God’s Building of the Early Church

Transcript

GR 1200
04/01/2001
God’s Building of the Early Church
Acts 5:12-42
Gil Rugh

The book of Acts is unfolding approximately the first 30 years of the church’s history. Many times, we hear people talk about the book of Acts today, talking about how they would like the church today to be like the church in the book of Acts; indeed, we want to see that those qualities and characteristics of that early church are reflected in our church as well. We have talked about the fact that we may well be living the last 30 years of the church’s history on earth. We want this history to be that of faithfulness as was the early church history, but I think sometimes we are overly selective. We talk about we would like the church today to be like the church in the book of Acts. We think oh if we only had the miracles. Oh, it was just conversion after conversion and it was a time of overwhelming excitement and indeed it was a time of excitement, great miracles were being done. To know as the book of Acts progresses more and more the history of the early church was a history of a church experiencing opposition, persecution, suffering, and conflict for their testimony for Jesus Christ. Acts chapter 5, opened with the account of Ananias and Safara. They were members of the young church at Jerusalem, but they were unfaithful as they declared to the church, they were giving all the proceeds from some land or property they had sold. They were giving to the work of the Lord. In reality, they were giving a portion, of what they had to the Lord and keeping the rest for themselves. In doing that we are told in verse 3 Peter rebuked Ananias saying you have lied to the Holy Spirit. We noticed in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 16 and 17, Paul told the church at Corinth that the Holy Spirit dwells in their church there. In that local church at Corinth was a temple of the Holy Spirit. Even as the individual body of the believer is a temple of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 6. So that when Ananias and Safara lied to the church they were lying to the Holy Spirit who had dwelled in the church as His temple. For that they are immediately struck dead. Now because of the seriousness of their sin and its consequences some people have wondered if Ananias and Safara were really believers at all. And obviously we cannot resolve that question with finality. But I think there are some indicators that indeed they were believers. I just wanted to remind you of some of these as we move into the next section in our study today. One of the things that causes me to think that they were probably believers is in chapter 4 verse 32, which really is part of the section in the first part of chapter 5 we are told that it was the believers, in those believers who are part of the church who were sharing together their goods in a common way. Well, that doesn’t guarantee that every single person was a believer at this point. They were being dealt with as believers. It is believers who are involved in this fellowship and in the sharing of their goods. Secondly, we are told in verse 3 of chapter 5, that Satan filled the heart of Ananias and Safara to lie to the Holy Spirit. We are reminded that Satan does on occasion greatly influence the lies of God’s people moving their hearts and minds to acts of disobedience against God. Look with me at just one example in the Old Testament. 1 Chronicles, about the first third of your bible. 1 Chronicles chapter 21. We won’t go into the details, but just note what happens on this occasion. In verse 1 of 1 Chronicles 21, we read then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel; here David the servant of the Lord is moved by Satan to sin greatly. Without going into the details of why this was such a great sin, there is no doubt that it was. Look down in verse 8. David said to God I have sinned greatly and that I have done this thing, so what Satan did was move on the heart of David, so that David would sin greatly against God. You note in verse 8 David takes full responsibility before God for what He did. I have sinned greatly. Just like Peter confronted Ananias. You have lied to the Holy Spirit. But we Satan moved in His heart. He didn’t make him do it. David was willing to respond to the prodding of the devil to sin against the Lord. That seems to be what happened to Ananias and Safara. A word of caution and warning to us as believers about the whole issue of sin and opening ourselves up to the influence of the devil and what gets involved when we do pursue sin. We become in league with the devil to that extent in rebellion against God. In Matthew chapter 16, you don’t need to turn there but in verses 21-23 remember Peter denied that Christ would go the cross and Christ response was get behind me Satan. Peter had become a tool of Satan rather than being used as an instrument of God. Peter would later write in His first epistle chapter 5, 5. The account of Ananias and Safara would be consistent with what could happen to a believer. Their deaths are consistent with 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 30-32 where we are told that some believers had died as a judgement of God for their sin. Their sin is said to be a lie to the verses 8-9, be on your guard believers, for the devil goes about as a roaring loin seeking someone to devoir. I do not believe that it’s possible for true Christians to be demon possessed or indwelt by the devil. The scripture is clear the devil can influence our hearts and minds greatly. We are not careful to be living in obedience