upon us.  My prayer is that God will send an angel to take whatever action is necessary to wake you up.