Have you ever grown increasingly frustrated with someone who would not respond positively to your efforts to touch their lives with the gospel? You tried and tried and tried, but they rejected and rejected and rejected at every turn. Most likely, every one of us have been there, and every one of us have been tempted to just give up trying. But, we have good news! We know it! The Lord knows it! And, we want them to know it! What should we do when we are fully convinced of the news we have?
In Acts 12, Herod Agrippa I threw Peter into prison, intending to execute him after Passover. This was horrible news, and the church in Jerusalem was intent on believing the worst. An angel of the Lord freed Peter from the prison that night. What glorious news! He was free! He escaped death! The church would be so excited to hear this message! Or, so one would think.
When Peter came to the house where prayer was being constantly offered on his behalf, a girl named Rhoda recognized his voice at the gate but did not open to him. She ran to tell the church that Peter was at the gate, but they did not believe her. They told her that she was out of her mind.
Perhaps Rhoda would just give up. She tried to tell them but they rejected her. They not only rejected her, but they suggested that she was crazy. (Have you ever had someone suggest such about you in your Christian faith?) Notice two Greek imperfect tense verbs that teach us what we should do in a similar situation—when people reject the good news that we are trying to offer them. The imperfect tense indicates a past action that was continuous, ongoing and non-stop.
First, Rhoda “kept insisting that it was so” (12:15). Although they were rejecting her message and insulting her, she did not grow ashamed or deviate from her efforts. She kept on, kept on, kept on sticking to the truth. She knew it was true, and she wanted her friends to know it was true, too!
Second, Peter “continued knocking” (12:16). Peter did not walk away. He did not give up. He knew who was inside. He knew the potential that was there. Although the door was still locked, he was still knocking. He knew that if they would eventually accept the message of his escape, they could rejoice, too.
Do you have unbelievers in your life (folks who are friends or family members), who have steadfastly refused to listen to you regarding Jesus, the Bible, salvation, the church? What should you do? Give up? Be like Rhoda—keep insisting that the truth is the truth. Be like Peter—keep knocking. Eventually, the text states, “they opened the door.” There are hearts today that may do the same if we don’t give up!