and submission to the Lord. So back in Acts chapter Holy Spirit and that would seem to fit with them being believers. It is a characteristic of the unregenerate person; they live in the realm of lies. Jesus told the religious people of its day in John 8 that you are like your father the devil he was a liar from the beginning, and so, you lie also. Here we have a believer who is lying to the Holy Spirit in his deception before the church. Either way whether they were believers or not the impact on the church and upon others in the city of Jerusalem is tremendous. Yet at the end of verse 5, we are told great fear came upon all who heard. Down in verse 11. Great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard these things. The fear is not limited to the church alone. Those in the church have great fear. It had been pressed upon them the seriousness of sin. The holiness of God must be treated with reverence and respect. Even the unbelievers, who have heard of these things, are caused to fear. They see the working of God and to realize it’s a serious thing to join together with the people of God and it has an impact upon them. This is the first use of the word church in the book of Acts in verse 11. It’s interesting the context of great fear came upon the whole church and the word fear will become a technical word as we move through the New Testament. To deal with the people of God in this age were dispensation. Verses 12-16 are a summary and periodically the author Luke, gives us the summary of what is taking place. In chapter 2 verses 42-47, he said, and they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer, and so on. We want to give a summary of the kind of things that were taking place in the church, and they grew and prospered. In chapter 4, verse 32 and the congregation of those who believe were of one heart and one soul. Verse 33, with great power the apostles were giving witness and so one. Another summary in verses 32 to 35 of chapter 4, verses 12-16 of chapter 5 are another summary of the great and mighty workings of God in the young church. Those summaries are also used not only to remind us of what is taking place, but to prepare the way for coming events. So, verses 12-16 will really be an introduction to the rest of the chapter, which will focus on the opposition that is building towards the early church and the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Look at verse 12, and at the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people. The focus in the book of Acts is on the miracles that take place through the apostles. They’re not the only ones who do miracles, but miracles take place in the context of apostolic ministry. Now remember that miracles were a sign that a man was a genuine apostle in 2 Corinthians 12:12. The signs of a true apostle. Signs wonders and miracles. In Hebrews chapter 2:3-4 we are told that the miracles validated the New Revelation that was being given through the apostles. The miracles do not stand alone, but they are used to validate apostolic authority and the message that God was giving though the Apostles. It demonstrates what these apostles where teaching concerning Jesus Christ. His resurrection from the dead was indeed a genuine message. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. Here you have the church join together in the unity that characterizes the church and the meet in Solomon’s portico and you remember that is a porch kind of area on the eastern side of the temple, could hold large numbers of people. The church is meeting there regularly, but verse 13 tells us something, but none of the rest dared to associate with them. Here you see something of the impact that we read about in verse 5 and verse 11. That there was great fear upon all who heard of these things. The events of Ananias and Safara and the context of the miracles and the message that was being proclaimed. It caused the unbelievers to have a fear of joining the new church. None of the rest in contrast to the church that was assembling together in Solomon’s portico. Unbelievers were afraid to join the church. I mean stop and think about it. The account of Ananias and Safara was well known, many of them probably knew Ananias and Safara you know what happened to them? They acted like hypocrites. They were dishonest before the church, and they dropped dead. You couldn’t drag me into that church. You think I’m going in there and drop dead? No. You know it’s sort of reversed church growth. Immediately at the early stage of the church God puts a fear in the hearts of unbelievers to keep them from coming and becoming part of the group. And this served a purpose of keeping this early church from becoming a mix multitude. People tend to want to do the in thing. If the church becomes the in thing and everybody’s excited about the miracles and the popularity of the apostles’ sure unbelievers want to be part of what’s happening. They’ll come and immediately God slams the door. Because if at this stage the church had taken in large numbers of unbelievers it would have weakened and ultimately undermined the church. It was not of God’s intention that unbelievers be comfortable in the church, which was a meeting of God’s people. Which were manifesting God’s character, honoring His holiness. Good to keep in mind as we go to the book of Acts we want to learn church growth. One of the things that ought to characterize the church is that it is devoted to the holiness of God. The proclamation of God’s character, to the exalting of Him as God. That creates barriers to unbelievers who would otherwise come and