1 | Acts 5:17-42 Power In Spite of Persecution · 2020-08-09 · 1 | P a g e Acts 5:17-42 Power In Spite of Persecution This morning we are going to continue in our verse by verse

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Acts 5:17-42

Power In Spite of Persecution

This morning we are going to continue in our verse by

verse study of the Book of Acts, we will be in Acts

Chapter 5 this morning, verses 17-42…

Let’s pray before we get into it…

If you have been with us in the weeks past, we have

been following the Infancy and Growth of the Early

New Testament Believers.

We have seen the Spirit move with Great Power

through this Movement, these Called Out Ones, also

known as the Church.

But as the Spirit Moved aggressively and adding Great

Numbers to the Church, we saw that the forces of evil,

who rule this worlds systems, came into a head on

collision with the Church.

The early believers encountered hostile aggression,

and the Battle Lines between Light and Darkness,

between Truth and Lies, between Good and Evil had

been drawn.

And when the Spirit moved through the Church, the

Enemy of our Souls would quickly counter with great

viciousness and savagery.

We saw an amazing healing of a poor crippled beggar,

and immediately those under the sway of the enemy,

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the religious rulers arraigned Peter and John, along

with the healed man.

These religious authoritarians were threatened by the

miracle, it was causing many to break free of their

tyrannical control.

They stood before the Great Sanhedrin, the Highest

Court in the Land, and the sentence came forth, “Do

not speak or teach in the Name of Jesus any longer.”

It was meant to be the death blow to these lowly

fishermen and their healed companion, but we saw

something interesting, these ordinary men, had been

given an extraordinary boldness by the Spirit of God

that was now igniting a fire within them.

They quickly snapped back in Acts 4:19-20 "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."

The air would have left the room… who were these

bold nobodies to give such a reply to this High and

Esteemed body of rulers?

Flabbergasted and unamused, the court sent the

disciples away with further threats.

The disciples retreated for a moment, only to pray for

more boldness, and the Spirit filled them again with

courage from above.

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The bond and unity grew among the young church as

well, they shared in all things, and as the Lord added to

the Church daily those who would believe, their

Communion and Holy Fellowship developed all the

more.

This Koinonia, this deep supernatural fellowship, that

only exists within the Body of Christ brought about a

new strength and resolve in the Jesus Followers.

Satan failed to stop the church with fear and threats,

so last week, we saw a new tactic, as he attacked the

church from within, with a deadly spiritual hypocrisy.

Ananias and Sapphira his wife, desired to be seen as

religiously committed to the cause of Christ, but they

came with deceptive motives and lied to the Holy

Spirit.

Satan knew the purity of the young church was its

strength, Holiness is essential for God’s people to be

effective in the ministry.

The purity was threatened, God responded swiftly with

discipline and purged the compromised couple from

the church.

It was a blessed subtraction, and with this lesson of

Holiness fresh in their hearts and minds, the half-

hearted moved away from the church, and the genuine

pressed in, and the church rebounded with another

resurgence of Spiritual Power, as we saw fresh

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miracles and new phenomenon’s among God’s People

once again.

And each time Satan attacked the church, the church

only came out stronger because of it.

And this morning, Satan will ‘up the Ante’ with three

consecutive attacks upon the buoyant disciples.

I say buoyant, because, every time Satan brought a

wave of opposition against them, they popped up on

the other side of the wave, not only still afloat, but

swimming full speed ahead.

So we ended last time with multitudes coming to the

disciples, Jerusalem was buzzing and talking about all

that Jesus was now doing though His followers.

And we see now the high priest is alerted to these

events.

Look with me in verses 17 and 18 as the drama

continues…

Imprisoned Apostles Freed

5:17 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.

When the church is effective and people are coming to

the Lord, as was the case here in Acts 5, many were

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throwing off that old religion, and putting on Christ,

converting from Judaism to Christianity.

When this type of thing is taking place, understand

that opposition will come.

