Don't Use the Mail

We are a mission outpost in a foreign land

Read Georgia - started - Gail Daugherty is point - it went magnificently

Hannah’s folks are here - wanted to see the Not So Scary Grayberry Spectacular - Hannah did a fantastic job - whole team worked heard - so many wonderful volunteers

If you did anything at the NSS event, would you please stand too

Pray

Cadence Bank sent out their Heritage Club Newsletter a week or so ago.

They obviously have a division that reads my mind and plans trips to places I’d love to go.

In 2024, they will go to Spain and Portugal, they’ll take a Riverboat Cruise up the Mississippi

They will go see the Memorials of World War II and take the Rocky Mountaineer train across the Canadian Rockies.

I’d love to do every last one of them.

I love to travel - we love to travel.

I see your exploits on Facebook - we go to some amazing places.

But in the sidebar of the Newsletter, the bank posted a warning.

The Bibb County Sheriff’s office is warning people to not put checks in any mailbox anywhere.

Don’t use the blue boxes on the side of the road.

Absolutely don’t mail a check from your home mailbox.

They said raising the red flag is a signal to thieves that there is a check in this mailbox.

Save yourself some time and start stealing here.

Now I know that there have always been mail thieves - but not like this.

This is new.

The mail was sacrosanct - you would go to jail - FEDERAL jail for messing with the mail.

But it appears the threat of getting caught isn’t such a deal anymore.

Something has happened here.

Something has changed.

Our text for today is from the book of Acts, chapter 5 starting with verse 17.

While you look that up.

Kids, if you have a packet from the Kids Kart, there is a worship sheet in the pack.

It has three words you are going to be listening for.

The first word is training.

The second word is world.

And the third word is Jesus - and I’m not going to call the word Jesus to your attention because I suspect I’ll say His name a lot.

He is the reason we are here.

So, training, world and Jesus - and adults - you’ll want to listen for them too.

Our scripture is Acts 5:17-42, but we’re going to read 17-33, and then 40-42.

Hear now the Word of the Lord from the Historian Doctor Luke’s letter to Theophilus

Acts 5:17–33 ESV

But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to 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.

Acts 5:40–42 ESV

and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

If you were here last week or you listened to our podcast, you know we said that we live in a different place than we did just 4 years ago.

The world changed - irrevocably.

Things will never go back to the way things were before 2019.

Do you have as many problems processing this as I do?

When I was ordained in 1983, the people of Davis Chapel Baptist Church were happy.

One of our own has done good.

It really was a celebration of “look what we did!”

“We raised up a preacher boy.”

They were proud.

And from then until until recently, I preached in a world that made sense.

There were rules to follow and if you followed those rules, you could predict what the outcome would be.

Preachers were taught to make 5 year plans.

Thom Rainer from Southern Seminary and later the LifeWay CEO came along and said the world changed too quickly for that.

He said you should have at most a 3 year plan.

I wonder if you can really even do that anymore.

Yes, you must plan - failing to plan is planning to fail.

But with the world as it is, every plan must be made with the complete understanding that our circumstances might change at any moment.

And you might have to pivot to a new plan.

The world has changed and we’ve got to deal with it.

In verses 17 and 18, we see one way we can react react to change - Acts 5:17–18 “But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.”

When something unexpected happens, we automatically fall back on our training

Kids, there is word number 1 - training.

We fall back on what we have done in the past counting on it to work like it always has, but what if it doesn’t?

Peter and John had already stood before the high priest once before.

They had healed a lame beggar that everyone knew.

He sat in the same place every day begging from the same people.

When the leaders asked them about it, they told them about Jesus.

I can imagine for the leaders it was like, no matter what we do with this Jesus guy, his name keeps coming back.

So the leaders threatened Peter and John and told them to stop talking about Jesus.

Here we are now, mere days later - and who is it in front of them?

Peter and John, but now all of the rest of the disciples.

And what are they doing - they are preaching Jesus.

Verse 17 says the high priest rose up - I don’t think it was quite that dignified.

The word used is actually defined as “springing to one’s feet.”

The high priest was literally, hopping mad.

And “filled with jealously,” a synonym for jealously is resentment.

He resented these men.

They were messing up his world.

The High Priest’s world changed and he missed it

Kids - the second word you are looking for is world so here it is.

See, the high priest’s job description said that he was responsible for making sure nothing ever changed in his world.

It was his job.