feel comfortable within that group. None of the rest dared to associate with them. However, the people held them in high esteem. There are mixed feelings, they are afraid to come to the church because of what is taking place and yet they recognize something is happening here. They hold the apostles and the believers in high respect, high honor. They know God is doing something and these are people that are committed to serving God, but they are afraid to be a part of the group. Then the next verse, 14, and even more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women were constantly added to their number. Now at first reading that sounds like a contradiction. We are just told none of the rest dared to associate with them. Now we are saying that many are being added to the church, but you note who are being added, more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women were constantly added to their number. You see those who were not ready or willing to trust in the Lord were afraid to join the church, to come and be part of this group. That didn’t keep the elect away. As the word went out to the lost, the spirit of God moved on multitudes of hearts, and many believed and then they came and became part of the fellowship of the early church. We corrupt the church when we try to make it a mixture of believer and unbeliever. We decide the church will be the place where the unbeliever is comfortable and feels like he fits. And does not go to church if the church is the fellowship of God’s people. The Church is to be characterized by Holiness and reverence of awe for Him. The people of the church also carry the message out to the lost. You know what happens when people get saved. They desire to be part of the fellowship of God’s people. They desire to be involved in the study of the word of God. They desire to exalt and honor the God who has saved them. The church is growing there are people being saved the last figure was five thousand men. Now we are told that multitudes of men and women are being saved. What is the number now? Ten, fifteen thousand? We don’t have any way of knowing. We are told the church is prospering and growing as God works. The fact that there is fear and unwillingness in the hearts of unbelievers to come and be identified with the church, does not keep God from doing His work in the lives of those who hear the gospel. We need to be careful that we do God’s work God’s way and let God do His work. We think we help God out, it’s better if the unbelievers did become part of the church. We start reasoning, think about it if they’ll come and be a part of the regular fellowship of the church, they’ll hear Peter and the Apostles preach and teach regularly, that would be better. God’s intention was that the church be characterized by holiness and purity; and that as people get saved then, they are added to the fellowship of the believers. Verse 15, we pick up to such an extent that even they care the sick out into the streets. You ought to see the connection to verse 15. I think it’s back to the first statement in verse 12. At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people, down to verse 15. To such an extent that he even carried the sick into the streets. The last part of verse 12 and verse 13 to 14 are something like a parenthesis. They focus your intention on what is taking place in the ministry of the church, but now we return to the whole issue of the miracles and the healing that are occurring at the hands of the apostles. He has reminded us this has a twofold impact: creates fear and keeps people away. It also is being used of God and many people are being saved. This is happening to such extent they even carried the sick out into the streets. Laid them on cots and pallets so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. People from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together. Bringing people who were sick, afflicted with unclean spirits and they were all being healed. So, the emphasis here is the impact of the apostolic ministry the influence of this young church is growing and spreading. Not only has the city of Jerusalem been saturated, but now cities around Jerusalem have heard and they are bringing people in who are sick and so on; and prepared the way for the response of Sanhedrin. We’re told here they carried the sick so that the shadow of Peter might fall on them. That sounds a little bit superstitious to us, I’m going a little extreme as though there was some kind of power in the shadow of Peter, but remember, even in the gospels Jesus used physical things in His healing. Remember the women in Matthew chapter 9 who had an issue of blood? What did she say, “If I can only touch the hem of His garment I would be healed.” When she does, she is. Jesus said to here in verse 20-22, “Your faith as made you whole.” There wasn’t this magical power in His garment. At His crucifixion the soldiers cast lots for His garment, it didn’t become some magical relic. In that faith, the heart of the person causes the response of Christ to heal her. He spit in the ground made mud and put it on the eyes of a blind man and healed him, did the mud heal? No. Times there are physical things used. Here the shadow of Peter I take it, God used that in the healing. Why? Did Peter have to touch them? No. Did he have to speak a word? No. Could God have healed apart from the apostles? Yes. But did He? No. Why? Remember the healings drew attention to the apostles and their authority and the message they were preaching. So even here as they came so that the shadow of Peter might fall. Why? They were