Text: Acts 5:17-42.
Delivered on: July 13, 2008. Streetsboro.
Introduction.
The first form of persecution to come upon the early church came from the Jews.
The first instance is in Acts 4. Acts 4:13-22. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.” 18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
The apostles disregarded these threats and continued to teach the word of God.
They were having great success. Acts 5:12-16. And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. 16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
They were having too much success for the religious leaders of the day to sit aside and do nothing.
So they were arrested again. Acts 5:17-18. Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.
But before the Jewish leaders could question them, an angel of the Lord delivered them from the prison and gave them a message.
Acts 5:19-20. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
They were told to…
Go.
Stand.
Speak.
Body.
GO.
In order for the Gospel to spread, it was necessary for the apostles to GO.
Think about this.
They had been severely threatened by the powers that be.
Earlier, after they had been threatened we have a portion of the prayer recorded for us. Acts 4:29-30. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
They prayed for boldness to be able to preach and teach despite these threats.
Indeed it would take great boldness to continue to preach the gospel.
Yet, they never faltered.
Later, they were arrested again. Eventually, they were released. Acts 5:40. And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Yet, what did they do next? Acts 5:41-42. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Matthew 5:11-12. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
1 Peter 4:12-16. Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
The rest of the church followed their example. Acts 8:4. Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
In order for the Gospel to spread today, we must GO!
Mark 16:15. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
We need to make a conscious and concerted effort to GO.
We need to GO ourselves.
We tend to fall into the habit of thinking that people are going to come to us.
We wait for them to come through our doors.
When we are told to go into all the world… that starts with right outside our door.
We need to support others who are willing to GO where we can’t or won’t.
We need to support good evangelistic works like GBN.
STAND.
The apostles were told to go STAND in the temple.
The word for “stand” means more than to just physically stand in the temple as we would think it.
Histemi – to make firm, fix, establish, to establish a thing, to cause it to stand, to stand immovable, to stand firm.
The apostles were being told to go and stand firm in the temple.
We are told to stand as well.
Ephesians 6:10-14. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
“Stand” = histemi.
God wants us to stand firm in His service.
We are also told to withstand.
From two words in the Greek. Anti –against & histemi – to stand.
Means to stand against or resist, to refuse to yield, to oppose.
We can not compromise the truth!
Sometimes, in order to stand for something, it means we must stand against other things.
Sometimes (not always) this saying is true. “Tolerance is a virtue of a person who has no convictions.”
Ephesians 5:11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
He has given us the tools to do this. His armor.
We are told to stand together. Philippians 1:27. Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,
We are told to stand in the Lord. Philippians 4:1. Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
We are told to stand fast and hold to the apostolic traditions. 2 Thessalonians 2:15. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
SPEAK.
The disciples were told to speak all the words of this life.
God, in His infinite wisdom, chose to spread His word by the mouths of men.
Acts 2:40. And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
Philip and the Eunuch are a good example of this.
Philip was told by an angel to go south. Acts 8:26. Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert.
The Spirit tells him to go to the Eunuch. Acts 8:29. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”
Then Philip preached Jesus to the eunuch. Acts 8:35. Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.
Why didn’t the angel teach the eunuch?
Why didn’t the Spirit teach him?
Because God chose to save men through the means of preaching.
1 Corinthians 1:21-25. For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 2:7-8. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
We, too are told to speak all the words of this life.
2 Timothy 4:2-5. Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Notice that the apostles were told to speak ALL the words of this life.
We too must speak ALL the words of this life.
We dare not omit any part of God’s word. Revelation 22:19. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Deuteronomy 4:2. You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
Proverbs 30:6. Do not add to His words,Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
1 Peter 4:11. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
But we must speak the truth in love. Ephesians 4:15. But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
We must pray for opportunities to speak. Colossians 4:3. Meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
2 Corinthians 4:7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
Conclusion.
We must GO.
We must STAND.
We must SPEAK.
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