Tag: god

Sermon Idea: God works extraordinarily through evangelism to build his church and create one people united in Jesus Christ. 

Introduction: In one of the earliest defenses of the Christian faith, Tertullian, writing around AD 200 in his Apology, argues that the Roman authorities were unjust in persecuting and mistreating Christians. In it, he responds to slanderous charges, defends the faith, and makes a positive case for Christianity. 

One particular point made by Tertullian has resonated with many believers throughout church history. The reality of persecution, painful as it was, could not prevent the spread of the gospel and the building of Christ’s church. 

He wrote, “The more you mow us down, the more we grow: the blood of Christians is seed.”

This certainly is not intended to glamorize persecution nor encourage the pursuit of martyrdom. It is intended to magnify the sovereign providence of God, whose redemptive work and building of Christ’s church cannot be prevented. 

How fitting this image is for our text this morning, as Stephen’s blood has been shed as the first Christian martyr, and the church scatters, taking the gospel into Samaria. 

Stephen’s blood being shed is exactly how Paul remembers Stephen’s death in Acts 22:20. We read, 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ (Ac 22:20)

When you consider that image with verses 1 & 4 of chapter 8, you’ll quickly see how Tertullian’s words describe well what we see in Acts. 

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (Ac 8:1)

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. (Ac 8:4)

If the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church, then the proclamation of the Word is the water that nurtures its growth. It is the ordinary work of evangelism through which God works extraordinarily to save sinners and build his church. 

In fact, one New Testament scholar summarizes our passage in this way: “In effect, Luke unfolds a theology of evangelism here.”

God works extraordinarily through evangelism to build his church and create one people united in Jesus Christ.

This morning, we are going to learn about how the gospel advanced beyond Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria, how God works through the Word, and how He uses ordinary people like you and me in that work. We will also see that this work is not without its challenges. Being aware of the potential difficulties we may face in gospel sharing will only prepare us to endure those challenges and think rightly about them. 

In all, I want to show you four related truths: proclaiming the Word is the work of evangelism, false religion competes with evangelism, a unified people in Christ is the fruit of evangelism, and false conversions are the challenge of evangelism. 

I.) Proclaiming the Word is the work of evangelism (Acts 8:4-7, 12) 

The work of evangelism is not just any work of the church, but a particular type of work. Look how it is described in verses 4-5. 

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ (Ac 8:4–5)

In both instances, it is the proclamation that is central to evangelism. In the first instance, it is preaching the word, i.e., the good news of the gospel. In the second instance, it is proclaiming Christ, who, of course, is the center of the gospel’s good news. 

Yes, signs and wonders are mentioned in verses 6-7, but the word is central. Consider how prominent proclaiming the word is in this passage. 

In verse 12, we read that Phillip, “….preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” 

In verse 25, we read that the apostles “spoke the word of the Lord…preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.”

As I reflect on these verses, I see the importance of what is proclaimed and who is proclaiming. Let’s take those one at a time. 

Consider the very related, yet different ways Luke describes the message we are to share in evangelism. 

The message of evangelism is the word (vs. 4) about Christ (vs. 5). It is the good news of the kingdom of God (vs. 12) and about the name of Jesus Christ (vs. 12). Put together, and the details parsed out, these ways make up the gospel (vs. 25) we are to share in evangelism. 

Phillip is preaching the name of Jesus, so that they’ll know it is Jesus of Nazareth who fulfills the Scriptures and is the promised Messiah. Of course, since it is Jesus of Nazareth, the gospel is about the Messiah who was crucified and raised from the dead and in whom forgiveness of sin is available to those who repent and believe in Jesus Christ. 

Today, if we were to try to share this message of the gospel, including these elements, we might say something like this.

The one true and living God is holy and the creator of everything, including you and me. We were created in God’s image to know him, worship him, and live with him in his kingdom. But we have sinned against God and have been banished from his good presence and kingdom. That’s what’s so wrong with the world. Our sinful rebellion against God has made all that was good wrong, and there is no way for us to make it right again. 

In God’s great love, he makes a way for everything to be made right. God becomes a man in Jesus Christ, who lives the life we were supposed to live, he died on the cross paying the penalty for our sins, and was raised from the dead, showing that God accepts Christ’s sacrifice for sin. Now forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God are given to all who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus. Jesus is the king, and we should give our allegiance to him. All who do will not only have their sins forgiven and be right with God, but will be given eternal life to live with God in his good kingdom forever. 

This is the good news of the gospel, and it is good news that must be shared using words. Living well before people is not evangelism. Defending the faith is not evangelism. Sharing your testimony is not evangelism.

Proclaiming the good news of the gospel with the aim to persuade sinners to repent and believe in Jesus is evangelism. 

Now notice who is doing this work of evangelism. Is it just the apostles? No, it is ordinary, unnamed believers like you and me, 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

We all have received the great commission from the Lord Jesus to make disciples by sharing the gospel. We can do that by sharing the gospel with a friend and by supporting and investing in a healthy church that is centered on the gospel—ones that reproduce, plants churches, and sends missionaries that they support well. 

J.I. Packer, in what is one of my favorite books on evangelism, writes, “The truth of salvation has been made known to us, not for us simply to preserve (though we must certainly do that), but also, and primarily, to spread. The light is not meant to be hidden under a bushel. It is meant to shine…He who does not devote himself to evangelism in every way that he can is not, therefore, playing the part of a good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ.”

Friend, do you believe that God can use you for the spread of the gospel and the advancement of his kingdom? This is not the work of a select few. It is our work together.

What if God has brought lost people close to you, so that they may hear about the good news of the gospel in your conversations with them? 

II.) False religion competes with evangelism (Acts 8:9-13)

As the gospel spreads into Samaria, it does not do so among a culture with its own beliefs and even a recent fascination with dark spiritual practices like magic. 

9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” (Ac 8:9–10)

The magic that they are amazed by is not a mere illusion or trick, but acts associated with spiritual powers. This is not an innocent way of getting to God, but a demonic means of Satan to distract people from God and distort the truth of the gospel. Paul speaks of Idol sacrifice really being sacrifices to demons in 1 Corinthians 10. John tells us to test the spirits, becasue many false prophets teach errant things about Jesus and so are not from God. 

Both the Old & New Testaments condemn the practice of sorcery and witchcraft just as they do every other form of idolatry. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 is a good example. 

10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer, or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. (Dt 18:10–12)

The Bible never speaks of false religion and practices as innocent and neutral spirituality, but as demonic competitors to the truth of the gospel. 

In a Gospel Coalition article from 2023, a sister named Jordan Taylor shared her conversion from witchcraft and New Age spirituality to Christ. As I read a portion of it, I want you to listen to how she reflects on her former practices. 

For more than 10 years, I was entrenched in mysticism and self-discovery.

I practiced witchcraft and performed spells. I became an oracle-card reader and enrolled in classes to sharpen my psychic abilities. I was a certified Reiki master and yoga teacher. I used crystals as a means of healing, protecting, and manifesting. I believed in astrology, manifesting under a new moon and cleansing and recharging my energy under the full moon. I worshiped nature and worked with goddesses. I found my spirit guides and let them lead the course of my life. I’d talk to “Spirit/Source/Universe” and believed I was speaking to my “higher self.” I believed I created my own reality and I was my own god, in control of my life. I thought I finally knew my purpose—to heal the collective, raise the vibration of the planet, and help others heal and do the same.

I was wrong about all of it. What I was actually doing was laying down a welcome mat for darkness and deception—and all that comes with it. The very practices I believed protected me and connected me to something divine were only pushing me further into darkness, further away from God.

We are not doing evangelism in a neutral culture. We are doing evangelism in a culture where false beliefs and practices compete for the hearts and minds of every person. Behind these false beliefs and practices is not a mere difference of ideas, but a work of Satan and spiritual powers that seek to blind people to the truth of the gospel. 

Whether it’s New Age spirituality, heretical cults like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormonism, false religions like Islam, or the progressive ideology that’s taken over American culture regarding gender and sexuality, evangelism is a form of spiritual warfare.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ( Eph 6:12)

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Co 4:4)

Notice how the text talks of Simon’s magic and Philipp’s gospel preaching as if they compete with one another. By that I mean, they both long for the attention and allegiance of the Samaritans. 

11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. (Ac 8:11–12)

I say that false religions compete for the hearts and minds of others, but when God acts, it is not a competition. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and it is through the preaching of the gospel that these Samaritans turn from magic to Jesus Christ. 

It is by centering the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives and ministry that we find the best way to shine the brightest light into a world blinded by darkness. 

Don’t miss that the Samaritans are welcome in the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ, but they can’t bring their syncretism and magic with them. One of the errant beliefs of our culture that has unfortunately made its way into some churches is that to love is to be all-affirming and all-accepting. This is love in word only and is empty. It ignores God’s holiness and righteous law. It ignores his goodness and grace. God loves the Samaritans, and so he calls them out of the love of magic through the gospel. They are welcome; these beliefs are not. 

This will be important for our final point: notice that Simon is also said to believe, but note carefully how it’s described. 

13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. (Ac 8:13)

It is in the following few verses that we get the fullest expression of the meaning of this passage. Salvation coming to the Samaritans teaches us that the fruit of evangelism is a unified people in Jesus Christ.  

III.) A unified people in Christ is the fruit of evangelism (Acts 8:14-17, 25)

Word has reached Jerusalem that the Samaritans have received the gospel, so Peter and John are to see to the start of this young church. We then get an interesting note in verses 15-17. 

15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (Ac 8:15–17)

This is a description of a unique moment in redemptive history. As we read the rest of the New Testament, we can see how this is irregular and not the normative experience for the church today. 

The question remains, however, why did the delay in sending the Holy Spirit to a group of people who had repented and believed the gospel?

Once we remember that the gospel is being preached to Samaritans, we begin to put the pieces together. Do you remember what the Gospel of John tells us about the relationship between Jews and Samaritans? 

In John 4, Jesus asks a Samaritan woman for water at a well. Listen to how she responds. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) (Jn 4:9)

The dislike between Jews and Samaritans has a long, complicated history. After Israel was divided into two kingdoms, King Omri named the capital of the Northern Kingdom Samaria. When Israel is captured and exiled by the Assyrians in 722-721 BC, they ship off the strongest Israelites, leaving behind the weak and the poor who intermarry with the foreigners who resettle Samaria. 

