Ordinary Us, Extraordinary God

Good morning!

Occasion : Ignite Service

Let us pray…

Location : Christ Methodist Church

I would like to start by saying that it is a real privilege to be with you this morning and share God’s word with you here in Christ Methodist Church, and especially so, in Ignite.

MPP : With God, you are already an achiever.

Introduction

Why?

Because I believe that you guys are the most important people in the church…

Good morning!

Let us pray…

You guys are the future leaders of our church and in time to come, people like me will no longer be around, and the future of the church will be in your hands…

I would like to start by saying that it is a real privilege to be with you this morning and share God’s word with you here in Christ Methodist Church, and especially so, in Ignite.

You guys will be the ones who will be shaping the future of the church, you guys are the future of the church…

So, it is once again, my great privilege to be in your midst, contributing in my small way to the future of the church by sharing God’s word with you this morning…

Why?

Because I believe that you guys are the most important people in the church…

Today, I will be continuing in the study of the book of Acts by looking at Chapter 4 of the book, and today I will be focusing on verses 1-13 and 18-21.

You guys are the future leaders of our church and in time to come, people like me will no longer be around, and the future of the church will be in your hands…

Let us now listen to the word of the Lord.

You guys will be the ones who will be shaping the future of the church, you guys are the future of the church…

,

So, it is once again, my great privilege to be in your midst, contributing in my small way to the future of the church by sharing God’s word with you this morning…

2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

Today, I will be continuing in the study of the book of Acts by looking at Chapter 4 of the book, and today I will be focusing on verses 1-13 and 18-21.

3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.

4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

Let us now listen to the word of the Lord.

,

5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.

6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.

2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.

4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!

5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.

9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,

10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.

7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

11 Jesus is

“ ‘the stone you builders rejected,

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!

which has become the cornerstone.’

This is the word of the Lord.

9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,

10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

11 Jesus is

“ ‘the stone you builders rejected,

14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.

which has become the cornerstone.’

15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.

16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.

15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.

19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!

20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.

17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.[1]

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

This is the word of the Lord.

19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!

I would like to invite you to imagine with me that you are one of the Avengers…

20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Do you have character in mind already? Good…

Imagine you and your fellow Avengers were tasked with an important mission…

21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.[1]

And the mission?

This is the word of the Lord.

I would like to invite you to imagine with me that you are one of the Avengers…

It is to save humanity…

To save humanity?

Do you have character in mind already? Good…

That’s right, to save humanity?

Imagine you and your fellow Avengers were tasked with an important mission…

But from what you might ask…

And the mission?

Well the thing is that Thanos, one of your nemesis, had decided to put a curse humanity and people are slowly dying because of the curse…

It is to save humanity…

So, all around you, you see people dying one by one and there doesn’t seem to be anything anyone can do about it…

To save humanity?

That’s right, to save humanity?

Then, just when all hope seemed to be lost…

But from what you might ask…

Your team discovered that there is this rock that is more powerful than the infinity stones Thanos has, and your task is to try to expose as many people as possible to this rock…

So, your team did a google search across the entire universe and finally the located the stone…

Well the thing is that Thanos, one of your nemesis, had decided to put a curse humanity and people are slowly dying because of the curse…

So, all around you, you see people dying one by one and there doesn’t seem to be anything anyone can do about it…

There is no time to be lost!

So you and your Avengers hurried down to where the rock is but your heart sinks as you see in the horizon Thanos and his associates…

Then, just when all hope seemed to be lost…

Your team discovered that there is this rock that is more powerful than the infinity stones Thanos has, and your task is to try to expose as many people as possible to this rock…

Nevertheless, you are determined to get the rock and a mighty battle ensued…

So, your team did a google search across the entire universe and finally the located the stone…

Soon after the battle began, your leader disappears, and you now become the new leader

What?

There is no time to be lost!

Become the leader of the team?

So you and your Avengers hurried down to where the rock is but your heart sinks as you see in the horizon Thanos and his associates…

You are definitely not ready for this!

Nevertheless, you are determined to get the rock and a mighty battle ensued…

Fight alongside the leader? Sure!

Soon after the battle began, your leader disappears, and you now become the new leader

Ensure your fellow avengers follow the game plan? Sure!

What?

But being a leader?

Become the leader of the team?

Sigh… you have no choice, for the sake of the mission you just have to do it to your best of abilities…

You are definitely not ready for this!

