1 00:00:07,810 --> 00:00:10,850 The title of this morning's message is The Church's First 2 00:00:11,010 --> 00:00:19,570 Persecution, Acts chapter 4. Philip Brooks, a great Bible 3 00:00:19,570 --> 00:00:28,970 commentator, wrote Do not pray for easy lives. 4 00:00:30,410 --> 00:00:34,480 Instead pray to be stronger. Men and women. 5 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:45,360 Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, pray for powers 6 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:51,600 equal to your tasks. As you we gather this morning 7 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,600 and we teach through the Word of God, I pray that the Holy Spirit 8 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:03,120 will get a hold of your heart and get a hold of your mind and 9 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:14,120 he will reset it. And you will then be in line 10 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,120 with the moving and the power of God as he speaks to you. 11 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:22,960 Because what happens is we go out into the world and the media 12 00:01:24,320 --> 00:01:29,760 and the fashions, you, your, your people, you work with 13 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,080 people, you go to school with people in your sporting clubs. 14 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:42,880 They reinfluence you to to have to think, to try and fit in, to 15 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:49,440 think and go along with them. And so often we as Christians, 16 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:56,160 we pray incorrectly. We pray God stop them from doing 17 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,480 this. God Get Me Out of this. 18 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:09,320 And God says no, Grow up. Be salt. 19 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,360 When is salt used? Salt is used to stop the rot. 20 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,400 You're in the sporting club, you're in the classroom, you're 21 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:18,680 in that work location where there's no other Christian. 22 00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:23,320 You ought to be the salt. I want you to get salt here. 23 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:30,360 You're in a dark place, families going through a dark area or a 24 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,560 dark place, dark situation, he says. 25 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:39,560 I want you to be the light to bring light where there's only 26 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,320 darkness that they're they're they're stumbling around. 27 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:44,240 What are we to do? How's this going to work out? 28 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:50,000 Everything's falling apart. Do not pray for easy lives. 29 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,760 That's not the gospel of the Bible. 30 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:57,800 That's not the Church of the Bible. 31 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:04,520 Instead, pray to be stronger, men and women. 32 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,440 Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. 33 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,000 Pray for powers. Lord, help me to overcome this. 34 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:18,360 Help me to deal with that guy that's always abusing me. 35 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,240 Help me to deal with that bully at the school. 36 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:27,720 Give me powers equal to the task. 37 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,440 So the promise of the Holy Spirit has come. 38 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:37,640 Day of Pentecost that fell just as Jesus had said. 39 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,080 On the day of Pentecost, the power of the Holy Spirit fell 40 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:48,480 and the church was born. Peter preaches his first Holy 41 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:52,520 Spirit powered message 3000 souls. 42 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:54,960 That's just the men they didn't count the women and the 43 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:57,560 children. So there was many more were 44 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:02,640 added to the church and I said and the Lord added daily such as 45 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:08,080 should be saved. Peter and John Acts chapter 3 46 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,200 are on the way to the temple. They prayed 3 times a day. 47 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:13,720 They still have the Jewish Jewish clock. 48 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:17,880 They went to the temple, didn't do the sacrifices. 49 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,959 Jesus had sorted all that out, but they went to the temple to 50 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:26,640 pray. On the way, they come across a 51 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:27,800 guy. He's been lame. 52 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,400 He's over 40 years of old. He's never walked in his life. 53 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,000 Peter grabs hold of his hands. He says silver and gold, have I 54 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:36,280 none? He's a beggar. 55 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,200 He doesn't give them money. I want you to go back Wednesday 56 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,520 night. What I dealt with about this is 57 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:47,800 not a bank. This is not an ATM. 58 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,600 This is a church that gives the gospel of Jesus Christ. 59 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,520 People don't need more money. There's a social welfare, 60 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:02,440 there's there's Salvation Army, there's everything out there now 61 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:07,840 you can get the food bank. What they need is the bread of 62 00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:13,000 life and the church needs to turn back from being a social 63 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:18,160 welfare place to the place where you hear the gospel of Jesus 64 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:23,000 Christ. So on the way to the temple to 65 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:30,120 pray, Peter is given a burst of faith by Jesus. 66 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,760 Peter tells us that he grabs hold of this guy. 67 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,600 He's on the ground. He grips his hand. 68 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:39,520 The guy had nothing to do. He had no faith. 69 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:42,200 He had nothing. He had no his feet couldn't 70 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:43,240 stand. He never stood. 71 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:46,520 Peter grabs him and jerks him up in the air. 72 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:51,320 Doctor Luke tells us that as Peter grabs him and jerks him in 73 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:55,880 the air, that instantaneously his ankle bones, his sinews, and 74 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,280 all those things that had been deformed from birth all came 75 00:05:59,280 --> 00:06:02,720 back into place. Medically beautiful and he 76 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:07,440 stands first time and then he jumps and runs and he holds 77 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,680 Peter's hand and John and they go into the temple. 78 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:22,640 A crowd gathers as this guy is just going ballistic. 2000 79 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,560 people come to know Christ because as the crowd comes, 80 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:31,080 Peter preaches the gospel. He says, hey, this is no big 81 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:34,040 deal and look at us. They had nothing to do with us. 82 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,280 It's Jesus, the resurrected Jesus. 83 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:39,600 He straight away goes to the gospel. 84 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,880 He straight away goes to the empty tomb and he gives them the 85 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:45,920 gospel. That's what they needed. 86 00:06:46,840 --> 00:06:49,880 Wasn't a miracle. Crusader is about to start the 87 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:58,760 crowd gather. Peter preaches 2000 more men 88 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,960 only not counting the women and the children come to Christ. 89 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:07,320 So now there's 5000 men plus women and children in the church 90 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:12,320 and now the first persecution hits. 91 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:15,600 Peter and John will read or arrested. 