You see there is a very unbiblical idea about our

Christian faith today, that if we are in good times,

things running smoothly, and all is well, that we are in

the midst of the blessings of God.

We accredit financial gain, big homes, and great

comfort as the measure of our religious experience,

this is not biblical.

From the Old Testament on thru the New Testament,

we see the people of faith engaged in all out warfare,

continually.

When God moves in and through our lives, we must

expect the enemy to strike as well.

Here for the disciples, we see a familiar enemy that is

used to bring about this counter attack.

The high priest and his council, the sect of the

Sadducees, and remember, they did not believe in

miracles or anything supernatural, so these reports

would be an affront to their very lifeless religion.

These most powerful men were filled with indignation,

this word in the Greek is a fierce, jealous fiery anger, as

a husband toward an unfaithful wife.

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They would not stand for any attention being taken

away from them, it was not acceptable to lose any grip

or power over the people.

Mind you, if they were true leaders, and true

representatives of God, they would rejoice at the fact

that their countrymen and women were being saved,

even freed from demonic possession.

The suffering all around them was being remedied.

But the elite usually don’t care about the wellbeing of

others, they desire control, they will use suffering as a

mechanism for regulating the masses.

These people were being freed of this oppression, their

eyes opened, and they were breaking away from the

heavy hand of the religious rulers.

However, the disciple’s popularity was now putting

them in danger, remember this jealousy was ultimately

what drove these powerful men to put Jesus on the

cross, it was their fierce jealousy.

Jesus drew the crowds away from them, and they

hated Him for it, and now that Jesus was working

through His disciples, the scorn and wrath of these

men was turned toward them.

A jealous heart is a dangerous heart, it acts irrationally

and erratically, and it can be so destructive as it usually

acts upon emotion verses reason.

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In their jealous rage against the Apostles, these

Sadducees laid hands on them, and threw them into

the common prison, and they were treated now with

such contempt, that they were perceived as common

felons for their good deeds done.

And you see a Holy and Powerful Church will always

provoke some kind of unfriendly opposition from this

satanically influenced earthly system.

Powerful moves of God draw the attention of the

enemy, and no doubt, persecution is soon to follow

this attention.

And this should not in any way hinder us… opposition

does not mean we are doing things wrong.

People today believe if something is hard, then it is not

worth it.

And no wonder the church has lost its Power today,

because many do not want to venture past their own

comforts.

You see, we are to expect the opposition, and keep

moving forward in the face of it, and there is where we

find God’s Strength and Power.

Paul told Timothy in… 2 Tim 3:12-14 Yes, and all who

desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer

persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow

worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But

you must continue in these things…

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Continue in these things, ministry, serving our Lord

was never meant to be about our comforts and well-

being, it is about laying down our lives for the cause of

Christ, at all costs.

The Apostle Peter wrote… 1 Peter 4:12-14 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.

Jesus also assures us in… Matt. 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.

And again Jesus spoke… John 15:18-21 "If the world

hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated

you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love

its own. Yet 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 keep yours also. 21 But all

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these things they will do to you for My name's sake,

because they do not know Him who sent Me.

And in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you,

that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will

have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have

overcome the world."

Church, easy is not the path to be looking for, I know

today, in the current church culture easy, apathetic

and complicit is the norm, but it should not be this

way.

We are to be engaged, and active in this battle, this is

True Faith.

The early church knew this… Listen how these first

disciple took the Gospel to the ends of the earth, to

the bitter end of their lives, remaining in the battle to

the very end…

If church traditions are correct, Matthew … suffered

martyrdom by the sword. Mark … died in Alexandria

after being dragged through the streets of the city.

Luke was hanged on a large olive tree in Greece.

John …was scarred in a cauldron of boiling oil and lived

his last days banished on an island.

Peter …was crucified upside-down in Rome, James

…was beheaded in Jerusalem, James the Less …was

thrown from a high pinnacle and beaten to death with

a club, Philip …was hanged, Bartholomew …was

scourged and beaten until he died.

