This Jesus...

You see we want we want to Jesus who kind of fits the circumstances little more the less depending on if it's Sunday or Friday. That's not how this works and what we see in the Acts chapter 3 and 4 is that when we understand who Jesus is we are forced to make a choice. It's not how much Jesus do we want? It's Jesus or no, and we see hear the apostles follow Jesus who are devastated by his death to work reinvigorated by his resurrection and who are empowered now with the Holy Spirit. We see them saying, it's Jesus or nothing. It's Jesus all the way we see the religious leaders of the day saying it's nothing. We don't want Jesus. And it's clear. There's a stark choice. So today I want to challenge us don't sit here. Through this 30-45 minutes that we're going to spend looking at this text and think I'll take that one. I like the Jesus in Acts 3 not so keen on the Jesus in Acts 4. You don't get to pick it's not a little bit of Jesus not a little more Jesus. Is Jesus king? Or is he not if he's King? He's all the way King the switch is on. If he's not touching, why are you here? Sorry to put it so bluntly because that switches off. So this morning that's what we're looking at Jesus and the choice he forces us to make some Michael this morning is for you and acts three and four to see Jesus in the totality of who he is and to make a decision before you walk out the door Jesus or know. The reason I say that is because we going to create like this Choose Your Own Adventure Jesus in our minds. We got it. We got to pick these parts. Are we want we want gentle Jesus Meek and Mild we want Jesus is Love We Want Jesus is healer and look at that and we look at our life and be like, hey, you know, I've got some problems in my life. I got some things going on in my day-to-day existence that I really wish more like that. Maybe Jesus will fix my problems with the first picture that we get of Jesus in Acts chapter 3, is it Jesus doesn't solve all our problems. This doesn't solve all of our problems read this with me. Look at Acts chapter 3 and we're going to start in verse 1. Now Peter and John we're going up to the temple at The Hour of Prayer the ninth hour and a man lame from birth was being carried whom they laid daily at the Gate of the temple that is called the beautiful gate to ask all those who entered the temple seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple. He asked to receive alms and Peter directed his gaze at him as did John and said look at us and he fixed his attention on them expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, I have no silver and gold but what I do have I give to you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk and he took him by the right hand and raised him up and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong and leaping up he stood and began to walk and entered the temple with him walking and leaping and praising God and all the people saw him walking and praising God and they recognized him as the one who sat at the beautiful gate of the temple asking for alms and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had to him We read that with our 21st century. Cynical Minds. What type of plant? Date date date date. They prepared this this is this a gimmick. This is a show no will learn later on in the Texas guys over 40 years old people who went to the temple literally every week of their lives have seen this guy there for 20-plus years before Jesus ever started his ministry. Let alone died and rose again. This is not a plant. This is a real legit miracle that just happened in front of everybody and as we'll see later in the text. Nobody can deny it. Nobody can deny that the religious leaders who don't want anything to do with Jesus who wants the proclamation of Jesus is the Messiah to die out there. Like yeah, we can't get around that one. We can pretend like Jesus didn't rise from the dead. We can pretend like the disciples just stole the body. We can't pretend that there's a guy walking around now who couldn't for 40 years. But that's not the key Point here. The point is not can Jesus work miracles? We should know that by now and if we had been Luke's original audience, we would have already read the Gospel of Luke which is the first part two acts which is the second part, right? This is nothing new and strange to talk about a miracle that way like by definition a miracle is a rare event that is outside of the normal operations of the universe, right? That's a miracle. That was pretty like normal for Jesus. It's not like you did them everyday. It's not like that was the main reason he came but the people that been around Jesus we're pretty well used to seeing this kind of stuff. But what's the key thing? Jesus doesn't address the man's. problem What's it what's the guy asking for he's asking for money.

I'm broke, and I don't need my legs. My wallet is empty. That's the problem here guys. Give me some money. Peter says I don't have any money what I have I'll give to you and the tooth walks again and you know you think about that.