92 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,560 They gaoled overnight, they questioned threatened. 93 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:24,040 Jesus says in John chapter 15 verse 20. 94 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,200 Jesus said, remember the word I said to you, he said to the 95 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:33,880 disciples, a servant, that's what we are is not greater than 96 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:39,480 his master. If they persecuted me, they will 97 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:46,160 also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will 98 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:50,520 keep yours also. And so the reward for living a 99 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,720 Christian life in a in a fallen world. 100 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,520 And you're not going to hear this in many churches because I 101 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,960 want to just keep keep them. But backsides on seats and 102 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:05,840 people coming. The reward for living the 103 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,200 Christian life in a fallen, sinful world is not adulation 104 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,840 because you're always such a nice person. 105 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,320 Oh, yeah, yeah, you're. Oh, wonderful. 106 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:19,720 We got we're a Christian here. He's joined with us. 107 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:21,440 We got a Christian playing in our footy team. 108 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,560 Isn't that awesome? Hey, guys, we got a Christian 109 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:25,520 playing in our footy. Oh, yeah. 110 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,360 Awesome, great, great. They're they're really nice 111 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:32,679 people. It's not fame, Judy. 112 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,240 Good works, man. You're a Christian. 113 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:39,200 Oh well, go on Twitter, tell, tell people what the things that 114 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,120 you do, you know all the great, wonderful things you do. 115 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:49,040 You can be an influencer famous. How many people are following 116 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:54,320 you on Twitter? Or X what it's called actually, 117 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:57,760 the reward for living the Christian life in a fallen 118 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:04,160 sinful world is persecution. And we don't like to hear that. 119 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:09,840 We want to live a happy life. And here's the thing, joy is 120 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:13,560 found in serving Christ and it comes with persecution. 121 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:15,400 And that doesn't take away the joy. 122 00:09:20,900 --> 00:09:26,560 Paul wrote to Timothy Young pastor and said this yes and all 123 00:09:26,560 --> 00:09:31,240 who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus is that you do you 124 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,640 desire to live godly life Christ Jesus. 125 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:41,120 Here's the next step will suffer persecution when your kids come 126 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,000 home from school and you know the only Christian kid in school 127 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,200 they mocked by the teacher and they mocked by their classmates. 128 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:50,120 You don't go well, let's get the kid out of the school. 129 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:54,320 Let's go and sack the teacher because that's, that's, that's 130 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,360 just, that's not the way it works. 131 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:07,040 That's what we normally do. No, we pray for the teacher. 132 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,320 We pray for the kids and we pray for our son and our daughter. 133 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,960 We give them the strength of the word of God. 134 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:18,000 We send them back off into school and they grow because the 135 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,880 Bible says greater is he that is in you than he is in the world. 136 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:27,840 Because they're learning to become a disciple of Christ and 137 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:33,920 to live godly comes with it. Persecution, yes. 138 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,040 And all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer 139 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:41,120 persecution. But evil men and imposters will 140 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,960 grow worse and worse. The world's not going to get any 141 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:47,120 better deceiving and being deceived. 142 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:52,840 But you, Paul says, must continue in the things which you 143 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:58,040 have learned. Mum and Dad, you're teaching 144 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:01,640 your kids through the word of God, the things that they need 145 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:03,480 to learn. Continue on in them. 146 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:12,480 Now the Boy Scouts have a mass of merit badges for their 147 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:14,480 progression to leadership, don't they? 148 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:21,720 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, before he died under the Nazi treatment, 149 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,680 wrote from his cell in the Flossenburg concentration camp. 150 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:32,000 These words he said, Suffering is the badge of the true 151 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,720 Christian. Suffering is the badge of the 152 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:39,200 true Christian, Martin Luther said. 153 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:46,800 The marks of a true church are those of a community of those 154 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:52,560 who are persecuted and martyred not for being religious idiots, 155 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,040 but for the gospel's sake. Because they share the gospel 156 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:03,360 and they live by the gospel. Not by being some religious 157 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:10,200 crank, but because they live of Christ and they share the love 158 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,960 of Jesus Christ and the gospel of Jesus Christ. 159 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,480 That Jesus died on the cross. He died for the sins of the 160 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:18,880 world. That he rose from the dead on 161 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:22,680 the third day, that he ascended into heaven. 162 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:25,600 That he's seated at the right hand of the Father, and that 163 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:30,400 he's coming back again. And unless you receive Jesus 164 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:34,440 Christ as your Lord and Saviour, your eternity, you will go to 165 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:36,840 hell. Can't say that. 166 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:38,880 Shouldn't say that. Now you need to hear that. 167 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,880 That's why parents tell you kids when you go out. 168 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:44,680 And when you have little kids and they've got a screwdriver 169 00:12:44,680 --> 00:12:47,960 and they're going near an electric socket, you don't go 170 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,120 stop. I'd like to tell them off, but I 171 00:12:51,120 --> 00:13:02,600 always want to speak positive. So now the church will read 172 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:06,520 praise together for the first time collectively under the 173 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:08,800 power of the Holy Spirit, and it's recorded. 174 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:13,600 And their prayer releases the power of God in such a way the 175 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:17,000 very ground shakes. We'll see that in verse 31. 176 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:24,200 But for some of us, we will never know or sense or taste the 177 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,480 power that is released through prayer. 