FIRST GOOD SAMARITAN BAPTIST CHURCH
The Caring Church, Preparing the World by Sharing the Word

WEEKLY WORD

RHODA UNSUNG

13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
Acts 12:13
King James Version

THERE IS A NETWORK CALLED TV ONE. THEY HAVE A SERIES ENTITLED UNSUNG. THE SHOW UNSUNG TAKES FORMER SINGING GROUPS OR SINGERS THAT MAY HAVE ACHIEVED SEASONS OF SUCCESS BUT HAS YET TO RECEIVE THEIR JUST DUE IN MUSICAL HISTORY.

NOW WHEN I LOOKED UP THE WORD UNSUNG, IT GAVE ME WORDS LIKE:
• UNACKNOWLEDGED…
• UNREWARDED…
• ANONYMOUS

WHEN WE LOOK AT ACTS 12, THE EMPHASIS SEEMS TO BE ON THE CHURCH IN PRAYER AND PETER IN PRISON. HOWEVER, RHODA’S ROLE SEEMS TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS BECAUSE HER CONTRIBUTIONS ARE NOT AS OBVIOUS.

RHODA’S UNSUNG CONTRIBUTION HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES YOUR ASSIGNMENT WILL UNCOVER THE TRUE COMMENTS OF THOSE WHO ARE IN PRAYER. RHODA UNCOVERS HOW THE PRAYER MEETING FEELS ABOUT HER. SHE COMES WITH THE ANSWER TO THEIR PRAYERS ONLY FOR THEM TO RESPOND TO HER BY CALLING HER MAD. THEY CALLED HER CRAZY. RHODA’S ASSIGNMENT UNCOVERED THOSE WHO HAD COMMENTS THAT WERE NOT COMPLIMENTARY.

ALSO, RHODA’S ASSIGNMENT UNCOVERED THE UNBELIEF OF THOSE WHO WERE PRAYING. WHEN RHODA SHARES WITH THEM THAT THEIR PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED REGARDING PETER’S DELIVERANCE, THE FIRST THING THEY SAY IS…
“IT IS HIS GHOST/ANGEL.” THEY HAD PETER DEAD AND YET PRAYING FOR HIS DELIVERANCE. HERE IT IS…RHODA UNCOVERED THEIR UNBELIEF BECAUSE THE CHURCH AS PRAYING FOR THE BEST BUT EXPECTING THE WORST.

RHODA UNCOVERED THE ERRORS OF THOSE IN THE CHURCH REGARDING THEIR UNBELIEF AND COMMENTS THAT WERE UNBECOMING BUT GOD STILL USED HER TO BE A BLESSING. AS A RESULT, RHODA IS CONSIDERED TO BE UNSUNG BUT HER ATTITUDE WAS ONE THAT WAS UNBOTHERED AND UNPHASED BY THOSE WHOSE COMMENTS WERE NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH HER ASSIGNMENT.

Dr. James A. Simmons, Senior Pastor