Fight alongside the leader? Sure!

After a long and hard battle, you finally won and managed to retrieve the rock…

Ensure your fellow avengers follow the game plan? Sure!

Thanos is defeated for now and though he is injured, managed to slip away…

But being a leader?

Your side took heavy loses and some people succumbed to their injuries during the battle and died…

Sigh… you have no choice, for the sake of the mission you just have to do it to your best of abilities…

But the important thing is that you, the Avengers, have the rock in your possession and humanity is saved…

When you manage to get back to earth, you spared no time and you tried to expose as many people as possible to the rock…

After a long and hard battle, you finally won and managed to retrieve the rock…

Thanos is defeated for now and though he is injured, managed to slip away…

As a result many people are saved but there is lots more people who have yet to be exposed to the rock…

Then, there is a twist…

Your side took heavy loses and some people succumbed to their injuries during the battle and died…

When you got back to earth, you found yourself summoned to tribunal to account for the many lives that were lost, including the leader of your team…

But the important thing is that you, the Avengers, have the rock in your possession and humanity is saved…

On the tribunal is of course, people who did not think much of the Avengers and are bent on stopping your work…

When you manage to get back to earth, you spared no time and you tried to expose as many people as possible to the rock…

As a result many people are saved but there is lots more people who have yet to be exposed to the rock…

If convicted of negligence, you will lose your life…

You think of escaping and fighting your way out, but you know that that’s not an option… the place is designed specifically to contain you and the rest of the avengers…

Then, there is a twist…

Suddenly you feel very ill-equipped and afraid…

When you got back to earth, you found yourself summoned to tribunal to account for the many lives that were lost, including the leader of your team…

Here, even if you’re Thor, your hammer wouldn’t help you in the tribunal, if you’re the Hulk, your strength will do nothing to convince the tribunal, if you’re the Black Widow, your agility, speed, reflexes and intellect can’t help you here either…

On the tribunal is of course, people who did not think much of the Avengers and are bent on stopping your work…

In other words, you are just a normal person now… facing experts in arguments and the law…

If convicted of negligence, you will lose your life…

You think of escaping and fighting your way out, but you know that that’s not an option… the place is designed specifically to contain you and the rest of the avengers…

You have no choice, but to answer the queries of the tribunal as best as you can… knowing that the only thing that will prevail is the truth….

You, though an avenger, are lonely and without your powers, and without your leader to guide you… how would you feel?

Suddenly you feel very ill-equipped and afraid…

Well my friends, what I had brought you through, is an adaptation of the story of Peter and John before the Sanhedrin who were captured by the Jewish authorities because there were seen to be part of an uprising which as we read in verse 4, had about 5,000 men…. This excludes women and children, and knowing that in those early days, when the man in the household was converted, the entire household was converted (), so the number is quite substantial...

Here, even if you’re Thor, your hammer wouldn’t help you in the tribunal, if you’re the Hulk, your strength will do nothing to convince the tribunal, if you’re the Black Widow, your agility, speed, reflexes and intellect can’t help you here either…

In other words, you are just a normal person now… facing experts in arguments and the law…

Well, the point is that because of their preaching and teaching, and ironically, their acts of mercy, in healing the cripple, they were called to the Sanhedrin which is the local religious council in Jerusalem made up of the leaders of the land and actually had the power to mete out capital punishment[2]…

You have no choice, but to answer the queries of the tribunal as best as you can… knowing that the only thing that will prevail is the truth….

These leaders are not ordinary folks, but people who are trained in the law and rhetoric, and in contrast…

Peter and John were simple Jewish fishermen by profession, described in verse 13 as “illiterate” and “lay people”, having only basic exposure to Jewish law in the first 12 years of their lives as any other male Jew… Just like the story I painted just now, there is an imbalance of training in the rhetoric…

You, though an avenger, are lonely and without your powers, and without your leader to guide you… how would you feel?

Well my friends, what I had brought you through, is an adaptation of the story of Peter and John before the Sanhedrin who were captured by the Jewish authorities because there were seen to be part of an uprising which as we read in verse 4, had about 5,000 men…. This excludes women and children, and knowing that in those early days, when the man in the household was converted, the entire household was converted (), so the number is quite substantial...

