Serve God or Humans

The Apostles are brought to judgment… Again...

The Apostles were performing signs, wonders, healings, and exorcisms among the people

They were meeting publicly in a cloister on the Temple mount.

The people held the early church in high regard.

Not just Peter and Paul, but ALL the Apostles are brought in for judgment.

The High-Priest and other Sadducees (who served as high priest)

They were filled with zeal of an evil kind – Angry, Bitter, Persecuting Zeal, and filled with Jealousy

They arrested and jailed the Apostles without explanation

They were brought before the Sanhedrin for judgment

The Sanhedrin: the high-priest of the time and his people, the Sadducees (deniers of angels and resurrection) and Pharisees (teacher [rabbi] of the law, of the Rabbinical traditions)

Political, Religious, and Cultural ruling counsel allowed by Rome to keep the peace

Some were Hypocrites

Many teachers held others to a higher standard than they themselves were willing to hold.

The Sanhedrin feared the people would stone them for going against the Apostles.

They were brought in for witnessing of Jesus as the Christ Messiah. Blasphemy.

They were furious and wanted to kill them.

Transition: Not all leaders try to kill their opposition, but they often attempt to compel them with harsh punishments; as if cruelty were a great motivator.

They compel others by fear.

Some leaders try to compel others to follow them with fear instead of by example.

The Apostles performed many signs and wonders and witnessed to the power of God that supplied the power and authority for them.

Their message to the Sanhedrin was that they killed Jesus, God raised Him to life, they were witnesses, and if anyone repent, God offers forgiveness of sins.

The Apostles were in need of an Advocate

Without God’s intervention, the Gospel would fail with their deaths.

God raises up an Advocate for the Apostles from among the Pharisees.

Advocates are moved by the Spirit to help to the people of God.

Jesus was the first Advocate, the Spirit was sent to them after Jesus, and others were moved by the Spirit on occasion to intervene on their behalf. (OT & NT)

Prior to sentencing, Gamaliel, was used by God as an Advocate for the Apostles.

J.W. - “God can raise defenders of his servants, whensoever and wheresoever he pleases.”

It was possible that Gamaliel may have not been far from believing in the kingdom of God of Jesus Christ.

Gamaliel simply says that no one can fight God.

But, the Sanhedrin was not deterred from their agenda.

This is no light punishment.

This flogging risked their very death, but God did not allow them to die at this moment.

Their persistence required courage and resolve.

The Apostles turned the meaning behind their beating from punishment to faithfulness

It became suffering as Christ, for the cause of Christ, that others might still know of the name of Jesus.

They were still able the share the Gospel of Jesus Christ abroad, and they were delivered from death to be able to do so.

They would all die by persecution in some form but not until the Gospel spread to other nations.

The Apostles understood several things:

God is always present.

God leads in every battle.

The enemy is present, for now.

God will not be defeated!

God chooses to use humans in that battle.

God’s People:

God people are witnesses to God’s power and authority.

God people yield to God’s commands.

God loves everyone into submission, through repentance and forgiveness.

Let us first know who God is.

Let us discern the right way face opposition.

Let us consult our Advocate before responding in fear, anger, and frustration.

Let us do all that we can to love others into submission, knowing that only grace upon grace can truly change the world.

This is God’s only agenda, to Love each one of us who live in the world.

The Only Agenda worth pursuing.