178 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:28,800 Why? Because we never pray. 179 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,880 We're Christians, We don't read the Bible, we don't pray, but we 180 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:43,760 go to church, we're saved, and we live the saddest lives of all 181 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:45,440 sinners. Enjoy living in sin. 182 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,200 Believers who love Christ, love serving God. 183 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:53,880 But those who are saved but just have enough to come to church, 184 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:56,000 they're the most unhappy people in the world because they 185 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:58,840 they're kind of like living like the world, but they know that 186 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,360 that's not right. And so they dance between the 187 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,920 two. For some of us, we'll never know 188 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:09,440 the power released through prayer also because every prayer 189 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:13,240 that we pray is misguided. It's only when I'm in trouble, 190 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:17,600 when I'm lost at sea and I pray. I've been lost at sea, man 191 00:14:17,680 --> 00:14:18,960 didn't have any problems with praying. 192 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,080 God save us. We're going to drown. 193 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:25,920 I've been the most terrified in all my life. 194 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,880 When I'm surfing, I'm thinking I am going to drown. 195 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:31,160 This is fun. This surfing, it's really good. 196 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,840 You go out there and commit suicide and go, man, that was 197 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:37,680 that was really cool. Nearly drown. 198 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:39,840 It's awesome. Do it again. 199 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:47,880 Some of us will never experience the power of prayer because even 200 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:50,800 when we pray, we don't believe it's going to be answered. 201 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,520 Yeah, OK, Yeah, let's pray. Lord, help us through this 202 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:57,640 situation. It's not going to work, but we 203 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:01,040 prayed. But listen, it's not all bad 204 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,000 when the first martyr of the church, Stephen, was being 205 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,760 stoned as he preached his first recorded sermon under the power 206 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:12,400 of the Holy Spirit. In Acts Chapter 7 verse 55, it 207 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:17,640 says Stephen being full of the Holy Spirit is the key, gazed 208 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:21,640 into heaven as the stones were thumping down on him, saw the 209 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,320 glory of God, Jesus standing at the right hand of God and said, 210 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:28,720 look, I see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing at the 211 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,440 right hand of God. They were his last words near 212 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:36,080 the last words before he died. And then he said these words. 213 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,920 He fell to his knees and said, Lord, don't charge the men who 214 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,760 were throwing the stones with this sin and he died. 215 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,400 But Stephen would never have seen or experienced the welcome 216 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:55,320 to heaven unless he had preached the power and the wonder of God. 217 00:15:55,480 --> 00:16:00,120 And then because he did on his only ever first recorded sermon, 218 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:07,700 he's killed. It's a different life, the 219 00:16:07,700 --> 00:16:09,900 Christian life. Let's read verse one. 220 00:16:09,900 --> 00:16:12,940 You go, oh thank goodness he's finally going to get to the book 221 00:16:12,940 --> 00:16:17,540 of Acts. Now as they spoke to the people, 222 00:16:17,540 --> 00:16:21,140 the priest, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came 223 00:16:21,140 --> 00:16:23,720 upon them. That's Peter and John standing 224 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,280 with the lame man, being greatly disturbed that they taught the 225 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:32,520 people and preached in, preached in Jesus, the resurrection from 226 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:34,000 the dead. There's the key. 227 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,680 And they laid hands on them. They arrested them, put them in 228 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:44,320 custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 229 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:46,480 That's why they locked them up overnight. 230 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,600 We'll read about that. However, many of those who heard 231 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:55,160 the word believed, and the number of the men only, we're 232 00:16:55,160 --> 00:17:00,600 told, came to be about 5000. So Peter has preached standing 233 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:05,440 next to the Lane guy who said another 2000 people have come to 234 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:10,119 Christ. Now the Sadducees, not the 235 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,720 Pharisees, were the other religious group of the day. 236 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,560 And when I mention and go through what these people are 237 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,640 like, Gee, they remind me of a certain group of people today. 238 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:26,480 The Sadducees oppose the church mainly from political motivation 239 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:32,080 are into politics. We'll see that most of the 240 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:35,600 coming persecution through the rest of the book of Acts is from 241 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:37,520 the Sadducees, not the Pharisees. 242 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:39,800 Quite a few of the Pharisees came to Christ. 243 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,720 The Sadducees denied the supernatural. 244 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:46,720 They didn't believe in the supernatural. 245 00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:50,760 They said there's no such thing as evil spirits, no such things 246 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:54,520 as angels, and there is definitely no resurrection. 247 00:17:55,040 --> 00:18:00,280 That doesn't happen. So to the Sadducees, Jesus was 248 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:08,720 simply an ideal, a fad. And the messianic age, it was a 249 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:15,640 process. They were the educated, wealthy 250 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:22,520 elite political sycophants who would sell their mothers to stay 251 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:28,520 in power. Is that remind you there's five 252 00:18:29,360 --> 00:18:33,840 And it came to pass on the next day that their rulers, elders 253 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:40,240 and scribes, as well as the high priest, oh Caiaphas, John and 254 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:43,440 Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high 255 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:45,920 priest. It's a family we're gathered 256 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,560 together at Jerusalem. So we have the crew who 257 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:54,280 condemned Jesus standing around Peter and John. 258 00:18:56,920 --> 00:19:01,760 Peter and John I and I believe the healed lame man were locked 259 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:03,080 up overnight. Why? 260 00:19:03,360 --> 00:19:07,120 Because it was a breach of Jewish law to have a trial in 261 00:19:07,120 --> 00:19:12,520 the evening. But we we remember that this did 262 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:16,760 not stop Christ. Late night kangaroo court did 263 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:18,640 it? Don't worry about that. 264 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,520 It was like being in front of the mafia. 265 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:28,280 That's Caiaphas Anus because they were the family ran the 266 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:32,000 business the the priestly business now are just ripping 267 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:37,800 everyone off and the Sadducees were the corrupt government 268 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,280 politicians. They're all gathered together. 