²⁴ And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. (2 Ki 17:24)

Over time, there was a mixing of pagan worship with Judaism, so that when Israel finally returns, the “Samaritans” are viewed with disdain as a mixed people who practice a mixed and polluted form of Judaism. The Samaritans even built their own temple for worship on Mount Gerizim. All of this results in a long, mutual disdain (Neh. 4:1-2) for one another. 

So why does God wait to give the Spirit? In his wisdom, he delays until the apostles can be present to see with their very eyes the Spirit of God, the same Spirit promised in the New Covenant that indwells them, has been given to Samaritan believers. They are to see and know that through Jesus Christ, they are full members of the new covenant community, just as the Jews are. The apostles can then bear witness to their place in the church. 

In Jesus Christ, God is creating one, unified people.

We will see something very similar when the gospel reaches the Gentiles. The laying on of hands and a dramatic display are not necessary or regular, but God does so as the gospel expands to new places and among people outside of Israel (Acts 8:38; 10:44). 

It is the gospel alone that can create a community that’s both unified and diverse. All the other efforts will fail. The gospel tears down barriers that keep us from one another, as we are united in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is unlike any other. It is a community that only makes sense becasue the gospel is true. That’s what Paul says displays the wisdom of God. As God creates one people in Christ out of Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles, “…the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Eph 3:10)

IV.) False conversions are the challenge of evangelism (Acts 8:18-24) 

Unfortunately, there is one more thing to consider in our study of Acts 8 and the theology of evangelism it offers. We have to learn from the church’s response to Simon, who is an example of one who professes faith with his mouth but whose heart is far from him. 

18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” (Ac 8:18–19)

The text does not allow us to read this positively. He was a man who spoke of himself as great, and even after his profession of faith, it is the signs and wonders he was amazed by. He wants to regain his influence in Samaria. He wants this power not for the advancement of the gospel, but for the advancement of his own name. Not only that, but he knows so little of God and his grace that he thinks he can purchase power with money that only God has the authority to give.

If there was any doubt about this reading, the apostle’s response clarifies exactly how we are to think about Simon.   

20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” (Ac 8:20–23)

Verses 21 and 23 are as strong an indictment of his spiritual state. He has neither part nor lot in the gospel, because his heart is not right before God.  The language of gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity does not describe a mistake or temporary moral mistake, but a heart enslaved to sin and the desires of the flesh. 

Even his response lacks signs of a contrite heart. It reads more like someone wanting to evade the consequences of their sin rather than someone grieving the reality of their sin to repentance. 

24 And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” (Ac 8:24)

Simon’s story, and so many others throughout church history, remind us that although the gospel will advance, it will do so amid challenges. We must be diligent in watching out for those who wrongly believe they are saved and implore them to repent and believe in Christ alone. We should not be a cynical or pessimistic church, but we can’t afford to be a naive one either. False conversions will happen, but we should strive to do ministry and worship in ways that expose the emptiness of their hearts and call them to true saving faith. 

God works extraordinarily through evangelism to build his church and create one people united in Jesus Christ. 

The passage ends with this emphasis again, 25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. (Ac 8:25)

This is the work God has called us to. We are to share the gospel, aiming to persuade people to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. May we be faithful to prayerfully proclaim the gospel in Massac County, Southern Illinois, and wherever the Lord takes us. 

Sermon Idea: Stephen’s ministry and death bear witness that God’s transcendent presence is not restricted to one people group, place, or thing but is found in Jesus Christ. 

Introduction: I trust that you are familiar with the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross. No doubt you are familiar with, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Or the most often referenced saying, “It is finished.” 

These are the most memorable words of Jesus on the cross, but they are not the only words. Jesus also prayed for those who were crucifying him. 

34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Lk 23:34)

Just before taking his last breath, Jesus entrusts himself to the Father by saying, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this, he breathed his last. (Lk 23:46)

Jesus dies on the cross with unwavering trust in the Father, so he can forgive those crucifying him and willingly surrender his life in hope of the resurrection. 

Stephen was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and a friend of the apostles. We learned in Acts 6:5 that he was a man, “…full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” Like Jesus, who came to serve, not to be served, Stephen was a man who gave his time and energy to serving the weak and vulnerable. 

His name means “crown,” and he was the first martyr of the Christian faith.  Familiar as we are with Jesus’ last words, you may not have ever thought about the last words of Stephen. 

59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Ac 7:59–60)

Stephen’s example is one of Christ-likeness in life, ministry, and even death. One of the reasons I wanted to take this whole unit together rather than dividing it over several weeks is that taken together, you can get a picture of a faithful witness to Christ whose ministry reflects Jesus Christ, whose reading of the Bible is centered on Jesus Christ, and whose last words resemble Jesus Christ. 

Jesus is at the center of it all for Stephen, and Jesus should be at the center of it all for us. 

At one level, this text advances the story of Acts by transitioning from the mission in Jerusalem to the planting of churches in Judea and Samaria. Jerusalem or the temple will not limit God’s presence and work, because Jesus Christ is the ascended Lord and the cornerstone of a new temple. The presence of God and the worship of God can be found wherever the people of God are. 

You might capture the meaning of this section as follows: Stephen’s ministry and death bear witness that God’s transcendent presence is not restricted to one people group, place, or thing, but is found in Jesus Christ. 

That is the central message, but it is communicated by a messenger whose life, ministry, and death resemble our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to keep the message and the messenger in view, because both lead us to Jesus Christ. 

To do that, we’ll follow the narrative in four movements: Stephen’s Christ-like ministry, Stephen’s Christ-centered biblical defense, Stephen’s Christ-likeness in the face of death, and Stephen’s church-scattering sacrifice. 

I.) Stephen’s Christ-like ministry (Acts 6:8-15)

Stephen is described as a man “full of grace and power.” These are characteristics not natural to Stephen nor ones he cultivated with time or practice. They are the result of God’s grace and the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit. 

Stephen is one of three individuals, apart from the apostles, who perform signs and wonders. As a reminder, the signs and wonders point beyond themselves. They are displays of power to authenticate and validate the message of the gospel that the apostles preach. Stephen, then, must have been making much of Jesus Christ and the new covenant that he brought. 

His ministry brings him into conflict with fellow Hellenistic Jews, who have taken issue with what Stephen is preaching. 

9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. (Ac 6:9)

As the Pharisees and Sadducees often attempted with Jesus, these Jews debated with Stephen with no success, “…they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit which he was speaking.” (Acts 6:10) 

This is precisely what Jesus promised to his disciples. 

15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. (Lk 21:15)

Unable to defeat Stephen in a public debate, they conspired among themselves to bring serious accusations of blasphemy against Stephen. This alone is reminiscent of Jesus’ suffering, but we also have the added element of false witnesses. Stephen is walking the path of his Lord. 

11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” (Ac 6:11–14)

The charges are first introduced generally in verse 11 and then detailed in verses 13-14. They are accusing Stephen of blaspheming Moses and God because he allegedly spoke against the law and the temple. It appears that Stephen was probably preaching that Jesus was the Messiah who fulfilled the law and ended the Old Covenant sacrificial system. 

If this is what Stephen was doing, he was not blaspheming Moses or God, but showing how the law and the temple pointed forward and found their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The new covenant has come, so that the old covenant is passing away. 

13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Heb 8:13)

There would have been a grain of truth in what these false witnesses said, but it would be a twisted and exaggerated truth to paint as bad a picture of Stephen as possible. 

For any who has eyes to see and ears to hear, God gives them a clue as to who really represents him in this moment. Stephen’s face shines brightly. 

15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (Ac 6:15)

Moses’ face shone brightly after meeting with God. Jesus was transfigured, shining brightly before his disciples, revealing his divine glory. For Stephen’s face to shine brightly like an angel is a sign that he is God’s messenger, a representative of heaven. Far from opposing Moses, Stephen is like Moses, speaking the will of God about the law and the temple. 

Can you imagine communing with God so closely that you reflect his glory? Can you imagine following Jesus so closely that your life resembles his in visible and tangible ways? 

Stephen is captivated by a vision of the glory of God in Christ that is so real to him that he shines brightly.

Several months ago, we had the privilege of having Paul Washer with us, who preached a really edifying sermon on a Wednesday evening. What has stuck with me the most about him being here was not necessarily what he said while preaching, but what he said afterward. There were only a few of us left here. He was encouraging one of our young men to pursue the Lord through the Word and prayer, to experience God’s presence truly. And speaking of his own experience, he said of God, “He is more real to me in this moment than the three of you put together.” 

I have thought about that a lot since. For Stephen, the glory of God in Jesus Christ was more real to him than all these false witnesses put together. 

It is this communion and experience of God that leads Stephen to speak so authoritatively in his sermon in Acts 7: Stephen’s ministry is Christ-like, and his defense is Christ-centered. 

II.) Stephen’s Christ-centered biblical defense (Acts 7:1-53)

The high priest’s question prompts Stephen’s sermon, “Are these things so?”

Stephen then responds with a robust biblical and theological defense against these false charges. This is the longest speech in Acts, and it is filled with numerous details. There is, though, a discernible structure and two themes that are developed. 

That is how we are going to tackle this together. I want to show you how the structure might be understood and then explain the two themes. This way, we can get the meat and meaning of the sermon without commenting on every verse and every detail. 

The sermon has four major sections that focus on the covenants God made with Abraham (vv. 2-16), Moses (vv. 17-43), David (vv. 44-50), and the New Covenant (vv. 52-53). 

With this structure, Stephen then develops a primary theme and a secondary theme. 

Stephen’s primary point is that the presence of God cannot be limited to one people group, place, or structure, such as the temple. Beginning with Abraham, Stephen shows that God was present and at work among his people outside Jerusalem, even before the Temple was built.   

The second theme of Stephen’s sermon is the rejection of God’s prophets. Throughout Israel’s history, God’s prophets were rejected, just as they are rejecting Stephen this very moment. 

I want to survey these four sections, noting these two themes as they occur. 

Abrahamic Covenant 

The glory of God appeared to Abraham in a foreign land long before God brought the people into the promised land. 

“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ (Ac 7:2–3)

This is a promise that God would fulfill to Abraham’s offspring, but after they endure slavery in Egypt, God promises to rescue his people, so that they might worship God in the promised land. 

7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ (Ac 7:7)

The point? God appeared to Abraham in a foreign land, and worship of God can occur without a temple. 

