ACTS 4:23-31 - NOTICE THEIR THREATS

SERIES #6: Acts of the Apostles; Witnesses to Jerusalem [1-7]

TOPIC: Power; Church, Testimony, Witness

TITLE: NOTICE THEIR THREATS - Prerequisite for Speaking with Boldness!
TEXT: Acts 4: 29-30 [23-31]

"And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."

CONCISE OUTLINE
INQUIRY: How did the disciples react to the threat of persecution by the Jewish leaders?

I. THE THREAT MADE THEM PROCLAIM GOD … !

A. Their faith in God

1. Openly
2. Enthusiastically

II. THE THREAT MADE THEM PRAISE GOD … !

A. Loudly!
B. Unanimously!

III. THE THREAT MADE THEM PETITIONED GOD … !

A. Powerfully

TRUTH/CONTEXT: By now we should remember …

First that the Acts of the Apostles is outlined in chapter 1 verse 8 … and second that there are three themes revealed in its contents …

1. The preeminence of the Living Lord,
2. The prominence of the Holy Spirit, and
3. The power of the authentic church

We’ll be in Jerusalem through chapter 7; we’ll then enter Judea and Samaria until chapter 13, when we begin a journey to “the remotest part of the earth.”

Last week we saw that the authentic church can’t stop speaking about what is know to be true … unless it has allowed calluses to build up on its heart, or unless it, like the church in Laodicia, has lost its first love. [Revelation 2:4]

This week we’ll see how persecution results in a fearless voice, a unified voice, and a powerful voice all working together for God’s Glory.

EXPANDED OUTLINE
INQUIRY: How did the report of persecution by the Jewish leaders affect believers?

I. THE THREAT MADE THEM PROCLAIM GOD – Fearless Voice!

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 peoples of Israel. [27]

A. Jesus
B. By faith
C. Openly
D. Enthusiastically

1. Considered it an honor to suffer for His name
2. Unconcerned about the consequences
3. Hungered more

E. Didn’t suggest a retreat, criticize or question the apostle’s motives, suggest they go easy, stop going to the temple, propose appeasement, or send others so they could stay home.

II. THE THREAT MADE THEM PRAISE GOD – Unified Voice!

“And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord.” [24a]

A. When the disciples reported on the threat the combined response was unified. [24]
B. Praised God

1. Loudly
2. Unanimously
3. About

a) His creative POWER! [24]
b) About His providential care! [25,28]
c) About His word and its truth! [25,26]

C. Gave God the glory

1. … here called “Sovereign Lord” …
2. recognized He is greater than “nations … peoples … kings … and rulers” [despõtes]

III. THE THREAT MADE THEM PETITIONED GOD … Powerful Voice!

"And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." [29, 30]

A. As a result they prayed boldly to God …

1. to consider the threats of His enemies
2. to grant them all confidence to proclaim the Good News
3. to continue …

a. His healing … not just the flesh but the spirit.
b. His signs and wonders …

E. Notice the use of Scripture in their worship of God [24b,25b,26]
F. Notice they don’t hesitate to call a “spade” a spade [27,28]
G. Notice they don’t cower but rather

1. Requested God would humble His enemies and
2. make bold His witnesses. [29]

H. Notice they don’t ask for boldness selfishly but rather for the benefit of others and for the glory of God! [30]
I. And notice God answered their prayers and released them with power … but for many it meant dispersion, tribulation, and death! [31]
J. Notice the request is not for power to afflict God’s enemies with His wrath but rather to extend His mercy “through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” [30]

We should covet the same.

APPLICATION:

[COMMAND] During WWII the North African Campaign was in a mess and General Montgomery was sent to clean it up. I’m told his first order was as follows: “The orders of the Commander-in-Chief will no longer be open to interpretation ... just action.”

God will not bully or threaten those He has chosen. No gun will be put to their head; they will not be drug kicking and screaming into the streets.

We may choose to obey or disobey. Yet there are those who insist they’re obedi-ent and but clearly are not! Such is the problem of the twentieth century.

Were I chosen to write the epitaph for the church of this century, I would write:

GREAT PROCLAMATION;
PROCLAMATION UNPROCLAIMED

The POWER of the church (for certain THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH) was reflected in the events that followed:

1. Immediate answer to prayer … [4:31]
2. Community … [4:32-35]
3. Barnabas … [4:36,37]
4. Ananias & Sapphira [5:1-16]
5. Followed by more persecution [5:17ff.]