But is that the only thing that was being addressed? Now Luke, remember I just mentioned it. Remember Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke turn with me to Luke chapter 5. And I stay with me because I completely forgot to mark this before. I got up here Luke chapter 5

In Luke Chapter 5 we see something very similar take place and I believe that that's exactly what Luke is pointing us to hear. This is what Luke is getting at his point is not Jesus solve your problems. Because Jesus doesn't solve the guys problems solved one problem pretty big problem. But he's pointing us to the bigger reality of what he's doing in Luke Chapter 5 starting in verse 17. We see the story and I'm not going to read this but I wanted you to turn there so you could verify that this is here same guy that wrote acts is the guy that wrote Luke. Alright, Luke Chapter 517. There's this incident that happened. Jesus is sitting there. He's teaching these people he's talking about the kingdom of heaven and this guy who's been lame for years. His friends take him up on the roof of the house. They break a hole in the roof so they can lower their friend down in front of Jesus. Right? You've seen that story is actually recorded in three of the Gospels. Not just in Luke, but they let this man down and Jesus sees a lame guy being lowered through the roof and he says I tell you your sins are forgiven. Every type was Jesus like that's not the issue here. Like the guy can't walk. That's the problem. Jesus was some of the fairies Pharisees are standing there. And that's exactly what they're saying Jesus first. Only God can forgive sins second off. We got a bigger issue here. Jesus funniest rally. No, no, no, Not being able to walk not having money. Those are the little issues. The big issue is there's a sin problem the big issue is that ever since jobs creation of mankind, every single person has chosen to reject his authority and has rebelled against him in that's called sin and living in a sinful World brings all sorts of problems with it poverty medical issues being born lame blind, right? All of these things are problems. Yes, but they're not the biggest problem. This Jesus the Jesus of Luke Chapter 5 in the Jesus of Acts chapter 3 It's showing us I didn't come to solve all your problems. Here's the thing. I can promise you if you choose today to say Jesus is King. I assure you that life will not get easier. As a matter of fact. I can promise you it will get harder because now instead of getting to do what you want. You're looking at Jesus saying whatever you want me to do. I'm going to do even if I don't feel like it. Even if it doesn't make sense to me, whatever you say goes if you say Jesus is King. It's not going to solve all your temporary problems. It's going to bring in with it a whole host of other ones, but he's going to solve your biggest problem because the Assurance of Jesus is that for those who acknowledge his kingship for those who submit to him as Sovereign he fixes the biggest problem, which is our sin that cuts us off from God. And so when we go back to Acts chapter 3 and we see this lame beggar. I like I can't fix your problems. I can't give you money. but rise and walk Peter is echoing his master and he's demonstrating in this the same Jesus from Luke 5 is still at work in Acts chapter 3 not solving all of our problems, but if you eat this man can walk Turn the Jesus who made him walk and also still forgive his sin, even though he's not still here. This is a proclamation of the Gospel here in Luke Chapter 5 and Acts chapter 3 and we're meant to see that even though Jesus has gone that same ability to forgive sins that same ability to cause these miraculous event is still. Happening, but it doesn't solve all the guys problems. He still broke. Imagine if you will that your remodeling your bathroom. How many of you have undertaken remodel show pants? Good times good fun. Right right. Don't invite me to help with a remodel. I'll gladly come lift heavy stuff. I'll gladly move stuff out of the way. However, things go wrong when I get involved but imagined you for just a second. You were foolish enough to invite me over to help you with a bathroom remodel we run into problems if I'm there. I inevitably we will problems that require a less delicate solution and I pull out my Sawzall how many you know where the Sawzall is greatest tool ever invented if we're just there is a reciprocating saw that does all the work for you.

Mildly dangerous and me being me. I'm helping you with your bathroom and threw a series of unfortunate accidents. I sever my femoral artery with the Sawzall.

And as I'm falling down bleeding out on your bathroom floor pardon for being graphic some of you two really offended by this. I catch my hand on the counter and I get a splinter.

