Keep Going!!!

Keep Going!!!

Text:

Matthew 27:27–32 AV

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

Acts 5:17–21 AV

Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Acts 5:40–42 AV

And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Topic: Keep Going!

The church has to keep going.

Persistence!!!

Persistence is firm, obstinate continuance in course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. Today we celebrate our church’s 92 anniversary. It takes persistence, in order for a church to be in existence for 92 years.

It has not been easy, there has been test and trials in every pastoral administration in the history of this church. Initially, there were financial struggles. There were times in Bishop Jones ministry that the doors of the church were chained and locked, due to not having the finances to operate or to pay to the church diocese. Other-times, there were struggles administratively with people who questioned leadership (all pastors). There have been doctrinal struggles, where we’ve had people leave us and cut fellowship off from us, criticize us, and challenge our doctrinal beliefs. There have been physical struggles where members have became ill, members have moved to areas outside of Roanoke. There have been all types of difficulties and opposition, but thanks be to God, that God has kept us, and we continue this day with the help of the Lord.

Every member encourage someone near-by and tell them neighbor.......keep going!

Dealing with the Text:

Our text deals with the Apostles and the church of Christ dealing with opposition. The Lord was blessing the church. Many people were hearing the gospel message being preached: the death, burial, resurrection of Jesus and many people were being converted and saved.

Now, we see that the church is being tested with opposition coming from the jewish religious council. Yes, the same council that is spoken of in the previous chapter. The council of predominately sadducees backed religious leaders of whom is Annas, Caiphas, John, and Alexander, and those of like minded religious beliefs (Acts 4:5). Yes the same Annas that John records in his gospel that Jesus visited first during his judgement hall tours. The same Caiphas who was the son-in-law to Annas, that was responsible for having Jesus crucified. It is this group of men who stand in opposition to the preaching of the gospel.

These men were in opposition because the apostles now preached that Jesus was risen from the dead. These men were in opposition because not only was Jesus being preached that he was resurrected (which went against their religious beliefs- because they didn’t believe in life after death) but now, signs and wonders were being wrought by the hands of the apostles (Acts 5:12). Now here it is, these corrupt men, thought that they had did away with Jesus. Jesus, the miracle worker, Jesus the one that caused the blind to see, and the deaf to hear. Jesus, the one who was able to raise the dead, the one that had the power to cast out devils. Jesus who was so prolific in word and wisdom of God that multitudes followed him. They thought they had done away with Jesus, and now his apostles are preaching that Jesus lives and as proof, they are able to exactly like Jesus done!

So now they perceived that they had another problem on their hand. The council probably thought that the apostles would remember what they did to Jesus, they thought that if they would threaten them and beat them, that it would suffice. But they were sadly mistaken, because now the Apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead, The Holy Ghost, the parakletos, the advocate, the one that would help them, the one that one strengthen them, the one that would encourage them, the one that would push them. That’s what I love about the Holy Ghost, its not given to us just to make us speak in tongues and shout. The Holy Ghost is given to every believer to assist and to help them carry out the things of God! When we are faced with opposition, it is the Holy Ghost that helps us!

In the 3rd chapter of the book of Acts, the council apprehended Peter and John while they preached Jesus at the gate of the temple called Beautiful......3pm in the afternoon. They preached Jesus being resurrected and a man that had been paralyzed was healed in the name of Jesus. This same council had Peter and John arrested, they threatened them and intimidated them and told them not to preach Jesus anymore. They were faced with opposition,

When you are faced with opposition it is not easy, it can be downright discouraging. Sometimes when we are faced with opposition it can produce fear and uncertainty. For some people, when they are faced with opposition, it is easier for them to give up, succumb to the pressure, pack up their stuff and quit. Jesus told his disciples, one of his last lessons he taught them before he was crucified is “The Spirit is willing.....but the flesh is weak”.

Opposition.

Your spiritual man wants to do what is pleasing with God, but your carnal man, your flesh will always fight against you. Jesus asked his disciples to watch with him.....but they couldn’t because their flesh got in the way. It is the same way with us! The Spirit says “read your bible” your flesh says “do something else”. The Holy Ghost will say “go to church” your flesh says “you’re tired, stay home and rest”. The Spirit says “forgive” your flesh says “no....treat them bad, hurt them because they hurt you”. Your flesh is going to fight you from doing the things of God. Jesus flesh fought him in the garden!

