Saturating A City with the Gospel (Acts 5:26-29)
Acts 5:26-29, Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us, 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
The apostles were retrieved from the Temple and brought before the Sanhedrin. The apostles went peaceably with the Temple guard to appear before the council. They brought them in without violence, they did not have to bind them. The Sanhedrin was the Jewish Supreme Court consisting of a total of 70 members and the High Priest who was in charge. In the time of Christ, this court was very corrupt. The Sanhedrin had total jurisdiction over all the theological and religious matters in Israel. The high priest despised the name of Jesus so much that they would not even mention His name. Don’t miss the fact that the whole council was opposed to the work of God through His church, but its ringleader was the high priest. Truth mattered little if any to these leaders. The apostles were charged with several offenses. They were charged with defiance to the commands of the council. They were charged with insubordination (they defied the command to not teach in the name of Jesus). They were charged with indoctrination (they filled Jerusalem with the doctrine of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ). They were charged with incrimination (they intended to bring the guilt of the death upon the people). They had broken the specific law that the name and resurrection of Jesus Christ was not to be preached according to Acts 4:18. Acts 4:18, And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. Believers are sometimes forbidden to speak for their Lord by governments, businesses, fellow workers, schools, institutions, and neighbors. This is in direct conflict with the Lord's command (Acts 1:4, 8). Acts 1:4, And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. Acts 1:8, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. We also find the apostles' victory in speaking the truth. They told the Jews and their religious leaders the truth of what they did to Jesus. They killed the Messiah. The high priest conveniently forgot that he and his associates had said to Pilate, "His blood be upon us and on our children!" (Matthew 27:25). They were only getting what they had asked Pilate to give to them.
The council had commanded the apostles not to teach in the name of Jesus and yet they defied the council. The high priest avoids mentioning the name of Jesus. The world doesn't mind us believing in God as long as we don't mention Christ. God called and Spirit filled preachers will magnify and exalt the name of Jesus. They prayed for Spirit-inspired boldness to speak the Word and God answered their prayer (Acts 4:29). It would have been sinful for these apostles to obey the leaders’ mandate not to speak when they had been clearly commanded by God himself to speak (Acts 5:20). God is the highest authority and rules in the highest court anywhere. Our first obedience is always to him. In that case, they had to obey God rather than human authority. John G. Butler said, “Governments often try to clamp down on the Bible message and prohibit preachers from preaching the truth... And congregations frequently think they are the authority, too, and hesitate not to tell the preacher what he should preach. But few things are so presumptuous as someone trying to tell God’s man what to preach... A true man of God gets his message from God. He is to preach the Word as the Holy Spirit leads him.” John Stott wrote, “If the authority concerned misuses its God-given power to command what God forbids or to forbid what God commands, then the Christian’s duty is to disobey the human authority in order to obey God.” When governmental or religious authorities clearly contradict God’s Word, our first obedience is always to God. Galatians 1:10, For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Whenever we have to choose between obeying God and authorities, we should obey God. One of the greatest questions facing every Christian is not, “Is this particular thing or activity convenient, pleasurable or popular with people?” but, “Is this particular thing or activity right with God and is it what He desires?” Those who aim always to please people will never be able to please God. The apostles were rebuked and they reminded them, "We commanded you to not teach in Jesus name!" Then they had to admit the victory of the apostles in filling the city of Jerusalem with the doctrine of Christ and His Gospel. Despite the external persecution and internal problems, the apostles kept on teaching and preaching. To saturate a city is not easy to do at all, but these men of God did it through the power of God and hard work. Jesus was the talk of the town. Can you imagine what America would be like if Jesus was the talk of every town and people were excited about Him?
The power of the witness of Christians cannot be underestimated. In the last century two independent studies were conducted 50 years apart to determine the kindest city in the United States. In both surveys, 1940 and 1990, the city that was ranked first was Rochester, New York. What was attributed to their friendliness? The answer is the greatest revival in the history of the United States that took place in 1831, under the preaching of evangelist Charles Finney. 1,200 people were saved and united with churches during this revival that swept lawyers, doctors, and prominent businessmen into the kingdom of Heaven. Forty of the converts entered the ministry. The entire town was changed as many taverns and red-light districts closed down. The ripple effect of this revival spread to 1500 towns and villages in the surrounding areas. The testimony of those that were saved, their influence for the Lord, is still having an impact for Christ upon their descendants that live in Rochester and across the globe. Following Jesus and serving Jesus will give you many opportunities in life to testify and witness before all kinds of people.