You because you're not me and your quick thinking and you're smart and capable you immediately apply a tourniquet to my leg rush me to the hospital quick surgery a few months later. Everything's fine. You come by to check on me. Hey, how you doing? Sorry about that, you know, but if you hadn't done what you were doing, it wouldn't happen. And I say you know what? Hey, I'm still mad at you about the Splinter.

Got my priorities kind of screwed up, right? Jesus doesn't solve our problems. You can follow Jesus and still be broke. You can follow Jesus and have health issues and you can pray about him for years and God never bring healing. You can follow Jesus and have family members who reject you and who never accept the faith that you have embraced. You can have all sorts of problems. But those are the splinters when you choose to follow Jesus. He takes care of the arterial bleeding. He says what was sin was separated you from God what made you an object of the wrath of God? I dealt with that and you're now healed. Go get some tweezers and deal with your splinter. Jesus doesn't solve our problems but he solves our biggest problem. That's what we see in Acts chapter 3 this bigger couldn't walk in that seems like a big deal. But what he's pointing us to is it the authority to say walk is the same Authority that he called on and Luke 5 to say your sins are forgiven. He's pointing us the reality still forgive sins, even though he's no longer on the scene even know Jesus still forgiving Sins Not solving all of our problems with solving our biggest problem this Jesus does that and this Jesus? Who's still at work? Is the one who created mankind the one who was killed by mankind and yet still rose again. Look at Acts chapter 3.

And let's look at verse 11. We're continuing the story and really like it's a tax lien for they all go together and we're continuing the story of this man who is healed revealing not only juice the ability to continue to heal but to still forgive sin inverse 11, we pick up the story of Peter and John all the people really astounded ran together to them in the Portico called Solomon's and when Peter saw that he addressed the people men of Israel. Why do you wonder if this or why do you stare at us as though by our own power or piety? We have made him walk the god of Abraham the god of Isaac and the god of Jacob the god of our fathers glorified his servant Jesus whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of pilot when he had decided to release him, but you denied the holy and righteous one and asked for a murderer to be granted to you and you killed the author of Life whom God raised from the dead to this we Are Witnesses and by his name by faith in his name. He is made this man strong Hulu Piano and the faith it is through Jesus has given this man perfect health in the presence of you all.

Tina's going to explain things for his audience right here is going to lay it out. Now. This was a day and age in which there were tons of itinerant Miracle Worker. So just kind of wandered around and if they couldn't do a miracle, they manufacture to miracle and got people to pay him to try to replicate that success in their life. It would be very easy in that context for people to see this miracle take place and people say I need to get that guy's phone number. I need to have Peter or John on speed dial because I've got some issues that I want them to address. Fetuses never understand we didn't do this this wasn't us. This was Jesus who did this work? This was Jesus who did the Nez describe Jesus in a really really really important way the author of life. The author of Life are a lot of people who want to say. Jesus was a good man. His disciples just understood that he was a good man, right? It's not until much later that people started saying that you know that he was God and and made him out to be divine and they kind of built this whole mythical Persona around this man. Jesus know Peter. Right here. Just after the resurrection says Jesus Is God. He's the author of Life. He's the one who made everything that you say. This is huge. Why? Because you killed him. You killed him the one on whom you are dependent for your existence. You killed him.

What were you thinking?

