Standing Firm

I want you to think about how often through out the week you give the gospel. How many times is there an opportunity for a gospel presentation and you pass it up. Why do you pass by giving the gospel? What is the reason or reasons you have decided to turn away from being God's chosen instrument in that time and hour to bring about a gospel presentation. Do you turn back because you feel you don't know what to say, do you turn away because you don't have the time, maybe you are afraid of losing a friend or even losing a job? These are all excuses that are conjured up in our minds to keep us from sharing our faith. There are times we also back off and say well if I live the gospel or I just pray for the person then that should be enough. This morning we are going to see that living the gospel means you stand firm in proclaiming the gospel. We will see three reasons this morning for standing firm in the gospel.

Three Reasons for Standing Firm in the Gospel

We will see this in Acts 5:17-26;

Acts 5:17–26 NASB95

17 But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. 18 They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, 20 “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.” 21 Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought. 22 But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and reported back, 23 saying, “We found the prison house locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we had opened up, we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this. 25 But someone came and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” 26 Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned).

The apostles weren't hiding their teaching, they not only were in public view they were in the temple, where the temple official and the high priest would go. They didn't shrink from the religious leaders in fear of them but through the power of the Holy Spirit they would teach with boldness the hope of the resurrection. There is a battle that ensues, and on the outside it seems as though the warring parties are the apostles and the religious leaders of the day but it is quite clear the fight is between God and the religious leaders. It is a battle between the power of God and the power of man. The religious leaders give lip service to following and obeying the word of God but in reality they are threatened by God's own Son Jesus Christ. They are threatened by the prospect of grace and mercy because they rule the people with fear and tyranny. There are two factions of religious leaders of the day, the first are the pharisees, who are considered the liberals of the day. They believed in the Pentateuch and its authoritative power over life and practice. They also believed and saw the rest of the Hebrew Scripture as authoritative as well. They viewed it not only as history but as the outworking of what God has done with the nation of Israel.

Then their are the Sadducees who view the first five books as authoritative and hence law. Their view of the rest of Scripture is in a sense as a commentary on the first five books and doesn't necessarily hold authority but elaborates on characteristics of God and God's work through the nation of Israel. So their view is since resurrection isn't mentioned in the first five books then there is no resurrection. This put them at odds with the apostles in a big way because the apostles are preaching and teaching on the hope of the resurrection. The high priest of the day is from the Sadducean sect so the Sadducees are the ones at the top of the pecking order within the religious leaders. The are also not happy about the message the apostles are preaching and they want to put a stop to it. So Luke tells us they "laid hands on them and put the in jail." Thinking this would stop the message and thinking this would stop the heralds and thinking this would strike fear into the people also. They are sorely mistaken because they are not fighting against these men but they are pitting their own authority against the authority of God.

A word about jealousy or zeal, the Sadduccees had a zeal or a burning passion against the teachings of the Apostles, however, the apostles keeping with the same idea of zeal or passion and I would even say jealously for God's truth and what is holy.

God Commands Us

Here we have it, this is the real fight the real battle and God doesn't sit on the side lines waiting and watching and hoping His message will go forth. He isn't afraid His message will be hindered because He has no reason to fear His message being hindered. God sends an angel, a messenger to assist the apostles. This is authoritative encouragement for the apostles. The angel opens the gates and the angel leads them outside. This is God's way of preserving His Church. The angel also provides a message from God to the apostles in verse 20, "Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this life.' Listen, three verbs here, the first is "Go," this is an imperative, it is a command. This angel is acting on behalf of God and this is a direct command from God through the angel. The prison is not where they are to be they are to Go and it is followed up by the word stand. Giving the idea of authority and the idea of how a messenger or a herald would provide an edict, it would be standing. Also think about this the angel is telling them to go back to the same place they just were and stand in the open and speak or the word is better translated continue "speaking to the people the whole message of this Life." They aren't told to go into hiding or to run away and preach somewhere else. No they are told to go right back into the open court of the temple and don't change your message but continue to give the same message and continue to point to the hope of the resurrection. This is God's command to them and this is a command which reiterates the great commission. Go into all the world and make disciples, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. What a powerful message in the midst of persecution. Don't stop giving the gospel message, don't stop telling people the whole message of the gospel. This is our command as much as it was theirs and how often are we afraid of people? How often are we afraid of taking a moment God opens up to us to share the gospel and turn away from it. Why? Because we are worried they won't believe the message or fight with us or not like us anymore. Boohoo, these men were jailed for the gospel message and these men face a beating and even death because of the message and they are freed from the prison by God to continue out in the open to speak, herald, proclaim the gospel.

