Difficulty and Response

Message in Print
Scripture: Acts 5:12-42

 Acts 10 – Difficulty & Response - Acts 5:12-42

 
What does it mean that the Word of God is LIVING ?
 
One thing it means - is that God’s Word SPEAKS to the exact
        circumstance or situation that Each of us are in - Right Now
 
This is a Supernatural Event that occurs Regularly
        Right Here on Sunday Morning
 
Very Often - This is how a sermon comes about
        1) Either my own family is experiencing something
                Or I’m watching someone else experience something
        2) As we’re going thru a Book of the BIBLE
                God’s Word Speaks directly to that exact situation
        3) God ministers to me, thru His Word, for that situation
        4) I share that with you, here
                & God applies the Word to YOUR life, & YOUR situation
 
& that is the Divine Miracle - of the LIVING Word of God
 
For example - The Message today - is about Difficulty & Response
 
Right now my family & I are experiencing some Serious Difficulties
        AND - I am also seeing Serious Difficulties in our Body
 
& because of what I’m Seeing - & Experiencing
        the Living Word of God SPEAKS to that subject
        Right in the text - we just happen to be going thru
 
. . . which is incredible
 
Our focus today - is on our RESPONSE - to the Difficulties & Trials       that each of us, as Christians, WILL go thru
 
The question is NOT - WHY?? do we go thru Difficulties
The question is - HOW?? do we RESPOND to our Difficulties
 
Remember - in Ch’s 3 & 4 - we saw this progression  
        Miracle à Sermon à Persecution à Response
 
In Ch 5 we’re going to see basically the same thing
        But we’re going to simplify it a bit
 
God is Working à We Experience Difficulty à We Respond in
                                                                                                                                                                                Faith
God IS Working - & WHEN Difficulty comes -
        IF we will Respond in Faith
 
Then God will bring JOY into our lives - AND
        He will continue to USE us for His Kingdom, & for His Glory
 
AND - The Difficulty will Always be Temporary
                But the JOY that comes from a Response in Faith
                        Can (& should) Be Permanent
 
& what’s truly amazing is that the Difficulty - is often the VEHICLE
        by which - the JOY (from our Faithful Response) comes
 
So - Here’s a Simplified Outline of Acts 3-5
 
& as we review this outline . . .
 
It’s easy to see ONE of the reasons Jesus told the Disciples
        to WAIT for the Power of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
        before going forward as His Witnesses . . .
 
Because He KNEW they were going to face
        Strong Opposition & Serious Difficulty
 
& it’s NO Different - for US
 
We need to be FILLED with the Power of the Holy Spirit
        before we face an OUTLINE like this one
 
ACTS Ch 3-5
 
3:1 -   God Moves - Healing & Salvations
4:1 -   Difficulty - Arrested
4:23 - Response of Faith - Prayer for Boldness & more miracles
4:32 - God Moves - Supernatural Unity & Sacrificial Giving
5:1 -   Difficulty - Hypocrisy in the church
5:11 - Response of Faith - Great respect for honesty before God
5:12 - God Moves - Signs & Wonders
5:17 - Difficulty - Arrested
5:19 - God Moves (again) - Supernatural Delivery
5:21 - Response of Faith - speak the words of Eternal Life
5:26 - Difficulty (again) - Rearrested
5:29 - Response of Faith - Speak boldly, w/o fear
5:33 - God Moves - Gamaliel influences the Council
5:40 - Serious Difficulty - 40 lashes minus 1
5:41 - Response of Faith - The Apostles leave “Rejoicing”
 
The Final RESPONSE in these 3 Ch’s - is the Apostles REJOICING
        that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ
 
After FIVE separate, extreme difficulties (in just 3 Ch’s)
        the Apostles are REJOICING !!
 
& their REJOICING is a by-product of their Response of Faith
        to their “back-to-back-to-back” Difficulties
 
Does this sound APPLICABLE to our Lives ??
 