And the way he was trained to do that was, first threaten people, and if that didn’t work.

Then throw them in jail - and - if they were as persistent as Jesus was - find a way to get the Romans to kill them.

We look at this guy and think what a bad guy he was - but really he wasn’t that bad of a guy.

In fact, if we had been a regular Jew going to the temple, he’s the guy we’d want in charge.

He knew his job, he was trained, he was good at it - he was good at keeping his world the same.

When ever we go to the temple, we know it’s going to be the same place it was when we left it.

We don’t have to worry about anything changing.

The only problem is the world changed and his training didn’t keep up with the change.

Acts 5:19–20 “But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.””

Sounds like a fairy tale and I’m certain lots of people think that is it a fairy tale.

A whole liberal strain of theology calls it mythology - stories that mean something but aren’t literally true.

I believe a literal angel went to a literal prison and opened literal doors and brought these 12 men out.

I believe the same literal angel told them to, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

The apostle’s world changed and they didn’t miss it

Their training would have told them to submit to the High Priest

I mean after all, he is the High Priest - he’s an incredibly powerful man and someone everyone has been trained to follow for over 1,000 years.

When the angel told them to go back to the temple and preach, I can’t help but think their guts were full of butterflies.

And they had to wonder, you know they did, they had to wonder how is this going to turn out?

This guy is not going to be happy and we are nobody in his eyes.

But they also knew things were different - it’s not every day an angel comes to you

So they acted differently - Acts 5:21 “And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

The text doesn’t say this but I suspect they went back to Solomon’s Portico to preach.

It is where Jesus taught and it appears to be the place the fledgling church had planted itself to gather.

And once they got there - at daybreak, when people came to pray before the day got started good

Where all kinds of people would see them.

They started to teach what they had explicitly been told not to teach.

They recognized that their world had changed and the old way of doing things wasn’t going to work

So they adapted based on what they knew and they moved forward having no clue where it was going to end up.

All they knew was, the Lord’s angel told them what they needed to do - so they did it.

We must realize our world has changed

We have to carefully challenge our training.

While I was studying for today, and old name started floating through my head - Church Growth Institute.

They were big in the 90’s - some of you will remember the names - Jerry Falwell, Elmer Towns.

I did a little digging and found them - they are now known as Churchgrowth.org.

I’d be curious to know if they were slow to catch on to the internet because some group out of Lagos has the web address churchgrowthinstitute.org.

I looked for a particular book and it was still there.

It still had the same cover and the same clip art cover.

And the same incredible price - $189.99.

The program was very popular back in the day.

But the world has changed and we have changed.

The church is no longer the hub of activity in the community

We don’t set the pace.

There was a time when the church held the guardrails in place for society.

That day is gone.

We are at best irrelevant - at worst we are a detriment.

The good we do is often overshadowed by the words we are called.

And sometimes we shoot ourselves in the foot.

Less than 40 years after this event occured with the High Priest, Rome sacked Jerusalem.

The temple was destroyed.

I have no clue what happened to the high priest or any of the Sadducees, Pharisees, Sanhedrin - any of them.

But I do know what happened to the apostles and the new church and I know why.

Notice in verse 29 - it’s not just Peter - it’s Peter and the apostles - it’s the senior pastor and the elders and with one voice they say,

We must obey God rather than men

Acts 5:30–32 “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.””

The word killed carries the notion of seizing and killing

I can only think Luke is using that word to make a point - what you did to Jesus, you are doing to the apostles.

You did what you were trained to do.

A radically new situation challenged you and you did what every one before you did for 1,000 years.

To keep the status quo, you seized Him - and when He wouldn’t change - you killed Him by hanging Him on a tree.

But God - right?

But God exalted him - God lifted him up - they saw it - they saw Jesus ascending into heaven.

And prophecy tells them that Jesus is sitting at the Father’s right hand

As Leader - this is an interesting word.

He’s the “pioneer leader.”

He’s the one who forged the new way - who started us on this adventure.

He is the founder of the faith: Hebrews 12:2

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

And He continues as our leader.

And He is our Savior

Because of Him I know I am a sinner - that I do things that offend the creator of the universe.

Things He says that will kill me and things He finds repugnant.

So Jesus gives repentance.

Jesus causes me to see who I am and what I have done and where I’ve embarrassed and shamed myself before God.

How I have offended God, and He gives me forgiveness of my sins.

Now, listen to this sentence and compare it to your heart.

