God Exalted Him

 Little Billy went to logging camp one summer. But he was afraid they'd make fun of him for being Christian. So, he asked pastor to pray. When he got back, pastor asked. "Did they laugh? Did they make fun of you? Reject you for being Christian?" "No pastor, they never found out." Do we really understand Who Jesus is? If so, being in His secret service is not an option. Our verses today show us why that's true. The story begins a bit earlier. The apostles can't please Jewish leaders. They keep disobeying. Leaders tell them, "Stop preaching." They don't. Worse, they keep preaching in Jesus' Name. In public. The final straw? They're catching more "fish!" In Acts 5:16-18, the apostles are catching so many fish that Jewish leaders get jealous, arrest, & jail them. That night, in Acts 5:19-21a an angel frees & sends them back to preach in the temple courts. At daybreak, they do. In Acts 5:21b-24, priests convene the full Sanhedrin for a trial. They send minions to fetch the apostles from jail. They're gone! Surprise! Minions slink back. "They aren't there." All are puzzled. 'Where can they be??' In Acts 5:25-26, someone points outside. "Look!" Surprise! There they are. Preaching. Again. Just outside, in the temple courtyards! Minions fetch them. But crowds scare them out of using force! Acts 5:27-32 picks up the story. Minions 27brought the apostles ...before the Sanhedrin. They're on trial. As Sanhedrin president, the high priest presides & states the charges. 28a"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name. Yep. 28bYet you've filled Jerusalem with your teaching. Yep. 28cAnd you're determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." 'This name? This man?' Why won't the high priest say 'Jesus'? Did leaders execute Jesus because they misunderstood who He said He is? Nope. They got it. They understood that Jesus claimed to be God's Son. That He equates Himself with God. That got that He claimed to be Lord of the Sabbath. To be able to forgive sins. That He has more authority to interpret Moses' Law than they do. They get it. But they reject it. They think they knew where the Messiah will be from. They think they know where Jesus is from. They conclude Jesus isn't the Messiah. Not possible. To them, pretending to be God's Son is blasphemy. Not libel. That's what they think. The charges are disobeying & libel. Isn't jailbreak more serious? Why not lead with that? Or would it force them to admit a Jesus-miracle involving the apostles? Disobedience is only serious if it's the supreme court we're disobeying. What about libel? That's more serious than we realize. Libel hangs on 28b. 28bYou're determined to make us guilty of this man's blood. How so? If the leaders are guilty of murdering an innocent Jesus by false witness, Dt 19:16-19 requires they be executed. Their defense? Charge the apostles with libel! What's the truth? Just weeks earlier, Pilate, & then Herod, tried Jesus. Both found Jesus innocent. Priests & leaders couldn't accept that. They lead the people in Mt 27:20-25. 20The chief priests & elders (Sanhedrin) persuade the crowd to have Jesus executed. 22All (with the leaders) kept answering, "Crucify him!" Eventually, Pilate washes his hands & claims he's innocent of Jesus' blood. Priests & elders then led the cries when 25all answer, "Let his blood be on us & our children!" The apostles' charge is true! They are guilty of Jesus' blood! God already gave His judgment the night. Leaders arrested the apostles. God sent angels to release them. God then sent them back to preach again-right where they were arrested! Why keep disobeying the authorities' orders to stop preaching? 29aPeter & the other apostles are under orders. So, their answer is the same as before. 29b"We must obey God rather than men! So, they're sharing the Good News. Even to the priests & elders. Their witness? 30The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead-whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. Leaders tried to put Jesus under Dt 21:22-23's curse. 22If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death & his body is hung on a tree (cross), 23 [he is] is under God's curse. By their logic, crucifixion disqualified Jesus to be Messiah. Crucifixion proved He was under a curse. Since the Messiah is NOT cursed, it proved Jesus can't be the Messiah. Their logic. God had other ideas. 31aGod exalted him to his own right hand as Prince & Savior. Why? 31bThat He might give repentance & forgiveness of sins to Israel. Even the leaders. There's no one God doesn't want. It just starts with repentance & forgiveness. Did the apostles want to get leaders condemned? Executed? Humanly, tempting. They weren't. Look at v. 30. Their defense? God raised Jesus. 31God exalted Jesus... that He might give repentance & forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32We are witnesses... They aren't prosecuting the priests & leaders. They're witnessing! They want to save, not condemn. The problem? Priests & leaders can only be forgiven & saved if they admit their guilt. Why do the apostles try to save them? The apostles choose to obey God. Not the priests & leaders. Keep witnessing. And that's a point for us. What are God's priorities? 32aWe're witnesses of these things. The apostles saw Jesus' life, heard His teaching, & saw what Jesus had done in them. Through their witness, so have we! And we can add to the story. What has Jesus done in us? We're witnesses, too. Since it takes more than one witness to authenticate a matter, we share another witness with the apostles. We aren't the only witnesses to what Jesus has done in us. 32bSo is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." Earlier, I said we'd see why being in Christ's secret service is not an option for us. On the last slide, I've highlighted a few words from Acts 5:31-32. 31God exalted him to his own right hand... 32We are witnesses...so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him. Think about it. Jesus has been exalted. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him (Mt 28:18). His is the Name above every name, under which every knee in heaven & on earth should bow (Php 2:10). He's King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 17:14). The Creator (Eph 2:10). God. 2nd Person of our one Triune God. He's seated at the Father's right hand, the seat of power (Lk 22:69). Jesus now sustains all things by His powerful word (Heb 1:3). Jesus is all that and more. That's Who Jesus is. Now, remember the few commands He gave us. Love God 1st & foremost (Mt 22:30). Love others as ourselves (Mt 22:39). And the Great Commission (Mt 28:18-20). He has all authority in heaven and on earth. In that authority, going, make disciples of everyone, teaching them everything He's commanded. How can we without witnessing to them? Did Jesus allow us the option of being in His Secret Service? Let's wrap it up. Joseph Song was a Baptist missionary in Romania, back when communism was strong. Officials once asked him to sign a license to preach. "I can't. I answer to God. Not the state." They retorted, "If you don't sign, we'll kill you." His replied firmly. "If you kill me, all who know what I've preached will know it was worth dying for. If you kill me, it will result in even more people getting saved. Your greatest weapon is killing me. My greatest weapon is dying. I warn you. If you use your weapon, I'll be forced to use mine!" Officials went back & told leaders, "Leave him alone. He's crazy!" Because Joseph Song took a stand, the gospel is now powerful in that part of Romania! We aren't asked to die. Just to go. Stand. And speak! Share what Christ has done for us. Jesus wants to save everyone. It isn't on us to save them. But it is on us to share the gospel. Best of all, He's given His Spirit to give us the opportunities & the words. Just be ready. And go. God Exalted Him - Acts 5:27-32 Page 1 of 1