God Will MOVE in our lives
There WILL BE Difficulty
Our RESPONSE in Faith - is what will bring True JOY
 
We’re going to see the Apostles Respond in Faith
        THREE TIMES in our text today
 
& I really want you to see - that their JOY comes
        from their Responding in Faith - to the Difficulties in their lives
 
Alright - On the heels of the attack from the INSIDE
        (the Hypocrisy of Ananias & Sapphira - Last week)
 
We see the Church rebound
        with God doing “Signs & Wonders” among them
 
Acts 5:12–16 (ESV)
12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles . . .
        exactly what they prayed for in Acts 4:29 - that God would
                stretch out His hand to perform miracles - & He did
And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.
        A Ref to the Supernatural Unity we saw at the end of Ch 4
13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem
        This word “JOIN” means LIT “A forced or unnatural union” -
                No one dared PRETEND to be one of them (joined lightly)
        but instead - all the people held them in very high esteem
                after the Ananias & Sapphira incident
14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
        right in the midst of the difficulties -        “more than ever”
                believers were added to the Lord . . . (big lesson)
15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
 
So - After Responding in Faith to their First Arrest (4:1)
&   - After Responding in Faith to Hypocrisy in the Church (5:1)
 
God was continuing to Move Mightily among the church
        & more than ever - Believers were being added to the Lord
 
& then - Suddenly - Right in the midst of the Miracles & Ministry
        the Temple Police show up
 
Acts 5:17–18 (ESV)
17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy
18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.
 
The Sadducees were filled with “jealousy”
        The word actually Implies - religiously motivated rage
 
But - being Sadducees, it’s safe to say;
        they were NOT jealous for the “real” things of God
 
their reputation proves - they were really jealous
        for political & personal benefit reasons
        they just did it IN THE NAME of God
 
in any case they VERY Angry - & probably saying
        “Hey - the people should be gathering around US - not THEM!”
 
& so - they have the Temple Police ARREST the Apostles
        & put them in Jail
 
Now - there’s something I really want us to see in Vs 19
 
God CAN deliver you from;
        ANY Circumstance
        any Trial
        ANY Difficulty
 
God is ABLE - to Supernaturally Deliver you
       From Any Circumstance - Any Trial - Any Difficulty
 
if - it is part of HIS Plan - & HIS Purpose - & for HIS Glory
        God CAN Supernaturally Deliver you
 
& He does it right here - for the Apostles
 
Acts 5:19 (esv)
19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out,
 
It’s interesting that God used “an Angel of the Lord”
        because the Sadducees didn’t believe in Angels
 
& so - God was Sending a SIGN;
        FIRST to the Apostles - & THEN to the Sanhedrin (Council)
 
To the Jewish Council (Sanhedrin)
        This was a SIGN that God was Involved
 
Much like later - in Acts 16
        When Paul & Silas were singing hymns in their prison cell
 
& God opened the prison doors & knocked off all the chains
        so the Philippian Jailer could see the power of God & be SAVED
 
This SHOULD’VE BEEN a Sign (like that) to the Sadducees -
        But it’s Sad-You-See - that it wasn’t
 
The REAL Sign however - is to the Apostles, & to US
 
& that is - God CAN deliver us - supernaturally
        if  it is part of HIS Plan - & for HIS Purpose - & for HIS Glory
 
& Thru-Out Acts - we SEE God
        Supernaturally Deliver the Apostles
 
& YET - every one of them (save John) died a Martyr’s Death
        some by the sword - some by hanging
        some crucified - some stoned       & then beheaded
        one thrown from a high pinnacle
        one drug thru the streets till dead
       
& EVERY one of them KNEW - that God COULD Deliver them
        IF that was what was BEST - for HIS Glory
 
BUT EVEN MORE - EVERY one of them KNEW
        What Paul wrote in Phil 1:20-21
 
Philippians 1:20–21 (ESV)
20 . . . but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
 
