The Plan of God

Intro

The Apostles are preaching and teaching.

The people have a good attitude about the Disciples, even those who didn’t join them.

Multitudes of men and women are being saved.

The sick were carried into the streets to lay on cots so that Peter’s shadow might fall on them that they might be healed.

Tons of people came from all around, seeking healing and deliverance and they found it!

The high priest and all who were with him threw the apostles in Jail.

An angel of the Lord opened the doors during the night, brought them out, and commanded them to go stand in the temple and proclaim the truth about life in Jesus.

They went at daybreak and did that very thing.

When the high priest came back with the full Sanhedrin, they were told that though the jail was locked, no one was inside.

They then see the apostles teaching in the temple.

This is where we pick up.

Acts 5:26–42 CSB

Then the commander went with the servants and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them. After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked, “Didn’t we strictly order you not to teach in this name? Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had murdered by hanging him on a tree. God exalted this man to his right hand as ruler and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while. He said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful about what you’re about to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and came to nothing. After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and attracted a following. He also perished, and all his followers were scattered. So in the present case, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him. After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name. Every day in the temple, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

The Plan of God is the Gospel

This is why they were arrested - For preaching the Gospel!

This was not their plan but God’s!

They took his commandments seriously.

The key question in the exchange between the disciples and sanhedrin. Who is Jesus?

“You are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

As to say - Jesus was a blasphemer who was rightfully killed.

“The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you murdered by hanging him on a tree. God exalted this man to his right hand as ruler and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.”

Saying: Jesus was not a blasphemer, but the one through whom the salvation of God is available!

The Primary Question that they were discussing is the same primary answer that is discussed today.

Who do you say Jesus is?

The Sanhedrin was saying that Jesus was a zealot that transformed into blasphemer.

Zealots were another class of the Jewish Religious at the time of Jesus.

They who took a more militant approach to seeing God’s promises to Israel fulfilled. Generally not very favorable of the Roman Government.

Many of the people who began to follow Jesus and left likely thought he shared their mentality. “Will you now restore the Kingdom of Israel?”

Think a prophet - without the hand on them. Or at least not on them to the extent of outright success.

This is an example of what happens when we seek to accomplish the plan of God in our own power.

This are those who Gamaliel mentions - Theudas and Judas. They both had followers and perished and they scattered.

The Disciples did not scatter! They proclaimed boldly and without hesitation that Jesus was the Messiah and was not dead, but in fact had risen from the dead!

This changes everything. This reveals a great truth of Scripture that requires repentance and life change.

The Sanhedrin were unwilling to consider this reality, and because of that they found themselves opposing the work of the God they claim to serve.

Salvation through Jesus is the plan of God, and it is important that we understand it!

From the Beginning.

There are regular and clear references to God’s plan of Salvation through Jesus all throughout the Old Testament.

God’s Promise to Abraham

Abraham and Isaac

Through Archetypes in the histories.

David and Goliath

Throughout throughout the Psalms and Prophets

It should be proclaimed

Accurately

The Gospel is God’s plan, not part of the Gospel. Not the Gospel but...

An imitation or reduction of the Gospel is NOT the Gospel.

By this I mean the change of KEY elements, NOT the length of presentation.

Knockoff products. The Aspen Dove.

Regularly

We are prone to wander and forget what God is calling us to.

We easily allow things to distract and get in the way that should not.

The Plan of God Demands Obedience

The Apostles knew that proclaiming the Gospel was God’s Plan, and so they knew they must do it.

This was why they were obedient, even to the point of great difficulty.

The Sanhedrin wanted them to take another plan. They knew this was not possible.

“We must obey God rather than people.”

To follow a plan that is not the Plan of God, is to be in opposition to God.

Lack of Obedience is disobedience.

This is what is seen clearly in one of the world’s favorite verses and the one that follows that is often left out.

John 3:16–18 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

Lack of belief is denial and they remain dead in their sin.

We are compelled in every meaning of the word.

Compelled as in commanded.

God commands us to go!

This is the Great Commission starts with an authority statement.

Matthew 28:18–20 CSB

Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus has authority, and with that authority, he commands us to participate in the plan of God.

Compelled as in moved by the work of Christ.

This is the idea of being compelled because of how powerful and moving the work of God has been in our lives.

This is what the Apostles reference in Acts 4:19-20

Acts 4:19–20 CSB

Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

They did not say - “Jesus told us to so we must” even though that would be accurate.

They were compelled not only by the command of God, but by their honest and sincere belief that Jesus is alive, and that fact compelled them to follow God without fear.

When we seek obedience to God’s Plan, we are not in a unsure endeavor.

When watching a suspenseful movie, you clutch the edge of your seat, waiting to see what will happen. This is not what it is like with the Plan of God, because...

The Plan of God is Established

Scooby Doo villians: “And I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for you meddling kids”

Established from the Beginning

As we mentioned before, Salvation through Jesus was always the plan of God. Nothing that happened before during or after the work of Jesus surprised Him.

We serve the one who knows the end from the beginning and has operated in exactly that way.

The one who says:

Revelation 1:8 CSB

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Not Shakable

Despite the efforts of people, God’s plans will not be shaken.

Psalm 33:10–11 CSB

The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations; he thwarts the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart from generation to generation.

Scooby Doo villians: “And I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for you meddling kids”

We all know what it is like when the plans that we have fall through.

Serving God and seeking to fulfill His Plan is one plan we don’t have to worry about failing.

Though it may not look like what we expect or initially want, it is always for our good.

Romans 8:28 CSB

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

We can be confident in this because...

The Plan of God Results in Victory

We serve the one who knows the end from the beginning. There is no uncertainty, with God.

We don’t have to worry about a surprise ending with God.

The Falcons Super Bowl loss to the patriots (unexpected and unlikely ending)

God is faithful

Psalm 119:89–90 CSB

Lord, your word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven. Your faithfulness is for all generations; you established the earth, and it stands firm.

God is faithful, though others may let us down and fail to come through, God always will!

Even when we fail, God is faithful

2 Timothy 2:13 CSB

if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

The promise that we look forward to:

Revelation 21:1–8 CSB

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Jesus is coming back. God is going to make all things new. Through Jesus we can have eternal life forever with God. With no more of the pain and struggle that we face in this life.

The best moment and experience of this life you have had will pale in comparison to the constant reality of the life to come.

But that passage doesn’t end there. This is a promise and a warning.

Those who have believed in Christ, who have been redeemed have this promise.

To those who have not been redeemed, there is another type of promise. The warning of the punishment for those who remain dead in their sin.

This all comes back to the question that the disciples were disputing with the Sanhedrin.

“Who do you say Jesus is?”

For those who have believed in Jesus. Who believe that he is the son of God, who died for their sin, and was raised again. Those who have understood their sinfulness and need of a savior. And have confessed him as their Lord and Savior.

For those - The promise is the coming victory!

For those also - they are compelled to participate in the plan of God! To go and preach the good news of Jesus and warn of the peril of remaining in sin.

For those who deny Jesus, they remain dead in their sin. They have rejected the one through whom salvation comes and have thus rejected the salvation He offers. The passage of John 3:16 goes further. John 3:19-21

John 3:19–21 CSB

This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

For those who do not repent and believe, they are choosing their sin over God. They are remaining in the darkness instead of coming to the light.

The call today:

Are you living out the Plan of God?

Actively sharing about the wonderful truth of what God has done for us?

Have you believed in Jesus Christ?

Or are you still remaining in the darkness?

3 THINGS

-Areas of Need

-Come and See Sunday

-Church Picnic