To make things worse, their leader, Jesus, is no longer with them and somehow Peter is now the defecto leader of this Christian group, and just like the story I painted earlier, he is still trying to find his way around his new found responsibility…

In terms of discouragement, we know that there is persecution by Jews who opposed the Christians as well as the authorities, which we can read about in the letters of Paul, and even in and 11… In fact, some of these persecutions led to the killing of some of the companions of Peter and John, such as John the Baptist, James, and Stephen…

Well, the point is that because of their preaching and teaching, and ironically, their acts of mercy, in healing the cripple, they were called to the Sanhedrin which is the local religious council in Jerusalem made up of the leaders of the land and actually had the power to mete out capital punishment[2]…

Yet in the face of so many obstacles and discouragement, Peter and John stood fast in their mission to be God’s witness “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” ()…

These leaders are not ordinary folks, but people who are trained in the law and rhetoric, and in contrast…

You know what?

Peter and John were simple Jewish fishermen by profession, described in verse 13 as “illiterate” and “lay people”, having only basic exposure to Jewish law in the first 12 years of their lives as any other male Jew… Just like the story I painted just now, there is an imbalance of training in the rhetoric…

Forget the Avengers and other made up superheros…

To make things worse, their leader, Jesus, is no longer with them and somehow Peter is now the defecto leader of this Christian group, and just like the story I painted earlier, he is still trying to find his way around his new found responsibility…

The Avengers are people who are super strong, super fast, super agile, super smart, they are some made up characters who do not exist…

In terms of discouragement, we know that there is persecution by Jews who opposed the Christians as well as the authorities, which we can read about in the letters of Paul, and even in and 11… In fact, some of these persecutions led to the killing of some of the companions of Peter and John, such as John the Baptist, James, and Stephen…

They are made up by some movie producers with the intent of making you forget who you are for the duration of movie…

Yet in the face of so many obstacles and discouragement, Peter and John stood fast in their mission to be God’s witness “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” ()…

To allow you to go on a trip, by immersing yourself in the movie and allow you to be part of the movie or sometimes a character in the movie for a while.

You know what?

I think it’s ok to do that, but don’t ever forget the characters are not real…

Forget the Avengers and other made up superheros…

In contrast, the apostles are real heroes, people who have flaws, experience doubts and failed many times…

The Avengers are people who are super strong, super fast, super agile, super smart, they are some made up characters who do not exist…

Just look at the life of biblical heroes such as Murderous Moses, Adulterous David, Doubting Thomas, Rejecting Peter, Tempestuous John and Persecuting Paul…

They are made up by some movie producers with the intent of making you forget who you are for the duration of movie…

To allow you to go on a trip, by immersing yourself in the movie and allow you to be part of the movie or sometimes a character in the movie for a while.

Don’t get me wrong, some of the things that these great heroes did were terrible, inexcusable and deserving of punishment, which many of them did…

But the fact is that they all sought God and His forgiveness for their sins…

I think it’s ok to do that, but don’t ever forget the characters are not real…

In contrast, the apostles are real heroes, people who have flaws, experience doubts and failed many times…

Yet despite their weaknesses and brokenness, God used their lives mightily for His work…

Just look at the life of biblical heroes such as Murderous Moses, Adulterous David, Doubting Thomas, Rejecting Peter, Tempestuous John and Persecuting Paul…

In fact, precisely because of their imperfect nature, their witness is made all that powerful because we can see that God’s work is not achieved by their strength, lest man be glorified, but precisely because of their weakness, that God is glorified!

This, we note in verse 13 of today’s passage where the Peter and John were described as “unschooled” and “ordinary” which caused the members of the Sanhedrin to be astonished at the amazing testimony of Jesus Christ and justification of their work…

Don’t get me wrong, some of the things that these great heroes did were terrible, inexcusable and deserving of punishment, which many of them did…

But the fact is that they all sought God and His forgiveness for their sins…

It is precisely because they were “unschooled” and “ordinary”, as well as the presence of the healed cripple in their presence, that their testimony is believable and the members of the Sanhedrin knows that the miracles and acts of kindness that the Apostles had performed were not made up but were genuine…

Yet despite their weaknesses and brokenness, God used their lives mightily for His work…

It is because they were “unschooled” and “ordinary” that we know that the things that they said were not of human invention but were inspired by God Himself! The Holy Spirit…

And inspired and being filled with the Holy Spirit, they, the underdog were able to talk down the experts in the law and once again (and I mean this metaphorically,) Goliath had been defeated by David…

In fact, precisely because of their imperfect nature, their witness is made all that powerful because we can see that God’s work is not achieved by their strength, lest man be glorified, but precisely because of their weakness, that God is glorified!