ants you're killing him wasn't enough. God raised him to life again. That's the news of forever. Right? We live in the 24-hour news cycle. You guys may not be aware of this if you live under a rock like I do but we live in the 24-hour news cycle yesterday's news. is old Like that. Yeah, I don't think we're going to less than 24 hour news cycle now. We're like down to like an hourly news cycle. Like what are we mad about now? What's the are outrageous event were talking about now. What's the stupid thing that somebody said they were talking about that. It's like it's just constantly doing that this cuts through all of that put down your phone for a second. the creator of everything was killed by his creatures and came to life again. That's big. It's really big when you put it in the context of our day and H like what are we getting excited about? What's the news? That's caught our attention. Nothing compared to that like that's kind of a big deal. Why don't we talk about that more? What why don't we point to that more? This was a bigger than just a big deal today in our new cycle. This was a big deal then for not least because people the gods that were worshipped in that they were nothing like that. The gods were worshipped in that. They were nothing like the creator of Life coming in sacrificing his life for the sake of his creation. That's not even part of the picture just take the Roman Pantheon for Jim just take this the Pinnacle of the Roman Pantheon Jupiter. I mean you guys are students of Greek mythology. Norse mythology You know what? I found not a lot of people know Roman mythology. Do you know why? Cuz they just stole everybody else's mythology slapped a new name on it be like that's good enough for us. They didn't invent anything. They just kind of picked and chose the parts that they like but there was one really important story about the God Jupiter the god Jupiter when Rome was still just a city. It wasn't an Empire anything the king of Rome. Captured two minor deities in order to coerce Jupiter into coming down and talking to him so that he could get him to release these other got so first off this the guy who doesn't want to deal with people. Literally you have to hold some of his fellow Gods Hostage to get him to show up and then when he shows up the king makes a deal with him. He's like look you protect room. You make Rome great and will worship you and Soopers like alright, let's talk about some human sacrifice. Let's talk about you sacrificing the blood of your fellow beings to appease me, and then we can talk about the text about new mother King. He he does some clever maneuvering outwits Jupiter. Gets all human sacrifice thing taken off the table Jupiter's kind of petty about that actually feel like the rest of the whole Roman. Mythology is really kind of upset about that whole thing where you got tricked by this mere mortal He really kind of wants to go that human sacrifice route. They won't let him. He marries his twin sister Jupiter does and then proceed to be unfaithful to her with like everybody. That's the kind of guy that was prevalent in that day a guy who wanted nothing to do with Humanity. But who if you can trick them into doing something that might benefit you even if they might be mad about it. Who wanted to not sacrifice anything of himself, but would gladly receive the sacrifice of yourself or your child. That was the kind of guy that was in the day and then Peter stand up and says look the author of Life came willingly to die. aspic I think that's why when I say Jesus doesn't solve all your problems, but he stops your biggest problem. That's why that matters. is because you're looking at the one Who said not only do you not have to coerce me to coming to you? But when I come to you you're going to kill me. You're going to reject me, and I'm still going to love you anyway. And I'm going to work to redeem you. And then after you've chosen to follow me, you're still. you still not going to give me your whole Legions 100% of the time and I'm still Continually willing to forgive you still going to love you. No coercion. No capturing minor deities to force me to show up. I'm going to come and die, but I'm going to rise again, and I'm That Kind of God.

Breaks the cycle Jesus jumps in the midst of the things that we think are important and he's pissed this is what matters the author of life. Killed by his creatures Rising again proving his love for us. And the worthiness of following him with our lives. That's what Peter is proclaiming to the audience. Right? You just saw this guy get up and walk. Let me tell you what else Jesus did. Jesus came willing to die for you, but he's willing to die for you. When you're willing to kill him. He's not willing to leave you there. He loves us enough to look at us and say the way you're living is not going to work out. This Jesus turns us from pursuing sin to pursuing Holiness look at 4:17 and now Brothers I know that you acted in ignorance as did also your rulers but what God for told by the mouth of all the profits that his Christ would suffer. He's dust fulfilled repent therefore and turn again that your sins may be blotted out that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send the Christ appointed for you Jesus in heaven must receive until the time for restoring all things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago Moses said the Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brother's you shall listen to him and whatever he tells you and it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that Prophet shall be destroyed from the people. And all the prophet has spoken from Samuel and those who came after him also Proclaim these days you are the sons of the prophets and the Covenant God made with your father saying to Abraham and in your Offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed God having raised up his servant sent him to you first to bless you by turning everyone of you from your wickedness. This Jesus. Who made the lame guy walk this Jesus the author of life was willing to die and yet rose again. This Jesus.

