Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Satan does not like it when God’s people are being obedient to their Lord.

He does not like it when a church decides that she is going to be obedient to the call of God and begin ministering to the people not within the body of Christ but also those without.

He will do whatever it is that he can do to get her discouraged and unfocused.

His greatest tools for causing dissension within the body of Christ are the tools of pride and envy.

Once again, within our text, we find Peter and John facing the full Council of the Jewish people.

They are once again finding themselves being persecuted for the Gospel sake by the Sanhedrin.

How will they respond?

Will God intervene?

What will be the charges this time?

We will face trials for our faith.

We will face persecution for the faith.

Often those trials and persecutions come from within the body of Christ rather than outside of the body of Christ.

We find those that resist change, attacking and resisting those that want change.

We find those that are in power and influence, attacking and resisting those that are trying to lead.

We find those that like things they way they are, attacking and resisting those that are believing that God is saying there’s more to do and we do not have time to wait.

Often, the attacking and resisting, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is out of envy and pride, which is what we see before us.

However, we find that God tells us to remain in Him and be faithful no matter the cost.

As Jesus was a trail blazer, the church was then and is now to be a body on the move and have the attitude and heart of trail blazers.

May we be faith and begin to blaze a new trail for the Gospel of Jesus Christ right here at Macedonia Baptist Church.

Focus Passage: Acts 5:17-32

Opening Passage:

Outline

Attacking the truth (vv.17-18)

Up this point the Sanhedrin had no way to charge the apostles for spreading the Gospel.

It had not been an official breaking of the law until their last trial.

In their last trial, Peter and John were told expressly not to preach the name of Jesus any longer (Acts 4:18).

With that being said, Peter and John stood on trial for three offences:

The apostles were on trial for

Preaching the name of Jesus

As already stated, Peter and John were told not to preach in Jesus name.

We live in a society where we are told not to mention the name of Jesus from all types people and in all types of places.

We are told not to mention Jesus at work.

We are told not to mention the name of Jesus or pray at school.

We are told not to mention Jesus to strangers at the store.

We hear all the time, it might offend someone if you tell them about the Gospel or mention the name of Jesus.

My response to this is two fold: (1) We need to have the same response that Peter and John had when the Sanhedrin told them to stop preaching the name Jesus.

We must obey God rather than man and preach the name Jesus.

and (2) the Gospel is offensive to a lost and dying world.

The word of God tells us this much.

Paul, quoting the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, writes, just as it is written: Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense (Romans 9:33a NASB 2020).

Then again he writes, And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?

then is the offence of the cross ceased (Galatians 5:11 KJV).

This world does not like the truth and it is the truth of the Gospel that are offended by and will continue to persecute those that declare it.

Refuting the doctrine of the Sadducees

The Sadducees did not believe in miracles, angels, or the resurrection.

The apostles were testifying that Jesus had risen from the grave and were not backing down.

This went against all that the Sadducees stood for and believed.

The jealousy of the religious leaders

“…And they were filled with jealousy...”

As we look at our text, we see two completely different attitudes and spirits between the Sanhedrin and the apostles.

Opposing Spirits between the apostles and the Sanhedrin

The spirit of the apostles was one of confidence in the Lord

The apostles did not resist arrest or form a protest

The apostles when quietly and firmly trusted in the Lord

The apostles willingly spent time in jail

The spirit of the Sanhedrin was one of rage and jealousy focused on self

“…And they were filled with jealousy...”

God proved His faithfulness (v.19-21)

God proved His faithfulness to His own

As the apostles are resting in prison, firmly confident in the Lord, God proves his faithfulness to them.

We find God declares in his word that we have no reason to be ashamed of Him.

As Paul writes, For the Scripture says, Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame (Romans 10:11).

This is a truth that the first century church knew all too well.

This truth was very apparent to the apostles as they had already seen through previous trials and tribulations for the sake of the Gospel.

It would be no different this time.

We find that the Scriptures state that God sends an angel to them to free them, But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison.

We must remember that God still uses angels today to prove his faithfulness to his people.

Angels, we are told through the Scripture, are ministering spirits to the children of God.

We can remain firm in our convictions and faithfulness to the Lord, for He is faithful.

God proved His faithfulness to the Gospel

“Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple area the whole message of this Life.”

The most important message that we as a church have to deliver is the gospel message.

It is in the message of cross that we find life and the deliverance from the bondage and penalty of sin.

Jesus, Himself, said, I am the way the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by me (John 14:6).

Prior this declaration He states, I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).

The apostles proved their faithfulness to God

“Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple area about daybreak and began to teach.”

Affirming the Truth (vv.29-32)

I an only imagine the sure look of horror and embarrassment on the face of not on the prison guards but the Sanhedrin also, when they realized that the apostles were no longer in cell they left them in (v.22).

Not to mention, we see that the jail cell was still tightly shut and locked as reported by the prison guards, We found the prison locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside (v.23).

When you add to this the rage of their jealousy and then to find them once again declaring the same message that they had threw them in prison for the night before, The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple area and teaching the people (v.25).

I set back in amusement knowing that they had to have been enraged and exasperated at this point wondering, what do we do to stop them.

Their solution, bring accusations against them.

Threaten them.

Try to intimidate them.

The apostles, once again are brought before the Sanhedrin for interrogation.

They remind them of what they already have told them, We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this Man’s blood upon us (v.28)

As the apostles endure this interrogation once again, Peter, as the leader of the apostles, stands up and affirms the truth.

Peter and the apostles affirmed the truth of obedience

“We must obey God rather than man”

Peter and and apostles affirm what Peter and John and already declared to them once before.

Peter and the apostles affirmed the truth of the Gospel

“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging Him on a cross.

He is one whom God exalted on His right and as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”

While affirming the Gospel message, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, they also affirmed the guilt of the Jewish people.

The religious leaders could not even mention the name of Jesus.

As we previously read, when they were once again interrogating the apostles, in this name…this Man’s blood.

They could not mention the name of Jesus as if it was blasphemy to do so.

However, they were guilty of blasphemy by denying Jesus and they truly were guilty, by volition, for the crucifixion of Christ.