What do they do, they act on the authority of their Lord and Master and they trust and obey, because they know there is no other way. Look at the beginning half of verse 21, "Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach." They go back , and not only this they are there at daybreak, this is in the morning, the temple is opened and the days business has begun. Do you know what is ironic about this. They were arrested and put in jail to await trial, do you know where the court is where they would have been taken to stand trial? In the temple. This is ironic. Here we have once again the authority of God superseding the authority of man. This is God's temple and God is in control and it is His house. This is were the message of the gospel has been central and it continues to be the central point of God's work. Still the religious leaders think they are the ones in control of all the temple proceedings but they are wrong and God shows them how wrong they are.

Do not be ashamed of the gospel.

Romans 1:16–17 NASB95

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only gospel that brings about salvation, it is only the name of Jesus Christ that has the power to save and there is no life in anyone other then Him. There is no life in anything other then Him. This is the gospel we are commanded to proclaim and we must proclaim it.

No slide

Luke 8:11–15 NASB95

11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. 12 “Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. 13 “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

God Confounds Opponents

At the same time the apostles are entering the temple to give 'the whole message of this Life,' the whole Council comes together to tri these same men for their proclamation of the gospel. They obviously didn't run into one another because the council had the officers bring them in from the prison where they had placed them the night before. When the guards arrived at their cell they found the cell empty but the door locked. The news of what had happened as Luke writes here, "perplexed" them. The were in confusion as to what this would mean. The knew something was up, they know there was something going on with these men and they were wondering as to what God was doing because it was obvious God was doing something. The problem is they didn't know what to expect. Would they see a revolt, or would these men just disappear. It brought about a confusion that was not a good one and that didn't lead them to God but kept them thinking, how is this going to play out for them.

When you think you are the ultimate authority and you are in complete control and God exerts His power, authority and control over the situation you wonder how it will play out for you. The reason why is because your reality isn't God's reality, especially when the God's work is in direct opposition to what you believe. The Sadducees didn't believe in miracles and the supernatural, and this event was obviously supernatural and could be considered a miracle. So now they don't know what is in store for them. When we think we are in charge we miss out on God's work. We become confused instead of allowing our faith to grow. Don't be the authority in your life, don't miss out on God's work. These men here are persecutors of God and His work and they are fighting against God and losing. When you are an authority over your own life you are going up against God and you will lose.

1 Corinthians 1:18–25 NASB95

18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 2:14–16 NASB95

14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

God Comforts Hearts

Here is a contrast, we find in this passage what motivates these two different groups. The apostles are motivated by the healthy fear of the Lord. Knowing His Holiness and Power and promise and they serve God. The religious leaders of the day are only motivated by how others perceive them. They are so worried the people they are supposed to serve and to lead and guide will see them as the heretics they are and stone them to death. This shows the Israelite community has lost respect for them and their power and their ability to lead. They are not afraid of these religious leaders as they once were and the people are moving away from following their empty rules to aliening themselves with God through the power and majesty and work of Jesus Christ. There is no way these religious leaders were ignorant of how those men got out. They like most people today wanted to ignore the truth and didn't want to acknowledge they had any guilt in putting Jesus on the Cross. God is building His church here, He is protecting it, preserving it, and perpetuating it.

Psalm 56:8–13 NASB95

8 You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book? 9 Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; This I know, that God is for me. 10 In God, whose word I praise, In the Lord, whose word I praise, 11 In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 Your vows are binding upon me, O God; I will render thank offerings to You. 13 For You have delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of the living.

This is the peace we receive from Jesus and how we should live if we have this peace.

Colossians 3:15–17 NASB95

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Philippians 4:7–9 NASB95

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

2 Timothy 1:7–14 NASB95

7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.