Book of Acts, chapter 5, please. Verse 12 to the end of the
chapter, we'll do this morning. And the title of this morning is
Power Comes through Obedience. How often we have so many
Christians struggling in their marriages, struggling in their
relationships with family members, with children.
And we take another step back because they're they're
struggling in their relationship with God.
That's the flow on you. Remember back in the book of
Acts chapter 4, the disciples in the church had prayed for
boldness. They prayed for confidence after
Peter and John had been arrested and forbidden to speak Jesus
name. Acts 429.
Now Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your
servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word.
Well, God answered that prayer. You know, every Wednesday we
gather and God answers prayer. He's continuing to answer
prayer. If you're looking for miracles,
I encourage you to come and be part of the cause for a miracle.
Join us Wednesday. We need some at the moment.
We have some people who are critically I'll just months to
live and we need miracles. God answered their prayer.
God will answer your prayer. Now a quick snapshot of where
we're going to go. We'll see that people were
gathering daily now at the temple at a place called
Solomon's Porch. It's kind of like a pagola on
the east side of the temple there the church was gathering.
Now they didn't have a building and they were still going to the
temple. And there the apostles would go
and they would teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is the gospel? The wonder of the resurrection
of Jesus. Jesus is alive, that Jesus had
come and they were preaching the gospel that through his death
and resurrection, repentance now is available to all sinners.
You can receive the forgiveness of sins.
If you were here today and you carry on a load, you have things
that you go Keith, they're so bad what I did, I'm ashamed.
And you wonder. You can think they're
unforgivable. No, they're not.
You can be forgiven of all the power of the blood of Christ
removes all sin, all sin. Thankful.
I'm thankful for that. Rumours began to grow.
Holy Spirit was moving through the church that even if Peter
walked past his shadow, just the shadow passing over you would
bring healing. The religious leaders were
worried, especially the Sadducees.
They were angry why? They are again losing control of
the people. The people were being drawn to
the church, to the teaching of the apostles.
And so they demanded bring the apostles before us.
Yet we see God will move supernaturally.
This time it's a gaolbreak. And then we'll see that a famous
rabbi, the one who actually had a student called Saul who would
become Paul, who taught this, saw all that he knew about the
word of God. Gamaliel, he'll stand and he'll
tell the religious leaders, hey, hey, you guys, just hold off for
a second. Time will tell if God's in this
stuff what these guys are doing. After all.
He'll remind them he went about the death of Jesus and that
didn't, that failed, didn't it? It failed to destroy his
following. Actually, after his death, it
grew. And lastly, we'll see the
disciples after all this persecution.
We'll see him rejoicing. But the key passage, the very
bull's eye of today's text in our study this morning is Acts
529, which we'll get to it says, But Peter and the other apostles
answered when they were asked about why they're doing what
they're doing and disobeying. They said we ought to obey God
rather than men. We ought to obey God rather than
men. You should memorise that verse
pretty easy. We ought to obey God rather than
men. Get your teenagers when they
come to you with questions about I want to go to this party, I
want to be involved in that, I want to go have that
relationship. We ought to obey God rather than
men. So let's look at verse 12.
Through the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders
were done among the people, and they noticed.
We've seen this about the church were all with 1 accord in
Solomon's porch. They gathered there, yet none of
the rest People outside the church dared join them, but the
people esteemed them highly. They'd heard God had taken out
two people, Ananias and Sapphira.
I thought, well, just be cautious about what you get
joining into. There was a reverence and an oar
amongst this group. Through the hands of the
apostles, many signs and wonders were occurring.
The church was continuing to grow.
But notice, and I want to remind you again in the text, it grew
only with new believers. When Israel did the exodus out
of Egypt, they had the Israelites going out and there
was another group called mixed multitude.
Just follow us on. I'll go with this.
I'll see where they're going. The church was growing, but it
only grew with new believers. No onlookers.
No, I'll go and check this. Just.
Yeah, check it out. No, no casual spiritual people
while I'm into. I'm just a spiritual person.
I'm just along to see what you what you're into.
No, only truly saved people join the church.
That's fascinating. No hypocrite joined.
Why? You could be killed no
unbeliever dared join them while I just go along.