Seize the best way to bless you. Not by feeling your pocketbook. Not by healing all your hurts. But by turning you away from your sin turning you away from wickedness turning you to holding it every single human being. regardless of nationality regardless of gender regardless of race regardless of

All of us want the same thing that wants shows up in various ways. Those desires are expressed in a whole gamut of practices and Pursuits, but every single one of one of us wants the exact same thing. We want happiness. We want happiness. We want joy some of your like what happiness, you know, this is but I okay we can argue semantics later. But right now just agree with me all of us want good things not bad things all of us want to enjoy the life. We've been given not suffer every single moment. Am I correct? Yes. And even you say, well there's some people who seem to like painting like suffering. Yes, but they derive pleasure from those things. They're seeking to feel good. They're seeking pleasure. They're seeking satisfaction and contentment. We are all pursuing the same thing. How many venue Cascade Falls?

You got to do a guy's got to do it like my favorite hike in southern Utah one because it's easy to because there's a really cool waterfall at the end of it. All right. If you have been there, I won't spoil the surprise, but imagine with me whether you've been there or not you decide I want to go hike to Cascade Falls. Maybe you choose to do that this evening because the pastor talked about it and you're hiking down to Cascade Falls and you're coming across the is Candace Ridge and you're coming across it before the incline down. All of a sudden you see me just come Ferrell and off the side of the mountain in land smack in the middle of the trail and I'm cut and I'm bruised men my fill stations today are all kind of bloody. Sorry about that. I'm just beat up cuz I just come down the side of the cliff and landed in the middle of the trail. You say Pastor you okay? What are you doing? I'm going to Cascade Falls.

No, you're not. Cascade Falls, is that way here I tell you what pick yourself up dust yourself off and follow me. I'll take you there. I'll show you how to get there. Like, nope. I'm going to Cascade Falls right over the other side and you see the cloud of dust behind me. What's the problem I said I want to go to Cascade Falls and I'm a really mean that I want to go to Cascade fall. But if I'm not following the trail, I'm not going to get there. Jesus does not want less for you than you want Jesus wants for you. The very same thing that you want. He wants you to be happy. Joyful content satisfied he wants that for you, but he recognizes that in your sin you get confused and instead of following the trail that God laid out the trail of Holiness and righteousness. You just barely off the side of mountain say we're going to Cascade Falls.

And that never ends good. That never works. So the greatest thing that Jesus does for us is he says turn away from all that. You're you're chasing money. You're chasing power. You're chasing Fame you're chasing social connections you're chasing love and you think that that's going to make you happy, but it's not

Seek me and you'll get all that. Seek me and you'll find contentment seek me and you'll find happiness. Follow me. To the destination. We're all trying to get to you. So when Jesus says turn for when Peter tells the people turn from your wickedness turn from your sin. It's not like he's saying Jesus is as Cosmic killjoy. He just wants to make sure you never feel any satisfaction in your life know he's saying look whatever the world has lied to you about. Whatever your feelings have lied to you about. That's not the way to find those things. Follow me. We'll get there together now. I want to I want to reiterate that just in case you missed it Holiness righteousness pursuing God's way living life according to Christ's command is not easy, but it is best. It's the only way that you will find the satisfaction and contentment you're looking for. Nothing else will accomplish that now for the sake of time. I'm not going to do it here, but I would encourage you to look up CS Lewis's small little booklet work whatever it was originally a sermon called the weight of Glory. Encourage you to read that some time and to think about what it means to truly be happy and how it is that that can actually be achieved. We're told it's not through pursuing what we want to turning to this Jesus who shows us the path to true happiness through Holiness dealing with the crowd who's there? He's dealing with the man who just got healed but he also has this other group of people who show up on the scene in chapter 4, and we need to understand how Jesus is connected with this group of people. All right, so in verse 1 of chapter 4 and as they were speaking to the people the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees Came Upon them greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming Jesus the resurrection from the dead and they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day for it was already evening, but many of those who had heard the word believed and the number of the men came to about 5,000. On the next day the rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem with Anna's the high priest and Caiaphas. And John and Alexander and all the high Priestly family and when they had set them in the midst inquired by what power or by what name do you do this? Then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said to them rulers of the people and Elders if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled Man by what means this man has been healed. Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified whom God raised from the dead by him. This man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you the builders, which has become the Cornerstone and there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved this Jesus. Who you crucified and God rose from the dead he is the only one who can save there is no other name. Given under Heaven by which we must be saved and this is what I was talking about earlier Jesus. Is King. Or he's not it's not a little bit of Jesus. little bit of Jesus all of you submitted to Christ Or he's no good whatsoever to you. Jesus is all or nothing. He's the only hope that Humanity has.

