The Persistent Church

Introduction

Throughout history, the church has always faced persecution. Even today, the church in general is persecuted from every direction and even from the inside. This is because that for many people who call themselves Christians, are no different than what is displayed from non-Christians. We as a church allow things to happen that did not happen 20 years ago. We are apathetic and complacent. Honestly, it is not a new thing. Acts 5 shows us that persecution, apathy and complacency all existed in the first century church. However, there are some things we can do today to be persistent in the calling and commands of Christ and overcome these issues! We are called to be persistent. Part of our persistence begins in extraordinary character development and understanding. Now don’t get me wrong, you can only experience salvation in and through Jesus Christ by grace. It is by grace you are saved, and absolutely nothing else. But, when you are saved, when you have experienced God’s great love through Jesus Christ, you are changed from the inside out and the outside reflects the inside!

Acts 5 continues the story of the first church. We concluded Acts 4 with the realization that many were selling their land and belongings and contributing the proceeds to the ongoing ministry of the early church.

Acts 5:1–2 NIV84

1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Sounds to me this is the start of being at between a rock and a hard place. Ananias and Sapphira were participating in premeditated deception. This is a great example of how we as the church should be held accountable.

The Church is to be Held Accountable

Unfortunately, there is always someone that will try to gain praise, prestige and power. We see this in the story of Ananias and Sapphira. They thought they could get by with this scheme. However, they learned quickly the seriousness of sin.

The Seriousness of Sin

There is a saying that says, “Sin will take you further than you want to go and keep you longer than you want to stay.” Along the way, sin will also hurt more people than you can ever imagine.

Sometimes, we forget the seriousness of sin. Here is a description of the power of sin from God’s Word in Isaiah 30:12-14

Isaiah 30:12–14 (NIV84)

12 Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says:

“Because you have rejected this message,

relied on oppression

and depended on deceit,

13 this sin will become for you

like a high wall, cracked and bulging,

that collapses suddenly, in an instant.

14 It will break in pieces like pottery,

shattered so mercilessly

that among its pieces not a fragment will be found

for taking coals from a hearth

or scooping water out of a cistern.”

Sin is something we should avoid. Our passage today from Acts 5 reminds us that sin literally cost Ananias and Sapphira their lives.

The church needs to be held accountable with the seriousness of sin.

The Sense of the Spirit

We also must be reminded that because sin is a serious issue, the Holy Spirit will be very sensitive to sin and provide ways for Christians to discern it and be delivered from it.

Acts 5:3 NIV84

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

The last words Ananias heard were, “What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.” Acts 5:4b

Then the Bible tells us he died.

Acts 5:9 NIV84

9 Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

And Sapphira died too. The difference I see here is that Sapphira was at least given an opportunity to come clean, but she choose not to do so!

The Holy Spirit gives us counsel and helps us discern right from wrong and sin and selfishness. Sin is a pure selfishness that stinks all the way to heaven. But thanks be to God, we have the solution of the Savior!

The Solution of the Savior

Acts 5:11 NIV84

11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Well this happened because people turned to the Lord and away from their selfishness.

1 John 1:9 NIV84

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

The sense of the Spirit will draw us unto the Lord and remind of our impurities that we might seek repentance and turn to God’s ways instead of our own. Thanks be to God that He has given us the solution of the Savior!

The Church is to be Honorable

Because we have the solution in Jesus, we should live differently. That means that as individuals and the church, we should be honorable.

Honorable is that characteristic that that is upright, noble and distinguished.

Highly Regarded

Acts 5:13 NIV84

13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.

What does it mean to be highly regarded? Well we can see from this verse that the Jewish people stayed away from them, yet they could not help praising them and being impressed by what they did. Do non-Christians respect you for who you are in the community? Do they see you different by being people who are what they say the are? Do you walk the talk instead of just talking the walk?

John Maxwell, the former pastor turned expert on leadership says that leadership is nothing but influence. Do you influence those with whom you come in contact?

Heightening Responsibility

Even though the people were stand-offish, they still respected these early church leaders. In fact, there was a heightening responsibility because the reputation of the believers led many nonbelievers to become believers. There were increasing numbers of converts that were added to the Lord. Acts 5:15

Acts 5:15 NIV84

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.

The influence was so great they began to believe that just the shadow of Peter could have healing powers. It doesn’t seem that Peter and the others let that get to their heads because they were honorable.

Heavenly Rewards

Somehow, they knew that there rewards were heavenly. They remembered the teaching of Jesus

from Matthew 6:1

Matthew 6:1 NIV84

1 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Of course this again made the Sadducees and Pharisees furious, so they had the apostles arrested.

Acts 5:18 NIV84

18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

I have already stated that the church today is under great persecution, even as it was then. The response for the church and the individual is to be holy.

The Church is to be Holy

When the individuals are holy, the church in which they make up become holy. This means that they are sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Notice the example in Acts 5 and what happened while they were in jail.

Acts 5:19–20 NIV84

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 the full message of this new life.”

Somehow, they were able to realize the word of the Holy Spirit and the prompting of the angel of the Lord.

Realize the Word

They were not high on drugs or intoxicated on wine, they were clear-minded enough to know that the had been instructed by the word of the Lord.

Respond to the Word

When you know that you are getting the word of the Lord, you have a choice: To respond or reject. How many times have you rejected the word of the Lord? I assure you that when I have, my life has been miserable.

Acts 5:21 NIV84

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.

Did you catch that phrase, “as they had been told?” What an example of responding to the Word obediently. By the way, did they obedient response mean the persecution ended? No it did not. In fact, we see that the Sanhedrin had them brought in again for questioning.

Acts 5:27–28 NIV84

27 Having brought the apostles, they made them 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.”

The apostles chose once again to remain in the Word!

Remain in the Word

With great boldness, they declared in Acts 5:29

Acts 5:29 NIV84

29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!

Even in the midst of persecution, the apostles and church leaders made the decision to continue ministering as the church which leads to our last point. The Church is to be helpful!

The Church is to be Helpful

How are we to be helpful?

Telling

We are to unashamedly tell about Jesus Christ. Are you able to tell what Jesus has done for you?

Acts 5:30–32 NIV84

30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When the stuff hits the fan were to be bold and courageous!

Romans 1:16 NIV84

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

2 Timothy 1:12 NIV84

12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

If we know the Jesus we testify about, we will tell others about Him. And we will not only tell, we will teach others!

Teaching

We see that the apostles kept on keeping on. I am reminded of a cheer that was prominent when I was in high school. The cheerleaders would chant, “Keep on doing, what you’re doing, till you can’t keep doing, what you’re doing, no more!” That fired me up then and it fires me up now. This is why we have Sunday School. This is why we have Bible Studies. This is why we take the whole Book of Hebrews and study in on Wednesday nights. This is why we have scripture writing plans. Some of you need to get more involved. Some of you need to step out of faith and teach and lead these opportunities. But all of us could do more testifying!

Testifying

Acts 5:41 NIV84

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

When persecution comes in your life, and it will…

Jesus said in John 16:33

John 16:33 NIV84

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

The example you and I have from these apostles is to keep on keeping on…

Acts 5:42 NIV84

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 Christ.

Boone Advent Christian Church, are you being the persistent church?