CHALLENGE: The AUTHENTIC but contemporary church should expect, if it has committed itself into His hands, to be …

1. shaken
2. filled and
3. made bold.

[ARMY] A few years ago the U.S. Army unveiled a new recruitment slogan recently. The “Be All You Can Be” line, a cultural icon since the 1980s, was re-tired and replaced with “An Army of One.”

According to reports, the Army hopes the slogan will appeal to a genera-tion less attracted to military service than its predecessors.

Paul says the church has had that slogan for 2,000 years …

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:4-6

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:31

Thus we know and proclaim, “I am an army of One in Christ Jesus … undefeated and unbeatable; overcoming and victorious!”

Acts, Christianity, Expository, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons, Sermons Series

DEUTERONOMY 8:1-10: Stop! Look! Listen! Think!

TOPIC: Blessing; Obedience, Preparation, Sanctification, Voice (of God)
TITLE: "Stop, Look, Listen and Think! Hear the voice of God!"

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why did God encourage Israel to stop, look, listen and think?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. That they might profit from their past! (v. 2a)
II. That they might be perfected in their present! (v. 6)
III. That they might be possessors of His promises in their future! (vv. 7-10, 16b)

TRUTH CLAIM/CONTEXT: [Cf. Deuteronomy 1:1-14] Israel's forty years in the wilderness has come to an end; Moses' life is also at an end; God tells Moses to confront His children with His words . . . one last time.

They are to leave the plain of preparation and go to the land of promise to possess it!

Here in chapter 8, God has Moses challenge the people to think (a.k.a.: reflect) upon their past, their present and their future.

The question we will want to answer is WHY?

[RR Crossing] In the mid-west, as a youth, I recall rail crossing signs . . . each looked like a big, white, letter ex. Three arms had a single word written on it: one read, STOP; another, LOOK; the third, LISTEN; while the last was unmarked.

Considering those who take liberties at railroad crossings today perhaps that fourth arm should read, THINK! The money and effort consumed in the attempt to prevent accidents at these crossings is staggering. Why? Because . . .

1. people don't focus on what is important in life
2. people don't think before they act and
   
3. people are prone to take risks . . . ignoring consequences!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why did God encourage Israel to stop, look, listen and think?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. That They Might Profit from Their Past! (v. 2a)

"And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years . . . "

Deuteronomy 8:2

A. "all the way which the LORD your God has led you"
B. What was God's purpose for wanting to remind them of this?

1. Read v. 3 (to be humbled, to hunger, to understand)
2. Read v. 4 (clothing=provision)
3. Read v. 5 (to know in their heart that God, as any good father, was at work in their discipline and that it was for their own good)

"Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days."

Proverbs 19:20

II. That They Might Be Perfected in Their Present! (v. 6)

"Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God . . . "

v. 6a

Why?

A. "to walk in His ways"
B. "to fear Him"

III. And That They Might Be Possessors of His Promises in Their Future! (vv. 7-10, 16b)

"... to do good for you in the end."

v. 16b

How?

A. By ...

"bringing you into a good land . . . "

v. 7a

B. To ...

"a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you shall eat food without scarcity, in which you shall not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper."

vv. 7b-9

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Now that we've answered the question "How?" let's answer the question "Why?"

So that . . .

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you."

v. 10

So how did things turn out? Not well, as we know. People tend to get familiar with things and then take them for granted . . . like trains at rail crossings.

[HEAVENS] In a book by H.G. Wells, Wm. Clissold, one of his characters is quoted as saying: "There was a time when my little soul was uplifted at the starry enigma of the sky. That's absolutely gone. I remember looking at the stars one might, and I was in ecstasy . . . but now I can go out to look . . . [like I would] at the pattern on the wallpaper [on a theater wall]." [H. G. Wells; in Outlines and Illustrations, MacPherson, p.46]

But you don't do that with God. Israel and all they experienced were "examples for us, that we should not crave" what God does not want for us! [1 Corinthians 10:6]

God challenged Israel to remember what He had done for them but , by the end of their 40 year camping trip, they had taken Him for granted and still longed for the garlic and onions of Egypt.

READ ALOUD: Deuteronomy 8:11-20

As a nation we have the same dilemma . . . do we look at the history of our great nation and see the hand of God in every blessing. And we claim its wealth comes from the power of our own hand?

