The Honor of Being Dishonored

Acts 5:17–42 (ESV) — 17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” 33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Intro:

“We must obey God rather than men” Theme Verse

“And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus”

Jesus made promises to His disciples:

Luke 4:18–19 (ESV) — 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Matthew 11:28–30 (ESV) — 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

John 7:37–38 (ESV) — 37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

But also...

Matthew 16:24–26 (ESV) — 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

John 15:18–21 (ESV) — 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

John 15:26–16:4 (ESV) — 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. 1 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.

John 16:33 (ESV) — 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

We can be in danger of thinking that there is a way to be clever enough, articulate enough, or quiet enough to keep from offending people with the message of Jesus Christ. — Maybe we can coat the truth in sugar or sand all the rough edges off. But friends, the most humble and the most kind and the most loving person in the universe was mocked, slandered, and killed. And so we must take up His posture and His message and His resolve to be faithful, even to mockery, prison, or death.

Why would a message of love and forgiveness and adoption cause so much divisiveness?

Jesus’ love towards us meets us right where we are, but it does not leave us there. Love does not equal affirmation.

Put it this way: If God loves us and would have the best for us, then what is it that He is obligated to give us? Is it money or fame or autonomy? No, the very greatest thing, the only holy thing in the world, is Himself. To truly love us, God must give us Himself. And that’s exactly what He did - that is the gospel. God so loved the world...

This also means that Jesus is Lord. He isn’t guru or pal or influence. He isn’t sectioned off to only effect our minds and beliefs. He isn’t harbored only within the church walls. The gospel is that Jesus is Lord, the rightful king and truth over every aspect of our lives.

People didn’t hate Jesus because of His love or mercy or kindness; they hated him because He was Lord.

No longer can we obey the gods of money, or politics, or sexual preferences, or anger, or jealousy, etc. Every aspect of life, every town in this county, every state in this nation, and every country belongs to the Lord. And any other entity, personal, social, or governmental is subordinate to His Lordship. Jesus is King - full stop.

And that’s offensive.

Let’s diagnose our story together:

We Must Obey God

Acts 5:28–33 (ESV) — 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” 33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.

Lexham Theological Wordbook ἀρχηγός

ἀρχηγός (archēgos). n. masc. prince. A preeminent ruler or originator.

Teaching in Jesus’ name:

There is a real possibility to teach in such a way to get yourself persecuted but not be Jesus’ name.

We can be angry with the culture or disgusted and be jerks for Jesus.

But that was not Jesus’ way.

1 Peter 2:19–25 (ESV) — 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

What is this name that they kept preaching? The name of Jesus, the Arche (The Preeminent Prince)

You cannot oppose false gods without persecution

Preach against Baal won’t do much today, but it used to.

Preach against Artemis/Diana or money - Acts 19 but it used to.

Jesus’ condemned the Pharisees for this kind of thing - they honor the prophets, but their fathers had killed the prophets. They were no longer a threat.

We could stand today and preach against lying and we would all say “amen”, or against stealing and we would all say “amen”. These are not the gods of our age so we pay no price for opposing them. But if we were to preach against relativism and personal autonomy, or something specific in that worldview like homosexuality, then we would hear “whoa there pastor, that’s too much. You’ve gone too far”. We would quickly find ourselves under the heat of our culture, and unfortunately from some within the church. But we must obey God rather than men. And we must preach Christ rather than personal preference.

2 Timothy 4:3–4 (ESV) — 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Jeremiah 6:14 (ESV) — 14 They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.

You know when someone is deceived under a lie Hard words make soft hearts, soft words make hard hearts

The truth shall set you free - Love rejoices in the… truth. 1 Cor. 13

Who are you to judge?

I am one who needs to repent. I so badly need to turn away from the desire to be my own god, a desire that leads me to sin and shame and ruin and turn in to Christ. As a Christian, I must never forget that I have been rescued and freed by the truth, and I must carry the sharp edge of the gospel like a scalpel ready to heal and not as a butcher knife ready to slaughter.

Salvation is not behavior modification; it is idol mortification.

Jesus is Lord.

A few paradigms in our age:

Uncertainty = humility

Conviction = arrogance

True humility is submission to God as God and His word.

Pride is masked as open-mindedness. But having yourself be the ultimate authority on what is right and true and good with no opposition is not humility, it’s autonomy and pride.

Gamaliel’s Advice

Counted Worthy To Suffer

Acts 5:40–42 (ESV) — 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

What happened when they were told to be quiet? Did they turn tail and hide out? No, they came back each day, preaching the truth joyfully.

Closing:

This message isn’t merely about the expectation of persecution when speaking the truth

This message is about expecting persecution when speaking the truth about Jesus.

His love is His Lordship. If we love Him, we obey His commands. His love breaks the bond of slavery to self and sin and shame and makes us slaves to love and truth and holiness.

Our call is not for people to become Baptists, irritating doctrinal sensibilities.

Our call is not for people to become citizens of the western tradition, irritating cultural sensibilities.

Our call is for people to come to Christ as Lord and Prince and Arche, irritating our rebellious and autonomous sensibilities.

And though we rage, and though the world may rage, His kindness leads us to repentance. He is steadfast and patient. He condescends and pours out His love to the full. Some will still mock and scorn, some may do that for a time, and some will come and follow.

Let’s be faithful to obey God rather than men and rejoice in being counted worthy to suffer for Him.

Communion:

Isaiah 53:3–6 (ESV) — 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.