drawn to recognize the miracles are taking place throughout apostolic ministry which gives authority to the apostolic message. That is a significance of these miracles. They demonstrate the validity of the message the apostles are preaching. I don’t think we have anything magical here. It sounds like an indication of how great the miracles being done were. This is a reminder, it’s very similar to particularly the early Galilean ministry of Jesus Christ. Where multitudes came from everywhere to experience His power and His healing, demonstrated He was the Messiah. Now all of this is going on, the city of Jerusalem is alive with conversation about this. The surrounding areas even been coming in. What do you think the Sanhedrin is doing? They’ve already been involved in chapter 4, they have arrested Peter and John, and then the forbid them to speak any longer in the name of Jesus. Now you got the whole city talking about this and the surrounding area. Verse 17, “But the high priest rose up along with all His associates that is the sect of the Sadducees, and they were filled with jealousy. We sometimes talk about oh we want our church to be like the early church in the book of Acts we usually mean the miracles the healings and the many conversions. You know we don’t say if we could only suffer like the early church did. Boy if we could only get flogged half to death like those people did. Oh, if I could only get stoned to death like Steven wouldn’t that be glorious. Well, no Lord, it’s not what I had in mind, but we understand this brief summary in verse 12-16 leads the way into the opposition that covers verses 17 to 42. Much more time spent on the opposition that’s building even on the summary of some people would call the positive things that are taking place. The oppositions lead by the high priest and the Sadducees. Remember the Sanhedrin the governing body of the nation Israel. Seventy men plus the high priest who is the chief justice of the Sanhedrin if you will. They are filled with jealousy, and you see the root issue here. Attention being diverted away from them; they must act. They arrest the apostles. Now they had arrested Peter and John earlier. Now the arrest the rest of the apostles. They put them in jail publicly or were in a public jail. Point is everybody knows about it. That prepares the way for what’s going to take place. Evidently this arrest occurs later in the day. Sanhedrin will meet tomorrow as had occurred previously. So put them in jail. We’ll deal with it in the morning. During the night, verse 19, an angel of the Lord appeared and opened the gates of the prison and took them out. Prison is no big problem for God. So, we have a reminder here who’s in charge. The Sanhedrin where at Supreme court of Israel you must be careful. They have a lot of power and authority. You understand they’re really nothing. So, you lock them in prison and put guards outside. So, God sends an angel and said take them out. So, the angel does, and the angel tells them something. Verse 20. Go your way, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this life. Interesting. Go your way, if there was a period there you could be sure that a hightailed it

back to Galilee. But go your way. Stand and speak to the people in the temple. The whole message of this life we’re literally all the words of this life. Go back to the temple and preach this message, everything in this message. Today with modern church growth the apostles would have been having a meeting in prison deciding what went wrong. We must be using the wrong methods. Maybe the wrong place. You know maybe we shouldn’t be starting in the temple. Maybe we’re to blunt. You know all we’re doing is offending people. We’re stirring up too much opposition. I don’t know what was going on in their minds, but the angel puts it straight. There’s to be no change in location, there’s to be no change in method, there’s to be no change in message. You go back to the same place the temple, you do the same thing, you preach and teach, and you have the same message all the words of this life. Referring to the life that’s in Christ. He was called the prince or author of life in chapter 3, verse 15. Oh, that message of life is the message of salvation in Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life. Nothing changes. Now that’s important, we keep talking about, we’re going to change the methods, not the message, just the method. There are many books on church growth today that they all say the same thing. We don’t change the message; we just change the method. You understand here there was no change in the method, the method and the message are in separate joined together. Speak to the people all the words of this life. The method and the message are inseparable. How could you change the method? The method is speaking all the words of this life and that is the message. The church gets drawn into serious error because oh we don’t change the message just the method, but you understand the method and message are inseparably entwined together you speak all the truth concerning Christ. That is the method that is the message. I love verse 21, Upon hearing this they entered the temple about daybreak. I fear I might have been talking to the angels about whether this was the best plan or not. You understand we’re in jail because we were speaking this message in the temple. Now you’re telling us to go back in the temple and speak this message you know what that means. We’ll be back in jail. You know what the best thing when God tells us to do something is to do it. You know sometimes you deal with