Stephen then mentions Joseph, thereby introducing the theme of rejection.  Joseph was rejected by his brothers and sold into Egypt. However, this also allows Stephen to focus on God’s presence. Why? God was with Joseph in Egypt. 

9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. (Ac 7:9–10)

God not only used Joseph mightily while he was in Egypt (vv. 11-15), but also blessed and multiplied the people there. 

17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt (Ac 7:17)

Eventually, a Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph and who harshly enslaved Israel. Stephen then moves to the second section, Moses and the covenant God made with Israel. 

Mosaic Covenant 

The presence of God was with Moses in Egypt. Look at verse 20, “At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight.” 

Eventually, Moses would see the harsh treatment of Israel by the Egyptians. He became so enraged by it that he killed an Egyptian in vengeance. The Israelites did not receive this well. His own people initially rejected Moses. 

27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ (Ac 7:27–28)

So Moses fled into the wilderness to the land of Midian. Why is this important? God’s presence is with Moses in Midian, just as it was in Egypt. 

30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. (Ac 7:30–33)

God was also with Moses on Mount Sinai as Moses heard from God and received the law. Although God met with Moses, the people rejected Moses and turned away from God to worship idols. 

36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt (Ac 7:36-39)

In verse 44, Stephen reminds them that God met with his people in the tabernacle, which was a mobile structure until David’s son, Solomon, built the temple. 

44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. (Ac 7:44)

47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, 

49  “ ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? 50 Did not my hand make all these things?’ (Ac 7:47–50)

We cannot overstate the importance of this last point. Even when the temple is built, God tells us that God does not dwell in houses made by hands. He gives his glory to the temple, but he is not restricted by it or limited to it. 

Everything comes together in vv. 51-53, when Stephen transitions to the new covenant and the rejection of Jesus Christ. 

51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” (Ac 7:51–53)

Stephen provides a biblical theology of God’s presence and of the rejection of God’s prophets, both of which culminate in Jesus Christ. Stephen knows God and the ways of God, so he is able to respond to these charges and show that it is them who blaspheme Moses and God, not Stephen. 

This is how we are meant to read and reflect on Scripture. We are to read it to know God and his ways better. Our Bible reading grows cold and stale becasue we often open it looking for ourselves or for some other end that concerns us. 

But the Bible is not about us; it is about God. It is the revelation of God’s redemptive work throughout human history, interpreted for us so that we might know him and what he is like. 

There is no greater end of our lives than to know God rightly. J.I. Packer, in his classic book Knowing God, says it this way. 

“What makes life worthwhile is having a big enough object, something which catches our imagination and lays hold of our allegiance; and this the Christian has in a way that no other person has. For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?”

And how do we grow in our knowledge of God? We grow in our understanding of God through the Word of God. We need to give ourselves to reading, reflecting, and meditating on the whole counsel of God, Genesis-Revelation. Scripture is not a collection of 66 separate and fragmented writings with no relation to one another. Far from it! 

The Bible is one, unified story of God’s redemptive work in the world.  At the center of that work is Jesus Christ. As I’ve shared with you before, I love the delightful phrase by Dr. Mitchell Chase, “Jesus treasured the Old Testament, and at the same time he was—and is—its treasure.”

Beloved, follow the example of Stephen. Don’t settle for a superficial understanding of the Bible. Don’t dip in and out with little to no knowledge of Scripture’s grand story. The more you understand the big picture, the better you’ll appreciate and benefit from individual books, chapters, and verses. 

III.) Stephen’s Christ-likeness facing death (Acts 7:54-60)

As those listening are filled with rage, Stephen is filled with the Holy Spirit and is gifted a glimpse into the glory of God in Jesus Christ. 

55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Ac 7:55–56)

This is the final straw. These words sealed Stephen’s fate as those surrounding him stoned him, and Saul looked on with approval. 

What I want us to take special note of is vv. 59-60, as Stephen echoes the words of Jesus from the cross. 

59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Ac 7:59–60)

In his ministry, in his reading of Scripture, and now in his death, the most formative influence on Stephen’s life is Jesus Christ. This is what it looks like to follow Jesus faithfully even in the most difficult of circumstances. 

Stephen exemplifies what Peter calls us all to in 1 Peter 2. 

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly (1 Pe 2:21–23)

Who are the most formative influences in our lives, friends? As we think, speak, and act, who do we resemble? Can other people see and hear Christ-likeness in us? 

IV.) Stephen’s church scattering sacrifice (Acts 8:1-3) 

Stephen was the first martyr of the Christian faith, and his sacrifice was not in vain. The killers may have thought they were stifling the growth of this movement and killing its momentum, but what they did instead, by God’s providence, is scatter the church to take the gospel into Judea and Samaria. 

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (Ac 8:1)

Beyond that, is the impact Stephen’s death would have on Saul, the young man who approved of it and continued to persecute the church (Acts 8:1, 3) 

Later, when Paul is giving his testimony, he mentions Stephen. 

20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles. (Ac 22:20–21)

We don’t want to say more than the text does, but I don’t think Paul brings this up unless it had a lasting impact on his own understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. 

Stephen was a faithful witness to Christ whose ministry reflected Jesus Christ, whose Bible reading centered on Jesus Christ, and whose last words resembled Jesus Christ. 

Jesus was at the center of all Stephen did, and Jesus should be at the center of all we do. 

Sermon Idea: The Christian always has reason to rejoice and be thankful to the Lord, our God. 

Introduction: Thanksgiving is without question my favorite holiday. You may prefer others, but there is something about the family gathering, shared meal, conversation, laughter, rest, and football that simply makes for a great day. 

More than that, it is truly an annual pause that allows for reflection on how we have so much for which to be thankful. Thankfulness is not optional for those living the Christian life. We, above all people, have reason for joy and thanksgiving, because we have been saved from much, for much, and the best yet to come. 

Psalm 100 is a thanksgiving Psalm, and it is the conclusion to a collection of Psalms beginning around Psalm 95. We might think of them as a unit that exhorts us to rejoice because of who God is and in all that God has done. Let’s read a few verses so that we can get an idea for how Psalm 100 summarizes and concludes these Psalms. 

⁶  Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! ⁷ For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. (Ps 95:6–7)

Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 

³ Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! ⁴ For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. (Ps 96:2–4)

¹² Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,  and give thanks to his holy name!  (Ps 97:12) 

Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! 

His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. (Ps 98:1)

²  The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. 

³ Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! (Ps 99:2–3)

Psalm 100 summarizes and concludes these Psalms. Taken together, it is abundantly clear that God is worthy of praise and God’s people have more than enough reason to praise him with thanksgiving. The Psalm can be broken down simply by seeing that there are two exhortations, each followed by a reflection of God’s covenant. 

So we are to make joyful noise to the Lord, serve the Lord with gladness, and come into his presence with singing. (100:1-2)

We are also to enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise; give thanks to God, and bless his name. (100:4) 

The vision of the Christian life in Psalm 100 is not drudgery, but delightful; not reserved, but rejoicing; not complaining, but coming to praise, give thanks, and bless the name of the Lord. 

What I want to do tonight is focus on the reasons for all this rejoicing. There are five truths about God and his relationship to us that should result in joyful noise, glad service, singing, and thanksgiving. 

These five things are always true, regardless of our circumstances, perceptions, or feelings. I hope that we will then leave here tonight believing that the Christian always has reason to rejoice and be thankful to the Lord, our God. 

I.) The Lord is God 

We are instructed to know something about the Lord that we serve. This knowledge is supposed to be the grounding and reason of our joyful noises, glad serving, and singing. That knowledge is that the one we serve is the one true and living God, “Know that the Lord, he is God!” (100:3) 

Among all the gods who are worshipped, praised, and served, what distinguishes our Lord from them all is that He is the true and living God, and He is the rightful creator and sustainer of the universe. 

When Moses asked the Lord in Exodus 3:13, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” ¹ God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” (Ex 3:13–14)

This revelation of God’s name does not place Him as a peer among the many gods worshipped in Egypt, but as the true creator God of the universe who is sovereign over all human history. There is the Lord, and there is no other God besides him. “Know that the Lord, he is God!” 

Throughout the Old Testament, the true and living God demonstrates that the other gods are impotent, while He is omnipotent. When Elijah mocks Baal and then asks that the fire of the LORD consume the burnt offerings on wetted wood, God does it. 

The response to this display of God’s power from the people anticipates Psalm 100,  ³⁹ And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” (1 Ki 18:39)

We are here to remind ourselves that, although God has given us many good gifts and blessings, He is worthy of our joyful noises, glad service, and singing simply because He is. There is one true and living God. 

God, the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is. If we had no other reasons to offer praise, that would be enough. 

Allow yourself tonight to reaffirm the worthiness of God to be worshipped. Believe with all your heart that the Lord we serve is the faithful and living God, the creator and sustainer of all. 

As we believe this, we can sing with Moses, ¹¹ “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?  (Ex 15:11)

The assumed answer? No one! 

II.) The Lord Made us 

We can rejoice in the Lord’s creation of us in two ways. First, we can rejoice because God gives us natural life. We have breath and life. That shouldn’t be taken for granted, and God should be glorified for it.

The second is spiritual. God grants us new life in Christ that only comes by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Let’s take them one at a time. 

The one true and living God also made us. He is the creator, and we are the creature. We can rejoice because he made us in His image and likeness. 

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Ge 1:27

We can make joyful noises to the Lord, serve Him with gladness, and sing because he made us. We should not take for granted the blessing of having life and breath. It is a gift without which we would not be able to enjoy so many of the wonderful blessings that come from simply being alive. We have reasons to rejoice, serve, and sing. That reason is that the Lord made us, and we are his. 

Unfortunately, sin has blinded so many to this truth. They don’t acknowledge God as the creator and sustainer of the universe. Therefore, they don’t worship God and give him the honor that is due his name. Sin is the only reason creatures will not praise God simply for being the creator. 

²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (Ro 1:21–23)

What has gone wrong with the world is that creatures who were created to know and worship their creator have dethroned Him in their hearts and sat themselves in His place. 

This brings us to the second reason for rejoicing. We rejoice because God not only gave us natural life, but also spiritual life through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Like Nicodemus, we have been born again (John 3). We have experienced the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3). We have been born again to a living hope (1 Peter 1:5).

