Building the Church (6)

If They Persecuted Me.....

Good morning.

It was a great vacation, but so glad to be back.

How did you see God move this past week?

We are diving back into Acts where we left off.

If you remember we have seen the birth of the Church. The source of the Church’s power and its focus.

The beginning of the attack against the church and its message.

Jesus warned them:

John 15:20 ESV

20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

If They Persecuted Me.....

We have been very blessed in our country not to face serious persecution

Open Doors ministry tracks on average more than 12 Christians killed each day, plus:

7,679 churches or public Christian properties were attacked or forced to close. 4,744 believers were arrested, imprisoned, detained without trial or sentenced—just because of their faith. 3,775 followers of Jesus were abducted. 3,944 Christians were sexually assaulted, sexually harassed or forcibly married to non-Christians. Nearly 55,000 believers were mentally or physically abused for their faith, and 28,368 houses, shops or businesses belonging to Christians were attacked. And finally, nearly 210,000 followers of Christ were forced to flee their homes.  

Christ’s followers cannot expect better treatment in the world than their Master had.

 Matthew Henry

If They Persecuted Me.....

It all comes down to the response of Truth and the difference between us as followers of Christ and a world still trying to hush the message.

That is what I want us to dive into today.

Turn to Acts 5: 17-42

Let’s pray.

Truth’s Response

The Church was growing incredibly fast and it was being noticed.

Peter and John were arrested and warned to speak no more, but:

Acts 4:19–20 ESV

19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Truth’s Response

They continued to preach and grow.

When God is moving there will always be a response to the truth

Attacking the Truth

Acts 5:17–18 ESV

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.

Attacking the Truth

That word jealousy could of meant they did not like the success and were envious or they felt they need to protect.

The Greek is zelos - where we get zealot.

Either way they were seeing a threat to their power, just as Jesus did.

Notice the Apostles response:

They did not fight, organize a protest.

They obeyed the direction of the earthly authority, but they followed God’s direction over the world’s authority.

They trusted God had a plan

You see the difference between them and the religious leaders

Obey the Truth

Acts 5:19–20 ESV

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

Acts 5:21 ESV

21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

Obey the Truth

Acts 5:21–26 ESV

21 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. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 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. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Acts 5:27–28 ESV

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 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.”

Affirmed the Truth

Acts 5:29 ESV

29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Affirmed the Truth

They could of appeased, but they held to their belief and message.

Acts 5:30–32 ESV

30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

The Truth will either enlighten or enrage.

The world’s response is quite often the latter.

Avoid the Truth

Acts 5:33–34 ESV

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.

Avoid the Truth

Gamaliel was respected and trusted - Taught Paul

He likens this movement to ones of old:

Acts 5:35–37 ESV

35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.

Acts 5:38–39 ESV

38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice,

Avoid the Truth

He counseled to be neutral and to wait and see

It is either for or against in obedience to God - no gray.

We can choose to avoid, but the Church is called to:

Announce the Truth

Acts 5:40 ESV

40 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.

Acts 5:41–42 ESV

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

Announce the Truth

We have but one choice if we are to Be the Church:

We must obey God over Government and proclaim his truth.

We also must have instruction on growing in faith.

Persecution continued and intensified as we will see in the coming weeks.

If They Persecuted Me.....

Every day we must choose how we will respond to truth

A work that has little opposition from the antagonistic system of Satan is one that is doing little work for the Lord… The devil’s greatest opposition is the Lord’s greatest work. -John MacArthur

If They Persecuted Me.....

Right now we pretty much have freedom to proclaim, but a day is coming.

My question is if we do respond to truth with boldness and conviction now, what will we do when the heat is on?

Next week Acts 6