Being SAVED from our circumstances is NOT the Ultimate Goal
HONORING GOD IN our circumstances - IS the Ultimate Goal
 
Which is exactly what we see - THRU-OUT Acts
        & we see this CLEARLY - as our Text Continues
 
(again) Acts 5:19-20 (esv)
19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,
20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”
 
So FIRST - God Delivered them - to GO & SPEAK to the people
        all the words of this Life (eternal life in Christ)
 
Listen to R. Kent Hughes here;
The language here suggests a command to exercise dogged steadfastness. They were to hold their ground, stand firm, and deliver the entire message of new life in Christ . . . even in the midst of persecution
 
& God delivers US - for this Exact Same purpose
        that we would Go, and speak - the words of Life in Jesus Christ
 
Notice - God did NOT deliver the Apostles
        for their Personal Benefit or Personal Comfort
He Delivered them
        to USE them further - for HIS Glory - to SHARE the Good News
 
V.21 is their FIRST Great “Response of Faith”
        in the Midst of their Difficulties
 
Acts 5:21(a) (esv)
21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach . . .
 
So Far - So Good . . .
Right up to when God’s “OTHER Purpose”
        for delivering them - begins to UNFOLD
 
Acts 5:21(b)-23 (esv)
21 . . . Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of the people of Israel (The Sanhedrin) and sent to the prison to have them brought.
22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,
23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.”
 
Doors LOCKED - Guards STANDING there . . .
        THAT is meant to be - a little SIGN - that God is involved
 
& in the next Vs - these “Religious Leaders”
        were definitely caught off guard
        & they had their chance - to “Reconsider”
 
Acts 5:24 (esv)
24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.
 
But then (immediately) it was back to “Business as Usual”
        - they MISSED their opportunity to reconsider their actions
 
Acts 5:25-26 (esv)
25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
 
The Apostles were obeying God - in spite of the risk     
 
26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
 
God is really “Setting the Stage” here
 
The Apostles were ARRESTED
        then Supernaturally DELIVERED
        then RE-ARRESTED
 
ALL for God’s Purpose - & All for God’s Glory
 
Acts 5:27-28 (esv)
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council (Sanhedrin) . And the high priest questioned them,
28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
 
SIDE LESSON: Isn’t it funny - that these EXACT same men who cried
        CRUCIFY HIM when Pilate tried to release Jesus
 
These EXACT same men who said; “Let His blood be on us”        when Pilate washed his hands of Jesus’ Death
 
These EXACT same men are now ACCUSING the Apostles
        of trying to Unjustly BLAME Them for Jesus’ Death
 
Isn’t it funny - how GUILTY people
        so often make everything “Someone Else’s fault” ??
 
But never-the-less Peter & the Apostles
        are going to respond “Directly” to the same men who killed Jesus
 
knowing they could EASILY be killed - in the same way
V.’s 29-32 is their SECOND Great “Response of Faith”
        in the Midst of their Difficulties
 
Acts 5:29-32 (esv)
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
 
These are the FACTS :
        God RAISED Jesus - after YOU killed Him
        & God exalted Him so that YOU Could repent
                & be forgiven of your sins
 
Now - they COULD HAVE responded well to this - but . . they DIDN’T
 
Acts 5:33 (esv)
33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.  
 
The only other use of this word ‘enraged’
        comes in the very next round of Persecution
 
when this same council becomes ENRAGED at Stephen in Ch 7
        & they DO kill him
 
They WANTED to start Killing the Apostles HERE
        But - - - as we read in the Next Vs - GOD DELIVERS THEM
 
Acts 5:34 (esv)
34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.
 