I like I like the coffee that they have.
Plus you know it's just it's nice place to drop the kids off
babysitting. None of that it says verse 14
and believers notice underline that it says and believers were
increasingly added not just a crowd came.
Believers were increasingly added to the Lord multitudes of
men and women 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.
Note this. It doesn't exactly say that they
were healed by this. Luke just puts that in there and
says this is what was going on, so we don't know.
Also, a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to
Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by
unclean spirits. There's a differentiation there.
And notice what it says. And they were all healed.
Last time I read that Jesus was doing it, wasn't it?
Notice they were all healed. It wasn't all.
That's too tough a job. Wow, can't do that, you know.
Oh, he's got that. Oh wow.
Does he have a sore back or a sore leg?
Headache. We do.
Headaches and sore legs. Rumours grew, does not say.
As I said, either which way that the shadow of Peter healed them
or not. That's not the point.
Part of the Eastern culture at at that time and belief was that
the shadow of a man, whether they be good or evil, if it
passed over, you could influence supposedly on your life, good
man, good impact, bad man, bad impact.
But what was going on here, and that's what Luke is getting at,
is people were sensing the power of God moving in the apostles
and in the church earlier in the chapter.
Remember, God had purified the church.
How? With the judgement of Ananias
and his wife Sapphira for lying to the Holy Spirit.
They lied to God and said in Acts chapter 4 both in verse 5
and verse 11. It said so great fear came upon
the church. We need that you go what we want
people to drop dead in church. No, we want that great fear,
reverence or to be in our church, Christchurch.
And so with what God's judgement had done, purity was in the
church. There was no hypocrites.
I said well hey, I'm like on there, only true believers.
And so with purity comes the power of God being able to be
released freely through his church.
There was purity. Why?
Because there was great fear. People didn't didn't just hang
out. You know, people today, they'll
they'll live together, they'll have improper relationships.
They'll be involved in things they shouldn't be doing things
that they shouldn't be, and they'll go to church.
No big deal. That's all right.
God all forgive me. Eventually back then you didn't
why? Thought you might die.
And so a purity was impacting the church.
There was great fear. No one lied in the early church.
Didn't want Peter coming up and going.
You lying. Well, no.
Well, this resulted in powerful blessing.
There was nothing blocking or holding back God's healing power
being released through the faithful apostles, it said those
who were healed and loot differentiates between physical
and spiritual, he said. Bodily and physical ailments
were healed, but also those who were possessed.
Spiritual people who had anguish spiritually possessed, they had
the spirits cast out of them and they were healed.
The question I have as we get to this point is have we as
Christchurch today lost the purity that we see here in the
early church rhetorical? Have we lost as a result then
the power of God to be able to be released in his church
through us because of that? So for the church, pure is the
church, powerful, the Spirit filled church.
Remember, this is all flowing on from Pentecost.
Jesus has ascended, He's at the right hand of the Father.
The Holy Spirit has come, filled all the disciples.
Then Peter preaches and the Holy Spirit fills the 3000.
Then the holy and Peter preaches again fills another 2000 That
says they're all filled with the Spirit.
A spirit filled church is a powerful church, but it's the
church pure. You see, when we lose our
purity, we lose our power. Example, husbands, if you're not
treating your wife correctly, the Bible says your prayers
won't be answered. Says that, Peter, if you're
treating her incorrectly, you can pray as much as you like.
God's not going to listen to you.
And so anything that separates us from speaking to God blocks
the power of God working through us.
But people here were coming to the church filled with hope,
seeking God. You know, when you come to
church, when you come to a prayer meeting, how do you come?
You come thinking that God's going to answer our I do.
I believe that when we pray, God hears us and God answers prayer.
I believe in miracles. We held one just a moment ago
and they came filled with hope seeking God.
It's kind of like the the, the lady who for 12 years had the
issue of blood. She said if I could just touch
the, the, the, the edge, the, the, the little things that hang
off Jesus prayer, if I can just touch that, I'd be done.
She did. There's this point of
connection. People wanted this point of
connection. And so they brought the sick
unashamedly. They didn't bring him going.
Oh, here's hope and you always take him.
No, they brought them to get healed and saved.
It says all were healed verse 16.
