Be a person who can't stop

Thought of the day: What will we do when the so-called “people of God” become our enemies?

Context

The beginning of the church

3000 have already been saved so this little movement is starting to grow into a wave

Peter and John were going up to the temple and found a man who was crippled from birth. Peter healed him.

The Leaders of Israel set themselves against God’s people

Read 1-4

The disciples performed miracles and were thrown in jail

Could you imagine how frustrating this would have been for the Sadducees?

They thought if they killed Jesus it would stop this radical movement

Their ministry had already grown above and beyond Christ’s

The miracle of a true resurrection was against the Sadducees theological doctrine

They figured they had put Christ to such a humiliating death that His disciples would be too afraid and ashamed to preach Him

Read 5-7

Rulers, elders, scribes

Caiaphas was the High Priest who called for Jesus death

Annas was his father-in-law, John and Alexander were also related to them but we aren’t quite sure how

AKA all the important people

Read 8-9

IF

Read 10

Peter turns the accusers into the accused. It’s the same thing he did in chapter 2. They believe and disobey. It’s not because they don’t know.

Read 11

A quote from 118 read 8-29

a psalm contrasting the people of God and the enemy

in rejecting the foundation of salvation, Jesus Christ, the leaders of Israel became the enemy of God’s people

Why? Because there is no salvation that God has given accept through Christ

Read 12

Have you ever heard the analogy of the mountain? God is at the top of a mountain and there are many roads to get there. Some roads are more difficult and some take more time, but any road eventually leads to the top. NO God has given man one road up the mountain and all others lead to an eternity away from God.

Why is that important? Because what Jesus proclaimed to be, to these same men, was more than just a prophet but the living Son of God. Not just a way, or a teacher, or a prophet but the exclusive way. Peter is giving them the entire, raw, offensive gospel.

Read 13-16

There is an important distinction here between testimony and the gospel

The Sanhedrin, highest court, saw the miracle and plotted to stop God instead of join Him

Jewish story of the men defeating God

Read 17-21

We are unable to stop, not unwilling, unable

Times are changing not only here in our little church but in the world in general. Churches are closing their doors and pastors are condemning each other for preaching a full gospel that includes hell, sin, and objective morality. Churches are condemning each other for gathering together. Right now the body of Christ is in the furnace and it’s getting stressed just like it was 2000 years ago when it was first created. You might think I’m about to say, “In these times don’t stop preaching the gospel and don’t become an enemy of the work God is doing.” But I want to challenge you with something deeper. V20 “for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Have a belief in Christ that is so full and robust that when the bible is considered hate speech, meeting together is illegal, and proclaiming the power of Christ is mocked… you say I can’t stop. When your family says, can you not talk about Christ every year during the holidays, I can’t stop. Be so in love with Christ that you can’t stop.