The new birth enables us to joyfully acknowledge that the Lord is God and that it is He who has made us. But more than that, we can rejoice with Paul that our Creator is still working in and through us. 

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10)

If you are a Christian tonight, it is because God has created you anew in Christ Jesus by his grace. Christians are God’s creation. 

Beloved, I don’t know what might discourage you tonight, what might tempt you to despair, or what life circumstances may bring about doubt. What I do know is that no circumstance of life or spiritual attack from Satan can uncreate what God has created. If you are in Christ, you are his, you are his workmanship, and nothing or no one can change that. 

We can make joyful noises, we can serve with gladness, and sing simply because God made us and we are his. And because we are his workmanship, created in Christ to do good works for His glory. 

III.) The Lord made us His own 

It just gets sweeter from here. Not only has the Lord made us. Not only has the Lord remade us in Christ Jesus. The Lord has made us his own. Notice the language of verse 3, “we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.” 

Sheep have the presence, provision, and protection of the shepherd. He tends to us and shepherds our souls. This is the comforting picture we are given in Psalm 23. 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. ³ He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness or his name’s sake. (Ps 23:1–3)

God cares for his people like a shepherd tends to sheep. He provides for us so that we lack nothing. His presence is the spiritual rest that takes us to still waters and green pastures. According to the New Testament, we enter the green pasture through faith in Jesus Christ, I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. (Jn 10:8–9).

Jesus then goes on to say, ¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (Jn 10:11)

Christians have reason to rejoice because God has become our shepherd through the gospel of Jesus Christ. He knows us intimately, and we know him. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me (Jn 10:14)

I don’t know how any born-again believer could think for a millisecond about God knowing them through Jesus in such a way that He becomes their shepherd—providing presence, protection, and provision—and not be moved with gratitude and thanksgiving.  

We must remember these truths. The road of ingratitude is paved with forgetfulness, which loses sight of who God is to us and who we are to God. The way God relates to the people he makes his own is not with a heavy-handed rule, a mere toleration, or cold-hearted disinterest. 

IV.) The Lord is good 

Throughout the Psalms there is a connection between God’s goodness and the exhortation to give thanks,  Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! (Ps 106:1; 107:1; 136:1 )

The repeated teachings of the Bible are that God is good. The New Testament says it this way: ⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 Jn 1:5)

We can only see borrowed goodness from ourselves and one another. Whatever good we have comes from God and his grace. God is not like that: he is good. 

I love the words from English Puritan Thomas Manton, “He is infinitely good; the creature’s good is but a drop, but in God there is an infinite ocean  or gathering together of good.

If we take the time to reflect deeply, we can see evidence of this goodness in the past and present of our lives. This is what James tells us, ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, (Jas 1:17)

The harsh realities of this fallen world can tempt us to doubt, discouragement, and even despair. Amidst all of this the Bible affirms and so we believe that God is good. 

It is essential to remember, reflect on, and recount God’s goodness now so that we’ll be prepared for the days ahead. The Christian life, which thanks and praises God for His goodness during calm times, is preparing to be anchored in it during chaos. We want to remember, reflect, and recount on it so often that it sustains the life of the Christian in the midst of suffering. 

The Christians who have often encouraged me most over the years are those who have experienced great suffering, but still testify to the goodness of God. It is not that the suffering isn’t great, but that their faith and conviction about the character of God is greater. 

Beloved, we can enter His gates with thanksgiving and bless His name, because God is so good. 

V.) The Lord’s love and faithfulness endures forever 

The description of God’s love and faithfulness echoes the display of God’s glory to Moses in Exodus 34. 

⁶ The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, ⁷ keeping steadfast love for thousands” (Ex 34:5–7)

God’s love endures for his people because he is covenantally faithful to them. Unlike so many people in our lives, God’s love is not based on how much we satisfy his expectations. Unlike many people in our lives who struggle to keep their promises, God remains constant. His love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. 

“A changeable God would be a terror to the righteous, they would have no sure anchorage, and amid a changing world they would be driven to and fro in perpetual shipwreck.”– Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

The assurance of God’s love and faithfulness for his people has a reference point in human history. The love and faithfulness of God were made manifest on the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The cross kept God’s promises, and it displayed God’s love. 

Beloved, we can enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise; we can bless His name because we know the love of God in the cross of Christ. We can do so because God is faithful in all that he does. The cross and the resurrection are the assurance that God’s love will not grow cold nor will he fail to be faithful. 

³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ro 8:38–39)

Conclusion 

A miserable Christian is a contradiction in terms. To be sure, life is hard. The pain that accumulates throughout one’s journey in this world is a strong temptation to cynicism. The Christian life is not one of painted on smiles, pretending that all is right with the world when in truth there are horrors all around. Sometimes the pain in life is so great that the thought of rejoicing seems not only distant but a mockery to our true emotional state…

The Bible gives us resources for walking through the pain of life with a joy and calm that transcends the darkness. As the Psalm concludes, “The Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever and his faithfulness to all generations.” Your pain never outpaces his love. Your difficulty is surrounded by a deeper reality of his goodness. He proved it by sending his own Son for you. Even in the pain of life, we lift our hearts and our voices to the Lord.”- Dane Ortlund

Sermon Idea: God works through faithful Christian witnesses to advance his kingdom and build his church. 

Introduction: It is hard to find a better description of Christian discipleship than that given to us by Jesus himself in both word and deed. To be a follower of Jesus is to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him. 

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (Lk 9:23–26)

This is a description of undivided loyalty, an exclusive allegiance, so that our very lives are submitted to the will of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is the call to discipleship that shaped men like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who in his classic book, The Cost of Discipleship, famously said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”

This is the vision of the Christian life that led Jim Elliot and his four friends to take the gospel to the Huaorani tribe in Ecuador, an effort that cost them their lives. But as Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

To be a faithful Christian witness, one must daily die to themselves, pick up their cross, and follow Jesus, and do so unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

What we see from the disciples in Acts 5:12-42 is them acting as faithful Christian witnesses in less-than-ideal circumstances. As they face opposition and persecution, they continue to take up their cross and faithfully bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ unashamed.

For context, recall that we are still in Jerusalem, and the temple authorities continue to take issue with the disciples’ ministry. What Acts teaches us is that the Old Covenant has passed away and the New Covenant has come into effect through Jesus Christ. It is not the Jewish leaders and Temple authorities who mediate God’s presence, but the Holy Spirit has been poured out on all who’ve believed in Jesus Christ. It is the church that is the new temple of God. That’s the big picture of how Acts 5 further develops the book.

This morning, we will focus on the example of the disciples, who serve as faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ and His gospel. God works through faithful Christian witnesses to advance his kingdom and build his church.

I want to do this by noting three ways these disciples serve as faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ: faithful Christian witnesses obey God rather than man, faithful Christian witnesses are unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and faithful Christian witnesses rejoice in suffering for Christ. 

There is a benefit to highlighting these three truths. You most likely will not find yourself arrested for preaching the gospel, but God has called you to take up your cross and follow him in the life you do have. In every area of life, you can strive to obey God rather than man.  You can cultivate an unashamed posture toward the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can and should have a theology of suffering that helps you rejoice when you walk in the very footsteps of Jesus and suffer, no matter how small, because of the name of Jesus Christ. 

I.) Faithful Christian witnesses obey God rather than man (Acts 5:12-29) 

As we have seen before, a conflict regarding the apostles’ ministry leads to their arrest and questioning. Verses 12-16 provide a summary of the apostle’s ministry, serving as the background for the conflict in verses 17-42. We won’t spend a lot of time here, but it is worth noting a couple of key points.

1. The signs and wonders are the work of God through the hands of the apostles. The healings and miracles are not gifts distributed to every believer with the indwelling of the Spirit. They are works of God to validate the apostles as God’s messengers and to signal that the new covenant has come. 

12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. (Ac 5:12–13)

2. God is advancing his kingdom and building his church through these faithful witnesses. 

14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. (Ac 5:14–16)

Given the oddity of verse 15, I want to comment on it briefly. You’ll notice that the text does not say that Peter’s shadow possessed God’s healing power, nor does it say Peter believed that, but rather that the crowds believed his shadow would be sufficient. Whether it did or not goes unsaid, but it is at least interesting to remember that Jesus healed a woman who merely touched the fringe of his garment (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:24-34, and Luke 8:43-48). 

Given all that is happening, you would think that Jewish leaders would be grateful. People are being healed, and demons are being cast out. God should be praised. But their hard hearts will not allow them to rejoice over what they see. 

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. (Ac 5:17–18)

If you’re paying attention, you can hear again an essential distinction between the apostles and the Jewish leaders. The apostles are filled with the Spirit, and the Jewish leaders are filled with jealousy. 

They dislike the attention the apostles are receiving more than they value the good work God is doing through them. What a warning for us! The heart filled with jealousy may oppose the very good things God is accomplishing through the lives and ministries of others.  

The attempt to imprison the apostles proves futile becasue God sends an angel of the Lord to release them for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel. 

19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. (Ac 5:19–21)

This divine deliverance is made clear enough by the presence of the angel,  but what is crucial for us is why they were delivered. They were freed to go to the temple and “speak to the people all the words of this life.”

That is an interesting way to describe the gospel, but it is also very apt. It was Peter who, in response to Jesus, said that he had the words of eternal life. 

67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (Jn 6:67–69)

It was Jesus who taught us that He has life in Himself, as the Father has life in Himself (John 5:26), and that He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). 

The message that we proclaim is the message of life, because Jesus Christ is life, and to believe in his name is to inherit eternal life in him. What good news is this! The Bible tells us two terrifying truths: 1. The wages of sin is death, and 2. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of life, eternal life in his name. The penalty of death for our sin has been paid through the death of Christ in our place. The one who is life in himself tasted death for us, so that those who were dead can be made alive in him. 

As you can imagine, all of this leaves the Jewish leaders dumbfounded and confused. The scene has a humorous aspect to it, as these authoritative men struggle to find prisoners they have locked up in public.

In fact, a random person has to tell them what has happened, which adds to the humor.  

25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. (Ac 5:25–26)

Once they find the apostles, they reiterate that they prohibit preaching in the name of Jesus. As for the apostle, they reiterate that they are to obey God, not man. 