Early in Acts, we have seen how faithful the church was in its witness through preaching, performing miracles, in prayer, and in fellowship and communion. But beyond the collective witness of the church there must also be the personal witness of believers. A witness is someone who tells what he or she has personally seen and heard. This can sometimes be costly and sacrificial as it was for Peter and the apostles. For some in history it has meant laying down their lives (martyred) for the gospel. The apostles did not hold back. They were not intimidated into silence. They looked them in the eyes and boldly told them the facts without fear or hesitation. The eternal destiny of these people was at stake. They needed to be saved and the only way to reach them was to reveal to them their sin and their solution...Jesus Christ. John Phillips wrote, “There was a higher court in Israel than the Sanhedrin: the Supreme Court of Heaven. The God of heaven had sent His Son into the world; He had sent His Spirit into the world; He had now sent His servants into the world. The Sanhedrin had no authority to forbid them to preach in the name of Jesus. They knew it. The apostles knew it. It was simply a question of loyalty.” Christians today struggle to share the Gospel with unsaved friends and family because of fear and intimidation. If you can overcome that fear, you have won a great victory. If you can saturate a city with the Gospel, you have won a great victory. Not all people will be saved, but if you can at least give people the opportunity to hear or read the Gospel, you have achieved with God's help a victory.
Peter’s Sermon Outline:
1.Christ's Death—"... whom ye slew and hanged on a tree " (Acts 5:30).
2.Christ's Resurrection—" The God of our fathers raised up Jesus " (Acts 5:30).
3.Christ's Ascension—" God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour " (Acts 5:31).
Points to Ponder:
We will face these same problems throughout our ministry, yet we too should keep on keeping on.
Help us to fear and hate sin because we fear and love God, who is holy!
We must obey God by proclaiming and teaching that Jesus Christ is the risen Saviour and Lord.
Questions to Consider:
In what ways do you sense a need for this kind of response, motivation and drawing upon the strength of the Holy Spirit in your life and in your community?
What has this study inspired you to help reach your community for Christ?
Would you be willing to pray and ask the Lord for boldness today?
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to remain steadfast to preach Your Word and minister to others. In Jesus Name, AMEN!
If this post in any way, has blessed you,
please share this website and its articles with others:
www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
Acts 5:26-29, Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us, 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
The apostles were retrieved from the Temple and brought before the Sanhedrin. The apostles went peaceably with the Temple guard to appear before the council. They brought them in without violence, they did not have to bind them. The Sanhedrin was the Jewish Supreme Court consisting of a total of 70 members and the High Priest who was in charge. In the time of Christ, this court was very corrupt. The Sanhedrin had total jurisdiction over all the theological and religious matters in Israel. The high priest despised the name of Jesus so much that they would not even mention His name. Don’t miss the fact that the whole council was opposed to the work of God through His church, but its ringleader was the high priest. Truth mattered little if any to these leaders. The apostles were charged with several offenses. They were charged with defiance to the commands of the council. They were charged with insubordination (they defied the command to not teach in the name of Jesus). They were charged with indoctrination (they filled Jerusalem with the doctrine of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ). They were charged with incrimination (they intended to bring the guilt of the death upon the people). They had broken the specific law that the name and resurrection of Jesus Christ was not to be preached according to Acts 4:18. Acts 4:18, And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. Believers are sometimes forbidden to speak for their Lord by governments, businesses, fellow workers, schools, institutions, and neighbors. This is in direct conflict with the Lord's command (Acts 1:4, 8). Acts 1:4, And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. Acts 1:8, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. We also find the apostles' victory in speaking the truth. They told the Jews and their religious leaders the truth of what they did to Jesus. They killed the Messiah. The high priest conveniently forgot that he and his associates had said to Pilate, "His blood be upon us and on our children!" (Matthew 27:25). They were only getting what they had asked Pilate to give to them.
