Returning to Old Habitts
Notes
Transcript
As we return this morning to the book of Acts we remember what was going on during this time.
The Gospel was spreading like wild fire all over the region.
The Sanhedrin had already arrested and warned the Apostles not to preach in the name of Jesus.
They are doing it anyway.
They are also healing the sick and doing miracles in the name of Christ.
12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 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.
This leads us into the verses this morning.
We see repeat behavior from both the Apostles and the Sanhedrin.
Arrested Again (vv 17-18)
Arrested Again (vv 17-18)
The first thing that we see here is the fact that the High Priest did not like what was happening.
It says that all those with Him meaning those who were of the same party as he was.
The Chief Priest was a Sadducee which meant he did not believe in resurrection.
It also says here that he was filled with jealousy.
These men who were of low standing were more popular and could attract more people than he could and he was the High Priest.
The word here for Jealousy can also mean Zeal, they are very determined to stamp out this movement by the Apostles.
Notice here it says public prison, they were put on display for everyone to see.
They wanted these men to be publicly humiliated in front of the whole city.
A Miraculous Escape (vv 19-21a)
A Miraculous Escape (vv 19-21a)
Nothing will stop Gods plan.
The Chief Priest thought he was getting the upper hand by arresting the the Apostles but it only made the situation for him worse.
Not only did the Sadducees not believe in resurrection but they did not believe in Angles.
No matter what the force, no matter how powerful and strong nothing will stand in the way of God achieving His plan.
These men were in a locked prison under guard by solders and no one knew or say a thing.
The Angel charged the Apostles with one job from here.
“go speak to the people all the words of this life”
We are to go and tell the world about the life that we have.
Fulfilling Their Mission (vv 21-26)
Fulfilling Their Mission (vv 21-26)
As soon as daylight broke you could find the Apostles teaching the word of Jesus to the people.
They were there at sunrise because this was when the temple would be the most full with people there for the morning sacrifice.
The Captain of the Guard which was second only to the High Priest would go to these men and personally persuade them to come to the chambers of the Sanhedrin.
But he did so gently because he was worried that if he took them by force that the people would stone him.
The Sanhedrin was totally thwarted in its designs, totally helpless to control the situation.
All was in God’s hands.
The only reason the apostles finally appeared before the Council was their own willingness to do so.
And they were willing to do so because the events of the night had convinced them once more that they were very much in God’s hands.