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Andrew …was bound to a cross and preached at the

top of his voice to his persecutors until he perished,

Thomas …was run through with a lance, Jude …was

killed by executioners’ arrows, Matthias …was stoned

and then beheaded, Barnabas …suffered the same fate

at Salonica, and Paul …was beheaded in Rome. And on

and on and on it goes. Hughes, R. K. (1996). Acts: the church afire (p. 85). Wheaton, IL:

Crossway Books.

Persecution and fiery trials are to be expected, anyone

who desires to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer.

The Apostles here in our text, are put into prison, but

God has a greater plan for this imprisonment, and this

is what God often does in the trial and the hardship,

He takes what might seem like a hopeless situation,

and He uses it as an opportunity to reveal Himself, and

to bring Glory to His Name.

I wonder if this morning, some of you are carrying a

heavy burden, perhaps a dark cloud is hovering over

you, the trials of this life have created a despair that

you don’t know if you can even manage it.

Understand something, if you are living your life for

God’s Will, then there is hope for deliverance, He will

come through, and He will carry you through, not for

your sake, but for His sake, He has a reputation to

uphold.

This too, whatever it is you are going through will be

used in the end for His Glory.

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Now of course if it is sin, or evil that has caused

hardship in your life, there is another path for that

pain, and that is repentance, and coming to our God

for Grace.

But for those who are in the fight, and the battle scars

are growing, and you are at the end of the rope, our

God will come through and He will prevail in the end.

I don’t know about you, but I needed to be reminded

of that this morning.

Let’s look now at this supernatural deliverance that

takes place for the disciples in verses 19 and 20…

19 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."

Incredibly, that night, an angel of the Lord came to

deliver them from their captivity.

Now, the interesting thing here, is that the Sadducees

doctrine is quickly falling apart on them, they did not

believe in miracles, and miracles were happening, they

did not believe in angels, and angels were working

against their plans.

Now, God was giving the disciples a lesson here, one

that we can receive this morning as well.

God is capable, more than capable, to deliver us from

terrible persecutions and dark trials.

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Even when it looks bleak, even impossible, God is able.

We will see evidence of this all throughout the Book of

Acts, later on Paul and Silas will also be arrested and

put in a terrible prison, and their confidence in this

truth caused them to have a midnight worship service.

God supernaturally saved them, and in turn many were

saved.

Peter will also be supernaturally freed from a jail cell

after a prayer service.

And understand, our God is still capable of the

supernatural, and still today, miracles happen often,

mostly unnoticed and unaccounted for.

And there are times God still uses angels even…

We are instructed in Heb. 13:1-2 Let brotherly love

continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by

so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

I remember one time, shortly after I got saved, there

was a homeless man sitting outside the Albertsons in

Lake Havasu.

And I ran in to get something, and I thought, “Hey it’s a

hot day, I should get that man a Gatorade,” then I

thought he might be hungry, so I got him a sandwich.

And Jess and I were in a hurry, I cannot remember to

where, but I came out to give him the drink and lunch,

and he seemed out of his mind at first, I immediately

concluded he was on some type of drugs.

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And I said something like, “Hey man, Jesus put it on my

heart to give you this lunch.”

And at the Name of Jesus, his demeanor changed

completely, his body movements were not dramatic

and uncontrolled any longer, and with the greatest of

clarity and poise, he looked directly in my eyes and

said, “One day, we will all be worshipping Him before

the throne together.”

I said Amen, and was taken back a little, and I got in

the car, and this passage of scripture came to mind.

I am not claiming that I entertained an angel that day,

but perhaps, and when we all get to heaven, let’s

revisit this story together to see.

So the disciples were delivered from their

imprisonment by a celestial being.

And they were not freed to go do what they wanted to

do, but the heavenly messenger gave them some

instructions, to go to the temple, the very temple

where the men were that had them arrested…

And they were to go there and preach all the words of

this life…

This is a wonderful commission, they are to go and

preach all the words of this life, that is the Gospel

Message.