Hallelujah! Our God reigns despite of our weakness!

This, we note in verse 13 of today’s passage where the Peter and John were described as “unschooled” and “ordinary” which caused the members of the Sanhedrin to be astonished at the amazing testimony of Jesus Christ and justification of their work…

Likewise my friend,

It is precisely because they were “unschooled” and “ordinary”, as well as the presence of the healed cripple in their presence, that their testimony is believable and the members of the Sanhedrin knows that the miracles and acts of kindness that the Apostles had performed were not made up but were genuine…

With God, you are an achiever, so you do not need to wish you were someone else…

It is because they were “unschooled” and “ordinary” that we know that the things that they said were not of human invention but were inspired by God Himself! The Holy Spirit…

Of course I am not saying that you shouldn’t try your best to achieve great things for God which I will elaborate in my next point….

And inspired and being filled with the Holy Spirit, they, the underdog were able to talk down the experts in the law and once again (and I mean this metaphorically,) Goliath had been defeated by David…

Hallelujah! Our God reigns despite of our weakness!

But the fact is, so long as you desire to obey God, God can use you in a mighty way, and just as importantly, you are perfectly and beautifully made by Him…

Likewise my friend,

If you’re still in school, you don’t have to wish to be that cleverest person, or child of that rich parent, or if you’re already in NS, you don’t have to wish to be that super sharp person in your company or platoon, or if you’re already working, you don’t have to wish to be that person who person who the boss seems to favour all the time, or if you’re ready to date, you don’t have to be that person who everybody seems to want to go on a date with…

With an extraordinary God, you are extraordinary, so you do not need to wish you were someone else…

The point is, you are wonderfully and beautifully made the way you are and while we need to keep improving, being sanctified and growing in Christ, God has a special plan He ordained for each and everyone of you, and you don’t have to be an avenger to achieve that plan… With God, you are already an achiever, so you don’t need to wish you were someone else…

Yet another point we want to note is that our heroes in today’s story did not sit fat dumb and happy knowing that they are already achieved the state of being apostles, but continued to spend time praying as we see in verse 31 of our text today, and continued to spend time meditating on God’s word which is how they can quote biblical text freely, which we can see in verses 11 as well as 25 to 26 of Acts chapter 4, in which the Apostles quoted from and respectively…

Of course I am not saying that you shouldn’t try your best to achieve great things for God which I will elaborate in my next point….

This therefore reminds us that

But the fact is, so long as you desire to obey God, God can use you in a mighty way, and just as importantly, you are perfectly and beautifully made by Him…

With God, you are an achiever, but don’t neglect your walk with God! -v10-11

If you’re still in school, you don’t have to wish to be that cleverest person, or child of that rich parent, or if you’re already in NS, you don’t have to wish to be that super sharp person in your company or platoon, or if you’re already working, you don’t have to wish to be that person who person who the boss seems to favour all the time, or if you’re ready to date, you don’t have to be that person who everybody seems to want to go on a date with…

We need to continue to spend time with God in whatever situation we are in, which John reminds us in that God is the true and faithful vine while we are the branches and it is only when we abide in Him that we are able to bear fruit and counter the very toxic world we live in…

The point is, you are wonderfully and beautifully made the way you are and while we need to keep improving, being sanctified and growing in Christ, God has a special plan He ordained for each and everyone of you, and you don’t have to be an avenger to achieve that plan… With an extraordinary God, you are extraordinary, so you don’t need to wish you were someone else…

Yet another point we want to note is that our heroes in today’s story did not sit fat dumb and happy knowing that they are already achieved the state of being apostles, but continued to spend time praying as we see in verse 31 of our text today, and continued to spend time meditating on God’s word which is how they can quote biblical text freely, which we can see in verses 11 as well as 25 to 26 of Acts chapter 4, in which the Apostles quoted from and respectively…

We are living in a world where we are continuously bombarded with messages that either contain information or make us do things that are detrimental to ourselves…

Other than the messages I talked about earlier about making us hate ourselves, thinking we are too fat, too skinny, too stupid, too ugly, simply not good enough, we are also told things that either hide or distort the truth…

This therefore reminds us that

Don’t neglect your walk with an extraordinary God!