Peter has to be bold to say this to this group of people in particular. These are the people who Peter just a few months before. Watch them conspire to get Jesus killed. This is the same group of people responsible. for Jesus's death He speaks up and he says you rejected. God's Plan of Salvation for all of humanity Jesus is the only one who can save. That's why this Choice matters. That's why it matters when I say you choose today before you walk out this door. Is Jesus king or is he not cuz of Jesus is just like the Cherry at the end of the week. Like Jesus is just kind of like okay. Hey, I did all the things I wanted to do. I made some money I hung out with my friends. Mobile, oh Jesus on the end of this thing.

Not enough. The only way of Salvation. The only way of Salvation is to acknowledge Him as king and to submit to him.

This Jesus. Is the path of Salvation we do it all the time we say well, how about some other options? We we we live in a combo meal Society.

Number one sounds pretty good, but I'm kind of hungry. Maybe I better go to the number to and get to quarter-pound patties.

You know what? I don't want fries with make mine the cheese curds.

We can't do that with Jesus. I want the Jesus to save me from hell, but not the Jesus that tells me how to live. I want the Jesus this leading me towards happiness, but I want to do it my way. I know Jesus said this but I think this so I'm going to do that. It's not the option to Jesus or nothing. Jesus is the only way to be safe. We don't get to order off of the menu this Jesus then. The only way to be saved the one who doesn't solve all our problems with solves our biggest problem. This Jesus changes everyone who submits to him. Changes everyone who submits to him. Look at verses 13 through 22 on educated common, man, they were astonished and they recognize that they had been with Jesus but seeing the man who is healed standing beside them. They have nothing to say in opposition, but when they had commanded them to leave the council they conferred with that one. Another thing. What shall we do with these men for that a notable sign has been for form through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and we cannot deny it but in order that it may spread no further among the people let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name. So they called them and charge them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus, but Peter and John answered them whether it is right in the sight of God listen to you rather than to God, you must judge for we cannot speak cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard and when they had further threaten them, they let them go finding no way to punish them because of the people for all were praising God for what it happen. The man on whom the sign of feeling was performed was more than 40 years old nose briefly. I want you to see what Jesus Does Jesus makes his disciples more than they ever could have been in themselves. What is a what is a religious leader C? In verse 13, they said these are uneducated. Common Man There's nothing remarkable about Peter and John. They don't have degrees. They're no different from the mass of Israel. They're no different from any other man picked at random from the streets of Jerusalem. There's nothing different about them. There's something different about them, right or am I the only one that sees this? Peter says I don't have silver or gold to give you but I can in Jesus name said get up and walk and the dude gets up and walks and we know it was a Peter that did that according to Peter but you can imagine the religious leaders think.

habitat You're nothing nothing remarkable about you. Guess what church is true about us? It's always been true about the church by and large the church will always be made up of the dregs of society. Welcome to the club. The only thing remarkable about us is the fact that were utterly unremarkable. There is nothing compared to commend us. There's nothing that makes church people better than non church people. Nothing, that would say this is where God's going to work. He's going to do amazing things because these people are just so doggone ordinary. And yet he makes us more than we could ever be on our own. The only way we're following him if that happens. Tell me when he's King that that happens and I would not come into you Christianity as a means of self-improvement. Just so you're clear on what I'm saying here.

