The Gospel Goes Forth: Time Tells All

Sermon Text: Acts 5:12-42

Intro

Hook: LOTR, Gollum Riddle

In The Hobbit, Bilbo and Gollum test their wits. If Bilbo wins, then Gollum has to show him the way out of a tunnel; if Bilbo loses, he becomes Gollum's dinner. Yum.

While in the dark caves of Gollum, Bilbo must answer riddles to be safe from Gollum. Gollum's "ultimate" riddle goes like this:

This thing all things devours:

Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;

Gnaws iron, bites steel;

Grinds hard stones to meal;

Slays king, ruins town,

And beats high mountain down.

As Gollum threatens to eat Bilbo, Bilbo asks for more time to answer. Bilbo exclaims, "Time! Time!" and is saved by pure luck.

Time tells all things, and it is the way of nature. Time proves things to be true or false. As time goes on, secret things are uncovered and exposed. As time goes on, some good things get better. We will see this especially with the Gospel of God. The Gospel, as time goes on, continues to prove to be true. It has never failed and it never will. Not even time can destroy it.

Context: Last time we met together, we spoke about true and false generosity. God blessed the church so much with unity of mind and resources. But some took advantage of the time and tried to look like they too were generous. But really, ananias and sapphira were liars and God found them out and struck them dead. So this leaves people in the fear of God and respecting those whom he has chosen to lead his people.

Thesis: Tonight, we will continue this story of the apostles spreading the Gospel to all the ends of the earth. God’s Gospel goes forth despite challenge.

Prayer

Body

Confirmed by Signs and Wonders

Assertion - The Gospel is accompanied by signs and wonders to prove that it is heaven-sent / other-worldly.

Evidence [Acts 5:12–16 “12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.” ]

Commentary

Explain what life would have been like to regularly have signs and wonders done in your midst…

It was hard for many to believe in the Gospel, that God has sent Jesus into this world to save us from our sins. People don’t want to believe that because, by nature, people don’t want help. We are proud. So, God gave wonders and signs to prove that he was really working, doing things in the world, proving himself in the world. We see this even in the life of Mojo. Someone tell me - when Moses went to Egypt, as recorded in the book of Exodus, what did Moses say to Pharaoh? “let my people go” So they were going to do this great leaving from Egypt, but who was going to deliver them? Was it Moses? Who enabled Moses? Who sent the ten plagues? Were those not signs and wonders? They were! God used signs and wonders to demonstrate his power over the people of Egypt. Signs and wonders show that someone from heaven is working. And such is the case in this book of Acts. God was working through the hands of the apostles to demonstrate his power to the world and to prove the message that they were telling everyone. The signs and wonders were present so that people would believe their message.

The people respect the aposles, especially Peter, as they lay out the sick even in the streets, so that the sick and unclean spirited can be healed. This demonstrates the power we were talking about, which confirms God’s gospel.

Along with these signs and wonders, more and more people are joining the church, which has now gone from 120 people to more than 10,000.

Challenged by the Council; Defended by God (The Back and Forth)

Assertion 1 - After the signs and wonders, the council imprisons the apostles and questions their message.

Evidence [Acts 5:17–32 “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. 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.” 21 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. 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…” ]

Commentary -

The Sanhedrin. They hear about what’s going on. They don’t like it. They don’t like it because they are important. They have power and influence. But now people are flocking to this teaching of the apostles. And the religious leaders are losing their influence. More than this, the new teaching is saying that the religious leaders killed the one who is doing the healings. This new teaching is making the religious leaders look really bad. So, what do powerful people do when their power is challenged? They try to destroy their opposition.

The Sadduccees don’t like this and, filled with jealousy (not envy), they arrest the apostles. On what grounds?

God frees the apostles. An angel of the Lord opens the prison doors in the night and they are freed. Then what do they go do? What they were made for: evangelizing.

To everyone’s shock, the apostles are not there in the prison the next morning!

While everyone is wondering where they are, someone comes in to the Sanhedrin council, saying, “They are in the temple, teaching the people!”

The council goes and gets them. The challenge is on again. The council says nothing of the previous night, but rather they go straight for their message: “Why are you teaching in the name of Jesus? We told you not to do this! You are even trying to bring the man’s blood upon us.”

The apostles defend, “We will not obey you, we will obey God. God has given us Christ for repentance and forgiveness. We are witnesses and we will not stop speaking.

Assertion 2 - After the apostles defense, the council decides to leave them alone after a warning (verbal and physical).

