Acts 5:17-22

Acts 5:17-21a

Setback for a Comeback

A movement is a group of people who share the same beliefs, ideas, or aims.

Abolitionism, also called abolition movement, (c. 1783–1888), in western Europe and the Americas, the movement chiefly responsible for creating the emotional climate necessary for ending the transatlantic slave trade and chattel slavery. (abolitionists such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Thomas Garrett helped slaves escape)

American civil rights movement, mass protest movement against racial segregation and discrimination in the southern United States that came to national prominence during the mid-1950s.

Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a decentralized movement in the United States advocating for non-violent civil disobedience in protest against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against African-American people. In July 2013, the movement began with the use of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin 17 months earlier, in February 2012. (Ahmaud Arbery, Michael Brown, Terence Crutcher, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant, Freddie Gray, Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, Bettie Jones, Trayvon Martin, LaQuan McDonald, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd…just to name a few)

The Early Church was a movement in and of itself because it was a group of people who shared the same beliefs, ideas, or aims. (Acts 2:44, “All the believers were together and had everything in common.”)

“The Sadducees arrested the apostles and put them in prison. An angel freed them, and they went to the temple to teach.”

There are many a great and important movements that have had MINOR SETBACKS WITH MAJOR COMEBACKS!

The goal of the sermon today is to encourage someone who maybe in a MINOR SETBACK, or even a MAJOR SETBACK, that God is getting you ready for your MAJOR COMEBACK!

(v.17) - A MAJOR UPSET

It can be startling when your setbacks are initiated by people or systems that should be there for your setup for greater! Let’s look at a few who were involved in an ongoing SETBACK in the Early Church.

High Priest - The Old Testament mediator between Yahweh and the people of Israel who, in addition to performing sacrifices and rituals like other priests, acted to expiate the sins of the nation on the annual Day of Atonement. He is alternately called the chief priest.

The high priest was bound to a higher degree of ritual purity than ordinary levitical priests. He could have no contact with dead bodies, including those of his parents. Nor could he rend his clothing or allow his hair to grow out as signs of mourning. He could not marry a widow, divorced woman, or harlot, but only an Israelite virgin (Lev. 21:10–15). Any sin committed by the high priest brought guilt upon the entire nation and had to be countered by special sacrifice (4:1–12). Upon a high priest’s death manslayers were released from the cities of refuge.

Myers, Allen C. The Eerdmans Bible dictionary 1987 : 487. Print.

SANHEDRIN (Săn hēʹ drĭn) Highest Jewish council in the first century. The council had 71 members and was presided over by the high priest. The Sanhedrin included both of the main Jewish parties among its membership. Since the high priest presided, the Sadducean priestly party seems to have predominated, but some leading Pharisees also were members (Acts 5:34; 23:1–9).

According to Jewish tradition, the Sanhedrin began with the 70 elders appointed by Moses in Num. 11:16 and was reorganized by Ezra after the exile. However, the OT provides no evidence of a council that functioned like the Sanhedrin of later times. Thus, the Sanhedrin had its origin sometime during the centuries between the Testaments. See Intertestamental History and Literature; Jewish Parties in the New Testament.

During the first century the Sanhedrin exerted authority under the watchful eye of the Romans. Generally, the Roman governor allowed the Sanhedrin considerable autonomy and authority. The trial of Jesus, however, shows that the Sanhedrin did not have the authority to condemn people to death (John 18:31).

The Gospels describe the role of the Sanhedrin in the arrest, trials, and condemnation of Jesus. The Sanhedrin, under the leadership of Caiaphas the high priest, plotted to have Jesus killed (John 11:47–53). The chief priests conspired with Judas to betray Jesus (Matt. 26:14–16). After His arrest they brought Jesus into the council (Luke 22:66). They used false witnesses to condemn Jesus (Matt. 26:59–60; Mark 14:55–56). They sent Him to Pilate and pressured Pilate into pronouncing the death sentence (Mark 15:1–15).

The book of Acts describes how the Sanhedrin harassed and threatened the apostles. The healing of the man at the temple and Peter’s sermon attracted the attention of the chief priests. Peter and John were called before the council and warned not to preach anymore in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:5–21). When the apostles continued to preach, the council had them arrested (Acts 5:21, 27).

Sadducees - A Jewish religious party who recognized the Torah as the only divine authority and rejected resurrection. They were part of the ruling elite with religious and political responsibilities connected with the Temple.

Witthoff, David, ed. The Lexham Cultural Ontology Glossary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014. Print.

Dean, Robert J. “Sanhedrin.” Ed. Chad Brand et al. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary 2003 : 1445–1446. Print.

jealousy n. — a greedy or prideful longing for something that belongs to another; even something intangible, such as a skill.

(v. 18) - A MAJOR SETBACK

ref. Acts 4

custody (short) n. — a state of being confined; usually for a short time.

(v. 19) - A MAJOR TURNAROUND

“But” (adversative conjunction): A conjunction used to express contrast between the immediate clause and the one preceding it.

Lukaszewski, Albert L. The Lexham Syntactic Greek New Testament Glossary. Lexham Press, 2007. Print.

ANGELS. In modern usage the term “angels” refers to heavenly beings whose function it is to serve God and to execute God’s will.

Freedman, David Noel, ed. “Angels.” The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary 1992 : 248. Print.

to open (object) v. — to cause to open or to become open; whether in a physical or abstract sense.

to lead out v. — to lead someone out (of an enclosed area) to a specific location.

(v. 20) - A MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY

Miracles come with responsibilities and obligations...

message of the “new life” (ref. 4:8-12)

(v. 21a) - A MAJOR COMEBACK

Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government.

Obedience is essential to being a follower of Jesus Christ.

“Obedience is better than sacrifice.”