Sunday, September 09, 2007

ACTS 5:20 - Taking A Stand!

SERIES #9: Acts of the Apostles – Witnesses to Jerusalem

TOPIC: Proclamation; Evangelism, Good News (Gospel), Obedience, Testimony, Witness, Word (Scripture)
TITLE: TAKING A STAND – What the Authentic Church Is Expected to Do!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What does God’s command to the apostles reveal about what He wants of them [and us]?
CONCISE OUTLINE
I. IT REVEALS HE DIDN’T WANT THEM IMPRISONED BY WORLD!
II. IT REVEALS HE DIDN’T WANT THEM TO WAIT FOR “THE PEOPLE” TO COME TO THEM!
III. IT REVEALS HE HAD GIVEN THEM SOMETHING WORTH STANDING FOR!
IV. IT REVEALS HE HAD GIVEN THEM SOMETHING TO SAY!
A. Who they’re to say it to – “the people”!
B. Where they’re to say it – “in the Temple”!
C. How much to say – “the whole message”!
D. What it’s about – “this life”!
TRUTH/CONTEXT: The death of Ananias and his wife Sapphira is now past; the result being great fear AND great growth.
  1. great fear coming “upon the whole church, and upon all who heard of these things” (5:11)
  2. great growth continued – that is, “all the more” were being added (5:14)
These two pretenders were used by God [Romans 8:28] to –
  1. preserve church integrity,
  2. develop a healthy fear of God, and
  3. bring about dramatic church growth.
In our text we still see the bold, powerful witness of the “authentic church.”

TEXT: Acts 5:20 (12-21a)
“Go your way, stand and speak
to the people in the temple
the whole message of this Life.”
The apostles’ prayer continued to be answered: they asked to “speak Thy Word with all confidence” [aka: “boldness”], heal, and see signs and wonders – they received boldness to speak the Good News with signs and wonders [5:12, 14] and healings [15, 16].

Remember where we are: we’re in Jerusalem [through chapter 7]. Let’s also remember the central themes of Acts …
  1. the Preeminence of the Living Christ
  2. the Prominence of the Holy Spirit, and
  3. the Power of the Authentic Church.
The Church was filled with Holy Spirit power, burdened to proclaim the Good News of “this Life.”

As it turns out, the apostles were not set free to save their own lives but the lives of others.

Literally, they were commanded –
  1. to GO … “you go your way”
  2. to TAKE/HOLD … “take your stand” or “hold your ground” or “stand firm”
  3. to SPEAK … “continue to speak.”
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What’s God’s command to apostles reveal about what He wants?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
I. IT REVEALS HE DIDN’T WANT THEM IMPRISONED BY WORLD!
A. They were to “Go”… “Depart”
B. To get up and escape
1. Not to stay put
2. Not to wait for the guards
3. Not to submit to the ways of man
4. Not to be trouble free
5. Not to be sure they don’t offend
6. Not to fear man but God
II. IT REVEALS HE DIDN’T WANT THEM TO WAIT FOR “THE PEOPLE” TO COME TO THEM!
A. They were to go to “the people”
1. Not to their homes & families
2. Not to the Upper Room
3. Not to their place of employment
4. Not to flee Jerusalem
5. Not to the country to hide
B. God even told them where the people were - “in the temple”
C. The temple here is not naos (God’s)– but hieros (man’s)
D. In other words – right back to where they were arrested
III. IT REVEALS HE HAD GIVEN THEM SOMETHING WORTH STANDING FOR!
A. Standing on the Promises
B. On the Rock of Ages
C. “The whole message”
1. Not part of the word
2. Not the message of man
a) Not princes or rulers
b) Not shakers and movers
c) Not of mammon
d) Not one another
D. But the rhematos “of this life”
IV. IT REVEALS HE HAD GIVEN THEM SOMETHING TO SAY!
A. To say Publicly, Boldly, Resolutely, Truthfully
B. “All the words (rhemata) of this Life”! {“the full message of this life.” [NIV]}
  1. “Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words (rhemata) of eternal life.’” [John 6:68]
  2. “But what does it say? ‘THE WORD (rhema) IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART’ – that is, the word (rhema) of faith which we are preaching … ” [Romans 10:8]
  3. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word (rhematos) of Christ.” [Romans 10:17]
APPLICATION:
[OVERSHADOWED] Like in that movie where the alien space ship comes over the horizon and blocks out the whole sky … God has sent His Son and His Son has filled the universe … and through all ages.
My friends, the fact that we are here today is by the grace of God alone … whether saved or lost we owe our present life to Him. And no eternal life will come except through His Son Jesus.

People must be told!

Let’s be clear and honest … under no circumstance is God about to tell these just released messengers to speak …
  1. anything but the full message or the whole truth
  2. anything but that which is most important and of the highest priority
  3. anything but a message related to the person and works of Jesus Christ, His Son
  4. to anyone but those needing to hear the message
  5. or in anyway that is not filled with divine confidence
[GILL] “The Gospel is to be preached to all; the Spirit of God makes it effectual to some, and others are rendered inexcusable.”
CHALLENGE: No matter the circumstances, God still desires His people go, take their stands, and speak boldly … the whole message of this life.

When we were released (if indeed we were released), the message was the same: go your way, continue to speak, to the people, in public (boldly, confidently), the whole message of "this Life."

We must fear God and not man: if we fear man, we inherit everlasting torment; if God, eternal life.

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