Insanity, craziness.... faith and surrender?

Title: Insanity , craziness… faith and surrender

Theme: Resurrection, faith and the Holy Spirit transform those who believe, surrender, and follow.

Text:Acts 5:27-32; ; : 26-29

Goal: a strong call to surrender and transformations which will be demonstrated by response which involves action

ME: ORIENTATION: FIND COMMON GROUND WITH THE AUDIENCE

Do you believe that the way you were raised is the way it should be today?

What are the important things we should maintain with out exception?

What groups of populations will we loose by doing this?

WE: IDENTIFICATION (MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU STRUGGLE)

WE: IDENTIFICATION (MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU STRUGGLE)

The church struggles today to understand the world around it. We struggle to reach the next generation. If we do not find a way to communicate and connect to the millennial generation we may not survive.

Churches will close.

This leads us to survival mentality, which is very deadly.

Each generation must be involved in transformation.

What does the Resurrection mean today?

What does the Holy Spirit mean today?

What does faith and surrender mean today?

What work should we be involved with today?

GOD: ILLUMINATION (THE GOAL IS TO RESOLVE THE TENSION

I. This is Insanity … craziness

Acts 5:27–32 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.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 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.”

Acts 5:27-32

A. What does this text tell us about the disciples?

The second arrest of the apostles was inevitable. The Sanhedrin had strictly ordered them to abstain from teaching in the name of Jesus, and they had publicly disregarded that command.

a. They were considered heretics, and disturbing the peace

What does this text tell us about the disciples?

b. this isn’t the first timed they were warned

c. The Sanhedrin was in charge of these religious matters to keep the peace.

d. angel or messenger   There is not necessarily a miracle in the release of Peter and John. The word aggelos has two meanings. It means an angel; but it is also the normal word for a messenger. Even if the release of the apostles had been brought about by human means, the agent of the release would still be the aggelos of the Lord.

B. n the narrative of the events after the release, we see vividly displayed the great characteristics of these early Christians.

a. They had courage. The command to go straight back and preach in the Temple sounds to a prudent mind almost incredible. To obey that command was an act of almost reckless boldness. And yet they went

b. They had principles. And their ruling principle was that in all circumstances obedience to God must come first. They never asked: ‘Is this course of action safe?’ They asked: ‘Is this what God wants me to do?’

c. They had a clear idea of their function. They knew that they were witnesses for Christ. Witnesses are essentially people who speak from first-hand knowledge. They know from personal experience that what they say is true; and it is impossible to stop people like that, because it is impossible to stop the truth

C. The apostles were healing the sick.

a. The high priest reminds the apostles of the council’s instruction that prohibits them from preaching (4:17–18). No mention is made of the escape, which is an embarrassment for the leadership. How did they get out? Were the guards irresponsible?

D. disobeyed strict orders

a. The apostles have disobeyed strict orders. Their disobedience is blatant. Not only did they continue to preach in this name; they also have filled the city with their teaching and are clearly holding the leadership responsible for Jesus’s death. As the high priest puts it, they are seeking “to bring upon us the blood of this man.

b. This charge about the blood undercuts the leadership’s authority to uphold and represent righteousness.

c. All of Jerusalem was filled with this teaching. All even the leadership was called to repentance and forgiveness.

d. They will obey God, not men. Luke uses another comparison that expresses exclusion, using ἤ (ē; BDF §145a.1; Moulton and Turner 1963: 216). In this case, God has directly instructed them to preach in the temple, and that will continue. The verb for “obey” (πειθαρχέω, peitharcheō) appears only four times in the NT (, ; ; ). The use of δεῖ (dei, must) suggests a moral necessity for this obedience. God has the claim on the apostles, and this has priority over any other group

e. They get away with it

F. Why would they do this?

Christianity is about believing, faith alone. They don’t have to go any further than that? right

Wrong: While we are saved by faith we are called to action

II. The disciples see Jesus and believe

;

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,[a] Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

A. Jesus deals with the doubts and struggles of the disciples

The Gospel of John, Volume 2 The Commission of Christ (John 20:19–23)

IT is most likely that the disciples continued to meet in the upper room where the Last Supper had been held. But they met in something very like terror. They knew the intense bitterness of the Jews who had brought about the death of Jesus, and they were afraid that their turn would come next. So they were meeting in terror, listening fearfully for every step on the stair and for every knock at the door, lest the representatives of the Sanhedrin should come to arrest them too. As they sat there, Jesus was suddenly in their midst. He gave them the normal everyday middle-eastern greeting: ‘Peace be to you.

a. Jesus needs the Church

Jesus had come with a message for all people, and now he was going back to his Father. His message could never be taken to all men and women, unless the Church took it. The Church was to be a mouth to speak for Jesus, feet to run upon his errands, hands to do his work. Therefore, the first thing this means is that Jesus is dependent on his Church

Barclay, W. (2001). The Gospel of John (Vol. 2, p. 318). Louisville, KY: Edinburgh.

b.

