Sermon Tone Analysis

It is better to obey God than men -

There are two understandings of the word obey here.

The obvious one is that the apostles are to obey God by preaching Jesus Christ rather than stop preaching Jesus like the religious leaders are telling him.

This first obedience is to believers.

It is to Christians.

And so it is that we should obey

This one is quite easy to understand for us.

Illustration:

What becomes apparent is that the high priest, the chief priests, the Sadducees were blinded to the words of this life.

Their minds were blinded to the preaching of Jesus Christ.

Second kind of obedience

The second one is a little more elusive in the passage unless we pay attention to the setting.

The second form of obedience is seen in .

This obedience is that of the unbeliever who accepts as Jesus as Christ.

What does this involve from this passage?

It involves the rejection of their very identity.

Thesis:

Illustration: In the new movie called “Smallfoot” there is a Yeti/Sasquach who is called the “gong-ringer.”

There was a lot of superstition in this fictional village.

One of superstitions was that if the gong-ringer was not able to ring the gong, then the sun would not rise and the village would not wake up to do the needed work.

He was one person with a very important task.

As the movie develops, he

is running a little behind on a morning, and he realizes before he rings the gong that the sun is rising.

Through the movie, he begins to realize that maybe his ringing of the gong does not actually cause the sun to rise.

Awake to the “words of this life”!

Let this be our prayer to God for the lost, and let this be the prayer to God for the saved.

(1) The words of this life free us from territorialism.

(product of a insecure identity).

()

He is faced with a crisis that he words this way, “If I am not the gong-ringer, then what am I.” His unique roll had become his ultimate identity, so much so that if the task was gone, he felt as if he did not know who he was.

In like manner, the Jewish people had come to a point in their nation where they were going through the motions and their sense of self worth and identity was attached to what they were doing religiously.

This is especially true of the religious leaders.

How do we see territorialism in the passage?

What is the principle?

Illustration?

How does this apply?

(2) The words of this life free us from a misdirecting acceptance.

(all they that were with him) ()

When Jesus came to the Jewish people, He comes as

makes this clear.

How do we see a misdirecting acceptance in the passage?

What is the principle?

Illustration?

How does this apply?

The High Priest

(3) The words of this life free us from self-destructive emotions.

()

This was especially true of the high priest who was charged with a particular, unique responsibility in Israel.

He was uniquely appointed.

He was anointed for the position.

He had garments that no one else could wear.

He had the privilege to go into a place where no one else could enter into.

How do we see self-destructive emotions in the passage?

What is the principle?

Illustration?

How does this apply?

He was the one who would go to God on behalf of all the people.

He was the one who spoke to the people on behalf of God.

No one else possessed this kind of privilege.

(4) The words of life free us from faith in our own control ()

How do we see faith in our own control in the passage?

The Messiah & the High Priest

What is the principle?

Illustration?

How does this apply?

What then is the issue?

Is it merely that Jesus was saying he is the King of the Jews.

No. Notice the clear prayer of Peter in

(5) The words of life free us from paralyzing fear ()

How do we boldness in the passage?

Jesus has come as the “Anointed One.”

He has come to men on behalf of God, and he claims to be going back to God on behalf of men.

What is the principle?

This was a challenge to the perceived supremacy of the high priest and the ruling Jewish body.

Jesus Christ had come to fulfill the position of our High Priest.

He came to fulfill the Law.

Illustration?

How does this apply?

The high priest and the Jewish people were willing to reject Jesus the Messiah, but why?

Is it not because they found that

To accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah was to also accept that Jesus was bringing an end to their position?

To accept Jesus Christ meant an end of the unique status they thought they had.

To accept Jesus meant that they could not sway and control the masses like they enjoyed doing.

In the end, only One has the right to be Lord of your life.

We live in bodies and in a world that is constantly challenging this truth.

Only the words of this life can bring this kind of freedom.

So, whose words are you believing?

Application:

It is no different today.

There are many who are trying to accept Jesus Christ and hold on to something or someone else in which they find their identity and self-worth.

Illustration:

But you must see that trying to hang on to Jesus and anything else is like trying to hold on to two powerful, galloping horses going in the opposite direction.

You must choose one or the other, but it cannot be both.

Proposition: It is better to obey God rather than men!

It is better to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and reject any faith in your identity, who you think you are.

Christ is to be received exclusively!

(1) The authority of Jesus (v. 17 - 23): the Setting

Two powers are displayed in this setting.

The first is the power that is controlled by jealousy.

This kind of power makes those who wield it to try to take matters into their own hands.

It is a man-centered power that is rebellious against God.

This is not uncommon in the Bible.