Judges (5)

John Adams was Born on October 30, 1735 in Braintree Massachusetts. He was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States . Adams was brilliant, it was determined that he would do great things with his life. So much so, that at the age of 15 Adams enrolled in Harvard 16. But of all the characteristics or credentials that we see from Him, Perhaps the most important take away is his commitment to stand by the truth.

A story is told of the Boston Massacre in March of 1770. At the time, British soldiers were guarding the Boston Customs House and shot into a crowd of civilians killing 3 men and injuring another 8. In response, the people were outraged. There wasn’t a lawyer in all of Boston that would come to the defense of the British soldiers involved. That was until John Adams stood in. Aware of how it might appear to the public, Adams overlooked the potential for consequences because he believed that everyone was entitled to a fair trial. He went on to take the case of the British soldiers involved in the Boston massacre. In response, the public turned against him, and he lost more than half of his clients.

In a courtroom that was described as crowded and "electrical," Adams argued that the soldiers were innocent …. He then added, "Facts are stubborn things and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictums of our passions, they cannot alter the state of the facts and evidence."

We hear this story this morning, and we applaud John adams standing by the truth. At all costs.I mean he would lose more than half of his clients…. He would have his fellow countrymen speaking harshly against him… and yet, he was committed to sharing the truth. (reputation)

The question becomes are we living that out this morning? We know the truth… are we following it?

John 8:31-32 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

You see, if you were here last week. We looked at Anaias and Saiphara. A couple caught in their deception. Caught in their dishonesty or lack of truth… and it brought them death.

But this morning, Christ calls us to live in truth… and to follow Him… and then with the truth in hand, to live by it. In fact… that’s the example that we see this morning of the disciples… that not only did they have the truth… but they lived it out?

I then turn to us… in our walk with Christ. We have the truth… but are we following it this morning? Are we walking out our faith?

This morning, we’re called to follow / and live out the truth.

If you have your bibles, turn with me to Acts 5. And as you’re turning there, I want to let you know this week and next morning that we’re going to Jail. In fact, we’ll spend the next 2 weeks thereas we wrap up our series in Acts. And we’re going to look at persecution and difficulties of the Apostles as they shared their faith.

But ultimately, we’ll see that following Jesus leads to several things.

Following Jesus Leads To: 1. New Life 2. Obedience. 3. Rejoicing (blessing)

1. Following Jesus Leads to New Life

If you’re not already there, turn with me to Acts 5:12-20:

12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.

Verse 15 explains people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. The first word in the scripture beds: Greek - Klinē , refers to small beds or even couches, whereas the next word Mats (or pallets) – krabattos refers to straw mattresses commonly used by the poor. And so, with both the rich and poor alike, there is need, and yet, in the middle of the need… because of the Holy Spirit…

There is miraculous healing. So much so, that more and more men and women are believing in the Lord. In other words, if you go back to the Day of Pentecost, 3,000 men are saved, in acts 4, as Peter and John are before the Sanhedrin, that number has grown to about 5,000 men… well now… just one chapter later, we lose count. We go from 3,000 to 5,000 now in acts 5 to More and More (more and woman) and God is doing wonderful things. That paints the backdrop this morning for our scene.

But we look to the next several verses and there’s a major problem.

it says: 17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

We stop, the high priest, as well as all his associates, are Jealous and they see the apostles as a threat... Afterall, they had just signed off on the killing of Jesus… and now, these 12 are boldly teaching all the people of the saving power of the Messiah, and are performing miracles… So, there’s this sense of a threat at stake. I mean one group is performing miracles in Jesus’ name. The other group has signed off on the crucifixion of Jesus and now they feel their power and reputation threatened by these Christians. And they’re Jealous and they go on to throw the 12 disciples in jail…

But the stories not over… 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”

You see the point is, not only did the Angel of the Lord open the closed door for these disciples. He brought them out to stand in the temple courts and tell the people all about this new life.

Here’s the point this morning Church. We’re saved, the Lord frees us from our sin… but it doesn’t stop just at the point of salvation… once God opens the door for us… there’s then the process of sharing with others about the new life we have in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

So, we see that in Christ. We are new. Our thoughts are new, our attitudes should be new. Our worldview is new. And not only are we forgiving our sins… verse 19 tells us that: he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. What does that mean? It means its our job, to be Christ’s ambassador. It’s our job to tell others about this new thing in our lives. (tide laundry detergent)

You see when you talk about newness? Let me ask a question does anyone do laundry? (That’s all of us.)

Well, I remember my first deployment in the US Navy. That laundry took on a whole new meaning. Of course, we have the privilege of washing our clothes whenever we want. If you wanted to today for instance, you could go home, and wash all the clothes in your house. Well onboard a navy destroyer, you have a large crew… and only so many washing machines to go around.

And the problem was this, there were only a few times during the week where we could wash laundry. There was Tuesday morning, from midnight until noon. There was Thursday from noon-till midnight… specifically for ships engineers. And then, there was Sunday. In which everyone on the ship could wash laundry. The problem was, you could plan on doing your laundry on Tuesday, or on Thursday, or even on Sunday… but if someone else had the same idea, you might not be able to wash your clothes.

