Peter, Obeying God and Not Man 130721

A new era had begun and now it was necessary for God to separate the church of Jesus Christ from the nation of Israel. Peter and John had been arrested for a kindness done to a man who had been crippled all his life. They were brought before the Council and ordered to no longer speak or teach in the name of Jesus. The believers, facing that threat, prayed for boldness. Satan failed in this attack on the church and soon created a jealous division in the church. Peter confronted that issue and God intervened to establish the authority of his church. Many signs and wonders became a regular part of the ministry of the church to show that God's approval was upon these people. Now we find the apostles under arrest because of jealousy on the part of the Sadducees. However, an angel of the Lord freed them and told them to go into the temple and preach the words of this Life. So the high priest ordered them to be brought back in. Let's read the next part of the story in…

Acts 5:27-32, 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. 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.”

Do I sense a tone of amazement on the part of high priest? "We strictly charged you not to teach in this name". Undoubtedly he expected his orders to be carried out and was amazed that they had not been. Obviously, he wanted the Romans to be counted responsible for the death of Jesus. A number of times throughout history the debate has been raised as to who killed Jesus. In this case the high priest wanted to distance the Council from responsibility. The truth is, according to the prophecy of Isaiah, God the Father killed Jesus. In harmony with the Father, Jesus had said that his life was in his own hands. He would lay it down and he would take it up again at the right time.

Peter would not let them off that easy. He pointed out that God raised Jesus from the dead after they had killed him on the cross. The Romans were simply the tool of the ruling Council. God had highly exalted him and granted, through Jesus, repentance and forgiveness of sin. And then Peter said that the apostles were witnesses of this truth and had no other choice than to speak the truth about Jesus. Every believer has that responsibility and privilege. Someone has said that this is the ministry of the ungifted disciple — telling the truth about Jesus. It doesn't require a lot of complicated Bible knowledge nor extensive training in witnessing. It only requires knowing Jesus and being willing to tell the truth about him. Peter had heard the words of Jesus as he ascended into heaven. Those final words are often called “The Great Commission” and…

The Great Commission had been clear. Remember? Acts 1:8, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

The apostles had heard these words more than once during the ministry of Jesus and especially at the end of his life. It was necessary that one be an eyewitness of the resurrection when selecting an apostle to replace Judas. Without doubt…

The apostles were to be witnesses. Toward the end of his gospel Luke recorded the following words. Luke 24:45-49, Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The eyewitness accounts of the first apostles, and of Paul, became the foundation of the Christian church. Everywhere they went they told about Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. Without the resurrection there is no gospel — no "good news" to build our lives upon. Jesus was very clear that the message was to go out…

Beginning in Jerusalem and going to the end of the earth. Without question Jesus intended that the gospel begin in Jerusalem. And by the way, the gospel will end in Jerusalem as well. Many years after the account in the Book of Acts, John would see that magnificent vision on the Isle of Patmos that we call The Revelation. In chapter 21 he saw the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. An eternal home for those who have received God's grace through faith. Heaven and earth will be linked together in Jerusalem. A magnificent new Jerusalem.

Before Jesus ascended he said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…"

But they stood gazing into heaven. Angels came as part of the glorious event of the ascension of Jesus into heaven. Listen while I read, Acts 1:10-11, And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

I have often reflected on this scene. Picture the disciples, jaws dropped, bated breath, eyes bugged out in utter silence. Then they become aware of two "men" standing by them in white robes. Once again the angels cannot understand these humans. You see, the angels are accustomed to obeying without question when they receive an order from the God of heaven, the Creator of the universe. Now they were looking at these humans who had just been told to "go" and instead were just standing there gazing into heaven at the place where Jesus had been a few moments before. To clarify the situation the angels assured them that Jesus would return the same way he left. Yet, as time went by…

They were still in Jerusalem and being persecuted.

They may have had many reasons for staying. Jerusalem was where they had seen the triumphal entry of Jesus. Jerusalem was where Jesus was tried and executed. Jerusalem was comfortable to them. Jerusalem is where the Holy Spirit had come upon them. Jerusalem was where their friends were and where they were comfortable.

Apparently they had no plan of action to "go into all the world". Today, we have lots of "plans of action and outreach" but we still fail to go. In fact, much of our worship can be compared to the attitude of the disciples that day. Gazing into heaven where we saw Jesus last. Jesus had said that we should lift up our eyes and look on the fields because they're already white for harvest. Then he said we are to pray to the Lord of the harvest that he would send laborers into the fields.

In the days of Isaiah God had asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I (Isaiah) said, “Here am I! Send me.” I believe God is still asking the question, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Where are those who will say, “Here am I! Send me.”? The apostles stood there gazing into heaven but…

Nonetheless, they had been commanded. We live, most of the time, as if God's commands were simply suggestions for how to live a more spiritual life. Folks, that's just not the case! We live under the Ruler of the universe and we should be willing to be more obedient. We need to go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in. Why "compel"? Because, for most of them, they are amazed that God even notices them much less wants them to come in.