For example, we are told that

We need to continue to spend time with God in whatever situation we are in, which John reminds us in that God is the true and faithful vine while we are the branches and it is only when we abide in Him that we are able to bear fruit and counter the very toxic world we live in…

With God, you are already an achiever, so keep to your mission! – v20

Closing/Challenge

We are living in a world where we are continuously bombarded with messages that either contain information or make us do things that are detrimental to ourselves…

Other than the messages I talked about earlier about making us hate ourselves, thinking we are too fat, too skinny, too stupid, too ugly, simply not good enough, we are also told things that either hide or distort the truth…

For example, we are told that our sense of pleasure is the most important in the world, and we should seek to gratify our desires at all cost, even if it means inconveniencing someone else or if it contravenes with the Bible says…

[1] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .

How would you react when you are tempted to cheat, steal or when faced in a situation when you need to decide whether it is ok for a terminally loved one to die by withdrawing treatment?

[2] G. H. Twelftree, “Sanhedrin,” ed. Joel B. Green et al., Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1992), 839; Jacob Neusner, The Mishnah: A New Translation (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 1988), m. Sanhedrin 11:2.

How would you react when someone challenges your belief and claims that all that you believe is a man-made God, part of the elaborate plan Romans came up with to extend control over people? As was the case when the dubious book The Da Vinci Code came out in 2003, causing many Christians to panic and their faith shaken…

How could you expect to hear God when seeking direction when you have not trained your spiritual ears to hear Him? How could you expect to discern God’s will, when you have not let your mind be moulded by Him? How could you expect to do the right thing when you have not hidden God’s laws in your heart? How could you expect to be comforted by Him in times of difficulty, when you have not trained your spirit to be sensitive to Him?

We need to be like the Apostles and commune with the Lord, spending time to read and mull over His words, praying to Him, being in His presence and be immersed in a community of faith, so that we will continue to grow into an ever deeper relationship with God and with each other…

And when you do that, you will realise that flowing out of you will be a wellspring of life that comes from God, which is your witness of God, both actively as well as passively…

This, we see in verse 20 when the Apostles declare in the face of their persecutors, they cannot help but continue speaking about what they had seen and heard…

So,

Keep on the extraordinary mission!

And the prophets were not alone needing to declare God’s words for Jeremiah described God’s words as a fire that he is not able to hold within him in , and likewise in , we read of Paul who declared that when he preaches the Gospel, he is simply discharging what he cannot help but do.

We see from these passages and many more when we plough through the bible as well as stories of great missionaries of how though they are very much ordinary people, they are doing extraordinary work because out of their relationship with God…

Likewise, when God pours into your life when you spend time with Him, and when you are observant of what God is doing in your lives, you simply tell people what God is doing in your life and that, my friend is the extraordinary mission of evangelism…

It is not putting together a theological thesis to argue that our God is better and bigger than other God… for every reason you can think of, they can perhaps think of another reason…

It is not trying to win someone over to Christ by playing the emotional card by telling an exaggerated story or trying to be super nice to a person just to win over the person… those are theatrics and whatever you do, someone can probably do it better than you…

It is about being genuine in our walk with God and truly caring for the person because God has transformed us from the inside…

It is about sharing our experience of how God is gracious to us even in our ordinary lives… that even as we are “unschooled” and “ordinary”, that God is extraordinary in the everyday…

It is about sharing truthfully about our experience with God who is extraordinary in our ordinary lives… so that those who hear us will be like the Sanhedrin, who can say nothing to counter the witness of Peter and John…

And it is with our faithful witness in our ordinary lives, where our extraordinary God will help us propagate our extraordinary mission and all we need to do is to be faithful….

Closing/Challenge

So my friends, do not despise the ordinary lives you have… for even in our ordinary lives, because God is extraordinary, we have become extraordinary and we need not wish to be someone else we’re not…

And because God is extraordinary, we have an extraordinary mission and we can carry out our mission by intentionally spending time with the extraordinary God…

So forget about being an avenger, be an ordinary Christian with an extraordinary God! Because with God, you are extraordinary! Amen!

[1] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .

[2] G. H. Twelftree, “Sanhedrin,” ed. Joel B. Green et al., Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1992), 839; Jacob Neusner, The Mishnah: A New Translation (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 1988), m. Sanhedrin 11:2.