But we all know as we read that the first few verses that when
God moves, who else moves Satan, Satan moves to it says verse 17.
Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him,
which is the sect of the Sadducees, didn't believe in
angels, didn't believe in the resurrection, didn't believe in
the life after death. And they were filled with
indignation and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in
the common prison. So all the apostles, not just
Peter and John, they're all locked up now.
Wow. So the leadership of the church
is locked up. So the apostles are arrested and
gaoled yet again. Second time.
But this time the Lord sent an Angel and freed them.
Why did the Angel free them? So the apostles could take a
break. Glad we're out of there.
Head for the hills. OK, where's the donkeys?
Let's get out of here. Let's get out of Jerusalem.
Hide. Have a sabbatical.
Oh, man, I've been ministering and ministering.
Yeah, man, since the day of Pentecost.
Haven't had haven't had a spell to break.
Need a sabbatical or so that they can gather together and go.
OK, you know what? Let's negotiate some terms.
Let's come to a compromise with the religious leaders.
Let's seek to do things. Maybe we can change what we're
doing. No, because they are commanded,
you'll note on their release from gaol by the Angel of the
Lord, not to take a break, but to take up from where they'd
left off and to continue. Verse 19.
But at night an Angel of the Lord opened the prison doors,
brought them out and said what? Have a spell?
Oh, man, no. Go stand in the temple.
Speak to the people all the words of this life.
Note that, you know, we, we live in a world of I got to be
careful. There are not many people with
backbones around now, are they? Is that OK?
If I say that, I mean it's like everyone is woe is me.
Glad we don't have a depression. People that live through
depression, My goodness. Anyway, that's another story.
But you see here the Christians, the believers, they went weak.
They didn't quit. Go stand in the temple, speak to
the people all the words of this life, the life, this life, What
life? What do you mean?
This life, the life of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
What it's like being a follower, a disciple of Jesus.
What's happened? The new life each of the
disciples now live. We used to be fishermen.
Now we're fishers of men. We pray for people, people
delivered. Now we speak of Jesus.
We saw him dead. We saw him resurrected.
We saw him ascend. This new life was 180° in
direction from where they were before.
Now as they served him, you're saved.
Remember to what you are saved to serve.
And God was blessing and using them.
That was the life though, to speak.
This life and all that it promises, that very same life,
is now available to each and every one of us.
February 2026. Here in secret Harbour.
The same to you and to I, to those who will walk in the
footsteps of the Apostles. And do what?
Surrender our old life to Christ?
In two Corinthians 517, the very first verse I put to memory, it
says therefore, if anyone is in Christ, and I love this, he is a
new creation. It's the answer to the devil.
When the devil says you're not a Christian, you're kidding me.
Everyone else in church is in a is a Christian.
You, you, you're, you're a hypocrite.
You're a joke. No, no, no.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
Old things have passed away. It's my old life, my old
appetite. It's my old direction, What I
how I used to live. Behold all things.
Now, because I've turned from serving myself to serving the
Lord, all things have become you.
You. We no longer look at life the
way we used to. Because before Christ, you're
just selfish Sam, and selfish selling.
We really are. We're just full of ourselves.
It's all about ourselves. That's why the world is so
angry, so upset because you're in the way, in the shopping
lane, on the road, wherever they are, you, you, you, you're
blocking the line. You're in their own because it's
the world's got the world revolves around me now.
But when you become a believer, the the world revolves around
Christ. We no longer look at life the
way we used to. We have changed.
We're different, we're a different person.
Yes, we look the same on the outside, but our appetites, our
passions, where we spend our money, where we spend our time,
the way we speak, what we read, how we find enjoyment, it's
changed. And we see all those who we
didn't care about at all. Now, those who don't know
Christ, we see them as sinners lost, but we see them as people
who for whom Christ died. We have actually a passion for
them. We are our brother's keeper.
We're not like Cain. Am I my brother's keeper?
We're the Good Samaritan now. We care because we know Christ
loves that person. We know he died for each one of
them. We see each one of those people
that are lost as and because we see how they live.
They live as lost sheep and they have no shepherd.
They have no protection, no one calling them names, no one
comforting them, no one guiding them.