269 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,160 Verse 7 and when they had set them in the midst that's Peter 270 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,800 and John and the lame man they asked this is the question by 271 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:54,680 what power or by what name have you done this sounds a similar 272 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:58,000 question that Jesus was placed by what authority do you do 273 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:03,360 these things. The question was a trap because 274 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:09,440 if Peter or John attributed the miracle healing to any power 275 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:14,200 other than Jehovah. The Sanhedrin at 74 of them, 276 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:18,960 which had gathered against three, would have them sentenced 277 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:23,040 to death based on. Deuteronomy chapter 13. 278 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:26,480 I'll read it to you. If there arises among your 279 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:30,280 prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a 280 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,680 wonder, and the sign or the one that comes to pass of which he 281 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,960 spoke to you, saying, let us go after other gods which you have 282 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,320 not known, and let us serve them. 283 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,480 You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that 284 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,880 dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing 285 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,880 you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your 286 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:52,640 heart, with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord 287 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:57,240 your God and fear him, and keep his commandments and obey his 288 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:00,000 voice. You shall serve him and hold 289 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,400 fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer 290 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:08,880 of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order 291 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,600 to turn you away from the Lord your God. 292 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:17,160 So that's the accusation. So what are Peter and John going 293 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:21,000 to say then? Peter verse 8. 294 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:26,600 Here's the key part. Filled with the Holy Spirit. 295 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:28,960 We read that about Stephen, didn't we? 296 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:35,480 So Peter, each time he preached it said this Peter filled with 297 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:37,720 the Holy Spirit. So it's not Peter going up. 298 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:40,600 Hey John, I've got this, I'll tell him something. 299 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:47,160 No, no, no. The Holy Spirit fills Peter and 300 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:51,560 Peter then speaks rulers of the people and elders of Israel. 301 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,160 Notice you didn't say you bunch of thieves. 302 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:57,000 You think I'm going to tell you anything? 303 00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:59,960 No, he actually is pretty gracious. 304 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:06,120 This is a gathering that he's speaking to of the same faces of 305 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:09,160 those who had met. Remember to condemn Jesus to 306 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:13,720 death by crucifixion. In verse 8, we read Peter is 307 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:17,040 filled with the Holy Spirit and he preaches with power the 308 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:21,040 gospel to those who stand in judgement of their preaching of 309 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,840 the resurrection. Peter's message again, you need 310 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,080 to learn this was built upon the word of God. 311 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:32,280 My words, my opinion, count for nothing. 312 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,600 Don't counsel people and go well, this is what I think you 313 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:37,720 should do. What you should do is actually, 314 00:22:39,360 --> 00:22:43,200 let's say a word, you should point them to the Scriptures, 315 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:47,480 should get them to pray and seek wisdom from God. 316 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:50,640 Don't you tell you don't know what you're doing anyway. 317 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:56,360 I don't know what I'm doing, but I know the Bible tells us what 318 00:22:56,360 --> 00:22:59,040 to do. I know God will speak to us. 319 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:05,600 And so it says, verse 9, if we this day are judged for a good 320 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:10,080 deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made, 321 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:14,600 well, let it be made known to you all and to all the people of 322 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:18,280 Israel. Here he goes, that by the name 323 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:24,720 of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, doesn't hold 324 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,040 back. He didn't sell. 325 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,240 And and some people, you know, they crucified him, but not you 326 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:35,480 guys. No, it was them whom God raised 327 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:39,680 from the dead by him. This man stands here before you 328 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:48,480 whole this verse 11 is the stone which was rejected by you 329 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:54,960 builders which has become the chief cornerstone nor is there 330 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:57,560 self. Now notice he says that that's 331 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:00,920 how the healing happened. Now he goes on to another deal 332 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:04,440 about you can only have a relationship with God. 333 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:10,840 How nor is there salvation in any other for there is no other 334 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:17,240 name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. 335 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:21,720 Wow. Now when they saw the boldness 336 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:26,120 of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated, these 337 00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:30,320 are Galileans, untrained men. They hadn't been to university. 338 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:35,360 They marvelled and they realised that they had been with Jesus. 339 00:24:36,120 --> 00:24:40,640 That's the difference. Because they've been with Jesus, 340 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:45,240 they're like Jesus. And seeing the man who had been 341 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,880 healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 342 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:54,000 Peter's message was again built upon the Word of God. 343 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,880 Daniel chapter 2, verse 34 to 35. 344 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:02,760 Daniel speaks of the stone they would crush down. 345 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:05,840 Remember the great image that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of. 346 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:11,760 The stone not made with hands would come crash it down, and 347 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,240 they would fill the whole world. That's the Millennium that's 348 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,320 coming with Jesus will rule the world. 349 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:23,480 Isaiah spoke of the same stone in Isaiah chapter 8 and chapter 350 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:26,960 28. Zechariah the prophet refers to 351 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,840 the very same passage in Zechariah chapter 3. 352 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:35,080 And Peter quotes Psalm 118, verse 22, the stone which the 353 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:38,240 builders rejected. Jesus had quoted the Scripture 354 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:42,080 about himself in Mark's Gospel, chapter 12, verse 10. 