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This message of hope and salvation, it is a message

that brings the peace and secure reality about one’s

eternal life.

John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one

comes to the Father except through Me."

And not only is it a message about our future eternal

hope, Jesus said in…

And in John 10:10 The thief does not come except to

steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they

may have life, and that they may have it more

abundantly.

We bring a message of hope for eternity, but also the

hope of a life changed here and now.

When we accept Jesus as our Savior and allow Him to

be Lord of our lives, we become aware that His is the

Way, He is the Truth, and He is our Life.

St. Irenaeus said, “The Glory of God is a man fully

alive.”

And there is some incredible truths to what he said,

when we become alive in Christ, our God is truly

Glorified.

His Glory is revealed in our lives.

John 1:4-5 In Him was life, and the life was the light of

men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the

darkness did not comprehend it.

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So the angel commissions them to go and to keep on

preaching Jesus, the giver of life, the hope of our

salvation, and the stability in this unstable world.

And they obey!

Look now starting in verse 21…

21 And when they heard that, they entered the temple

early in the morning and taught. But the high priest

and those with him came and called the council

together, with all the elders of the children of Israel,

and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Now, the morning after the angelic jail break the

enemies of the church came together, this Great High

Court, and tried to decide what to do with these men…

Little did they know, that they were not too far from

them preaching again.

Verse 22 now…

Apostles on Trial Again

22 But when the officers came and did not find them in

the prison, they returned and reported, 23 saying,

"Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the

guards standing outside before the doors; but when

we opened them, we found no one inside!" 24 Now

when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and

the chief priests heard these things, they wondered

what the outcome would be. 25 So one came and told

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them, saying, "Look, the men whom you put in prison

are standing in the temple and teaching the people!"

They get the news that the prison doors were locked

and sealed, and yet, the Troublemakers were not

there.

Once again the Great Sadducees are rocked with this

reality of supernatural events taking place, it did not

matter that they did not believe in the supernatural,

God does what He desires in spite of what man

believes.

I am always amazed at how mankind can make up his

mind about God and even when God reveals Himself in

mighty and powerful ways, they cannot let the facts

change their minds.

No matter what God does to reveal Himself to

someone, their hearts just reason away every

evidence.

It was like the little boy, whose father told him to stay

off of the roof, but curiosity got the best of him.

One day, his father left the ladder leaning up on the

roof after a project, and the boy saw his chance, but

what the little boy was not prepared for was a damp,

slippery roof.

He made it to the peak, and as soon as he did, he

slipped and was sliding quickly to his own peril.

The boy shouted out, “God save me!”

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And just then, his belt caught on a nail, and he stopped

abruptly, but only to say, “Never mind God, this nail

stopped me.”

Some people cannot see God in anything, and we

should guard our hearts from being cynical about the

events of our lives.

We must not be like these hard-hearted religious

leaders, who saw Jesus Powerfully displaying God to

them, and after killing Him, they too had the Apostles

miraculously displaying God’s Power to them.

But they refused to believe, instead they continue in

their evil plans against the Church.

They are more concerned with their earthly positions,

and the authority for which they had over their

countrymen, then they were concerned about the

Truth before them.

I would encourage you this morning, those who might

be here, and you have been fighting with God’s pursuit

over your heart.

You have been fighting the obvious truths of His love

that is continually poured out in your life.

Why not this morning, yield to Him, and to the Truth

that you know, God desires to Save you, and you are

not guaranteed tomorrow, don’t put it off any longer.

So they find the prison empty, and they are wondering

what is going on.

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They were already fed up and at their wits end in their

efforts to stop the spread of Christianity.

And they were desperate, because they had no way to

control what might happen next through these men of

God.

Mighty miracles, undeniable miracles, Powerful

Preaching, and a New Kind of Love was permeating

through the disciples, and it was drawing in multitudes.

The religious leader’s efforts were powerless in trying

to stop what God was doing.

Look now, starting in verse 26…

26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought

them without violence, for they feared the people, lest

they should be stoned.