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. (Ac 5:27–29)

The way to cultivate this type of conviction. The way to become a faithful witness in this way is to have a thorough knowledge of God’s Word and treasuring all it teaches. The apostles know that they were commanded to preach Christ crucified and risen. It was taught to them by Jesus and communicated by the angel. They understood that the Old Testament Scriptures were all about Jesus, and so they preached the law, the prophets, and the writings in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

We will only become faithful witnesses in obeying God and not man if our minds are captivated by the Word of God. 

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. (1 Pe 3:15)

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life (Php 2:14–16)

This clear conviction reminds me of Martin Luther before the Diet of Worms, when he was asked to recant his writings against the Pope and the practice of indulgences. 

“Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures and by clear reason (for I do not trust in the pope or councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted. My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”

Faithful witnesses obey God rather than man, and the path to obedience is paved with Holy Scripture. 

II.) Faithful Christian witnesses are unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 5:30-32, 42) 

As Peter responds boldly to the Jewish leaders, take note of how smoothly he transitions to the gospel. 

30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” (Ac 5:30–32)

After being recently imprisoned and facing a hostile crowd, the apostles preach the gospel with boldness and unapologetic conviction. 

They exemplify Romans 1:16, 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Ro 1:16)

How unshamed are they? They preach the gospel in a way that would prick at the hearts of those listening.

The Sadducees are present & they don’t believe in the resurrection from the dead. What is the first thing Peter says? “ The God of our fathers raised Jesus…”

Since Peter is preaching to Jews, it is interesting that he doesn’t say Jesus was hung on the cross, but on a tree. In the law, hanging on a tree is a curse. That is why Paul says in Galatians 3

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— (Ga 3:13)

As bold and unashamed as it is, notice the free offer he gives. He isn’t preaching to the Jewish leaders; he is preaching for their salvation. 

31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Friends, if we are going to be faithful Christian witnesses in Massac County, we need to be a people who are unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What specific aspects of the gospel may need to be stressed if we are going to cultivate this unashamed posture? 

1. God’s moral law is good, just, and holy. It is the standard of righteousness by which all human beings will be measured. 
2. Humanity has broken God’s good, just, holy law and deserves judgment and condemnation for it. 
3. God has exclusively made a way to be right with him through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If we are to be saved, it comes through the work of Christ and never through our own efforts. It is all of grace. 
4. The necessity to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. 
5. The amazing benefits of being in Christ: forgiveness of sin, reconciliation to God, the indwelling of the Spirit, adoption into God’s family, and eternal life in the New Heavens & New Earth. 

Faithful Christian witnesses are unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

This is not only true for us as individuals, but also for the church. Listen to this excellent reflection by Jared Wilson. 

“You can’t wear it out. You can’t outperform it. You can’t find anything more interesting, more powerful, or more relevant than the gospel. The real foolishness is not centering on it. The gospel will hold and sustain your church in a way that all the relevant programming, applicational teaching, and worship experiences never will.” – Jared Wilson

III.) Faithful Christian witnesses rejoice in suffering for Christ (Acts 5:33-42)

As the apostles preach the forgiveness of sins and life in Christ, the Jewish leaders are plotting to kill them. How about that for irony? 

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. (Ac 5:33)

Now, I will summarize verses 34-40, as we want to focus on verses 41-42 as we close. A wise Pharisee named Gamaliel, who would later become Paul’s teacher, advises them to wait and uses two historical examples to support his point. Here is the beauty of it. You don’t have to know the history to understand what he is saying. 

Movements come and go, but if they are not of God, they will die out. But if it is not, they will be guilty of opposing God himself. 

The Jewish leaders take his advice, but beat them nonetheless and charged them not to preach in the name of Jesus. 

41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. (Ac 5:41–42)

I find it challenging to process these verses without deep conviction and brokenness over my own soul. How comfortable are we, friends? How light do we take the things of God? How little do we suffer for the name of Christ? 

In all of our freedom and comfort, should we not be as zealous as these men? Do we not have the same Holy Spirit indwelling us, and are our circumstances less perilous? 

Here is a question worth asking. How do the apostles have this perspective? What is it that they know and believe that results in this? We know they have the indwelling of the Spirit, but what truths are they being led to remember? What is anchoring them in this difficult moment? We should at least identify three things from as we consider the rest of Scripture. They remembered the example of Jesus, the promises of Jesus, and the hope that is in Jesus. 

1. The example of Jesus. 

20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. (1 Pe 2:20–23)

2. The promises of Jesus. 

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 

3. The hope that is in Jesus. 

23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. (Lk 6:22–23)

What we see from the disciples in Acts 5:12-42 is them acting as faithful Christian witnesses in less-than-ideal circumstances. As they face opposition and persecution, they continue to take up their cross and faithfully bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ unashamed.

Will we strive to be faithful Christian witnesses in Massac County? If so,  we need to obey God rather than man, be unashamed of the gospel, and rejoice in whatever we suffer for the name of Christ. 

Sermon Idea: God’s new covenant people are a Spirit-filled community characterized by unity, love, and truth. 

Introduction: A key characteristic that identifies true disciples of Jesus is their love for one another. After washing the disciples’ feet in John 13, Jesus goes on to say, By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn 13:35)

Love for one another identifies faithful followers of Jesus because Jesus Christ is the embodiment of love who gave himself as a sacrifice for our salvation. We love one another because Christ first loved us. 

When love for believers is absent, especially those in your own community, then that indicates that the love of God does not abide in that person. Listen to how 1 John connects the love of Christ to the church’s love for one another. 

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 Jn 3:16–18)

The disciples in Acts 4:32-37 do not love one another with mere words, but in deed and in truth. They do so because they have been saved through faith in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. You can rest assured that where the love of Christ is present among his people, it is because of the powerful work of the Holy Spirit through them. 

It is not insignificant in my mind that when Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit, the first that he mentions is love, “…But the fruit of the Spirit is love (Ga 5:22)

Why is this important? What we see described in Acts 4:32-37 is not an account of self-made, morally upright people who live sacrificially together. It is an account of the community that God creates in Christ Jesus by the power of his Holy Spirit. It is the fulfillment of God’s new covenant promises in Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit that creates these people who are characterized by unity, love, and truth. 

This point is particularly brought home to us when we recall that Acts 4:32-37 is the second summary of the early life of the church. The first is Acts 2:42-47, which Aaron preached a few weeks ago. Both of these summaries come after a dramatic work of the Holy Spirit. 

Acts 2:42-47 follows the great sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and Acts 4:32-37 follows the disciples being filled with the Spirit in response to their prayer. 

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Ac 4:31)

God’s new covenant people are a Spirit-filled community characterized by unity, love, and truth. 

All of this is crucial for understanding the story of Ananias and Sapphira wisely. We are given two accounts of community life. One created by the work of the Holy Spirit through followers of Jesus and the other by the work of Satan through greedy and deceitful people. 

This morning, we will take note of the characteristics that define a Spirit-filled community and a community influenced by Satan. As we do so, we’ll also see that God does not take lightly any attempt to tarnish the holiness and purity of his people. 

I.) The characteristics of a Spirit-filled community (Acts 4:32-37) 

The early church is first described as being characterized by unity. The language that is used highlights that the church is a body.

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. (Ac 4:32)

The Spirit creates a community in which each member treats the other member as they would their own body, because in Christ, they are all members of one another. In this community, there are no second-class members; everyone’s individual needs are considered to be the needs of the community. 

When God promised a new covenant, he promised that his new covenant people would be of one heart and soul. 

39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. (Je 32:39)

This oneness results in them having “everything in common.” 

As we think about passages like this, and several other passages in Acts, for that matter, it is essential to remember the difference between description and prescription. 

The Bible describes many activities, but not all of them are prescribed for us to obey today. It is often the case, however, that both are true in different ways, and that is the case here. 

Acts describes the early church in Jerusalem as living so closely that they mutually share money and possessions, so that “no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own.” (Acts 4:32)

This mutual sharing of money and possessions is what is described, and we don’t have to live in this particular way to be a unified community. That said, there is something prescribed here. We are to be a people transformed by the grace of God and our salvation, so that we generously and sacrificially care for each other. We are to live together for the love of God and the love of neighbor. 

God’s Spirit-filled community is characterized by unity. It is also characterized by truth. 

33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. (Ac 4:33)

As they are living together, they experience the grace of God through the ministry of the Word. The cross and resurrection of Jesus are at the center of this community’s life. It is God’s grace and the gospel that motivate these saints to live sacrificially and generously. 

If we want to be a people who love, sacrifice, and give our lives to one another, we must do more than focus on money, time, and possessions. We must adore more and more the great grace we’ve received in Christ Jesus and the rich gift of our salvation. 

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Co 8:9)

7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Co 9:7)

God’s Spirit-filled community is characterized by unity and truth, but they are also characterized by love, which is evident in its support of the poor. 

34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Ac 4:34–35)

We know from the rest of Acts that private property and home ownership are the norm for many Christians. The church would have met in homes. There may have been people who sold all the property they had, but it’s also likely that some sold out of an abundance of resources. Either way, what we need to take away from this is that they are living as Jesus taught them to live. 

33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Lk 12:33–34) 

Barnabas serves as a specific godly example to contrast the sinful actions of Ananias and Sapphira. This is Barnabas, who would later become a traveling companion to Paul on his missionary journeys to the Gentiles.  

God’s new covenant community is characterized by unity, truth, and love. This type of community is what Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop refer to as a compelling community. There is an attractive power in a community that loves well. By loving one another well, we draw people to Jesus Christ, who is the example and the source of our love. 

There is an old saying in my ministry circles that I am sure could be qualified and nuanced, but is generally true. “What you win them with is what you win them to,” or similarly, “what you win them with is what you have to keep them with. 

I want to win people to Jesus Christ and the communion of the saints. We can and should strive to do all things with excellence, but I want the draw to be Christ and his people. If we adopt the ‘field of dreams’ philosophy of ministry, then we’ll have to keep people engaged in the programs, ministries, and opportunities that attracted them. 

If we win them to Christ and his people, they’ll stay through the changing circumstances that every church goes through.  

Unity, truth, and love. This is what we want to characterize the saints of Waldo Baptist Church. Let’s view our membership here as part of a larger body to which we belong. It should be meaningful, so that when one of us hurts, we all hurt, and when one of us rejoices, we all rejoice. Let’s love the truth, and not settle for superficial TED talks that sprinkle in a verse here and there. Lastly, let’s love well. Let us love one another as Christ has loved us. 