It means that the Church needs Jesus. People who are to be sent out need someone to send them; they need a message to take; they need a power and an authority to back the message; they need someone to whom they may turn when they are in doubt and in difficulty. Without Jesus, the Church has no message

Barclay, W. (2001). The Gospel of John (Vol. 2, p. 318). Louisville, KY: Edinburgh.

c.

There remains still another thing. The sending out of the Church by Jesus is parallel to the sending out of Jesus by God. But no one can read the story of the Fourth Gospel without seeing that the relationship between Jesus and God was continually dependent on Jesus’ perfect obedience and perfect love

Barclay, W. (2001). The Gospel of John (Vol. 2, p. 318). Louisville, KY: Edinburgh.

B. The Holy Spirit moved upon the Disdciples

The Gospel of John, Volume 2 The Commission of Christ (John 20:19–23)

The coming of the Holy Spirit is like the wakening of life from the dead. When he comes upon the Church, it is re-created for its task.

B. Thomas willing to go with Jesus in is caught in doubt, and backing off.

The Gospel of John, Volume 2 The Doubter Convinced (John 20:24–9)

Another week elapsed and Jesus came back again; and this time Thomas was there. And Jesus knew Thomas’ heart. He repeated Thomas’ own words, and invited him to make the test that he had demanded. And Thomas’ heart ran out in love and devotion, and all he could say was: ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him: ‘Thomas, you needed the eyes of sight to make you believe; but the days will come when people will see with the eye of faith and believe.’

Jesus spends time with his followers

Something changes

The Gospel of John, Volume 2 Thomas in the after Days (John 20:24–9 Contd)

WE do not know for sure what happened to Thomas in the after days; but there is an apocryphal book called The Acts of Thomas which purports to give his history. It is of course only legend, but there may well be some history beneath the legend; and certainly in it Thomas is true to character. Here is part of the story which it tells.

After the death of Jesus, the disciples divided up the world among them, so that each might go to some country to preach the gospel. India fell by lot to Thomas. (The Thomist Church in South India does trace its origin to him.) At first he refused to go, saying that he was not strong enough for the long journey. He said: ‘I am a Hebrew man; how can I go among the Indians and preach the truth?’ Jesus appeared to him by night and said: ‘Fear not, Thomas, go to India and preach the word there, for my grace is with you.’ But Thomas still stubbornly refused. ‘Wherever you would send me, send me,’ he said, ‘but let it be somewhere else, for to the Indians I will not go.’

It so happened that there had come a certain merchant from India to Jerusalem called Abbanes. He had been sent by King Gundaphorus to find a skilled carpenter and to bring him back to India, and Thomas was a carpenter. Jesus came up to Abbanes in the market place and said to him: ‘Would you like to buy a carpenter?’ Abbanes said: ‘Yes.’ Jesus said, ‘I have a slave that is a carpenter, and I want to sell him,’ and he pointed at Thomas in the distance. So they agreed on a price and Thomas was sold, and the agreement ran: ‘I, Jesus, the son of Joseph the carpenter, acknowledge that I have sold my slave, Thomas by name, to you Abbanes, a merchant of Gundaphorus, king of the Indians.’ When the deed was drawn up, Jesus found Thomas and took him to Abbanes. Abbanes said: ‘Is this your master?’ Thomas said: ‘Indeed he is.’ Abbanes said: ‘I have bought you from him.’ And Thomas said nothing. But in the morning he rose early and prayed, and after his prayer he said to Jesus: ‘I will go where you want, Lord Jesus, your will be done.’ It is the same old Thomas, slow to be sure, slow to surrender; but once his surrender is made, it is complete.

The story goes on to tell how Gundaphorus commanded Thomas to build a palace, and Thomas said that he was well able to do so. The king gave him money in plenty to buy materials and to hire workmen, but Thomas gave it all away to the poor. Always he told the king that the palace was rising steadily. The king was suspicious. In the end, he sent for Thomas: ‘Have you built me the palace?’ he demanded. Thomas answered: ‘Yes.’ ‘When, then, shall we go and see it?’ asked the king. Thomas answered: ‘You cannot see it now, but when you depart this life, then you shall see it.’ At first the king was very angry, and Thomas was in danger of his life; but in the end the king too was won for Christ, and so Thomas brought Christianity to India

What makes the difference?

What makes the difference?

Resurrection, faith and the Holy Spirit transform those who believe, surrender, and follow.

III. You

Has your life changed since you found Christ?

Do you believe Jesus was resurrected?

What are you doing to serve the community and reach others for Christ

What makes the difference?

YOU: APPLICATION (TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO AND WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD)

Christianity is a Gospel of faith and surrender.

Christianity is a gospel of resurrection.

Christianity is a gospel surrender

Christianity is a Gospel where the Holy spirit leads us.

Christianity is a gospel of action and works.