They're lost sheep and the world is full of wolves.
Wolves speaking to people the words of this life, the Angel of
the Lord told the disciples was of greater importance to God
than the apostles. Individual liberty to give them
freedom. Oh, you're out now.
Way, way you go, you're free. No, they were free to do what?
To go. Note that wasn't free to go and
please themselves. An Angel of the Lord was sent.
Why? So they could go to the temple,
otherwise they'd still be in gaol.
This is the reason God sent an Angel to free them.
You see, we see the amazing powerful obedience of the people
of the apostles to the Angel of the Lord's command.
So here they are. They've been locked up all
night. They're released.
So with that, without sleep, without food, without
hesitation, at Daybreak the apostles re enter the temple
court and begin teaching once again.
They pick up from where they left off.
It's like the apostle Paul when he was stoned and they said he's
dead. They dragged him out.
Next minute he's revived, he's back.
He's got scars and bits of blood hanging off him and skin.
And he goes straight back into the city and says, now where was
I? That's the Christian of the
Bible. Is that the Christian of the
modern church? In the meantime, the religious
leaders, the Council of Jerusalem had sent a messenger
to the prison. Hey, bring the prisoners.
Yeah, bring them out. God was teaching His Saints that
He can deliver them and us anytime He so desires.
This was also to encourage the disciples that as they were
delivered, so they were also divinely commissioned.
Notice. Go stand in the temple, speak to
the people all the words of this life didn't say go home, be with
your families, go, go back to fishing, go and have a spell, go
to galley, have a bit of a break.
No. Note that when God divinely
moves in your life, when he comes through, you've been
praying. We've had situations where
you've gathered and you've called.
Well, Keith, we've got a desperate situation and we've
prayed. And God has answered your
prayers, hasn't He? And he's come through.
So God delivers you. You know why He delivers you?
Not to get you out of gaol. He delivers you to serve Him, to
turn your whole life over to Him.
You can be the one leper out of the 10 that were healed, who
after Jesus healed the 10, he returned and gave thanks to the
Lord. You can be like the demon
possessed man of Godera who lived naked, cutting himself,
breaking chains, howling at night, living in the cemetery,
who after Jesus delivered him was seated, clothed and in his
right mind. Then begged Jesus, what?
Oh man, I mean living in the cemetery for ages, can you find
me a great place where I can go and relax and oh man, I, I man,
I've lived torridly. No, he says, I want to follow
you. He begged Jesus, can I come with
you? That's why he was delivered.
Luke 838. Here's the deal.
When God answers your prayer, when He delivers you, when he
sets you free, hold your ground. Don't take a break.
They were told to deliver the entire message of the new life
in Christ, even in the midst of persecution.
Parents to you today, you live in a complex world where the
world just wants to hunt down your teenagers.
It wants to turn them into drug addicts.
It wants to change and bring confusion about their identity,
who they are. It wants to tell them that
they're unloved. It wants to tell them that mum
and dad don't care about them. It wants to say that the only
thing that's a place to go to is in the room, on the computer or
on their phone, because no one else understands.
And AOI is now developing this whole new world where you can go
like Alice in Wonderland and you can be there safe.
No, parents don't stop godly parenting.
You know when it stops? When you're dead?
Doesn't matter how old your children are.
It stops when you've breathed your last.
You're a godly parent until you breathe your last breath.
Wives, husbands, you're married to someone that's not saved.
Don't quit. Continue to love them.
See them as the one that Christ died for, the one that's lost,
that is without a shepherd. Love them like you've never been
able to love them before. Saint Irena said the glory of
God is a man fully alive. A man fully alive is someone who
serves the Lord. You see, when we become alive in
Christ, God is wonderfully glorified in your life.
John chapter one verse 4 Speaking of Jesus.
In him was life and the life was the light of men.
Verse 21 And when they heard that they entered the temple
early in the morning, notice the obedience of the disciples and
oh wow, Gee, can't we just have have a coffee?
At least they entered the temple when early in the morning,
daylight and taut. Then he can go in there and tell
him. Oh, we've got some stories to
tell you guys. Oh, man, let me tell Peter.
You tell yours. Then I'll tell my story.
No, no, no, we're not interested in your story.