How about we get more specific? 

Do you view yourself as a member of the body?

Do you care about the people around you in such a way that their needs are your concern? 

Do you love the truth? Do you treasure the doctrine that unites us as a church? 

Do you give? Are you present and consuming ministry without contributing to the body’s ability to do ministry? 

The people of the new covenant are a Spirit-filled community. That doesn’t mean there won’t, from time to time, be unbelievers who try to make their way into the fold. This is what Satan attempts to do through the greed and deception of Ananias and Saphira. 

II.) The characteristics of a Satan-filled community (Acts 5:1-11) 

The contrast between Barnabas, Anania, and Sapphira is felt by the “but” in 5:1. 

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Ac 5:1–2)

Notice the distinct type of unity between Ananias and Sapphira. They are united in greed and deception. They want to be recognized as sacrificial members of this community as if they had given all they had. They think they are deceiving the church, but what Peter says is that they lied to the Holy Spirit. 

3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God (Ac 5:3–4)

Ananias and Sapphira were under no obligation to sell their land. This is not coercion. They wanted to make money while appearing sacrificial. Scripture warns us of the great trap that greed and love for money is. 

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Ti 6:9–10)

They have lied to God and loved money more than their neighbor. The judgment for this is swift and fatal. 

5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. (Ac 5:5–6)

When Sapphira tells the same lie, her judgment is the same. 

10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things (Ac 5:10–11)

It is not uncommon for some to recoil at this judgment, and that is understandable to a degree. We recoil, though not because God has acted unjustly, but because we think too much of sinners, too little of God’s holiness, and not enough about the purity of Christ’s church. 

The text provides us with the necessary indicators to interpret this passage wisely. This is not a story about faithful Christians who stumbled and faced judgment before having the chance to repent. The text says they were filled with Satan. They sought to harm the unity of the church with greed and deception. These are not stumbling saints; they are servants of Satan’s war on the church. 

Brian Vickers explains this very well. 

“These are not believers punished for lying, but unbelievers filled with Satan and bringing wickedness into the covenant setting as a satanic attack. The contrast between the Spirit and Satan leads to the conclusion that Anania and Sapphira are not lapsed believers, nor do they lose their salvation. They are like Judas, deceived by Satan and in rebellion against God. And like Judas, they meet a decisive, fatal end.”

There are several vital truths to take away from the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira.  

1. God cannot be tricked, nor can we hide our sinful motives, thoughts, and actions from His righteous sight. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Heb 4:13)

2. God protects the purity and holiness of his church. In this case, he judges a threat attempting to get in. Other times God will judge ungodly members, spoiling the church’s purity from within. 

17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Pe 4:17)

3. God may not judge now, but he will in the future. All who want to escape God’s judgment should turn and place their faith in Christ, who is the Savior from the wrath to come. 

how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Th 1:9–10)

Sermon Idea: God’s people access God’s power through prayer. 

Introduction: I had an evangelism and missions professor in seminary named George Robinson. When he taught, he could make you feel the weight of the world’s lostness pressing on your shoulders. He was passionate and not afraid to challenge students about their apathy regarding our Lord’s commands to make disciples through evangelism and missions. 

One way that he would do this is by writing a formula on the board about a person’s beliefs and practices. This was certainly not original to him, but it was fruitful teaching because I have thought about it a great deal since then. 

The formula is quite simple: professed belief + actual practice = actual belief. 

It is not what we say that best reveals what we truly believe, but what we do. Take our beliefs about the Bible. We can say that the Bible is the Word of God. We can confess that it is inspired, inerrant, sufficient, and authoritative. Of course, these confessions are essential, and we should articulate them with absolute clarity. That said, what we truly believe about the Bible will be revealed not in what we claim about it, but in whether we live in submission to it. 

In our text this morning, the apostles and their friends prove what they believe about God, Scripture, and prayer through their actions. Their response to their arrest and being commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus reveals their conviction that God’s power is accessed through prayer. They are not a people who say they believe in the power of prayer, but a people who prove their belief in that power by praying. 

The scene picks up after Peter and John are released from prison, so let’s review briefly how they got there. In Acts 3, Peter and John heal a man at the Temple gate who was cripple from birth. Peter then boldly preached that the man was healed through faith in the name of Jesus Christ. Central to Peter’s preaching is that Jesus Christ is the one who was rejected and put to death on the cross, but God raised him up from the dead. Now forgiveness of sin & restoration are available to all who repent and believe in Jesus Christ. 

Upon hearing of this incident, the Jewish leaders arrested Peter and John, confronting them about the healing of the lame man. After Peter and John bear witness again to the name of Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead, the Jewish leaders demand that they no longer preach in the name of Jesus. 

18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. (Ac 4:18–20)

Our text picks up right after this moment. The apostles are released, and they tell their friends what has happened. This morning, we want to learn from how these saints respond to their difficult circumstances and from their proven belief in the power of prayer. God’s people access God’s power through prayer. 

As we learn from their example of prayer, we should examine our own lives and the life of our church. Do our actions reflect faithfully a genuine belief that God’s people access God’s power through prayer? Do we demonstrate a genuine belief in the Bible as the authoritative Word of God, not in what we say, but in how we read, hear, and submit to it? 

I.) Prayer is the first response of God’s people (Acts 4:23-24) 

Peter and John are released and tell their friends what has happened. The immediate response to this difficulty is to lift their voices in prayer together. 

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said (Ac 4:23–24)

How important is it to have friends who not only share but also encourage a life given to following Jesus Christ? How important is it to have friends who aren’t afraid to discuss and do the deep spiritual things with you? 

This scene could look different without godly friends who want to faithfully follow Jesus, couldn’t it? I was imagining this week how this might work with three imaginary characters I’ve called grumbling Gary, vindictive Vikie, and apathetic Adam. 

Imagine the disciples returning, telling what happened, but instead of praying to God, they begin talking among themselves. 

Grumbling Gary complains, “How can Jesus be worth following like this? After all we did with him, and we’re now left with hardship and persecution. This is for the birds; we deserve better. Jesus can’t be worth our safety or our lives.”

Vindictive Vickie is filled with rage and says, “We can’t let this go. They must pay for what they’ve done. If we don’t do it, no one will. Let’s plan together and attack when they least expect it. Let’s give them exactly what they deserve.”

Apathetic Adam listens and takes the coward’s approach, “If they say don’t preach in the name of Jesus, do not preach in his name. What’s the big deal? Don’t make more of this than you need to. Let’s mind our business and keep to ourselves.”

The company you keep can enrich or erode your spiritual life. These friends together make prayer their first response. Together they lift their voices, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and everything in them…” (Acts 4:24)

No doubt, there was the temptation to be anxious about their lives and ministries. What would happen if they preached Jesus again? Would the persecution get worse? Will I lose friends over following Jesus? 

These saints don’t let temptation lead to sin; instead, they immediately pray about their situation. Long before Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, the apostles here in Acts 3 demonstrate exactly what he had in mind.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Php 4:4–7)

Prayer should be the first response of the people of God. It should be the default setting. Not to pray is to expose our belief in our own strength and self-sufficiency. Not to pray is to reveal a diminished view of God’s sovereignty, goodness, and power. 

II.) Prayer is informed by God’s Word (Acts 4:25-26) 

As they lift their voices in prayer, everything they say is informed by Scripture and doctrine. 

The first words of the prayer are words of adoration for God as creator, 

“Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and everything in them…” (Acts 4:24) 

If God created the universe by the word of his power, then God can meet the needs of those who seek him. To begin this way is not only to confess, but also to adore that God is God, the one who made the heavens and the earth. Everything and everyone is beneath him, and no one or nothing can frustrate his sovereign will. This point is reinforced by quoting Psalm 2:1-2.

25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— (Acts 4:25-26)

Psalm 2 is about how futile it is for the nations to stand against God’s anointed King becasue to do so is to stand against God Himself. David is a type of Christ, and as the rest of the New Testament shows, Psalm 2 is a Messianic Psalm (Heb. 1:5; 5:5; Rev. 2:26-27; 19:15). By rejecting and crucifying Jesus, the Gentiles and Jewish leaders have set themselves against God himself. And since the church is the body of Christ, the persecution of God’s people is also setting itself against God himself. 

The message of Psalm 2 is that all of this plotting and planning is in vain. 

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, say, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill. (Ps 2:4–6)

Here is what I want you to reflect on. The Bible has shaped them so much that they understand their current circumstances in light of it and pray informed by it. 

Several months ago, I was on a hospital visit with Kevin McNichols. Jack Glass was very sick, and his family was at his side, including Matt, who flew back from Indonesia. We were there talking about the difficulty of the situation and all that Matt’s family had been through, and it had been a lot in a short amount of time. As he is talking about all this, he says casually and naturally, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” That comes directly from Acts 14:22.  

“…strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Ac 14:22)

That is a more personal, individual example, but it illustrates what these disciples are doing. The Scriptures provide the lens through which to understand life, so it is the Scriptures that inform their understanding of what is happening and how to pray. 

Your prayer life will only ever be as deep as your knowledge and submission to Scripture. 

Beloved, be different. Do not be a person who merely says they believe the Bible is the Word of God. Be a person who is shaped and formed by it, who lives in reverent submission to it, and who learns how to pray by thinking God’s thoughts after him. 

 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Ps 1:1–3)

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Ti 3:16–17)

There are people who give nod to Scripture at God’s Word, but who are not governed and controlled by it. Prayerfully become the kind of person who loves the Bible and thinks about life and the church in reference to it. 

It is not only the Bible that informs their prayer, but also doctrine. In this case, it is the doctrine of divine sovereignty that fuels their prayer. 

III.) Prayer is belief in God’s sovereignty (Acts 4:27-30) 

27 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, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, (Ac 4:27–29)

Inspired by Psalm 2 and the rest of the Old Testament, the disciples believe and confess that God accomplished all of it through his sovereign providence. He worked through the wicked intentions and actions of evil men to use them for a greater good, the salvation of sinners through Christ’s sacrificial work. 

Sound doctrine is not the end of the Christian life, but it is a crucial means of remaining faithful. Not only that, doctrine can serve as an anchor for the souls, as the winds of this fallen world blow.

One of the comments I have heard from time to time is that we have gotten too deep here. It is certainly not my wish that any person not be able to benefit from the preaching of the Word, and I make great strides to limit any unnecessary hindrances toward that end. 