It was a pastor several years older than I am actually at the end of his life in his ministry. He's being interviewed and they said to a man. It just must be amazing. You've walked with God so long you must you know, you must be so holy you must be so righteous and then the old Pastor started tearing up. I said by God's grace. I'm not what I was but the longer I walk with Christ the more I realize there's so much wrong with me. But praise God he loves me anyways. Following Jesus doesn't immediately turn you from nobody to somebody. The following Jesus makes you okay with being nobody so long as he gets the glory and that selflessness that recognition of not being worthy in myself at recognizing that he is worthy of anything that I can do or give or say. Changes your life and the Holy Spirit takes that he says I'll use that even though there's nothing there. He also changes the allegiance of the disciples from that of self-preservation to that of God glorification. He doesn't have to make them more than they could be but he utterly turns around the direction their life. When Jesus died the time between Jesus death and his resurrection were terrifying for the disciples. They were literally hiding themselves in a room lock the door lest. They be the next to die. Jesus rises the Holy Spirit comes and all of a sudden these guys don't care one lick. They don't care if the government in this case the Jewish authorities, they don't care if they're punished. They don't care if their jail they don't care if they're beat. They don't care of any of that. They just want to see the gospel Proclaim. Jesus is King and God being glorified through their lives. Whatever comes their way. This is so countercultural to you who grew up in America. Who say that the goal of your life is to get a good job make some good money retire and enjoy the good life.

Jesus comes in the middle of that and he says Nope. Not to go you may get those things and if you do use them for my glory because your bank account is not about preserving your level your status of living. Your retirement account is not the where you place your trust. The car you drive is not indicative of your standing with me. Everything's about him from now on. When Jesus comes and we see who he truly is our lives turn from self-preservation to God glorification just like that. Now I know what the process right we still like those things. We still cling to those things. But the Christian walk is a password Jesus starts to show us you don't need that don't depend on that.

Don't worry about that. I got Jesus changes those who submit to him making them more than they have any right to be in themselves and changing the direction of their lives, finally. The end of this chapter in this is brief. I promise. This Jesus. Who solves our biggest problem? Was willing to die at the hands of his creation turns us from sin to Holiness. Who is the only hope for salvation who changes those who submit to him. This Jesus is still active today. This Jesus is still at work. Look at the last section here.

Acts chapter 4 when they had been released Peter and John they went to their friends and reported with the chief priests in the elders had said to him and when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God instead Sovereign Lord who made the Heaven and the earth and the Sea and everything in them through the mouth of Our Father David your servant said by the Holy Spirit, why did the Gentiles rage in the people spot In Vein the kings of the earth set themselves in the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his anointed for truly in this city. There were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel to do whatever your hand in your plan had predestined to take place. Now Lord look upon their threats and Grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with our boldness. Why you stretch out your hand to heal and signs and wonders to perform for the name of your holy servant Jesus and when they had prayed the place in which they were gathered together was shaking and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continue to speak the word of God with boldness. Now the phone number Go to believe we're one heart and soul and no one said that any of the things that belong to him was his own but they had everything in common and with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them. All there was not a needy person among them for as many as were owners of lands. Our house is sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold in late at the apostles feet and it was distributed to each as any had need this Joseph who is also called by the apostles Barnabas, which means sons of a son of encouragement a levite a native of Cyprus Soldier Field to belong to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles feet. Just see what happens this Jesus. Change these people they walk out of that interrogation with a commanded. Don't talk about Jesus anymore. They go back in the reports. The people they say let's pray that we would be bold to talk about Jesus all the more. Let's pray that we would boldly declare. The truth the Jesus is King to the world and they proceeded to do it and Jesus is not only active in their witness to the world that he's active in their love for one. Another is active in the fact that none of them had me. He's active in the fact that they're selling things not claiming anything is around the same God use this use my stuff. However, you see fit Church. that Jesus Is this Jesus the Jesus who is at work today? Do we see him active in our mix in declaring? good news to the world and in loving one another If we don't the problem is not with him.

if we don't we missed something along the way. Because this Jesus. Makes a difference in the lives of his people earlier. I said that the one thing I wanted to settle before you left is the one thing I want to close with. Looking at your life. Is Jesus king? Or is he not? You can just have a little bit of Jesus. Is Jesus king? Are you still calling the shots? Let's pray.