Gamaliel was a famous Rabbi - & a Pharisee, so not caught up
        in the political motivations of the Sadducees
 
He held a high position in the Sanhedrin (Governing Body)
        & SAUL of Tarsus was Gamaliel’s disciple as a Pharisee
 
& God is going to USE Gamaliel to delay any Martyrdom -
        because it wasn’t time - for anyone to give their lives - Yet
 
& here - In Gamaliel’s Response
        is another Great SIDE-LESSON for us (watch for it)
 
Acts 5:35-39 (esv)
35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men.
36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.
37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.
38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail;
39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” . . .
 
SIDE LESSON
 
Have you ever seen a Christian “Take Matters Into their own hands”
        when they get mad at a person - usually a Pastor
 
In the early days of this church - we had a group of people
        Work Extremely Hard to either Remove me personally,
                or Take Out the entire church . . . (good Christian people)
 
& they did a Tremendous Amount Of Damage
        trying to REMOVE me - & put their FRIEND in this place
 
It was an Very Painful Time
        For my Family - & for the Body of Christ in Nuevo
 
Unfortunately - if these “Christians” had had as much Faith
        as this “Pharisee” named Gamaliel
 
They would have said - just what Gamaliel said in Vs’s 38-39
 
38 . . . if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail;
39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You   might even be found opposing God!”
 
Do you see the Side-Lesson there ??
 
If God wants to remove a leader
        He can do it a Hundred different ways
 
& - Contrary to our Opinion of Ourselves
        God DOESN’T Even NEED our help to get it done !!
 
END of SIDE LESSON - Back to our Primary Point
 
& So - the End of Acts 5:39 says;
        So they took his advice,
 
Unfortunately - that didn’t mean the Apostles Escaped Unharmed
        In fact - things are about to get - VERY DIFFICULT
 
Acts 5:40 (esv)
40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them . . .
 
This would’ve been the customary 40 lashes minus 1
 
This was no “Slap on the Hands”
        this was often a “Near Death” beating
 
In Ch 4 they were warned - - now they are beaten - Bad
 
The Persecution & the Difficulty - is increasing
        & so is their Faith - & so is their JOY
 
V.41 is their THIRD Great “Response of Faith”
        in the Midst of Very Serious Difficulties
 
Acts 5:40-41 (esv)
40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
 
In the Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5) - Jesus said;
Blessed are you when people Revile you & Persecute you Falsely
on My account - REJOICE & be glad - for your reward is great in heaven - for so they persecuted the Prophets before you
 Guys - after Every Difficulty the Apostles Faced
        their “Response of Faith” - brought REJOICING
 
& they always went away ANXIOUS to Continue Serving God
 
So - HERE’S THE LESSON for today:
        Difficulty - Followed by a “Response of Faith” - brings JOY
        AND a Further Opportunity for God to Work Thru your life
 
Let’s close with Acts 5:42 (esv)
42 And (in spite of it all) every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
 
Every day - Thru it ALL - They DID NOT CEASE
        Teaching & Preaching Jesus as the Christ
 
NO MATTER WHAT - they Stood Firm
        On The ROCK of Jesus Christ
 
We’ve seen THREE Great “Responses of Faith”
        in the Midst of the Extreme Difficulty
 
in V.21 - After being arrested the 1st time
        & then miraculously delivered
 
The “Response of Faith” was to Speak to the people
        all the words of Eternal Life
 
in V.29 - After being arrested the 2nd time
        & under the threat of death
 
The “Response of Faith” was
        “We must obey God rather than men”
 
as they Spoke the Gospel to those who could kill them
 
in V.41 - After receiving 39 lashes for the Name of Christ
 
The “Response of Faith” was to leave the Sanhedrin
        REJOICING they were counted worthy to Suffer for His Name
 
I don’t know What “Response of Faith” God is calling you to
        in the Difficulty you’re facing today
 
But I know THIS - He IS calling you to a Response of Faith
 
TAKE A MINUTE - - LOOK at these 3 Examples in our text today
 
Maybe one of these 3 Examples from God’s Word will speak to you
 
About How God is calling YOU to respond     
        As you face YOUR Difficulty today
 
Let’s Pray