Evidence [Acts 5:33–40 “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. 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. 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, 40 and when they had called in…” ]

Commentary -

After hearing this message, most are enraged. They weren’t rage baited. You have to understand- the religious council was wicked to the core. They loved evil. Even though they looked like good people, they loved secret deeds of darkness and falsehood. We see this when the truth is present. When the truth is present, the lying religious council became angry. This is because people who love evil hate what is good. Repeat. Also, people who love lies hate the truth. God’s Gospel goes forth, and the religious leaders hate it because they can’t stand the truth.

Yet! There is one who stands up in the council who holds a different opinion. A man named Gamaliel, who was well respected by all, stood up and shared this…

Two stories of failed movements, this one story now in question. His message: time tells all. “Give it time,” he wisely says. Because if this thing is of man, it will fail. But if this thing is of God, it will succeed. And there will be nothing you can do to stop it. And isn’t that the case?…

Story time! What is something else that just couldn’t help from happening, relatable to this?

So, the religious council decides to release the apostles for now, but only after warning them again “Don’t speak in the name of Jesus” and giving them a severe beating.

Explain the severe beating.

Carried on by the Apostles

Assertion - The apostles, though beaten, continue the message “that the Christ is Jesus” (callback to vv30-32)

Evidence [vv. 29-32 revisited, 41-42]

Commentary -

Explain the severe beating again, and explain perseverance, especially from the statement: “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.”

How is God honored in our pain? IOW, how were they counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name?

Suffering advances his name

Suffering is obedience to God.

Suffering reflects Christ (as we share in the same experience he went through, it gives us greater confidence and understanding of what he went through for us.)

God considered it a good idea to have his apostles bear his name through suffering, and it pleased him to have them testify to his name through suffering. They were shamed, dishonored, as they were scourged. They were scourged not for their name or glory, but for the name of Jesus. It is a good thing to suffer for a good cause. And it is a joy to suffer for Christ because he is the greatest cause, the most excellent person in all existence, the highest beauty you could ever suffer injustice or pain or discomfort for. And that God would count you worthy to do that? “You get to suffer for Christ” So be it, Lord.

They suffered for the Gospel.

Rehearse the Gospel:

Jesus came to deliver people.

They reject and kill him.

God raised him fro the dead.

He ascended to God’s right hand.

Now he is Leader and Savior (made a way) to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. - God has proved his faithful love to his people.

The apostles witnessed this.

The Holy Spirit came and bore witness as well. It is a tried and true message.

God’s Gospel is unshakeable. Our plans fail, but his does not. His message is clear. And we are with him or against him. “You might even be found opposing God!”

Conclusion

Restate / Review

God’s Gospel Goes Forth. It is confirmed by signs and wonders. It is challenged by the religious council of the day, only to be defended by God, for God’s Gospel can never be stopped. And time, the equalizer of all things, proves that it is true and of God. And lastly, the Gospel is carried on by the apostles as the go into the temple and from house to house preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Reflect / Apply

Israel’s leaders have rejected Jesus as its Messiah. Jesus has come, and now he is being imitated, in every way, but they continue to reject him. The apostles are doing all the same things that Christ did: they performed signs and wonders, remember how Christ also did this, that he healed the sick, cured the blind and lame and mute, delivered people from unclean spirits, he was met with opposition, was beaten and killed, yet he continued to spread the Gospel of the kingdom to the world. Such is the case with the apostles and all who will follow Christ.

If you follow Christ, you will be persecuted. You will be opposed. There will be people who do not like you. Because the Gospel is offensive to people. But be encouraged, for if you suffer for the Gospel, you suffer for a worthy cause.

Remember why the apostles were persecuted. It was not because of their clothing. It was not because of their political preference. It was not because of them evading prison. It was not because of the way they spoke. It was what they said.

Hold fast to the Gospel and believe it! It will never fail, for it is of God. It is God’s plan and it will always do what God intends for it: to save the lost, or to harden other people’s hearts who do not want it. I pray for all of our sakes that we would be those who are saved by the message of the Gospel.

Let’s pray.

Questions:

What happened when Peter’s shadow would fall on a sick person?

What was the Sanhedrin?

What was the apostles’ message?

How did the Sanhedrin respond to the apostles’ message?

What happened to the two other people Gamaliel mentioned?

What did Gamaliel recommend the council to do?

What is the significance of opposing God?

How did the apostles suffer for God?

Is it a good thing to suffer for God?

Where did the apostles preach about Christ?