They were told to tell the life, the gospel, the words that
change. 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 purse to
the prison to have them brought. So whilst the enemy, the
religious council of the Sanhedrin, the Sadducees,
Pharisees with them as well, we're just getting out of bed.
Christ ambassadors, his disciples, his apostles were
already at the temple, at work teaching.
Read a great quote the other day by fellow pastor Washer is his
name. And he's Speaking of another
fellow who's with him who memorised, has memorised the
Bible and, you know, massive page passages of the whole
books. He said, oh man, you must have
a, a, a a what do you call it? A photographic memory?
Speaking of that, yeah, I, I, no, he said, I just work harder
than you do. Wow, that put me in my place,
isn't it? That's the truth.
Oh, he's got a photographic memory.
No, thought the athlete, you know you, I said to a member
saying once to one of the best athletes the Fremantle Football
Club ever had. I said, yeah, but you're
genetics. He says, hey, don't talk about
genetics. I work harder than anybody else.
I train harder than anybody else.
And so while the council was just getting out of bed, the
apostles were already at the temple, at work, teaching.
Every Wednesday evening here at 7 O clock here at the Chapel, a
group of faithful Saints are gathered here and they're at
work praying, interceding for the rest of the church, calling
on God for miracles, for those in desperate need.
And our nation, as the rest of the world goes about their
business, They're working. Verse 22 But when the officers
came, they came to the prison, didn't find them in the prison.
They returned and reported saying here what they found.
Indeed, we found the prison shut securely.
Doors were shut, locked. The guards were still, The
guards were still standing at the front.
But when we opened the doors, there's no one in the gaol.
Imagine the guards going, You're an idiot, didn't you?
What happened? Did you see some?
I didn't see someone. Now, when the high priest, the
captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these
things, they wondered what the outcome would be, what's going
on? So one came and told them
saying, you know, you know, the men that were supposed to be in
gaol, you know, and the guards and the doors and everything.
Well, the men whom you put in prison, they're down at the
temple again and they're teaching the people again, the
same stuff again. Then the captain went with the
officers, brought them this time without violence.
Could you, could you guys come along with us?
Because there's a massive, there's thousands of people
gathered, listening for they feared the people, lest the
guards should be stoned. Everybody, the guards were all
unaware that the apostles had been freed.
They were not in hiding. They were at the temple
teaching. They are arrested yet again.
Third time brought before the council.
Why? For preaching the gospel of
Jesus Christ this morning. Let me ask you a question
because it's probably going to come soon.
If preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ was a crime, would there
be enough evidence by those who know you at your school, your
work location, in your sports team, your family, maybe some
strangers? Could they garner enough
evidence to have you convicted of preaching the gospel of Jesus
Christ? Would you be arrested today
found guilty of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ verse 27
and when they are brought them, they set them before the council
and the high priest asked them saying did we not notice?
Didn't we tell you strictly command you not to teach in his
name question and look, you have filled Jerusalem with your
teaching and intend to bring this man's blood on us.
We're guilty they were. Because remember, this mob back
in Matthew 2725 had cried out, Let his blood be upon us and
upon our children. Crucify them.
They'd said that the disciples teaching at the temple had
filled all Jerusalem with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
That was a compliment from the enemy.
Verse 29. But Peter and the other apostles
answered and said, here it comes.
We ought to obey God rather than men.
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered by
hanging on a tree. Well, he didn't meet his words,
did he? You're crucified.
You killed him. You shouted for his death.
You're responsible. The disciples offered no, no
defence. Then plead.
Oh, yeah. Sorry.
Yeah. We won't do it anymore.
Didn't ask for mercy. No.
They preached the Gospel. That's what they did.
We ought to obey God rather than men.
In the NIV and the NLT it says we must obey God rather than
men. We must obey God.
This is the language of the Church of Jesus Christ.
The Church of Jesus Christ is not just considered Jesus.
Oh hey, nice fellow. Not just defend his existence.
Oh yes, we believe he lived not patronise him.
Oh he's out of all the other religions.
I find Jesus just marvellous. No, not just have theories about
him, where did he go, you know, during the early years of his
life. No, we must obey God.
A man, woman may know what they ought to do and yet never do it.