The council had commanded the apostles not to teach in the name of Jesus and yet they defied the council. The high priest avoids mentioning the name of Jesus. The world doesn't mind us believing in God as long as we don't mention Christ. God called and Spirit filled preachers will magnify and exalt the name of Jesus. They prayed for Spirit-inspired boldness to speak the Word and God answered their prayer (Acts 4:29). It would have been sinful for these apostles to obey the leaders’ mandate not to speak when they had been clearly commanded by God himself to speak (Acts 5:20). God is the highest authority and rules in the highest court anywhere. Our first obedience is always to him. In that case, they had to obey God rather than human authority. John G. Butler said, “Governments often try to clamp down on the Bible message and prohibit preachers from preaching the truth... And congregations frequently think they are the authority, too, and hesitate not to tell the preacher what he should preach. But few things are so presumptuous as someone trying to tell God’s man what to preach... A true man of God gets his message from God. He is to preach the Word as the Holy Spirit leads him.” John Stott wrote, “If the authority concerned misuses its God-given power to command what God forbids or to forbid what God commands, then the Christian’s duty is to disobey the human authority in order to obey God.” When governmental or religious authorities clearly contradict God’s Word, our first obedience is always to God. Galatians 1:10, For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Whenever we have to choose between obeying God and authorities, we should obey God. One of the greatest questions facing every Christian is not, “Is this particular thing or activity convenient, pleasurable or popular with people?” but, “Is this particular thing or activity right with God and is it what He desires?” Those who aim always to please people will never be able to please God. The apostles were rebuked and they reminded them, "We commanded you to not teach in Jesus name!" Then they had to admit the victory of the apostles in filling the city of Jerusalem with the doctrine of Christ and His Gospel. Despite the external persecution and internal problems, the apostles kept on teaching and preaching. To saturate a city is not easy to do at all, but these men of God did it through the power of God and hard work. Jesus was the talk of the town. Can you imagine what America would be like if Jesus was the talk of every town and people were excited about Him?
The power of the witness of Christians cannot be underestimated. In the last century two independent studies were conducted 50 years apart to determine the kindest city in the United States. In both surveys, 1940 and 1990, the city that was ranked first was Rochester, New York. What was attributed to their friendliness? The answer is the greatest revival in the history of the United States that took place in 1831, under the preaching of evangelist Charles Finney. 1,200 people were saved and united with churches during this revival that swept lawyers, doctors, and prominent businessmen into the kingdom of Heaven. Forty of the converts entered the ministry. The entire town was changed as many taverns and red-light districts closed down. The ripple effect of this revival spread to 1500 towns and villages in the surrounding areas. The testimony of those that were saved, their influence for the Lord, is still having an impact for Christ upon their descendants that live in Rochester and across the globe. Following Jesus and serving Jesus will give you many opportunities in life to testify and witness before all kinds of people.
Early in Acts, we have seen how faithful the church was in its witness through preaching, performing miracles, in prayer, and in fellowship and communion. But beyond the collective witness of the church there must also be the personal witness of believers. A witness is someone who tells what he or she has personally seen and heard. This can sometimes be costly and sacrificial as it was for Peter and the apostles. For some in history it has meant laying down their lives (martyred) for the gospel. The apostles did not hold back. They were not intimidated into silence. They looked them in the eyes and boldly told them the facts without fear or hesitation. The eternal destiny of these people was at stake. They needed to be saved and the only way to reach them was to reveal to them their sin and their solution...Jesus Christ. John Phillips wrote, “There was a higher court in Israel than the Sanhedrin: the Supreme Court of Heaven. The God of heaven had sent His Son into the world; He had sent His Spirit into the world; He had now sent His servants into the world. The Sanhedrin had no authority to forbid them to preach in the name of Jesus. They knew it. The apostles knew it. It was simply a question of loyalty.” Christians today struggle to share the Gospel with unsaved friends and family because of fear and intimidation. If you can overcome that fear, you have won a great victory. If you can saturate a city with the Gospel, you have won a great victory. Not all people will be saved, but if you can at least give people the opportunity to hear or read the Gospel, you have achieved with God's help a victory.
Peter’s Sermon Outline:
1.Christ's Death—"... whom ye slew and hanged on a tree " (Acts 5:30).
2.Christ's Resurrection—" The God of our fathers raised up Jesus " (Acts 5:30).
3.Christ's Ascension—" God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour " (Acts 5:31).
Points to Ponder:
We will face these same problems throughout our ministry, yet we too should keep on keeping on.
Help us to fear and hate sin because we fear and love God, who is holy!
We must obey God by proclaiming and teaching that Jesus Christ is the risen Saviour and Lord.
Questions to Consider:
In what ways do you sense a need for this kind of response, motivation and drawing upon the strength of the Holy Spirit in your life and in your community?
What has this study inspired you to help reach your community for Christ?
Would you be willing to pray and ask the Lord for boldness today?
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to remain steadfast to preach Your Word and minister to others. In Jesus Name, AMEN!
If this post in any way, has blessed you,
please share this website and its articles with others:
www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com