We should note, though, how quickly the disciples plunge into the deep end of theological waters during a time of great hostility. 

Doctrine is not an extracurricular subject for a special few; it is the necessary truths that help us live in a fallen world in a way that honors God. At a tense and difficult time, they do not reach for cliches or cute truths appropriate for Facebook memes. No, they reach for the deep things of God—His sovereign providence over all things. 

With Scripture and doctrine informing their prayer, they ask God for the boldness to keep preaching the gospel. 

IV.) Prayer is the means to God’s response (Acts 4:31)

The response from God will come through our prayers. 

31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Ac 4:31)

Sermon Idea: When our faith is opposed, we can remain faithful with the power of the Spirit and in the fear of the Lord. 

Introduction: One of Jesus’ most confrontational parables is the parable of the wicked tenants (Matthew 21:33–46, Mark 12:1–12, and Luke 20:9–19). It is essentially an allegory that tells the story of Israel’s rejection of God’s prophets and ultimately the rejection of God’s Messiah, his very Son. As the parable goes, a man plants a vineyard and hires tenants to work it. Three different times, he sends servants to gather fruit from the vineyard, and each time the wicked tenants beat the servants and send them away empty-handed.

Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17 But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? (Lk 20:13–17)

When Jesus tells this parable, he always ends by quoting Psalm 118:22. Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected as he was put to death, but by raising him from the dead, God has made Jesus the cornerstone, the foundation on which everything else is built. 

Given the gravity of this parable, it no doubt would have been a topic of discussion as Jesus sat with his disciples. Israel was going to reject God’s Son just as they had rejected the prophets who came before him. Jesus taught his disciples how to read and interpret Scripture in light of who he was. We will come back to this later, but for now, I want to let that simmer a bit. The disciples were people who were shaped and formed by Jesus Christ himself in how they interpreted Scripture, and that made a world of difference when things got hard. 

Jesus also prepared the disciples for opposition and persecution. As his followers, they would experience suffering just as he had. The mere association with Jesus would attract those who wish to do them harm. 

For example, in Luke 21:1, Jesus tells the disciples that they will be imprisoned becasue of the name of Jesus. 

12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. (Lk 21:12)

Our text this morning is the first unfolding of this hard promise. The healing of the lame beggar was a miracle, but what gets the disciples into trouble is their preaching that it was by faith in the name of Jesus that the man was healed. It was their preaching of Jesus as the resurrected Lord, in whose name salvation is found, that was the problem. 

This morning, we will see that Peter and John were arrested and commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus Christ. What does a man do when faced with such a threat? What would you do? If the name of Jesus actually cost you something, would you still find him worth following?

Peter and John remain faithful in the face of opposition, not becasue they were the smartest, strongest, and toughest. They stay faithful with the power of the Holy Spirit and in the fear of the Lord. 

We will not soon have our faith challenged to this degree, but we should prepare our hearts for it anyway. When our faith is opposed, we can remain faithful with the power of the Spirit and in the fear of the Lord.

I want first to set the scene with verses 1-4, and then learn from Peter and John’s example about how to stand firm while being tempted to compromise their faith in Jesus. 

Chapter four opens mid-scene as Peter is preaching in Jerusalem.

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. (Ac 4:1–3)

This is precisely the type of opposition that Jesus prepared the disciples for. 

In Matthew 10:19-20, Jesus said, “But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time, you’ll be given what to say for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”  

Listen to Luke 21:14-15, “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves, for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”  

Then in Mark 13:11, Jesus says, “Whenever you’re arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”

Pastor Andy Davis, a former professor and one of my favorite preachers of God’s Word, highlighted something about these passages I hadn’t noticed before. When considered together, Jesus is promising the grace of the triune God. In Matthew 10, it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks and is promised to speak through the disciples. In Luke 21, it is the Son, Jesus, who promises to give words of wisdom. Finally, in Mark, it is the Holy Spirit who will speak through the disciples. 

Jesus promises the presence of God, the Holy Trinity, to those who face persecution. God never abandons his people even in the most difficult of times. He did not leave the apostles, and he will not abandon us. 

Jesus has promised, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20)

Even though the apostles have been arrested, the Sadducees cannot stop the spread of the gospel. Many who had heard Peter preach repented and believed in Jesus Christ. 

4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. (Ac 4:4)

Now let’s see how the disciples remain faithful. First, with the power of the Spirit in verses 5-12 and then in the fear of the Lord in verses 13-22.

I.) Remain faithful with the power of the Spirit (Acts 4:1-12)

The next day, Peter and John find themselves before several high-profile Jewish leaders.

On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Ac 4:5–7)

At this moment, Peter does not stand alone. He doesn’t have to stall, allowing him to come up with the right words to get out of this situation. He is not alone, but he is filled with the Spirit. 

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 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. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 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.” (Ac 4:8–12)

In the Old Testament, the filling of the Spirit was given to particular people for a specific purpose or task. 

The LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft (Ex 31:1–5)

In the New Testament, this is possible becasue of the New Covenant and the fulfillment of God’s promise to send the Holy Spirit. Every born-again believer is indwelt by the Spirit and continually filled by the Spirit for godliness, holy living, and faithful ministry. 

It is important to note that we should not interpret this narrative as if Peter and John were spiritual superheroes. They are men empowered by the Spirit of God. The same Spirit that fills Peter, so that he preaches Jesus Christ with boldness and clarity, is the same Spirit that indwells us. 

This is why Paul can command us to be filled with the Spirit as we worship together. 

but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Eph 5:18–21)

As Peter is filled with the Spirit, he answers the Jewish leaders’ questions by highlighting the centrality of Jesus in God’s plan and the exclusivity of Jesus for salvation. 

1. The Centrality of Jesus 

10 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. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. (Acts 4:10-11)

As Jesus taught him, Peter preaches Scriptures centered on Jesus Christ. In particular, he quotes Psalm 118:22 just as Jesus did in the parable of the wicked tenants. 

What the Jewish leaders stumble over is the stone that is Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord.  

8 and  “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. (1 Pe 2:8)

In our own ministry, we want to make so much of Jesus that if the lost stumble, they stumble over the gospel. We don’t want to put before them in other stumbling block with how we speak, act, or treat one another. If the lost stumble, let them stumble over Christ and Christ alone.

2. The Exclusivity of Jesus 

12 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.” (Acts 4:12)

II.) Remain faithful in the fear of the Lord (Acts 4:13-22)

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 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.” (Ac 4:13–17)

The boldness came from the empowering of the Spirit, and their reading of Scripture came from being with Jesus. What an observation! They recognized that they had been with Jesus. We should spend time in the Word and in prayer so that we become a people who resemble being with Jesus. 

The Jewish leaders are conflicted. They act here not out of conviction, but out of fear. They cannot deny that the man was healed by faith in Jesus’ name. So, they simply command the disciples to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. 

The disciples’ response is the exact opposite of fearing man. They respond in fear of the Lord. 

19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. (Ac 4:19–20)

The fear of the Lord is a significant theme in Scripture. All true believers fear the Lord and long to deepen that fear. What is meant by “fear of the Lord” is not terror or dread. It is not the type of fear that Halloween movies try to incite. Listen to the Word. 

¹⁰  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the 

knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Pr 9:10)

¹³ The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (Ec 12:13)

Ed Welch explains well what biblical fear of the Lord is. 

“Genuine fear of the Lord is reserved for those who know Jesus. This fear of the Lord means reverent submission that leads to obedience, and it is interchangeable with worship of God, reliance on Him, trust in him, and hope in him. You will find it when you can come to the Lord and are a humble listener to his words.”

Remaining faithful in the face of opposition is by the power of the Spirit and in the fear of the Lord. 

Sermon Idea: Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, so that in the name of Jesus, there is forgiveness of sin, refreshment in the present, and the restoration of all things in the future. 

Introduction: As John the Baptist was in prison and approaching the end of his life, he sent messengers to Jesus to ask him a question. 

 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Lk 7:18–19)

This is an important question, but it strikes us as odd coming from John. After all, John the Baptist prepared the way for the coming of Jesus as the Messiah, identified him as such, and baptized him. But John is now in prison, and like many of the Jews in his day, did not yet have the complete picture as to the true nature of the Kingdom of God. 

Jesus answers by first performing more signs and miracles, but not just any signs and miracles. Jesus, as he does throughout the gospels, performs expected and anticipated signs characteristic of the age of the Messiah. 

In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Lk 7:21–23)

When Jesus performs these signs, and his apostles after him, they are not arbitrary displays of power. They are purposeful and particular. They are signs of the kingdom, miracles which bear witness that the Messiah has come. 

The Old Testament expectation for the age of the Messiah included the promise of the blind seeing and the lame walking. 

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. (Isaiah 35:5-6)

John the Baptist would not only have known these texts, but he would have cherished them. Before his death, these signs of the kingdom served as the final assurance that the kingdom was indeed coming on earth as it is in heaven. 

This story serves as a positive counterexample to the Jews who rejected Jesus and put him to death. They, too, should have known the Scriptures, cherished them, and seen the signs and wonders for what they were: evidence of the Messiah’s presence and the coming kingdom of God. 

When Jesus heals the lame beggar at the Temple gate through the Apostle Peter, it is not an arbitrary display of power, but a sign that affirms that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah in whose name is salvation.  

The signs are not an end in themselves, but signify something about Jesus of Nazareth. This is why Peter doesn’t just heal the man, but follows the miracle with a strong Christ-centered sermon. 

The content of that sermon is Christ and him crucified. Jesus is not presented as a mere miracle worker or a moral teacher. Jesus is the servant of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the Holy and Righteous, whom Peter called the Author of Life. This Jesus was the one whom they crucified, but God raised him from the dead. And the risen Lord Jesus was the one who healed the lame beggar. 

What Peter shows the Jews in Jerusalem is that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, so that in the name of Jesus, there is forgiveness of sin, refreshment in the present, and the restoration of all things in the future.

I.) The Work of Christ (Acts 3:1-10) 

The scene begins with the disciples going to the Temple. The significance of the location can be seen in the four references to the Temple in the first three verses. 