Acts 5:32 “And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.””

We are witnesses to these things…Have you seen Jesus working in your world?

Do you know that the Holy Spirit of God has witnessed everything that the Lord has done in your life...

Do you know that God the Father has given the Holy Spirit to those who obey - those who believe and follow him.

He has given the Holy Spirit to us - me and you.

He is our seal Ephesians 1:13

Ephesians 1:13 ESV

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

The apostles essentially said, “Jesus is the Son of God, and because of Him, we have the Spirit of God living in us.”

And that was not status quo.

It was a change.

It’s a change today.

It’s why the world gets crazy around Bible believing Christians.

Acts 5:33 “When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.”

Enraged is a figure of speech - literally it says they were sawn in two - they were cut to the quick - they were infuriated.

And if it had been normal times they would have had them killed.

But the world had changed - and the High Priest missed it.

A man named Gamaliel talked them out of it.

So they had them beat - each of the 12 received 39 lashes with a whip that consisted of three leather belts.

They would get struck twice on the their bare back.

Then once on their bare chest.

Then twice on their bare back

And once on their bare chest - until they had received the full thirty nine lashes.

But they stood firm - because it was a new day with new rules.

Acts 5:41–42 “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.”

And for a season, Solomon’s Colonnade in the temple became their mission outpost.

The apostles went there, as Paul will later say in his letter to the Galatians, “I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.”

They bore on their bodies the marks of Jesus - and they rejoiced - they went there every day preaching and teaching

In the Colonnade

And from house to house

To anybody who would listen

Notice the wording - that the Christ - that the Messiah - that the one Abraham and Issac and Jacob and every body up until now had been waiting on

The man you have been waiting for is Jesus.

Brothers and sisters,

Whatever you thought the church was 4 years ago - it’s all different now.

Look around yourself - we aren’t the hub of the community.

We are a mission outpost - just like the first church - we are a mission outpost in a foreign land.

And we need Jesus.

Let us pray

Reflection

Communion

You remember this scripture from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Twice in this text Jesus told us to remember.

Remember his body - remember his blood.

A few weeks back, I started a new thing in my devotion time.

My prayer list has this entry - Remember 5 blessings.

I’m a slave to that prayer list - rightly or wrongly - if I don’t mention every name on it, I feel like I’ve failed.

So when I get to “remember 5 blessings” - I stop to remember 5 blessings.

The Lord confirmed to me that I’m on the right track this week.

I had lunch with a new friend who told me something they did in their church.

Essentially, they didn’t have a prayer list - they had a praise and prayer list.

They were challenged to reorient themselves - don’t look at just the pains of life, but look for Jesus and thank Him when you see him.

And - tell others what He has done.

I know everyone in here is living in a world where you are experiencing everything from petty aggravations that are driving you insane

To serious, serious challenges - physically - emotionally - psychologically - spiritually.

And I know - the way can look awfully dark.

So, for 60 seconds - it’s going to seem like an eternity to you - we never just sit still and know that He is God.

But for 60 seconds - let’s sit as still as we can and each one of us remember 5 blessings.

Don’t be ashamed if your first thought or two are typical - I’m thank you for my family and my friends.

That’s valid.

But keep thinking - even whisper to Jesus to remind you where He’s touched your life.

And thank him.

Here are our instructions.

First, if you are not physically able to walk forward, please tell someone to let us know or gently lift your hand for one of us to see and we’ll come to you.

If you are a baptized believer in Jesus as your Savior, you are invited to join us at the Lord’s table.

When you come forward, you’ll receive a wafer dipped in juice.

This represents the body and blood of our Lord Jesus who willingly and without any reservation whatsoever gave His life for us.

You may eat it immediately or take it back to your seat as you wish.

The gluten free wafer is at _____________________________’s table.

When all have been served, we’ll sing a song and we’ll go - to the mission field.

So, here we go - for the next 60 seconds - remember 5 blessings - 5 times Jesus has touched your life.

Time 60 seconds

Jesus,

Be praised for all Your tenderness by these works of Your hands Suns that rise and rains that fall to bless and bring to life Your land Look down upon this [city street] and be glad that You have made Blue for the sky and the color green that fills these fields with praise

Thank you for coffee and friendship and laughter

Thank you for children and song and tears

Thank you for hard things

Thank you for the easy things

Thank you for being our Savior

Thank you for never giving up.

Thank you for never letting go.

Thank you Jesus - Amen.