355 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,160 So who are the builders? They're the Jewish nation. 356 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:49,800 Who's the stone? The Messiah? 357 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,520 Jesus. He's rejected but now seated 358 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:57,400 victoriously after his resurrection and ascension into 359 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,320 heaven at the right hand of the Father in heaven. 360 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:06,680 He was once despised and now he's glorified Peter. 361 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:11,680 And verse 10 declares that it was by Jesus that resurrected 362 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:15,480 Jesus. He's not dead, he's in heaven 363 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,040 and he's still ruling and he's still performing miracles. 364 00:26:20,120 --> 00:26:27,600 You killed him, but God raised him from the dead and he's the 365 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:32,560 one that's healed this lame man. Peter goes deeper now in verse 366 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:37,720 12 and declares that only through that Jesus, Jesus of 367 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:41,360 Nazareth resurrected from the dead, seated at the right hand 368 00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:45,960 of the Father, the stone that you rejected, that he, only 369 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,640 through him can salvation be found. 370 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:54,400 So what happened after Peter's Holy Spirit filled message? 371 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:03,080 Well, the Sanhedrin, there's this guy healed. 372 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:10,040 I had nothing I could say. The proof was before the impact, 373 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:13,920 The power of the Holy Spirit, Peter's words, the power of the 374 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:17,040 word of God used by Peter hit the mark. 375 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:22,320 The religious leaders, So they send Peter and John, the lame 376 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:25,680 man out and they convene, you know, the all three stooges. 377 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:28,760 What are we going to do? What are we going to do? 378 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:30,400 They come back. Some of you don't know the three 379 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:32,600 Stooges, mate. Come on. 380 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:35,880 Get some intellect and learning into your lives. 381 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:46,560 One of my kids used to call them The three students couldn't say 382 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:48,640 Stooges. The three students are on. 383 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,560 The three students are on. They're educated. 384 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:55,640 The religious leaders convene. They decide to release Peter and 385 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:57,080 John. We've got to let them go, man. 386 00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:01,680 There's a crowd gathered. No law had been broken, a man 387 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:04,240 had been healed. They threatened them with 388 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:09,840 violence is the only solution. Peter and John will let you go 389 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:16,440 this time on this proviso, you must not speak to anyone and 390 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:19,160 mention the name of Jesus. Verse 18. 391 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,200 You know, that sounds a lot like government departments, doesn't 392 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,880 it? In schools, it's funny. 393 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:35,160 You can talk about yoga, Hindu, Islam, don't touch Islam, don't 394 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:42,360 want to be an Islamophobias. You can talk about all sorts of 395 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:46,040 you can talk about that we're we're created from monkeys. 396 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:51,200 You can say that you touch Jesus, you're out of there. 397 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:58,640 You get dismissed, you get sacked, you get hold over the 398 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:02,480 coals. You see the world hasn't 399 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:06,040 changed. Jesus doesn't fit in a fallen 400 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:08,840 world. He came to save sinners. 401 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:17,160 So Peter's response about not preaching Jesus name anymore 402 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:22,040 verse 19. Do you think God wants us to 403 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:26,960 obey you rather than Him? You see, that's up your sleeve, 404 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:30,960 believers. Peter says we cannot stop 405 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,600 telling what we have seen and heard. 406 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,200 Acts chapter one, verse 8. We are witnesses. 407 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,920 We testify of what we've seen and what we've heard. 408 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:47,560 Peter and John leave and they return to the gathered church. 409 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:52,000 The church had been threatened by the most powerful religious 410 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,160 political leaders in all of Israel. 411 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:58,920 God allowed this to happen. First of all. 412 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:02,520 Note that this didn't happen by chance. 413 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:07,600 God allowed Peter and John to be brought before the Sanhedrin. 414 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:15,400 God had directed Peter and John that fateful day to tell the 415 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:19,800 lame man to look at them, and he grabbed him and rose him and he 416 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,240 stood and walked. But what now? 417 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:25,080 Well, we'll pick it. We'll pick it. 418 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:29,520 Let's call a group and we'll get T-shirts and go ban the 419 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:33,400 Sadducees and we'll pick up the houses and spray paint them and 420 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:36,120 all sorts of things. And or we can move. 421 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,800 We can build big walls and not having any come, no one come 422 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:43,600 near us. You know, God gives each and 423 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:48,280 every one of us the opportunity to know who he is and his holy 424 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:53,440 power and might, but so few ever taste of such an experience as 425 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:55,600 we'll read that the church experienced. 426 00:30:55,960 --> 00:31:01,000 Why is it the church today isn't experiencing the power and the 427 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:07,520 might that we read so much? Good question when the church 428 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:12,360 verse 24 heard what had happened and what Peter and John had been 429 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:15,360 threatened with, what did they do? 430 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:23,200 Went to their local member said this is terrible organised the 431 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:30,520 political rally Acts verse chapter verse 24 says and when 432 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:36,320 they heard this, they lifted up their voice to God with 1 accord 433 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:44,080 and said Lord you are God which made heaven and earth and the 434 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:48,920 sea and all that in them is you go what are they climate people 435 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:52,120 in this church. What is the go here and they 436 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:55,160 know what's going on at least no. 437 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:59,520 The first thing, the first thing the church did at this dangerous 438 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:03,880 impasse, this challenging and threatening moment was one they 439 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:08,240 immediately lifted up their voices with 1 accord and 440 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:12,920 together pray to God. You know, if we stand and we 441 00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:16,920 pray as a church on issues, you know what will happen. 