Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19970914.htm

ACTS: THE LOCAL CHURCH AS GOD'S AGENCY FOR DISCIPLING MEN
Part X: God's Enabling Leaders To Stand Against Persecuting, Godless Religious Leaders
(Acts 5:17-42)
  1. Introduction
    1. When God calls the Church to stand for the truth, that stand is also thereby against error and godlessness.
    2. However, standing against godlessness, especially if it is religious godlessness takes great courage as a stand against godless religiosity is a critique against that religious entity's credibility, and such a critique is intolerable in a religious entity whose strength lies in being viewed as credible!
    3. Invariably, critiqued godless religious entities must persecute the godly in an effort to save face.
    4. However, how does one stand against such persecution?
    5. Acts 5:17-42 is a primer on how God equips leaders to stand against persecuting, godless religious leaders.
  2. God's Enabling Leaders To Stand Against Persecuting, Godless Religious Leaders, Acts 5:17-42.
    1. The truth the Apostles taught had rubbed against the Sadduccees who ruled the temple, for it exposed their beliefs against the resurrection as being in error, threatening thereby to undermine their ministries:
      1. When the Apostles taught the resurrection from the dead, it grieved the temple rulers, Acts 4:1-2.
      2. These rulers, who were Sadduccees, did not believe in the resurrection, and the Apostles' teaching thus critiqued their correctness that was lethal t o their religious powers if not challenged, Mk. 12:18.
    2. Thus, these rulers had threatened the disciples not to preach their resurrection Gospel, Acts 4:17-18.
    3. However, they were under divine command to proclaim the Gospel, and were thus thrust into the awkward and volatile role of having to choose between obeying God or these rulers, Acts 4:19 with Mtt. 28:19-20.
    4. Accordingly, they opted to obey God and disobeyed these religious rulers, Acts 4:20, 31.
    5. As a result, the Sadduccean rulers, incensed and very threatened, imprisoned the Apostles, Acts 5:17-18.
    6. This started a series of events that demonstrated the divine enabling for those godly leaders under persecution from godless authorities of religious power, Acts 5:19-42:
      1. Materially, the angel of God released the men from prison with the order to continue preaching, 19-20:
      2. Upon finding these Apostles back teaching in the temple complex, these leaders again took them into custody, but for fear of the people, they were restrained from doing so violently, Acts 5:21-26.
      3. When asked for an explanation for their disobedience, Peter repeated his explanation that they needed to obey God rather than man, that they needed to disobey and preach their Gospel, Acts 5:27-32.
      4. Infuriated and convicted at Peter's reminder that they had crucified this risen Lord whom they preached, these men wanted to execute the Apostles quickly, Acts 5:33.
      5. However, a world famous Pharisee, Gamaliel, a man of reputation, urged caution out of experience:
        1. Concerned that the emotional fury might lead to a hasty and thus errant execution, Gamaliel urged the Sanhedrin to allow for time to let the degree of credibility of the Apostles arise, Acts 5:34-35.
        2. He pointed out the track record of false messiahs, how their efforts had in time proved fruitless, 5:36
        3. The point was simple: time would solve the problem of these followers of Jesus if they were false where prejudging them too soon could lead to error, let alone trouble with the populace with whom they were enjoying great current accept ance (implied with v. 26), Acts 5:37-39.
      6. Agreeing to this move, the leaders commanded the Apostles not to speak the Gospel, beat them to back up this order, and released them, Acts 5:40.
      7. Filled with the Spirit for boldness from Acts 4:31, the Apostles reacted to the beating with great joy that they had been counted worthy to suffer shame for Christ's name, Acts 5:41-42.
Lesson: When spiritually destitute, errant leaders opposed the godly leaders of the Church, and the godly leaders chose to obey God and not these opponents, no matter the price, God stepped in to provide (a) opportunity for ministry, (b) political protection with the forces that existed in Gamaliel and (c) the Holy Spirit's indwelling, equipping power to stand firm against persecution with the hope of rewards for suffering unjustly.

Application: If God's people choose do what is right in God's power, all they need to do that will of God will be supplied by the Lord, for the real battle is between God and the ungodly!