Violent Hands, Sovereign God

Intro

Since the Fall of Adam and Eve their has been violence brewing in the heart of mankind. Violence that envies the goodness of God and seeks to silent it

What happened with Abel and Cain?

What happened to Jesus?

What happened to the disciples?

What are some famous words Jesus gave us?

Matthew 10:28 ESV

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 16:24 ESV

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Following Christ does not win you any popularity contest, it is a choice that will lead to you facing opposition

This morning we will see that the gospel produces either violent opposition or divine deliverance—but always results in God being glorified.

Violent Hands (v. 1-5)

The Scripture

So violence against Christians has been seen, and continues to be seen

Herod had began to commit violent acts against the converts and murdering

By church history we know 10 of the original 12 died a martyrs death.

The only one though biblically recorded is that of James

We are told here that he was killed by the sword, if done in Roman style meant beheaded and if done in the Jewish style it would have been driven though his body

While in this passage James is murdered by violent hands, Peter is imprisoned by violent hands

Application

What acts at violent hands do we experience today?

Chances are none of us will face death for our faith, now we may, but chances we will not, but if we live for Christ we will experience spiritually driven violence of some sort.

There have been court battles over small businesses being forced to perform services that go against their principles

Laws that are designed to help attack the nuclear family and biblical manhood and womanhood being passed or fought for(Canada and USA)

rather it is laws related to contraception, abortion, or trans that limit how much say a parent has

Workplace may try to limit expression of our beliefs

Walmart in Fairhope one of my managers tried several times to stop me and a coworker from discussing theology

Their is social strains for being a Christian, people can be hostile towards us for our faith

people’s attitudes change towards us when they discover we are people of faith

In academic circles may be taken less serious

Let us be honest how often has the legal and social pressures causes us to self-censor?

Do we not say something at work because that is not allowed?

Do we not say something in the classroom because Biblical views are not taken serious?

Do we not say something in political realms because you do not mix faith and politics?

People we have let the enemy deceive us for two long, we have came to a mindset of where we comparmentalize our faith to the home and church building. We have made it a private matter, and it is not a private matter, it is a public matter

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Church for too long have we placed our lights under a basket. The darkness we have in our communities is their because we have hid our lights

See the church was growing by leaps and bounds because they counted the cost and did not go oh I'm gonna hide my light, no I am going to let it shine whenever I can

So let us revisit those compartments

Work

How is your prayer life at work?

Do you pray for folks?

Do you defend your views from Scripture when in discussion?

Walmart- Theology talks in the backroom, asked about sexual sin

Ivan Smith- DJ the music with Christian rap and metal

Academic Setting

Academics point to the order and Glory of God

Politics

Often we say that it cannot be legally mixed, but in reality there is not a law banning it.

Many people get this notion from a letter not a law that Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association that talks about the separation of church and state to reassure them that the federal government would not do things to interfere with their religious liberties

The letter or laws never prohibit though people bring their faith into politics

as believers our faith should dictate our decisions in government not political lines

Our identity is Christian not Republican, not democrat, not independent, not libertarian, not birthday party

When you vote do you vote because that is what Trump or Chuck Schumer says or because it is the descision that most accurately lines up with Biblical principles

Are our political conversations guided by political lines or Biblical lines?

Or doors closed in our faces because we are well grounded in Scripture or politics

Driving Force Behind Violence

And do you want to know what drives violence.

Ultimately the driving force behind violence is evil

But also like we see in this passage violence is driven by the further acceptance and pleasure of violence

2 Timothy 3:12–13 ESV

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Herod done more because the culture did not say this was wrong but because it pleased those in the culture

If you study the history of television you can see this in action the power of the voice of the people

How many have ever noticed in I Love Lucy that Lucy and Ricky have twin beds instead of sharing a bed.

This was done so no intimate implications were made even though they were married they did not want anybody's mind going there in a family show

Now how many noticed that from the earlier season to the later season the beds were moved further a part because the audience thought it was too scandalous to be close

I Love Lucy though pushed the boundaries of the time, by showing her pregnant on screen

And now 70 years later limits have been pushed again and again and the people have approved and the limits of things we see on tv

And the media of the day is a reflection of the heart of the day

Deliverance From Violence (v. 6-11)

Scripture

Peter probably felt his life on this earth was coming to an end. He was in custody, his friend was dead for his faith

But as believers evil/violence does not have the last word.

In this world evil/violence does not have the ultimate power, even it has to answer to God

Peter had no way he could escape a cell, chains, and 16 guards, but God supernaturally interviewed and delivered him from the hands of the enemy

Even though James did not walk away, he was delivered from violence, more completely than that of Peter’s delieverance

Application

We know we always prayer for deliverance from circumstances in this world and sometimes that answer does not come in the form of an answer of deliverance in this body

Sometimes that answer comes by bringing us into eternity to perfection

Revelation 21:3–4 ESV

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Then though at other times God chooses to deliver us, and the reasons why are only known to him and his divine plans for His glory

Driving Force of Praise

Peter gave glory to the Lord, the Lord delivering HIm led to praise

Peter realized it was none of his doing, but all the Lord’s doing

We often pray to God, but how often do we give him praise and glory for what he does?

Conclusion

1. Courage in Public Faith

If Peter was willing to stand for Christ in prison, then we cannot afford to shrink back in comfort.

Question:

Where have you replaced conviction with convenience?

2. Faithfulness in Every Sphere

Christianity was never meant to stay in a building—it was meant to shape every environment we enter.

Call:

Workplaces

Schools

Conversations

Voting

Family life

Challenge:

“Where have you privatized what God meant to make public?”

3. God Is Still Writing the Outcome

Some are delivered through escape like Peter. Some are delivered through eternity like James. But no believer is ever abandoned.

Anchor text: Revelation 21:4

Final charge:

“The question is not whether we will face pressure—but whether we will remain faithful when we do.”