But imagine with me, being out in the middle east… its hot, its sticky. You’ve been working all day…I mean you smell… you get to a point where you have to wash your clothes. You get gross. I mean you can only fold your shirts and socks inside out so many times…

But imagine with me, if you wore the same clothes day after day… I mean the washer and dryer are right there, but you never do anything about your clothes. How would you feel? Pretty gross right? The world, they’ve never had their clothes washed. They’re like a pig in all its mud… and some of them don’t even realize it…

But church, not only do we know the one who washes us… who restores us… who refreshes us…we know the one who’s in the business of dealing with a stinky socks. Who’s in the business of washing us clean.

The disciples, they don’t just follow Jesus initially… No, they’re transformed day-by-day, and they go and tell others about this new life… this special detergent, they’re so in love with the one who has washed their sins away… that they have to go and tell others about him…

What about you? Is there a difference in how you smell? In how you look? Do others see Jesus in you? and are you sharing your faith?

2. Following Jesus Leads to Obedience

21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.

25 Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” 26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.

27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

As we look at the scripture. We see that at daybreak. As the day is starting. The disciples entered the temple courts and began to teach the people. And in these moments, there’s no denying the miracles that are taking place. I mean, just the night before, they had been arrested and put in jail. Now, not only has the angel of the Lord opened the jail door… now they’re Boldy and courageous preaching the gospel right out in the open in the temple courts.

I mean, I would have loved to have seen this play out in real time. verse 24 tells us: 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.In other words, they can’t seem to figure out what’s just happened. They don’t know what to do.

And (it’s funny), someone in the crowd pipes up and says… “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people. The guys you’re looking for… yeah, the ones you put in jail (point) … and the captain and his officers have their hands tied. Afterall, they fear the people will kill them in they tried to use force on the apostles.

And so, not knowing what to do the apostles are brought before the Sanhedrin, they’re questioned further. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” And what does peter say in response? 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!

Here's the point, Peter, and the disciples… they weren’t about to be quiet.

I came across an article earlier this week which writes: Every day, 13 Christians worldwide are killed because of their faith. And every day, 12 Christians are unjustly arrested or imprisoned, and another five are abducted. So reports the 2021 World Watch List (WWL), the latest annual accounting from Open Doors of the top 50 countries where Christians are the most persecuted for following Jesus.

David Curry, president of Open Doors says:

You might think the [list] is all about oppression. … But the [list] is really all about resilience. The numbers of God’s people who are suffering should mean the Church is dying—that Christians are keeping quiet, losing their faith, and turning away from one another. But that’s not what’s happening. Instead, in living color, we see the words of God recorded in the prophet Isaiah: “I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isa. 43:19, ).

The article would Go on to list the top nations experience persecution. The list includes places like North Korea Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, and India. But in each nation, there are those who year after year, are obedient in sharing their faith. Despite hardship, despite persecution. Despite, suffering and even death… These brothers and sisters in Christ press on…

What about us? We share this verse often, but the great commission was not just for the disciples of the time… that’s for us today… we’re told: 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Friends, are we taking this commission seriously? Are we telling others about Jesus. Are we obeying the words Of Christ… To go and make disciples… Or are we like those at the crucifixion, who remained silent?

3. Following Jesus Leads to Rejoicing (Blessing)

Acts 33:40 : 33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

I find it interesting, in this moment… this pharisee speaks up… and clearly acknowledges that if God is behind these apostles… You won’t be able to stop what he’s doing. He says you’ll find yourself fighting against God.

And as we saw, his speech persuaded them. They were let go.

But here’s what’s interesting… they would be flogged (or whipped). In my studies, I found that this would have likely been 39 times, based on what the old testament law permitted.

But what’s interesting is in the midst of their pain. What do we find.

Verse 41 tells us: The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

So, they’ve been whipped. They’ve experienced pain, and physical torment. Yet their response is not despair, they’re not hopeless… no… they’re rejoicing. They’re content, they’re glad. And we ask ourselves, how is this possible? How can you be going through imprisonment, persecution, intense physical pain… probably mockery and a host of other things… and result with Joy? And the answer is simple. It’s Jesus.

You see the disciples were counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. What name is that? That’s Jesus. Their suffering for the Lord’s sake.

We turn to us this morning… and the truth is… I would challenge us to be bolder, to be more daring in our faith.To be inspired by the Apostles and their commitment to sharing the gospel at all costs. To look to them as an example this morning in our own walk.

And the truth is, John 15:18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” They hated him, they rejected him… we shouldn’t just think it’s possible, we’ll experience persecution or hardship for Jesus. In fact, if we’re not experiencing a level of persecution in our life… I would ask if we’re truly living out our faith. Are we truly ambassadors for Christ?

And yet… here’s the key… that even in persecution… even in many trials, friends we’re blessed.

If you want some homework, go home, and read the words of Jesus on the sermon on the mount. Listen to the beatitudes. Part of his words are Matthew 5:11-12 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Blessed (happy). Friend, are we living out our faith today? Is there an element of persecution in your life today? Or are you coasting down easy street? It’s something to consider…

I’m going to Call Lisa forward at this time…

1. Are we suffering

2. Obeying?Is there some sort of sin?

3. Are we living out the New Life that Christ has called us to?

Pray