In the light of God's unchanging character, would He encourage us to STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, and THINK about this latter day failure? Would He want us to look forward and consider His promises in the shadow of this time?

1. If so, what lessons would He have us learn?

[LIVING STONES] That we aren't bricks made by human hands in a kiln over a few hours. We are "living stones." [1 Peter 2:5]

Stones take ages and ages to form in the crucible of the earth's crust; followed by ages of washing and weathering . . . to smooth out the roughness and round them. This is done to so they can be clearly differentiated from plain old rough, ragged rocks.

Francis de Sales said, "This [life] is but a quarry where the living stones of the heavenly Jerusalem are cut and washed."

God is preparing us to be good "Christians"; He is preparing us for our place in the wall of His eternal Holy Temple.

2. If so, what commands are we to keep?

We are not of the law but of righteousness by faith!

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."

John 14:15

"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love ..."

[John 15:10a

This is the paradox of obedience: We can't keep His commandments unless we first acknowledge His authority to command; yet we cannot (it seems) acknowledge His right to command unless we begin by desiring to keep them.

"For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day."

2 Timothy 1:12

3. If so, what promises have we been given?

"seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, . . . for by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."

2 Peter 1:3a,4

"But it isn't as though the word of God has failed. For they're not all Israel who are descended from Israel; neither are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED. That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants."

Romans 9:6b-8

Above us are the blinking reminders of our heavenly future; below us is the dust of our earthly past; and in between . . . ???

Well, between:

"there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

1 Timothy 2:5

And we have taken to heart the promise of Jesus our Lord, our God, and our Savior: "lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." [Matthew 28:20]

Christianity, Deuteronomy, Expository,
Homiletics, Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

DEUTERONOMY: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at FBC La Verne (FBC/LV) in Southern California or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...

8:1-10

STOP! LOOK! LISTEN! THINK! - Recognizing the Sovereignty of God to Command!

33:27

FOUNDATION FOR LIVING LIFE TO ITS FULLEST - Fear Not For He Is With Us!

CrossLinked: Spurgeon's Morning & Evening Proclaimed Series (November 11 "Morning")

quick link: DEUTERONOMY Seed Archive

Deuteronomy, Expository, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

LAMENTATIONS - Seed Archive

1:1

"How lonely sits the city That was full of people! She has become like a widow Who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces Has become a forced laborer!"

TOPIC: People of God

TITLE: The Cost of Disobedience - How to be Lifeless, Alone and Enslaved!
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does God want His people ["the city"] to be?

I. He wants her full of life! [a city once "full of people," now "lonely"]
II. He wants her great among nations! [once "great," now widowed]
III. He wants her regal! [then a "princess," now a "forced laborer"]

1:4

The roads of Zion are in mourning

Because no one comes to the appointed feasts
All her gates are desolate;
Her priests are groaning,
Her virgins are afflicted,
And she herself is bitter.

TOPIC: Price of Sin [Church health & behavior, Spiritual infidelity, Worship; holiness]

TITLE: BLACK GOLD*: The Heavy Price of Infidelity! [* see 4:1]
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why does the way to Zion mourn?

I. Attendance problems! [1b]
II. Missing Elders ! [1c]
III. Complaining priests! [1d]
IV. Declining [read "Reclining"] virgins! [1e]
V. Insensitive members [1f]

Apostasy, Christianity, Homiletics, Outlines,
Preaching, Rebellion, Sermons

1 TIMOTHY - Seed Archive

2:14-15

Indeed, Adam wasn't deceived, rather it was the woman, who, being utterly deceived, fell into transgression. [author's translation and italics]

Topic: MOTHER'S DAY [Children; Consequences; Eve; Family; Parenting; Sins of the Fathers] Title: What Every Mother Wants Her Children To Know!

Truth Claim: Our roles in life, as men and women, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters are dictated by two factors: (1) our federal disobedience in Adam and Eve and (2) our daily disobedience in our daily lives!

Man can't change this; not with all his resources over all time; nor can society, race, nationality, law, education, family or wealth!

Foundational Inquiry: If Eve could, what would she want all of her children to know?

She'd want them to know ...

I. God's commandments are not just for hearing, but for obeying!
II. God's Commandments may not make sense to man, but then they don't have to!
III. God's Commandments, when disobeyed, carry grave consequences!