Hebrews 5:7 AV

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

YES you read correctly....Jesus was afraid, Jesus did not want to suffer what he was getting ready to suffer! HE HAD TO PRAY, HE HAD TO CRY TEARS, HE HAD TO CRY OUT TO HIM THAT WAS ABLE TO SAVE HIM FROM DEATH!!! When your flesh doesn’t want to do.....sometimes you have to learn HOW TO CRY OUT TO GOD!!!! Lord I can’t do it, Lord, my flesh doesn’t want to, Lord....I’ll be honest....I don’t want to do it, I don’t want to go through it, Lord I don’t feel like doing it.....BUT NEVER THE LESS......NOT MY WILL BY THINE WILL BE DONE!!!!

We cannot give up, we cannot give into the flesh......there are some people who are not even trying to live right. They have no control over their flesh. Then there are some people who are trying to live right and then their flesh will get in the way. They become so discouraged that they are on the brink of giving up.....but you can’t give up. The devil wants you to give up and serve him, but giving up is not an option.....we have to KEEP GOING!!!

The apostles, saw Jesus and all that he suffered prior to his resurrection. Jesus when he was arrested, went from judgement hall to judgement hall, he was up all night long. After they whipped him, after they abused him, after he loss massive pints of blood. Jesus had no strength left, he had no might left, and they placed an old heavy wooden cross on his back and whipped him, and made him bear his cross up to a hill called Golgotha! He could have gave up, he was so weak, that the romans picked a man out of the crowd by the name of Simon they Cyrene and made him help Jesus carry the cross....because Jesus couldn’t do it by himself!

But Jesus never gave up.....his flesh was giving out....but he was PERSISTENT!!! JESUS KEPT GOING!!! His flesh didn’t want to do it....but he kept moving.....he kept striving.....even when he didn’t have strength! HE KEPT GOING!! Jesus, although he was God in the flesh, we see him walking in faith! Why? Because Jesus prayed, he prayed because his flesh couldn’t go through what he was going to go through, but the Spirit enabled him! I just stop by to tell you, that when you feel weak, when you are afraid, when your flesh doesn’t want to line up......if you cry out to God......God is going to give you what you need!!!! If you cry out, he’ll give you strength, if you cry out, he’ll give you patience, if you cry out, he’ll give you love, if you cry out, he’ll give you joy. Listen, and when you don’t see it manifest, don’t get discourage. Walk in faith believing that what you asked God for, He is going to supply it. KEEP GOING!!!

This is what we have to do!!! This church is still here....because of the prayers of the saints! This church is still here.....because of the sacrifice of the saints....and many of them are resting now. The saints of old the pressed their way, there were days they didn’t feel well in body, there were days they didn’t have a lot of money but they still gave.......persistence!!!

CLOSE:

So I believe the apostles, remember......everything that Jesus went through.

Hebrews 12:3 NLT

Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.

They remember his struggle, they remember his persistence, but one thing they remembered, was that in order for Jesus to do what he needed to do.....He had to pray! They thought, that if we are going to do what Jesus commissioned us to do.....we need to pray. So Peter and John, report back to the church and told the church what happened. Peter and John were probably worried, they were probably afraid. That’s what’s wrong with the church today, we try to act like we are so anointed and so holy that we never have times in which we are afraid. We never have times in which we struggle, we never have times where we are tired. But JESUS HIMSELF WAS AFRAID.....JESUS HIMSELF STRUGGLED, JESUS HIMSELF BECAME WEAK. So here are the apostles, concerned, fearful, discouraged because they were told to shut it down. They were told not to preach Jesus any longer, they have this commission to go into the world and preach the gospel and now the commission is met with opposition. What are we gonna do? We are gonna pray about.....because prayer changes things!!!

So the apostles prayed, the saints of God prayed, and they prayed until God answered! They remembered Jesus, carrying the cross, they remembered Jesus not having strength, they remembered that Jesus was afraid, they remembered that Jesus was tired, they remembered that someone had to help Jesus carry the cross and if someone helped Jesus carry the cross, then Jesus would help them to carry their cross too!

They prayed until the anointing fell, they prayed, until the LORD (literally) moved the church and the Bible says they were filled all over again. They had a new anointing, they had a new fire burning within, they had a new determination! They said if it worked for JESUS.....it’ll work for us!!!

KEEP GOING!!!!

Church, we have to keep going. We will continue to face opposition, we will continue to face difficulties in life, in our relationship with God, in our service to God, with our relationships with others, but we have to keep going. From a pastoral point of view, I don’t want to see all of the hard work from our founder, from our previous pastors be in vain, we have to keep this going. Individually, all the things we have been through, all the things God has done for us, and then we fall short of the glory of God.....no we have to keep going!!!