your children what do you say? You tell them what to do. What becomes the problem? They don’t think that’s the best idea. They could simplify their life greatly by just doing it. You know I remember that the Lord has spoken I can simplify my life greatly by what? Coming up with plan B. Evaluating whether it will work or not. No. Gil just do it. Just do it. Well, you look beautiful. Day breaks where are they? Well, where the angel told them to be. In a temple. If it would have been me, I’d be saying let’s have a prayer meeting till noon. Maybe God will change His mind. No. Day break why? What happens at daybreak? You have the morning sacrifice. You got the biggest crowd. They come out of the jail and the angels say go into the temple and preach the message they high tail it to the temple. We got to get there by daybreak. Why? We want to get the crowd. Everybody will be there for sacrifices, and we’ll be there preaching the message of life. Now we must go back and find out about this getting out of jail. Now when the high priest and his associates come, they call the council together. They even all the senate, the sons of Israel, another word for the Sanhedrin, the council, the senate. They are ready. Mornings here alright well, Paul’s set now. All seventy-one justices are here, bring in the prisoners so the officers, verse 22 come and find out there not in jail. They come back and say we have found the prison house locked quite securely the guard standing at the door, but when we open it up, we found no one inside. Now when the captain of the guard, the chief priest heard these words they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this. You note they never turn their attention to consider, maybe these men are servants of God. You know what they’re concerned about what’s going to come of this. Boy now were going to have double trouble. Because word will get out, we put them in the public jail or in jail publicly. Now questions are going to be how did they get out? What are we going to do about this? Things are getting out of hand. You know the Sanhedrin have been through this before. They put Jesus in a tomb and seal him and put guards on the outside then had to deal with a problem, the body is gone. Angels at work again. Now we got an empty jail. But while they are talking about these things, verse 25, someone came up and reported to him. Behold the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. It was men you looking for in jail? I found them. They are right were you got them. In the temple, preaching the captain went along with the officers proceeded to bring them back without violence. I love this portion. For they were afraid of the people less they should be stoned. They could get quite worked up in those days about issues and they didn’t have asphalt and concrete they used; they used paving stone. So, when you really got worked up and the mob got all stirred up you know what you did. You just reached down and grab a stone and start throwing. The captain of the guard comes, but he doesn’t use any violence, you know he doesn’t storm in here and say you’re jail breakers; drag them away. That would be a bad move. That would get the mob worked up. Can you see them coming and approaching the apostles and saying, “Gentlemen, the Sanhedrin is ready for you. Would you please follow us?” No violence here, nothing to stir them up and the disciples don’t either. They follow them. They brought them before the council. The high priest questioned them. He leads the Sanhedrin. He starts out, verse 28, you think the first question would be was how did you get out of jail? No. We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name. He doesn’t even mention the jail break. It’s like he’s afraid to bring it up. For fear of what he’ll hear? For how do men get out of a locked prison with guards at the door? And nobody knows it. I don’t even want to hear the answer to that question. Let’s just skip it. Let’s just talk about what we told you not to do. We told you don’t preach any more in this name. It’s almost like they don’t even want to mention Jesus by name. In this name we gave you command, back in chapter 4 verse 17, 18 they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. So that’s what their referring to in our previous time we gave explicit command, but you have done two things, you have continued to do what we told you not to do you filled Jerusalem with this teaching. Beautiful testimony. Isn’t great to have the testimony this church, you have filled this city with this teaching. You have disobeyed us. We told you not to teach in His name and you have filled the city with His teaching. Number two, you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. In other words. You’re saying we’re guilty of His death, but remember it was a Sanhedrin and the Sadducees who lead the way in the crucifixion of Christ. Pilate wanted to deliver Him, but the Jewish leaders would have none of it, they stirred up the crowd and the crowd said what? Matthew 27:25, His blood be on us and our children. We will bear the guilt, they’re guilty. They’re right. Peter and the apostles we’re declaring that the Jewish people we’re guilty. That the Jewish leaders were guilty. They repeated that message, they would repeat it again in a moment. No change. So that’s their accusation. Now Peter is ready to respond. He is the spokesmen, the other apostle’s join with him, but he acts as though the spokesmen. Obviously, all of them can’t talk at once and Peter is the spokesmen for the group. He starts out we must obey God rather than men. Let’s establish the foundation of which we are coming from. We obey God rather than men. So, before we get into the details of what you’re saying let’s all agree God is the ultimate authority. He must be obeyed. That’s what He had told them back in chapter 4:19 in his previous appearance. Whether it is right in the site of God to give heed to you rather then to God you be the judge. We must obey God rather than man. So that’s the basis on which we are operating. Then he goes on to demonstrate that they are obeying God and the Sanhedrin is opposing God. Verse 30 the God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom you put to death; by hanging Him on a tree. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a prince and a Savior. You see the contrast. We must obey God rather than men. God raised up Jesus from the dead. He’s the one that you crucified. He puts it very directly He is the one whom you put to death by hanging on a tree. Deuteronomy 21:23 said cursed is the one who is hung on a tree. The very one that God has honored and exalted you treated as cursed. You hung Him on a tree. You see the contrast we must obey God rather than men. We can’t obey you because you are opposed to God; you disobeyed God. The one that God has honored and exalted is the one that you treat as a cursed. You see there’s been no softening here. Now let me think look let’s try another approach to the Sanhedrin, men you have a great responsibility and it’s a burden to lead a people who are often rebellious and disobedient. But you could have real joy and peace in your job. If you would listen to the message, we have. It would make your life and your responsibilities so much more pleasant. That’s not the way they approach it. You know I don’t say let’s find the felt needs of the Sanhedrin, and address that. No, let’s address the sin of the Sanhedrin and address that. Well, what about their felt needs? What do you mean felt needs? What about what God says. What the angel told them you go and preach all the words of this life. That’s your responsibility. So here is the message you have to deal with sin you’re guilty before God. God has exulted the one that you dealt with as cursed by hanging Him on a tree. God raised Him up. God exalted Him, to His right hand. Declaration that He is the living Messiah. He is the Prince, the Savior. In chapter 3 verse 15 this word Prince was used when it was called the prince of life. We note it means author originator of life, it also means a leader and He is the author of life. The one in whom His life. The one who’s been exalted as the Savior. To grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. You know that no one ever gets saved apart from repentance. We’re constantly tinkering with the message of life. To try and make it more palatable. More acceptable to a lost world. When God’s plan is speaking all the words of this life and you have to begin with sin. For there is no salvation apart from repentance, repentance and forgiveness of sins. That’s a consistent part of Peter’s message. There must be a turning from sin to the Savior. May I recognize my sin? I recognize who He is, that’s what Peter’s dealt with. Their sin and the person and work of Christ. That’s what has to be dealt with. All the other things we want to bring in God will bring you peace and happiness, he will make your marriage better, He may make it worse. You realize if you get saved and your spouse doesn’t you’ve turned your home into a battle ground between the devil and God? And I’m going to tell him oh you’ll have peace. Maybe God will graciously save you both. But I can tell you you’re a sinner and lost and Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and you must repent of your sin and believe in Him and that may cost you everything in this world. But He promises to be your sufficiency. That’s the message. He’s confronted them directly and what grace He has been raised to grant to Israel repentance and forgiveness. Boy there is a message of hope. Declaring to them what they must do and we are witnesses of these things, we apostles. We declare to you the truth of this message; and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. The Holy Spirit is the one speaking through them, the Holy Spirit is demonstrating His presence by the miracles being done. That demonstrates that Christ has ascended into the right hand of the Father. Has bestowed the Spirt upon believers. The spirit’s presence has been demonstrated clearly, cannot be denied. So, you see what’s happening. By their rejecting, the message of the apostles they are rejecting the ministry and message of the Holy Spirit. Now that’s about as pointed as they can get. There is no room for fudging. There is no room for give and take here. We are witnesses of God. We declare you; you are guilty before God. His Son is the living Savior, but there is forgiveness if you will repent. And that’s the testimony of God. Where does that leave it? Well, you like to say the Sanhedrin at least large numbers of these men got on their knees and said God forgive us. We are guilty before you, but you read verse 33. But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and we’re intending to kill them. You know 2 Corinthians chapter 2:16 says we are saver of life to life and death to death. On this occasion, before the Sanhedrin, Peter and the apostles were a saver of death to dead. They just further confirmed these religious leaders in their lost condition. It says when they heard this they were cut to the quick. I don’t know why they translated quite that way. The word literally means they were cut in two. They