442 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:23,680 God will move. If we stand together and pray on 443 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:30,960 issues, God will move. Here is a true Christian 444 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:35,320 fellowship in action. It's in prayer. 445 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:38,640 That's where the greatest fellowship occurs, in prayer, 446 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:41,040 not when we're having muffins together. 447 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:48,840 Have you ever wondered? Well Peter and John have been 448 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:54,880 bold in their witness of Jesus and they were equally as bold in 449 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:56,960 turning to God in prayer. The church was. 450 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,880 Have you ever wondered what the actual words were of Jesus when 451 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:03,000 he prayed? We have the Lords Prayer now 452 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,960 before our eyes. We have the very words, the 453 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:10,800 actual words of prayer, Peter and John and the church, the 454 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:13,760 actual words of prayer added by the lips of this gathered early 455 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:16,920 church are written down. The first Christians in the 456 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:19,440 early church. It's a place you can go to and 457 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:21,080 go. We're going to pray like this. 458 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:27,000 How do their words, how does their passion, how does the 459 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:30,320 impact of their prayer compare with yours and mine today? 460 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:37,200 Do we start off with Lord God? You were God, you made heaven 461 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:44,040 and earth, see, and all that is in them, the first thing they 462 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:46,720 prayed, Lord, you are God. That's important. 463 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:51,040 The word Lord here that they use is the Greek word despotes, 464 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:56,880 where we get our word despot. It means sovereign Lord, it 465 00:33:56,880 --> 00:34:01,840 means the Lord of Lords. How does that first statement 466 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:07,240 set the compass for your prayer to be powerful, for your prayer 467 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:12,920 to be answered Because you're going to the Lord of Lords, You 468 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,000 know when you have a problem at a shop. 469 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:18,760 So I want to see the manager. Usually the shopkeeper turns 470 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,040 around and says I'm the manager. You haven't noticed that. 471 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:23,840 And some nothing against young kids. 472 00:34:24,159 --> 00:34:26,560 Some young kid comes in, I'm the manager of the day. 473 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:29,760 Oh, OK then. Well, let's just leave it. 474 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:39,520 The religious leaders could threaten, warn they got out of 475 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:44,040 prohibitions, but their authority was subject to a 476 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:47,560 higher authority. Still you know Albert Albanese, 477 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:53,760 his authority is subject to the Lord of Lords, as is Putin, as 478 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:58,280 is Trump, as a Starmer, as is every government the United 479 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:03,600 Nations around the world. God rules. 480 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:08,640 Psalm 110 verse one. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit 481 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:11,920 thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies your 482 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:14,520 footstool. That's the Lord of Lords 483 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:19,080 speaking to Jesus in Isaiah chapter 41 of the great passages 484 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:24,360 in the Bible. It says verse 22, God sits above 485 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:28,240 the circle of the earth. Notice that's for all the flat 486 00:35:28,240 --> 00:35:31,160 earthers. The people below seem like 487 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:35,040 grasshoppers to him. He spreads out the heavens like 488 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:37,480 a curtain. He makes his tent from them. 489 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:41,560 He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to 490 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:44,960 nothing. Ask Nebuchadnezzar, Isn't this 491 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:47,440 the great Kingdom that I built? Great Babylon? 492 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:50,760 Next minute he's out eating grass for seven seasons. 493 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:56,960 Verse 25 of Isaiah 40. To whom will you compare me? 494 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:01,920 Who is my equal? God says past the Holy One, look 495 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:04,280 up to the heavens who created all the stars. 496 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,680 He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each 497 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:11,600 by its name. Because of His great power and 498 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:15,800 incomparable strength, not a single one is missing. 499 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:22,120 You see, the edicts of men overturn, cannot overturn the 500 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:24,360 decrees of God. I want you to hear that. 501 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:28,800 The edicts of men, that's men's laws, men's rules cannot 502 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:33,120 overturn the decrees of God. Who shall I obey, you or God? 503 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:38,040 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, you better bow down. 504 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:40,560 The music started. You better bow down to that 505 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:46,080 image or throw you in a fire. Well, you know, whether the Lord 506 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:48,400 delivers us from the fire or not, that's up to him. 507 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:53,360 But we ain't bowing down. Throw them in the fire. 508 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:55,760 Who's in the fire? How many did we throw in the 509 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:58,560 fire? 123 There's a fourth person in 510 00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:00,840 there, and he looks like the Son of God. 511 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:08,400 We ain't bowing down. Daniel praying. 512 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:12,280 It's against the law to pray. You've gone up there as you've 513 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:13,560 had. You've had your bedroom window 514 00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:15,680 open and there you go praying again. 515 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:17,880 Bring him in, throw him into the lions. 516 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:20,360 Then Daniel. Daniel, you're still there. 517 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:25,000 Yes, my king, still here. Lovely night laying on the 518 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:28,960 lions, lovely fairy bed. Bit of a fur ball. 519 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:36,840 Man said you cannot pray to your God. 520 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:45,280 God said no. Where do you fit in this second 521 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,960 thing Note with me the second point of this amazing prayer. 522 00:37:48,240 --> 00:37:51,480 Before the people brought any request, any petition, before 523 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:54,840 they asked for anything, they first filled their minds with 524 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:59,840 thoughts of the divine sovereignty, the power and 525 00:37:59,840 --> 00:38:02,520 authority of the Almighty, Almighty God. 526 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:07,360 Who are they all praying to? We have a saying in Australia. 