Martin Luther took on the whole of the Roman Catholic power when
he stood alone and the Protestant movement began.
So there he stands alone. And he said, here I stand, God
help me. I cannot do otherwise, He says.
I have to. We must obey God.
Now here's where it comes to this.
Is there a clause in the situation?
Because this is when people usually come from prayer and
they go, I know the I know the Bible says, and then they go,
what? What's the next word?
I know the Bible says. Your situation is not peculiar.
It's not the only situation in all of the world, in all of the
history, where you are free to disobey.
It's not, Peter said. We're witnesses.
We're not someone who only talks.
Many people talk about Jesus and yet are not witnesses, for a
witness is a martyr. That's what the word came to me.
It came to me that usually mean that anyone who witnessed of
Christ was killed. It's going to happen during the
tribulation period. Once again, a witness is a
martyr. Their life is evidence.
It's a credential. Your life, your life is a
demonstration of one who lives in obedience to Christ.
There's a fellow called Polycarp, 86 years of age.
The Roman Empire was trying to uproot these people who would
not sprinkle the incense and say Caesar's Lord.
That's all we have to do. A little bit of incense, say
Caesar's Lord. All good.
The Roman soldiers turn up. They come to arrest him.
He's an old fella. What does he do?
He goes down and he shows them where to wash, gets water for
their horses, gives them a, a whole, a meal that night, you
know, and they, they just think this guy is, he's an old guy.
He's a lovely old guy. The next day they said, look,
can't you just just say Caesar's the Lord sprinkle them.
That's what you have to do. What did he say?
He said 86 years I've served him, he has never wronged me.
How can I blasphemy my King who saved me?
So they burn him. The flames didn't touch him, so
they had to stab him, bled, put the flames in and he died.
And notice again what they did say.
However, to those who are questioning them for here comes
the gospel again, the apostles were relentless with this and
this is to be our never ending proclamation just as Jesus has
commissioned every one of us to do.
So we wonder or what do we say to someone?
The Bible's full of the same message.
The Bible has the same repetitive message.
Repent, believe, repent, believe.
That's it. The God of Israel and of our
fathers. Peter said he it is who raised
Jesus of Nazareth from the dead, The one you murdered, the one
you cried out, crucify him. God verse 31 exalt to his right
hand to be Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel and
forgiveness of sins. Who can forgive sins?
Only God can do that. The word Prince mean here refers
to the originator or pioneer of something.
Jesus is the source, the sole source of eternal life.
He's the Saviour. Jesus came to grant repentance.
Verse 32. We are his witnesses to these
things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to
those who obey him. Peter says we're witnesses.
See what we were and see now what we are.
This change has been brought about by God because he raised
Jesus from the dead after three days on the ground.
God then exalted Jesus to be Prince and Saviour, to offer us
repentance and the Spirit of God that now fills us.
We each have the Spirit of God. We are witnesses.
See what we are. Look at us.
The church is never powerful unless she can produce
witnesses. That is the body of Christ going
out into the world, becoming living witnesses.
You and I, we are witnesses, and so is the Holy Spirit.
This is the church's final power.
This same Jesus, Peter says, is resurrected.
He's exalted. He's now at the right hand of
the Father, the God of Israel. He is both Prince and Saviour.
And the reason all this has happened, what you see, what
you've brought us here before, is so you can come to him now in
repentance. Peter's calling for repentance.
He's doing an altar call. And then you too can receive
forgiveness, even you of all your sins.
This is what the Holy Spirit of God will give you to those who
obey Him. So how did the apostles have
this great freedom in their speech when under massive
persecution? Because of their obedience.
You see, if I'm obedient to God, God fills me with His power.
If I'm disobedient, I'm cut off from the power of God and I
become weak. Obedience is seen in verse 29
and verse 32. We ought to obey God rather than
man. God has given His power to who?
To those who obey Him. Their reaction to Peter tells it
all, reveals it. When they heard this, it says
they were furious and plotted to kill them.
Literally in the Greek it says Peter's words cut them in half
like a sword. Then this Pharisee, Rabbi
Gamaliel, he gets up and he speaks of two others that have
come up and gone, who the people followed.