were cut in two. Remember Hebrews chapter 4:12, the Words of God is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword appears as even to the dividing asunder of soul and Spirit and joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Which say when somebody says something and they just like they’ve read our heart and mind. Like they said they laid me open. That’s what happened here. They just split them in two. Cut them in half; and they were revealed for what they were, and they were convicted. Just like the razor-sharp sword of the word of God has cut them open. You know you only had one of two things to do. You either repent and lay hold of the mercy of God and faith, or you rally yourself and you are hardened in your opposition, and you hate what has happened to you. We know what that’s like. Even as believer’s we hate nothing more than to someone to expose our sin, unless we are ready to bow before God and acknowledge Him. They are not. So they are ready to kill these men who have brought the message of life. Remember that when you speak the Word of God you can expect there’ll will be one of two responses. If you get enough of the negative responses, you sometimes think you ought to alter the message and the method. You understand you can’t do anything to change an unregenerate heart, except present clearly the truth. You can make compromises that will make the unregenerate person more comfortable. But then you’ve gone in league with the devil; and no good can come of that. Now at this point there is an intervention from a strange source. The source that would seem strange to us. Gamaliel. A certain Pharisee in verse 34 named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law respected by all the people stood up in the council gave orders to put the men outside. Put these men outside I want to talk to the Sanhedrin. He’s a part of the Sanhedrin. He’s a leading Pharisee. We know something of Gamaliel and his history. He was the grandson of rabbi Hilo. Some of you have studied history around the gospel know something of rabbi Hilo. This is his grandson. Rabbi Hilo. Had found that a school for the training of Pharisee in Jerusalem. His grandson Gamaliel was now leading teacher there. In fact, we’ll be told in chapter 22, verse 3 that the apostle Paul was one of His students. He studied under Gamaliel, this very man. He is a Pharisee. Now even though the Sadducees had the dominant power positions, in the Sanhedrin and in Israel they were a minority, and they could not get anything done without the support of the Pharisees. And the Pharisees had the popular support of the masses. Josephus, the Jewish historian said to the Pharisees always had influence over the Sadducees because the Sadducees couldn’t get anything done without the support of the Pharisees. That’ll help you appreciate something of the influence of Gamaliel here. Also remember the Pharisees believed in a coming Messiah, they believed in the resurrection of the dead, the believed in life after death, they believed in angels. The Sadducees believed none of these. And the Sanhedrin was a split group, later one Paul will use this very division to his advantage. So, when Gamaliel speaks up, as he does here, it also serves his purpose to not have the Sanhedrin getting his way and, not have things get out of hand; because what’s going to happen if the Sanhedrin executes all the apostles. You’re going to throw Jerusalem into turmoil. And that would be trouble for the Sanhedrin Pharisees and Sadducees alike. What he says in verse 35, take care what you do to these men. Then he gives two examples, sometimes ago Theudas arose, he claimed to be someone. A result of it was he got a following, he ended up being executed and his followers were scattered. Joseph mentions a Theudas also, but that’s a man who occurs much later, those who don’t believe in the inspiration of the scripture tried to use that to discredit Luke’s account here saying Luke misunderstood. He’s writing later and He’s inaccurate because Theudas won’t come along till much later. This is a different man. So not unusually we have more then on Theudas on the scene. Then there was another man, Judas of Galilee, He did the same thing. He ended up being executed. His movement basically dissolved. Although the Zealots were followers of Judas. His argument, Verse 38, in the present case I say to you stay away from these men let them alone, for if this plan or action should be of men it will be overthrown. Theudas, Judas, what happened? It was just men trying to assert themselves. It came to nothing. The leader got executed, and the movement basically just dissolved. But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them or else you may be found even be fighting against God. Speaking there beyond what he really knew. In other words, give it time, if God is doing something He knows they haven’t addressed the issues. I mean what about the miracles and so on. If it’s of God, you can’t fight against it. If it’s of man their leader has been executed like Theudas, like Judas. And Jesus has been executed so give it time if it’s just of man’s movement it will be dissolved, but if it’s of God we can’t fight against God. It’s really buying time here. The Sanhedrin accepts His wise council, and the Sadducees realize they probably can’t execute the apostles without creating a riot. They can’t get it past the Sanhedrin without the support of the Pharisees so fine. They agree, but first they call in the apostle’s and flogged them. Then tell them again, don’t preach anymore in the name of Jesus and then they let them