Remember they had to be careful because the people

believed the Apostle’s preaching.

Verse 27 now…

27 And when they had brought them, they set them

before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28

saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach

in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with

your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on

us!"

Remember back in chapter 4 the religious leaders gave

very stern warnings before they let them go, not to

teach in the Name of Jesus.

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The Highest Court in the Land forbid them.

The words, “command you,” here mean they gave

them an explicit order, this was non-negotiable.

They were trying to intimidate or silence the Apostles

into submission to their order.

But the Apostles informed them that they answer to a

Higher Authority then earthly authority.

Remember in chapter 4, we looked at that defining

moment as our example.

Acts 4:19-20 "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."

Church, may their convictions be ours today.

Look after they were jailed, and threatened even

more, Peter will double down… verse 29…

29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and

said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.

We answer to the Highest Authority church.

Now, I know many today really want to pretend all is

well, and things will always continue on as it always

has been.

Let’s just get through this Covid Crisis, and then the

Government will back off, society will back off and we

can get back to our happy Sunday morning routine.

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Let’s just submit, close down for a while, and we will

be fine.

Yesterday history was made in our nation, for the first

time a California state judge issued an unconstitutional

restraining order for Pastor Bob McCoy of Godspeak

Calvary Chapel, prohibiting the church from meeting

under our Governors unlawful orders.

Not only did the state go after the pastor, but the

injunction includes every person who attends the

church and who will attend the church in the future.

If anyone dares to visit the church and worship they

could be held in contempt of court.

But, this is the insanity of Governor Newsome’s order,

the church can operate as a shelter, provide food

services, and social services, but in the same building,

there can be no worship services.

People can receive food, but not take communion, the

church can house many people over night, strangers

even, but cannot hold a short church service, a Bible

Study, or meet for prayer.

People can receive counseling to find work, but the

church cannot counsel people on how to find eternal

life.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver

said, “The same governor who encourages mass

protests, bans all worship. The same governor who

says the church can meet for secular services, bans the

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church from having religious worship. If people cannot

see this obvious unconstitutional violation, they are

blind. This unconstitutional hostility against religious

worship must end. Enough is enough!”

And I agree with him.

Also know this, something the fear mongering media

will not tell you…

I mean every day, the News apps are sending me, all

throughout the day the dire numbers of people sick,

and they paint this ominous picture.

But it you simply get your calculator out, and see what

the numbers truly are, then you will see the sham of it

all.

In Ventura County, where Calvary Chapel Godspeak is,

it has a population of around 850,000 people. 78

people have died of COVID-19 since March 2020

Let me do the math for you…that is 0.009176 deaths in

Ventura County!

That is statistically insignificant.

If you catch Corona Virus, In California, your survival

rate is above 99%. It is more dangerous to drive to

church, then to get corona virus and die.

Church, there are forces at work here that are trying to

dim out the light of the church.

We need God’s Power and Wisdom to maneuver

through these times.

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We have come to a point where we will decide if we

will obey man or God.

We need to decide if we will continue to preach life

and all that pertains to real life, or will we be

restrained from doing so.

Will you be controlled by fear and lies or will you live

for Truth?

Things are not going to be the same from here on out,

we are not going back to the way things used to be.

It is time to choose.

The answer is not to leave California, but to stand in

God’s Power in the Name of Jesus.

And there is another great reality before us, many

people will never return to church who were here

before all of this, even after this crisis is cleared.

Because of the circumstances brought upon the

church, many have grown accustomed to pajama

church.

They are now growing accustomed to not being in

fellowship, it is getting easier for them to stay home

now, in fact, and many have flipped completely and

have become hostile toward the church.

Things will not be the same.

The church is changing, but I don’t say this negatively,

because look at the strength Peter preaches from in

light of this persecution.

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Starting now in verse 30…

30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you

murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has

exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to

give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32

And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is

the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey

Him."

Peter gives another powerful message, and once again

flips the court on them, and brings their guilt before

them.