The plan for the apostles and other disciples was simply "as you go" make disciples of all nations. They didn't need a map or a set of demographics to know where to go. They could just "go" and, when they had opportunity to speak, the Spirit would speak through them. Does this mean that we are all to go to foreign countries to witness for Jesus? Of course not! It does mean that some are to go to foreign countries but, for most of us, it means we are to go to our native land and our own people.

At the same time, the world has come to us. Right here in rural Delaware County, New York, we are surrounded by people who were born in other countries. Mexicans, Cubans, Italians, Germans, Chinese and many more nationalities are represented in the region. As we come in contact with them we are to be prepared to tell them about the hope we have of eternal life.

Even though Jesus had told them to go to all the world they tarried in Jerusalem long after the time they should've started moving out. I believe, as a result of this…

God allowed persecution in order to move them. A little later in the story we find persecution to be effective at enforcing the "go" order. Stephen, one of the seven chosen to minister to the needs of the body, a man that had been powerfully witnessing to the grace of God in Jesus Christ, had become the first martyr of the church. And then, well, let's let the Scriptures speak. Acts 8:1, And Saul approved of his execution. 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.

This "Saul" mentioned here would later become the Apostle Paul who would actually write most of the New Testament. But at this point in time he was growing into one of the strongest opponents of Christianity. He led a great persecution of the church. This persecution was so great that the apostles went into hiding and the members of the church were scattered abroad. Finally, the plan was put into effect by the enemies of the gospel! The believers were to go into all the world and when they didn't God sent them by the use of enemy force.

Remember, God causes all things to work together for good to those that love him to those who are called according to his purpose. "All things" means any and every thing even, perhaps especially, those things we can see no good in.

The church was being persecuted. People were actually going to trial and execution for their faith. The persecution served a purpose. Those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the gospel. Those who were scattered were not the apostles they were the common people. Everywhere they went, just as the apostles before the Council did,…

They had to testify to the truth.

God raised Jesus to life. The truth they had to tell was not about a good man who had become their teacher. The truth they had to tell is not about a prophet. If Jesus was just a good man he was clearly not what he said he was and what the Bible says he was. Jesus was, in the words of C. S. Lewis, either a liar, a lunatic or he is Lord!

The truth they had to tell was about the Christ, The Son of the Living God, who had walked on earth as a man, who had no sin of his own, who was crucified for the sins of the world and then was raised back to life. That was the essence of their preaching. Let me show you two examples. One by the early apostles and the second by Paul. Acts 4:33, And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. & Acts 17:18, Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him (Paul). And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

The most common theme in all New Testament preaching is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And following his resurrection…

God exalted him at his right hand. The "right hand" of God is a place of power and the source of salvation. Of the many examples I choose Psalm 98:1, 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.

Peter could say to the Council that God exalted Jesus at his right hand as Leader and Savior. He may have been thinking of the words of the psalmist when he made that statement.

There are many names, or titles, given to Jesus throughout Scripture. I won't even attempt to list them for you. I will share with you lyrics written by Bill Gaither.

There's Something about That Name

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There's just something about that name, 
Master, Savior, Jesus, Like the fragrance after the rain,
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Let all heaven and earth proclaim,
Kings and kingdoms shall all pass away
But there's something about that name.
Peter followed Jesus for most of three years and was there when he was tried and crucified. Peter was one of the first to come to the empty tomb to become a witness of the resurrection. Peter struggled to understand the things that happened and what he had learned about this Jesus. Peter understood that not only had Jesus been raised from the dead but that Jesus had been exalted to the right hand of God. From that position Jesus grants salvation to all who come by grace through faith.
Through this Jesus…
God gave repentance and forgiveness of sins. I know that Peter said, "to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." The great commission had been to go to all the world not, go to all Israel. Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of power to give repentance to all He chooses not just to Israel. Part of what Peter struggled with was his Jewish identity and within the next couple of messages we will see how God finally set him free (almost) from his national prejudice. 
Peter confronted the Council, not just with the fact that they crucified Jesus, but with the fact that repentance was offered to them along with salvation. They refused it. Even after listening to the counsel of an important teacher named Gamaliel the Council called the apostles back in and had them beaten and again ordered them not to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. They clearly rejected the grace of God that is the source of salvation. Later, Paul would write to the Ephesian church these words, Ephesians 2:8-10, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

It's the grace of God that brings salvation through faith. That faith is the gift of God. It's not by works of righteousness that we have done. Why all of our righteousness is like filthy rags to God. Nothing we do can ever earn salvation. Only the work of God in Christ on the cross can pay for our sins. Only the power of the resurrection can give us new life in Christ.

Peter, and the other apostles, would have to get on with the process of sharing the gospel with all the world. They were to begin at Jerusalem and then go out into Judea, Samaria and the end of the earth. Somehow they seem to have gotten stuck in Jerusalem but God will soon take care that.

The Book of Acts is a history book not a theology book. Yet there are many truths we can draw from it that help us to understand what happened in the beginning of the church and, many times, what's happening in our age as well. The Great Commission is still in effect. We need to go to all the world with the gospel. Knowing the truth makes us responsible for sharing the truth. We need to remember the words of Peter, "… 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; yet do it with gentleness and respect," (1 Peter 3:15)

All scripture quotes are from:The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.