Application: Were Eve here now, she'd try to convince you she made a horrible mistake. She'd try to demonstrate, every day, Satan is doing to you just what he did to her ... he's singing the same old song, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not ...' ?" [Genesis 3:1]

Mother's take note: Satan, like wolves in the pasture, isn't after the mature sheep, those who fight back and wear "the full armor of God," he's after your little lambs, those who depend on you to know better and to teach them!

1 Timothy, Christianity, ,
Expository, Homiletics, Outlines,
Preaching, Religion, Sermons

EXODUS - Seed Archive

Exodus 3:10 [Matthew 28:19-20]

TOPIC: Calling; missions
TITLE: EVERY MAN A MOSES: Called To Bring God’s People Out!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How is the call to Moses similar to the Great Commission's call to the saint of today?

I. In that both call us to God!
II. In that both send us out from God!
III. In both we bring the enslaved to God!

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: The world, like Israel, is in bondage. Each of us has been called to come to God, that He might send us out, that we might bring them out.

Every non-believer in the world today has his own Egypt, his own Pharaoh, and his own savior … what they lack is a Moses. For centuries priests stood between man and their God, now our apathy does!

18:18

TOPIC: Leadership; Organization, Planning

TITLE: REPRESENTATIVE AND REPRESENTED - How and why God wants us organized!
TEXT: EXODUS 18:18

“Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself."

TRUTH CLAIM: If left untaught and undiscussed, the people will let their leaders do all the work on their own.

Everywhere in Scripture we see the Lord encouraging and endorsing organization. Not to elevate one individual over another, but rather to show His people how to work together with one mind toward one goal, to show the leaders how they ought to organize the people for the work!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What three questions help us understand God's organizational plan?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. HOW HE WANTS US ORGANIZED?
II. WHY HE WANTS US ORGANIZED?
III. WHAT HE EXPECTS OF THE ORGANIZATION?

APPLICATION: Moses was so close to the trees, he couldn't see the forest; it took someone from outside to present better way to him. To Moses' credit he saw clearly the wisdom of his father-in-law's suggestion.

God has only one way to organize, yet he allows many variations of His way. It's not so important who has what method, rather it's whether we

1. operate within the context of God's way
2. work toward God's goal, and
3. cooperate with one another to accomplish it

Our church has no exemption from God's plan; if we expect to be a part of achieving His objective, we must organize and cooperate His way!

CHALLENGE: We must challenge ourselves to remember it is not our work or our goal, but God's work and God's goal. If He prefers one way over another, we must organize His way and cooperate in His work!

Look around the church today and try to understand that we are following a biblical model. Try to learn how it operates, then find a way to get involved ... with a cooperative attitude.

19-20:1-2, 18-26

TOPIC: Priesthood; Types (OT)

TITLE: A SPECIAL TREASURE - A Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation!
TRUTH: The words of our title equally apply to the Church in 1 Peter 2:9. So the promises given to Israel are also given to the Church, "if [we] will indeed obey [His] voice and keep [His] covenant" [v.5].

It would do us well to make note of the similarities and differences between the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant in Christ's blood.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does Israel before God at Mt. Sinai compare to the Church before God today?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. WE BOTH -

A. MUST COME BEFORE HIM!
B. MUST BE PREPARED TO COME!
C. CAN EXPECT TO HEAR HIS VOICE!
D. MUST OBEY HIS VOICE!
E. MUST KEEP HIS COVENANT!

II. BUT THE CHURCH -

A. NEEDS NO HUMAN INTERCESSOR!
B. HAS ONLY ONE LAW - THE ROYAL LAW!
C. MAY COME BOLDLY INTO HIS PRESENCE!

APPLICATION: O what joy floods my soul; O what freedom I enjoy! The Lord, while I was yet a sinner, died for me! I'm not just free, but free indeed!

In other words, it's impossible to keep the law: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." [James 2:10]

In fact, it was never God's intent that the law be kept: "The law was our tuto, to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." [Galatians 3:24]

It was always God's plan to redeem the world through His Son: "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" [John 1:29]

CHALLENGE: There are five or six covenants in the Old Testament. The believer, who truly appreciates what the Lord has done, will endeavor to understand the purpose of these covenants relative to the New Covenant in Christ's blood. The reason?

Most of what we know as New Testament light has reflected off those covenants. You'll be surprised when your eyes are opened to this truth.

Christianity, Exodus, Expository Preaching, Homiletics,
Sermon Outlines, Preaching, Sermons