527 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:09,800 He'll sort it out. Don't worry, he'll sort it out. 528 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:15,400 He'll sort it out. Verse 24 Lord, you are God who 529 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:18,160 made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them. 530 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:22,680 To which God do you pray? Which God do you pray to? 531 00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:27,040 To the God you doubt. What's the use? 532 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:31,720 You doubt could change or do what you ask because that's a 533 00:38:31,720 --> 00:38:33,600 little God. That's not the God of the Bible. 534 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:35,440 That's not the God the church prayed to. 535 00:38:36,720 --> 00:38:42,200 Or do you pray to the God who created all things, let there be 536 00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:48,320 light and there was the God you can trust who is able to do the 537 00:38:48,720 --> 00:38:51,040 impossible. That's what God does. 538 00:38:51,720 --> 00:38:54,560 You see, you and I live in a world with men that you can't do 539 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:55,960 that. That's that's not going to 540 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:58,520 happen. And God says, I'm outside this 541 00:38:58,520 --> 00:38:59,800 world. I made this world. 542 00:38:59,920 --> 00:39:04,360 When you pray to me, I intervene, I change things. 543 00:39:04,560 --> 00:39:08,000 I can hold the sun, Joshua said. We need more sunlight. 544 00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:15,560 There you go, Fight away. We can't cross the the sea. 545 00:39:15,720 --> 00:39:16,800 We got to see. Be honest. 546 00:39:16,800 --> 00:39:19,600 And Chariots. Egyptians, don't worry about 547 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:24,960 that. But where do you and I fit in 548 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:27,040 that? Or do we just read those in 549 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:31,880 Sunday school books? Is that how you live as an adult 550 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:39,840 now, as a believer to the God who created all things, the God 551 00:39:39,840 --> 00:39:44,400 you can trust who is able to do the impossible? 552 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:48,920 That's why you pray Hebrews 11/6. 553 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:53,440 But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he 554 00:39:53,440 --> 00:39:57,200 who comes to God must believe that He is, that He is a 555 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:00,000 rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 556 00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:05,000 James says don't pray if you're a doubter tossed around like the 557 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:11,360 a cork on the ocean. Luke 11 Jesus told the story 558 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:15,400 verse 11 if a son asked for bread from any father among you, 559 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:19,160 will he give him a stone? Or he asked for a fish, will he 560 00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:20,960 give him a serpent instead of a fish? 561 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:24,160 Or if he asked for an egg will he offer him a scorpion? 562 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:29,960 Jesus says hey you guys listen up if you then being evil you're 563 00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:33,760 just human know how to give good gifts to your children. 564 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:41,160 How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to 565 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:47,000 those who ask him? He is the God of creation, verse 566 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:49,680 21. He is the God of Revelation, 567 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:53,600 verse 25 to 26. He is the God of history. 568 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:56,520 We see it in the past. He created all things. 569 00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:58,080 He's been in charge of everything. 570 00:40:58,160 --> 00:40:59,880 We went through the book of Daniel. 571 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:03,200 He told you which empires will come, who's next, who would 572 00:41:03,200 --> 00:41:04,840 fall. He's told us what's going to 573 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:07,080 happen in the future in the Book of Revelation. 574 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:09,640 We sit at this stage now in the book of Acts. 575 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:15,040 Revelation is about to start, the rapture is soon, seven years 576 00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:18,160 of tribulation are coming, and then 1000 year reign. 577 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:20,960 That's the future of the world. Where do you sit with that? 578 00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:25,680 Because we kind of go, you know, when the last does. 579 00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:28,640 No, let me tell you, time's short. 580 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:36,040 Time is short. 3 verbs in this powerful prayer. 581 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:41,720 Verse 24 you made. Verse 25, you spoke, it was 28. 582 00:41:41,720 --> 00:41:46,480 You decided only now with their hearts, minds and souls filled 583 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:49,520 with the vision of the God who they're praying to, the all 584 00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:53,920 powerful mighty created God, were they ready now to ask 585 00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:56,840 something in prayer. When you pray, if you don't 586 00:41:56,840 --> 00:42:00,000 believe in the God who's the creator and most powerful being 587 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:03,720 in the world, then you that is going to happen. 588 00:42:04,080 --> 00:42:07,200 But if you go to prayer and you're going to God and you know 589 00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:10,080 who it is, you're going to pray for man, you're confident, 590 00:42:10,080 --> 00:42:12,000 aren't you? You're trusting. 591 00:42:12,240 --> 00:42:14,960 Whatever he does, he's going to, he's going to sort this out. 592 00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:18,440 That's what you can say to your kids, husbands, That's what you 593 00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:20,120 can say. If you're a man of God in your 594 00:42:20,120 --> 00:42:22,200 family, you can be saying that to your wife. 595 00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:24,360 Don't trouble. Don't worry. 596 00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:29,640 God, the God we serve the the true God of the Bible, he'll 597 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:33,720 sort it out. We'll give it to him, cast out 598 00:42:33,720 --> 00:42:35,280 cares before him. Why? 599 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:39,480 Because he cares for you. They asked for three things. 1X 600 00:42:40,360 --> 00:42:43,280 429. Now, Lord, look on their threats 601 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:48,920 and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak 602 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:52,800 your word. They didn't go into a Secret 603 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:56,560 Service mission, they said. Now look at what they've said. 604 00:42:56,560 --> 00:43:01,080 Lord, take what they've said and help us now to continue to speak 605 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:03,800 boldly the word of God. Wow. 606 00:43:04,680 --> 00:43:07,200 Exactly opposite to what they've been threatened about. 607 00:43:08,920 --> 00:43:11,920 The word look means consider, behold their threats. 608 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:15,960 They were not praying that their threats would fall under divine 609 00:43:15,960 --> 00:43:17,400 judgement. They didn't ask that. 610 00:43:18,040 --> 00:43:21,680 They did not pray their threats remain unfulfilled so they could 611 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:24,960 live under peace and safety. They didn't ask that now they 612 00:43:24,960 --> 00:43:26,520 asked God. Consider them. 613 00:43:26,600 --> 00:43:29,560 You look after them. Lord, have them on your mind. 614 00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:35,120 Regard them, but give us boldness first. 615 00:43:35,120 --> 00:43:40,360 Second thing, that God would enable them his servants. 616 00:43:40,360 --> 00:43:45,440 Notice it says his servants slaves literally to speak God's 617 00:43:45,440 --> 00:43:51,120 word with great boldness and grant to your servants that with 618 00:43:51,120 --> 00:43:53,760 all boldness they may speak your word. 619 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:58,160 They were undeterred by the religious councils, threatening, 620 00:43:58,720 --> 00:44:03,000 unafraid of their threats. Thirdly, their third prayer 621 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:10,160 request was that God would act verse 30 by stretching out your 622 00:44:10,160 --> 00:44:15,880 hand to heal, bring healing, heal one man, heal more, and 623 00:44:15,880 --> 00:44:18,480 that signs and wonders may be done. 624 00:44:18,560 --> 00:44:24,320 How through the name of your holy servant Jesus capital S son 625 00:44:24,320 --> 00:44:26,920 of God. Let me qualify. 