And then he says in verse 39 of these people of the apostles, he
said, hey, if this is of God, you can't overthrow it, lest you
even be found to fight against God.
Give it time, let it go. You cannot and will not stop it.
Verse 40 the council agreed with him, and when they had called
for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they
what should not yet again speak in the name of Jesus and let him
go. Fat lot of good that was going
to do but when it says beat them.
This is no light love tap. Each one of them got 39 stripes
of the catanine tails as one by one thou are whipped until their
flesh parted. Matthew 510 Jesus says blessed
are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.
Why the blessing? Theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
The reaction of the beaten disciples is amazing.
How would you react? They all took off, went into
hiding. I'm done with that.
Oh, man. Gaol.
Then a flogging. I'm not for Christianity.
That's what people do. Well, I tried Christianity.
It was too hard. I couldn't do this.
And I couldn't do that. What do I have to give up?
Hell. Sin.
Did the disciples say yeah OK, OK, we won't preach anymore in
Jesus name to save ourselves any future persecution and beating?
No, instead they took the beating and then what did they
do? They rejoiced.
Verse 41 So they departed from the presence of the council
underline rejoicing why that they were counted worthy to to
suffer shame for his name to be identified with Jesus.
And then what did they do daily in the temple and in every
house? They did not cease teaching and
preaching Jesus as the Christ, though I was so personally
thrilled that God had allowed them from the experience of
suffering the shame as had their Saviour Jesus.
They rejoiced to be able to be identified with Him.
We just like our our Lord. In verse 42, we see that daily,
not just for 1 1/2 hours a week. They gathered both at the temple
and in every house. They were on fire.
This church was on fire. They couldn't get enough of
Bible study, couldn't get enough of prayer, couldn't get enough
of fellowship. They did not cease teaching,
preaching that Jesus Christ was the Messiah.
Let's wrap this up. The witnessing power of the Holy
Spirit is released only through our obedience to Christ.
So if you're trying to witness to your family and it's not
hitting home, take a step back. Is there anything in your life
that's blocking things? Are you in His Word?
Are you seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit?
Is He leading you? You cannot have the power of the
Holy Spirit if we're saying no to Him.
You know you can't say no Lord. The 2 words can't go together.
If he's Lord, it's yes to everything.
You can't go. No Lord defeats the word Lord.
We are not expected, however, to be perfect because none of us
are. We're not expected to be
faultless in our faith. None of us are, but we are
expected to be joyful. Some churches you go, you think,
man, it's like a couple of people died on the surface this
morning. And we are expected to
persevere. Verse 42 When we face times of
opposition, the enemy celebrates when you surrounding me so I'm
done. I'm done with this, I'm done
with him, I'm done with her done with trying.
We no longer speak and teach the full message of this new life
when we quit when we're in this state.
The world does not see the glory of men and women fully of life.
Our disobedience cuts us off from the power of the Holy
Spirit. Are you?
Do you have joy? Ask yourself a real question.
Do you have the joy of the Lord? Really.
Or is it like, no, not really. You know, if you could write it
down and be anonymous, would you Not really, no.
When we obey Him rather than man, we will feel God's
pleasure. Eric, little Scottish runner,
wouldn't run on the Sabbath, changed his event and said when
I run I feel the pleasure of God.
James the Apostle would be the first disciple to be martyred in
AD 44 by Herod Agrippa. James was the son of Zebedee,
the elder brother of John, and when James was being led to his
execution, Fox's Book of Martyr tells us his extraordinary
courage impressed one of his captors to such a degree that he
fell on his knees before James and asked for James forgiveness,
and confessed that day he was a Christian too.
He said that James would not die alone.
Whereupon they both will beheaded.
The word obedience question who are you obeying, man or God?
Obedience brings and releases God's power is the power of God
in your life. Don't quit, persevere.
They ceased not teaching and you will live the result, a life of
joy. That's the life.
Speak the words of that life to people, and Thou want what you
have. But stand and pray, Father, as a
church, as individuals, help us to be obedient.
Let our obedience to you dominate any other place where
we would be subservient. Lord, we want the power of God
in our marriage, in our relationships desperately.
We want it in our own lives. Please speak to us, help us
today. This we pray in Jesus name,
Amen.