go. I’m going to read them a description of flogging, they are bare you to the chest and then they take a triple strip of calf hide, a whip. Three strips of calf hide and then they have you knee down and you’re beaten with the triple strip of calf hide[MD1] across the chest and back. Two on the back one across the chest. Men were known to have died as a result of this kind of beating. Now I mentioned this because we see these men get flogged told not to preach and then they go on their way we think it’s just like getting a spanking. No, a little more serious than that. This beating was severe enough these men would have been hurting. They would have been bruised and bleeding as a result of this beating. This just wasn’t a minor spanking, and, on their way, this was the thirty-nine lashes as they referred to it, the Old Testament allowed forty. New Testament times they were doing thirty-nine to be sure that they didn’t miss count and to be demonstrating mercy. They received 39 lashes, and they’re set on their way. Look at verse 41. You think today we go out, what we witness at work, we witness to a neighbor, a family member, and they get irate, and we go away and were so discouraged, we’re depressed. We figure we’re not going to talk anymore; I just don’t have the gift of evangelism. I always get people upset with me, Lord what did I do wrong I tried so hard I prayed, I’m just discouraged. They went on their way from the presence of the council, rejoicing! Rejoicing that they have been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. Do you think in the courts of heaven when we stand in the presence of the Lord that these apostles are going to be ashamed and embarrassed that they had to be beaten for the Lord? Remember this was an honor. Remember the beatitudes Jesus said blessed are you when men persecute you. Later Peter would write in his first epistle chapter 4 that it was an honor to be suffering for the Lord. Paul told the Philippians it has been given to you not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake. These men put that into practice; been beaten, painful, bloodied. What do they think? What an honor being given to us. To go before the Sanhedrin and testify for Jesus Christ and to be privileged to suffer for Him. What an honor, any wonder Jerusalem was filled with their teaching, how do you stop people like this? Shared with you when we were in China, number of years ago talking to one of the Chinese Pastors in a hotel lobby. We could only meet in a public place. We gave Him some literature and said aren’t you afraid you’ll be arrested again? What are they going to do to me put me back in prison? I’ve already been there. Take away my house? They already took that. My church? They already took that. We’ll be fine. I can use this material. Big smile on his face. Not quite how we do it in the United States. We think oh they don’t like it? Oh, they got upset that I told them about Christ. Oh, I better keep my mouth shut. And as a result, we don’t saturate the city with the knowledge of Christ. Why? Because unbelievers are hardened to the word, and they do respond negatively. We endure all things for the sake of the elect as Paul wrote that they might come to the Salvation which is found in Jesus Christ. Every day in the temple from house to house they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. I love the way it’s put here. Every day in the temple and from house to house. They didn’t say look that’s too hot of spot, we better not go back there. You know what was going on when the sacrifices were being offered. The believers are there sharing the gospel with the people coming to the temple. They give them the truth. There going from house to house encouraging, building up believers, sharing the truth. Preaching and teaching Jesus Christ. Isn’t the responsibility of the church simple, we say we want our church to be like the early church? We have the same message, don’t we? Final and completed with the New Testament. What are we to be about? Speaking all the words of this life. To the people, so you say, “Lord, make us like the early church and we’re going to leave here in a little bit and go out and every when we go we think we ought to be looking for someone to talk to about the gospel. Well, what if they respond, it doesn’t matter how they respond. I know what God has sent me to do. Lord, I want to share the gospel with them. One thing I want to do, I want to talk to somebody about the gospel today. Lord by your grace, may you if a thousand people go out and share the gospel, wouldn’t it be wonderful if one or two trust the Lord? Oh, what about the nine hundred and ninety or ninety-five that react negatively. It’s in the Lord’s hands. What about the two or three that God graciously draws to Himself? We’re privileged to be the instruments that He used. May God make us a church like the early church in the ways that really matter? May we go and speak boldly all the message of life in Christ. Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, for you grace and faithfulness. Thank you for the faithfulness of these early servants, who did not fear, rejection and scorn and ridicule and physical suffering. But we’re bold in their obedience. May we the church in these days be just like them? Count it a privilege to experience rejection, ridicule, suffering, and loss. To be identified with Jesus Christ. May your Spirit do a work in hearts and lives that will bring honor and glory to the Savior in whose name we pray. Amen.
[MD1]I don’t know what this word is supposed to be. The recording is approximately 48 minutes.