626 00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:33,240 The demand now on these three things was not now for miracles 627 00:44:33,240 --> 00:44:36,720 of vengeance. Kill all the Sanhedrin, wipe 628 00:44:36,720 --> 00:44:38,520 them out, swallow them up in a great hole. 629 00:44:39,680 --> 00:44:46,320 Destruction fire from heaven. No, Lord, bring miracles for the 630 00:44:46,320 --> 00:44:49,800 glory of your name. Just just bring miracles for the 631 00:44:49,800 --> 00:44:54,040 glory of your name. What happened after they prayed? 632 00:44:54,600 --> 00:44:58,120 That's a good thing. God's answer was that he shook 633 00:44:58,120 --> 00:45:01,600 the ground on which they stood in power. 634 00:45:01,720 --> 00:45:08,520 And in response, verse 31 And when they had prayed, the place 635 00:45:08,520 --> 00:45:12,680 where they were assembled together was shaken. 636 00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:20,160 And notice what happened. We read it again, and they were 637 00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:25,840 all filled with the Holy Spirit. You see, Pentecost, how many 638 00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:28,920 feelings has Peter had? How many times? 639 00:45:29,120 --> 00:45:32,040 Oh, I was filled with the Holy Spirit back in year 38. 640 00:45:32,040 --> 00:45:35,840 It was I remember I just after before the Second World War and 641 00:45:35,840 --> 00:45:38,920 I got another burst just after the Second World War and God 642 00:45:38,920 --> 00:45:44,800 really moved back in those Hey, hey, today you need today you 643 00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:48,840 need to be filled tomorrow you need to be filled with the Holy 644 00:45:48,840 --> 00:45:54,400 Spirit. Ephesians says go on continually 645 00:45:54,400 --> 00:46:00,440 being filled and they were all filled all filled with the Holy 646 00:46:00,440 --> 00:46:03,680 Spirit. So what was the impact of the 647 00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:06,240 shaking? They're all filled with the Holy 648 00:46:06,240 --> 00:46:08,800 Spirit. God answered their prayer. 649 00:46:08,920 --> 00:46:18,360 How specifically verse 29 and they spoke the word of God with 650 00:46:18,560 --> 00:46:22,440 boldness. Note that fill them with the 651 00:46:22,440 --> 00:46:23,840 Holy Spirit. What happened? 652 00:46:24,120 --> 00:46:25,800 They spoke the word of God with boldness. 653 00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:29,040 So you send your son, your daughter back to school, back to 654 00:46:29,040 --> 00:46:31,160 the team. You go back to your workplace. 655 00:46:31,560 --> 00:46:34,000 You, you're not, you're not ducking and dodging from the 656 00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:36,400 bully or the, you know, the boss that gives you a hard time. 657 00:46:39,800 --> 00:46:44,400 You speak with wisdom, wiser as a serpent in general as a dove, 658 00:46:45,280 --> 00:46:47,840 but you speak with boldness. Well, actually, you know, you 659 00:46:47,840 --> 00:46:51,200 said that about this doesn't change anything that I believe. 660 00:46:51,200 --> 00:46:53,360 I still believe what the Bible says is correct about that. 661 00:46:55,680 --> 00:46:59,200 You speak with boldness. Boldness doesn't mean you have 662 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:02,640 to be bombastic. It means you speak it. 663 00:47:03,160 --> 00:47:08,680 Speak it. But notice what else came for in 664 00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:11,080 the next chapter. It's recorded Acts chapter 5, 665 00:47:11,080 --> 00:47:16,840 verse 12, and through the hands of the apostles many signs and 666 00:47:16,840 --> 00:47:21,040 wonders were done among the people, and they were all with 1 667 00:47:21,040 --> 00:47:25,680 accord in Solomon's porch this morning. 668 00:47:29,440 --> 00:47:33,960 God is drawing us and putting a focus on us as a church. 669 00:47:34,280 --> 00:47:37,480 A church isn't a place where individuals go to find Christ 670 00:47:37,960 --> 00:47:40,760 had to do with Christ. A church is a place where 671 00:47:40,760 --> 00:47:44,840 brothers and sisters in Christ gathered together under the 672 00:47:45,000 --> 00:47:48,600 leadership of Jesus Christ and they work together bringing the 673 00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:51,880 gifting that they have to do the work of God. 674 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:56,760 It's not an individual thing that you come and go, oh I've 675 00:47:56,760 --> 00:48:00,160 done my thing and no, you're part of the body of Christ. 676 00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:05,960 Read 1 Corinthians 12/13 and 14 and you supply a very important 677 00:48:05,960 --> 00:48:09,200 part for the rest of the people. And when you don't do your bit, 678 00:48:09,280 --> 00:48:13,200 we suffer. The body isn't working till it's 679 00:48:13,200 --> 00:48:20,320 full capacity. God is calling us this church to 680 00:48:20,320 --> 00:48:25,160 be a people of prayer, to pray as a church and to pray 681 00:48:25,160 --> 00:48:29,960 powerfully. The people who, when we pray, 682 00:48:30,520 --> 00:48:33,000 God moves. And you know what? 683 00:48:33,400 --> 00:48:35,000 We've experienced that, haven't we? 684 00:48:35,400 --> 00:48:38,440 Those of you who come on the Wednesday nights, you know that 685 00:48:38,600 --> 00:48:42,720 the things that we've prayed for, what has happened, God has 686 00:48:42,760 --> 00:48:50,080 moved miraculously. A people who will pray for all 687 00:48:50,080 --> 00:48:55,280 things, a people who will pray together with one mind, led by 688 00:48:55,280 --> 00:48:58,600 His Holy Spirit. The question is, I want to ask 689 00:48:58,600 --> 00:49:02,280 you today, will you be a praying person this morning? 690 00:49:04,320 --> 00:49:08,640 Will you be a praying person? God's God's asking you. 691 00:49:09,920 --> 00:49:12,600 The harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few. 692 00:49:12,600 --> 00:49:15,960 And we come from thinking, I don't want to go out there and 693 00:49:16,040 --> 00:49:20,680 do OK, pray, gather with the church and pray. 694 00:49:20,840 --> 00:49:22,600 Do that. That's the best job you can do 695 00:49:22,600 --> 00:49:24,920 anyway. That's the most powerful thing 696 00:49:24,920 --> 00:49:28,520 you can do anyway. Do you believe in the power of 697 00:49:28,520 --> 00:49:31,640 prayer for today? God is speaking to you about 698 00:49:31,640 --> 00:49:36,040 that because in Two Chronicles 16-9, the Bible says for the 699 00:49:36,040 --> 00:49:40,800 eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to 700 00:49:40,800 --> 00:49:45,720 show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is 701 00:49:45,760 --> 00:49:52,840 perfect toward him. This morning God calls you to be 702 00:49:52,840 --> 00:50:01,760 a people of prayer that as as a church, not just an isolated 703 00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:03,560 individual, I'm going to do my thing. 704 00:50:04,600 --> 00:50:09,280 People whose prayers are not loaded with selfish desires, no, 705 00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:11,960 but prayers that are driven by God's desires. 706 00:50:12,120 --> 00:50:15,200 The Lord's Prayer starts off with what our Father, our 707 00:50:15,200 --> 00:50:18,960 Father, notice doesn't say. My Father, our Father, who art 708 00:50:18,960 --> 00:50:24,360 in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be 709 00:50:24,360 --> 00:50:28,160 done where as it on earth, as it is in heaven. 710 00:50:28,280 --> 00:50:31,120 That's our job. Jesus said pray this way. 711 00:50:32,440 --> 00:50:40,800 That's what we're going to do. God wants to draw you close to 712 00:50:40,800 --> 00:50:44,480 him for you to know him as your heavenly Father. 713 00:50:46,320 --> 00:50:50,360 Powerful. He's powerful, He's protective 714 00:50:50,960 --> 00:50:52,960 and he's loving and he's merciful. 715 00:50:53,720 --> 00:50:58,560 He is our Father in heaven who desires to answer your prayers 716 00:50:58,560 --> 00:51:00,520 and to bless you. That's God's desire. 717 00:51:01,600 --> 00:51:05,400 God raised this crucified Jesus from the grave. 718 00:51:05,840 --> 00:51:09,240 There is salvation in no one else but Christ. 719 00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:14,120 It's Jesus Christ or nothing. It's Jesus or judgement. 720 00:51:14,720 --> 00:51:22,400 It's Jesus or eternal hell. Do not pray for easy lives. 721 00:51:24,200 --> 00:51:26,960 Pray to be stronger. Men and women. 722 00:51:27,880 --> 00:51:31,640 Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. 723 00:51:32,640 --> 00:51:36,240 Pray for powers equal to your tasks. 724 00:51:36,440 --> 00:51:38,920 Let's stand in honour of the Lord, shall we? 725 00:51:40,320 --> 00:51:44,600 Father, I pray for any who are here today that do not know you 726 00:51:44,680 --> 00:51:48,760 as their Lord and Saviour, that you are calling them not only to 727 00:51:48,760 --> 00:51:53,320 be part of your Kingdom, but you're calling them to be part 728 00:51:53,320 --> 00:52:01,960 of your prayer power team. Lord, let our children be people 729 00:52:01,960 --> 00:52:05,120 of prayer. Let each home be a House of 730 00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:11,760 prayer, but let this church be like the Church of the early 731 00:52:11,760 --> 00:52:15,280 days. And Lord, I pray that you'll 732 00:52:15,280 --> 00:52:20,160 shape this building and shake the very ground on which we 733 00:52:20,160 --> 00:52:24,120 stand as we ask and seek you and pray these things. 734 00:52:24,120 --> 00:52:27,920 We ask and pray in Jesus name. And everyone said Amen, Amen.