Now Peter and John were 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 alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. (Ac 3:1–3)

When something is repeated so often in such a short period, we should pay attention and reflect on what the Bible is teaching us. For example, the lame man is not inside the temple but outside the gate. This is noteworthy because the law not only prohibited a lame man from serving as a priest but also forbade offering blemished animals or lambs as sacrifices. It may have been culturally taboo for him even to enter the temple. 

Since birth, he has been an outsider, a beggar, unable to help himself and dependent on the money someone might give as they pass by. It would have been appropriate for the disciples to give money if they had any.

15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (Jas 2:15–17)

But Peter knew he could offer a gift that far surpassed any amount of money he could have received. In the name of Jesus, Peter is going to heal the lame man and ultimately extend to him salvation. 

4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 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!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. (Ac 3:3–8)

The change is immediate. He stands, leaps, and walks into the temple praising God. How was he restored? Not by the power of Peter, nor the power of the man’s faith. He was restored by he power and work of the 

ascended Lord Jesus. 

It is an incredible scene, and it becomes even more meaningful when we remember the promises of the Old Testament.  

19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth (Zep 3:19)

In Scripture, God’s grace overcomes the boundaries that keep us from him. In Jesus, everything that separates us from God is done away with. That’s our story, isn’t it? We were Gentiles who were once far from God, but now we have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

Don’t miss the significance of “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” The name of Jesus is going to be the predominant theme throughout Peter’s sermon. It is in the name of Jesus that the lame beggar was healed, and it is in the name of Jesus that lame sinners are saved. 

II.)  The Wonder of Men (Acts 3:11-16) 

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 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 Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. (Ac 3:11–16)

1. Divine Soverignty and human responsibility. 
2. Wonder is not enough. They need true saving faith: Knowledge, assent, and trust. 
3. Ignorance is not an excuse for wickedness. 

20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Ro 1:20)

3. An emphasis on the name of Jesus, again—faith in his name. 

III.) The Word of God (Acts 3:17-26)

“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. (Ac 3:17–22.)

1.) That your sins may be blotted out. 

2.) Those times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

3.)  The restoration of all things. 

 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.” (Ac 3:20–26)

*Preached at the Brookport Community Revival on September 23rd, 2025*

Sermon Idea: The future hope of seeing Christ as he is in heaven compels us to pursue Christlikeness in the present. 

Introduction: The Bible describes God’s glorious nature as so holy, pure, and transcendent that no one with natural, sinful eyes can see his essence and live. In fact, the nature and essence of God is spirit and thus invisible to the natural eye. 

To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Ti 1:17)

he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (1 Ti 6:15–16)

To truly see God unmediated and unveiled is not possible for human eyes. This is why God tells Moses in Exodus 33:20, 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” (Ex 33:20)

When Deuteronomy describes Israel hearing God from the fire on Mount Sinai, it is said that they heard Him but did not see Him. 

12 Then the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice. (Dt 4:12)

Isaiah tells us that the prophet saw the Lord sitting on a throne, but he did so through a vision. 

It is impossible to see God, and if you could, the experience would kill you. 

How can we take hope in seeing a God who is impossible to see? 

In the greatest act of love, the most outstanding example of humility, God revealed himself in the sending of the Son. Everything we’ve said so far remains true because God never changes. But now God grants the ability to see his glory as never before in the person of his Son. 

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Jn 1:14)

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (Jn 1:18)

What is significant about Jesus Christ being the very image of the invisible God is that the Bible speaks of salvation as seeing the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and our transformation as the beholding of the glory of the Lord. 

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. (2 Co 3:18)

We become what we behold, for better or for worse, and the Christian is to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

We do that now with the eyes of faith. We believe and hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. By grace, we see who he truly is and trust him. The Christian hopes that one day we will see Christ no longer with eyes of faith, but with our very eyes. The hope of heaven is that we will see him, and we will see him as he is. 

This future promise is not given to us as some abstract idea, but as a hope that informs our lives now. The future hope of seeing Christ as he is in heaven compels us to pursue Christlikeness in the present.

That is what I want to show you tonight from 1 John 3:2-3, and I want to do so with two supporting points. We will be perfected by seeing Christ in heaven, and we are being purified by the hope of seeing Christ in heaven. 

I.) We will be perfected by seeing Christ in heaven (1 John 3:2) 

There is a tension in the Christian life. On the one hand, we are not who we once were, and on the other hand, we are not yet who we will be. There is an already and a not yet. 

Now, we are beloved children of God. That’s the starting point for John in verse 2: Beloved, we are God’s children now (1 Jn 3:2). 

Don’t rush past being identified as beloved. As children of God, we are the beloved of God. We should be in awe of the fact that we could be loved in such a way. That’s what John communicates in vs. 1: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

God does not look at his church with a cold indifference. He does not merely put up with us. We are beloved in God the Father, who delights in us as he delights in his Son.

So, rather than just telling you God loves you without definition, let’s see if we can add some theological meat to the bone so that when we hear that we are beloved by God the Father, we can savor what it means. 

1. To be beloved by God is to receive the gracious benefits of Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection.

To be beloved by God the Father is to have all the secured benefits of the cross poured on us by his grace: the forgiveness of sins, restoration to God, the hope of eternal life—all of these and more are truly ours as God’s beloved people. We don’t deserve this love, but it has graciously come to us in Christ. No one becomes beloved by God outside of God’s grace and outside of faith in the Lord Jesus, who died in our place. 

⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 Jn 4:9–10)

2. To be beloved by God the Father is to be adopted as sons and daughters through faith in Jesus Christ. 

The gospel’s good news is that we become what Christ is by nature through adoption. Jesus is the eternal Son of God from the Father. We are sons and daughters by adoption through faith in Jesus Christ! So now, in Christ, God looks at us, his beloved sons and daughters, and says, “…with you I am well pleased.” 

It was the love of God given on the cross that led my favorite hymn writer, Isaac Watts, to say: 

Love so amazing, so divine 

Demands my life, my soul, my all!

Being called a child of God is wonderful, amazing, life-changing news, but we do not now experience or reflect all that it means to be a child of God. There is a not-yet, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (1 Jn 3:2)

I can’t begin to fathom what this will be like. The mystery of it all is too grand to speculate or dive into details that God has not disclosed for us. It is more than enough to know that Christ will appear and when we see him we will be transformed into his likeness. 

Becoming like Jesus Christ is the true end of the Christian life. It is goal of all this. In the end, the peope of God who have been saved from the darkness of sin and death, will become radiantly bright as the reflection of the glory of Christ. Consider how prominent this theme is in the New Testament. 

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. (Jn 17:24)

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, (2 Co 4:16–17)

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Ro 8:18)

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Php 3:20–21)

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col 3:4)

Beloved saint, I do not know what troubles your soul. I may not know the weakness of your flesh or the anxiety of your heart. What I know is that the future glory that awaits us in heaven outweighs it all! 

How does all this happen? How are we transformed into glory? We are transformed into glory by seeing the glory of the Son as he is, with unveiled faces and resurrected eyes. 

What Moses saw in part in the cleft of the rock, what Isaiah saw in a mere vision, what the disciples glimpsed at in the Transfiguration, what blinded Paul on the road to Damascus, we will see in full, and we will be in joyful awe of Him. 

Johnathan Edwards said that the more we behold the glory of Christ, the more we will want to see him: “After they have had the pleasure of beholding the face of God millions of ages, it will not grow a dull story; the relish of this delight will be as exquisite as ever.”

There is a saying, “he is so heavenly minded that he is of no earthly good.” I don’t know anyone like that. I’ve been a pastor for eight years now. I have been a Christian since 2007. In all that time, I’ve never met a person who thought about the glory of heaven too much. I have never met a person whose view of the eternal glory was too high. 

Friends, we do not long for the presence of Christ enough! Where are the saints who long for the presence of Christ, who can’t wait to see his glory, who long to be transformed into his likeness? 

This is the longing that will serve as a comfort to so much that wears on our souls.

Our people will not conquer sin by mustering the willpower to say, “no!” We need to put before their eyes and fill their ears with the beauty of the Son, the glory of seeing him as he is, and the hope of being transformed into his likeness. We need to stir the affections of their heart to have stronger desires—not the desires of the flesh— but for the glory of the presence of Christ. 

Brother pastors, preach sermons that leave the saints longing for the glory of heaven. Preach sermons that stoke a joyful expectation for the coming of Christ.

We will be perfected by seeing Christ in heaven, and that hope is the fuel for the Christian life in the present. Let’s look at verse 3. 

II.) We are being purified by the hope of seeing Christ in heaven (1 John 3:3) 

There is an important connection between the hope that Christians have and the way we are to live now, And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 Jn 3:3)

The way that we use the word hope in everyday language could lead to misunderstanding as to the meaning. We often use the word hope to refer to a mere wish. “I hope the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series.” That is a mere wish. It is not rooted in anything certain. When the Bible speaks of hope, it is much more than a mere wish. It is a confident assurance, a certain future reality that is so sure it has the power to fuel the present. 

The hope John is referring to is verses 2 and is threefold: 1. Christ will appear, 2. We will see him as he is and 3. We will be transformed and perfected by his presence. That is why John identifies our hope as, “in him.” True Christian hope is found in Christ. It does not pass or fade. It is not a vibe. It doesn’t have term limits. 

The hope that we will be perfected in the presence of Christ compels us to pursue that purity now, in the present. 

Jesus told us clearly in the Sermon on the Mount that is the pure in heart who will see God, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Mt 5:8)

For this reason, the New Testament teaches that the promise of our future purity is to lead us to pursure purity now in an eager expectation to prepare ourselves for the presence of Christ. 

There are too many examples to give but consider for example Colossians 3:4-6. 

4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. (Col 3:4–6)

Friend, the born again believer does not presume on the grace of God, and think little of the pursuit of holiness. The born again believer, with the great hope of perfection in heaven, pursues all the more purity and holiness, that he might be like Christ.

Tonight I wonder if there are any of you burdened by the weight of ongoing sin. I wonder if there might be those who realize they care little about their pursuit of holiness. If that is you, friend, pay attention to the solution. 

Let me tell you what it’s not.

You will not condemn yourself into greater Christlikeness. You will not guilt yourself into godliness. No amount of scolding will serve to sanctify you. 

Set your hope on the one to come. Pray for the Lord to deepen your desires for the presence of Christ. Listen to Scriptures and believe your future hope is the fuel for the present. 

The future hope of seeing Christ as he is in heaven compels us to pursue Christlikeness in the present.