They killed the Christ, and God raised Him up and

exalted Him to His Right Hand as Prince and Savior.

Jesus is the Name above all Names, and Salvation is

found in no other.

Peter also includes repentance in this Gospel

presentation.

And these religious men are privileged to hear the

Gospel once again, and once again they will harden

their hearts and reject it, and this time the rejection

turns to rage and into a venomous wrath…

Gamaliel's Advice

33 When they heard this, they were furious and

plotted to kill them.

They wanted these men dead, just like their Master

Jesus, but this world soon learned, that just like the

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murder of Jesus, the murder of His follower’s only fans

the flames of this Gospel further.

Persecution always strengthens us, and gives us the

resolve we need to press on…

Now, next, a more reasoned man will speak, and he

will give flawed advice, but God will use it to free His

followers…

34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named

Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the

people, and commanded them to put the apostles

outside for a little while.

Gamaliel wisely puts the contentious followers of

Christ out of the room to try to reason with the

leaders.

This would diffuse the situation.

This is the same Gamaliel that the Apostle Paul studied

under when becoming a Pharisee, in which he excelled

greatly…

Verse 35 now…

35 And he said to them: "Men of Israel, take heed to

yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men.

36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be

somebody. A number of men, about four hundred,

joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were

scattered and came to nothing. 37 After this man,

Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and

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drew away many people after him. He also perished,

and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38 And now I

say to you, keep away from these men and let them

alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will

come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot

overthrow it — lest you even be found to fight against

God."

This well respected man, a member of the High Court,

and a teacher of the Law, was honored by all the

people.

He was actually the grandson of Rabbi Hillel, a great

Hebrew scholar.

Gamaliel stood up to speak, and here gives two

examples of men, who had a following, but after their

death, their followers scattered, and their movements

died.

He said, let’s see if this movement does the same, if it

succeeds it is of God, if it fails, it is not.

Of course it is flawed ideology, because today many

millions of followers are led away by cults and false

religions and they are not blessed by God.

But, the advice was used to serve God’s purposes, and

Gamaliel’s popularity and his presented logic was used

to spare the Apostles this time.

Let’s finish now with verses 40-42…

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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. 41 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.

And these savage religious leaders were satisfied with

a cruel beating here, as they once again made an

executive order for them to stop speaking the Name of

Jesus.

And I want you to notice the buoyant disciples here, as

each wave of attack hits them, they pop up on the

other side, stronger than before.

They left rejoicing in the fact that they were beaten.

You see, this is important, they understood that the

fact that they were being persecuted for Jesus’ Sake

was evidence that they were doing the right thing and

that they belonged to Jesus.

This crushes the Christian ideas of our day, where easy

breezy means we are where we need to be.

This is not true, when God moves in your life, when He

uses you for great things, expect Great Opposition.

This is the perspective we need to endeavor to

possess.

27 | P a g e

When we live with this understanding, it gives the

healthiest mindset in regards to our faith.

It is allows us to keep pressing on, to keep sharing, to

keep praying, to keep preaching and to keep believing.

Notice government threats and mandates did not stop

the early church, it only validated their movement to a

greater degree, and it caused the faithful to press in,

for more Power, more Love, and more of Jesus in their

lives.

They daily met in the Temple, and they fellowshipped

in every house, and they did not cease teaching and

preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Church underline those words, they did not cease.

If they did not cease, if Christianity has not ceased over

the centuries, may we not cease today.

Church, at all costs, now is the time to count up that

cost, at all cost, it is time to live for Jesus.

It is time to lay it all down for Him, may we never

cease, may this never stop, church commit with me to

keep these doors open, if they hold me in contempt,

commit to take the pulpit after me.

May God’s Word continually go forth from this pulpit

week after week, no matter the cost, let’s keep

teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ, the Savior

of the world.

28 | P a g e

Do not cease! We are in a supernatural battle, if we let

up, if we surrender, too much will be lost, Do not

cease.

Let’s pray!