WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:03.480 We open the Word of God today to the fifth chapter 00:00:03.480 --> 00:00:09.800 of the book of Acts. A pattern emerges in Luke's 00:00:09.800 --> 00:00:14.220 historical record which involves his relating 00:00:14.220 --> 00:00:19.500 specific events followed by a general summary 00:00:19.500 --> 00:00:24.019 of the situation in the early church. We see 00:00:24.019 --> 00:00:26.339 that, for example, in the second chapter of Acts 00:00:26.339 --> 00:00:28.699 when he talks specifically about what happened 00:00:28.699 --> 00:00:32.320 on the day of Pentecost. That is followed in 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:37.140 verses 41 through 47 of a summary statement of 00:00:37.140 --> 00:00:39.679 the condition of the early believers in the Jerusalem 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:44.420 church. Again, we see that happen when he speaks 00:00:44.420 --> 00:00:47.119 in chapters 3 and 4 about the healing of the 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:51.500 lame man, the persecution which began after that. 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:56.060 followed by a summary statement beginning in 00:00:56.060 --> 00:01:01.539 verse 32 of the fourth chapter. We see that again 00:01:01.539 --> 00:01:06.180 in the text today. From the specifics that we 00:01:06.180 --> 00:01:11.099 studied last week regarding the gift of Joseph 00:01:11.099 --> 00:01:14.959 called Barnabas and the hypocrisy of Ananias 00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:18.340 and Sapphira, we come to a summary statement 00:01:18.340 --> 00:01:21.709 beginning in verse 12 in the fifth chapter. And 00:01:21.709 --> 00:01:24.730 then once again, that leads us to more specific 00:01:24.730 --> 00:01:47.019 records of what took place. He says, And all 00:01:47.019 --> 00:01:49.299 the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of 00:01:49.299 --> 00:01:51.760 men and women were constantly added to their 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:55.280 number, to such an extent that they even carried 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:58.400 the sick out into the streets and laid them on 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:01.780 cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by, 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:04.819 at least his shadow might fall on any one of 00:02:04.819 --> 00:02:08.680 them. And also the people from the cities in 00:02:08.680 --> 00:02:10.580 the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, 00:02:10.699 --> 00:02:13.080 bringing people who were sick or afflicted with 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:16.280 unclean spirits. And they were all being healed. 00:02:17.539 --> 00:02:21.159 But the high priest rose up along with all his 00:02:21.159 --> 00:02:24.699 associates, that is, the sect of the Sadducees, 00:02:24.740 --> 00:02:28.780 and they were filled with jealousy. And they 00:02:28.780 --> 00:02:31.099 laid hands on the apostles and put them in a 00:02:31.099 --> 00:02:34.840 public jail. But an angel of the Lord, during 00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:38.400 the night, opened the gates of the prison. And 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:41.840 taking them out, he said, Go your way, stand 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:44.500 and speak to the people in the temple the whole 00:02:44.500 --> 00:02:49.120 message of this life. And upon hearing this, 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:51.379 they entered into the temple about daybreak and 00:02:51.379 --> 00:02:55.039 began to teach. Now when the high priest and 00:02:55.039 --> 00:02:57.439 his associates had come together, they called 00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:00.659 the council together, even all the senate of 00:03:00.659 --> 00:03:04.180 the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison 00:03:04.180 --> 00:03:07.719 house for them to be brought. But the officers 00:03:07.719 --> 00:03:10.460 who came did not find them in the prison. And 00:03:10.460 --> 00:03:13.620 they returned and reported back, saying, We found 00:03:13.620 --> 00:03:15.919 the prison doors locked quite securely and the 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:19.599 guards standing at the doors. When we had opened 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:24.340 up, we found no one inside. Now when the captain 00:03:24.340 --> 00:03:26.460 of the temple guard and the chief priests heard 00:03:26.460 --> 00:03:29.659 these words, they were greatly perplexed about 00:03:29.659 --> 00:03:33.139 them as to what would come of this. But someone 00:03:33.139 --> 00:03:36.650 came and reported to them, Behold, the men whom 00:03:36.650 --> 00:03:38.830 you put in prison are standing in the temple 00:03:38.830 --> 00:03:42.870 and teaching the people. Then the captain went 00:03:42.870 --> 00:03:45.330 along with the officers and proceeded to bring 00:03:45.330 --> 00:03:48.409 them back without violence, for they were afraid 00:03:48.409 --> 00:03:53.789 of the people, lest they should be stoned. All 00:03:53.789 --> 00:03:56.069 we have in the early part of our text today is 00:03:56.069 --> 00:03:59.870 a summary report on the condition of the church. 00:04:00.789 --> 00:04:03.909 It flows very naturally from chapter 4, verse 00:04:03.909 --> 00:04:07.319 35, where it says they laid at the apostles' 00:04:07.620 --> 00:04:11.039 feet the proceeds of the sales of their lands, 00:04:11.259 --> 00:04:14.199 and they would distribute to each as any had 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:18.139 need. And at the hands of the apostles, many 00:04:18.139 --> 00:04:21.079 signs and wonders were being done. So you see 00:04:21.079 --> 00:04:24.620 how nicely that flows? But the Holy Spirit causes 00:04:24.620 --> 00:04:28.279 Luke to interject the specifics, which he does 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:32.829 and which we studied in the text last week. Each 00:04:32.829 --> 00:04:36.870 of the summaries in the book of Acts deals with 00:04:36.870 --> 00:04:41.370 a similar theme. That theme seems to be the power 00:04:41.370 --> 00:04:46.310 of God and its results in the lives of the converts 00:04:46.310 --> 00:04:51.089 and of others. Thus, the book of Acts could better 00:04:51.089 --> 00:04:55.689 be known as the Acts of the Holy Spirit, for 00:04:55.689 --> 00:05:00.319 it is the working of God the Holy Spirit. in 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:03.560 the early church that is recorded in these texts. 00:05:04.860 --> 00:05:09.220 Our passage today centers basically on two geographical 00:05:09.220 --> 00:05:13.779 locations which were in the same proximity. The 00:05:13.779 --> 00:05:17.079 one is the portico of Solomon, mentioned in verse 00:05:17.079 --> 00:05:21.620 12, and the other is the public jail in verse 00:05:21.620 --> 00:05:26.519 19. Now the jail in verse 19 may be the same 00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:30.240 one as mentioned in chapter 4, verse 3, when 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:34.800 Peter and John were placed in jail until the 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:37.560 next day. The language is a little different 00:05:37.560 --> 00:05:39.959 here. It's called the public jail. It may mean 00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:43.160 that they were jailed publicly, or it could be 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:46.639 that this was, in fact, a jail which was more 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:50.139 ignominious than the one earlier mentioned. That 00:05:50.139 --> 00:05:52.620 earlier one in chapter 4 was undoubtedly right 00:05:52.620 --> 00:05:55.639 there on the Temple Mount, whereas this one may 00:05:55.639 --> 00:06:00.079 have been another one, a more public jail, which 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:04.120 was nearby. But wherever the action takes place, 00:06:04.339 --> 00:06:09.259 the theme clearly is God's power, His power being 00:06:09.259 --> 00:06:13.319 released and manifested through His people to 00:06:13.319 --> 00:06:17.480 achieve God's desired results. The thing that 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:19.899 I want to write upon our hearts today is this, 00:06:19.980 --> 00:06:25.060 that the power of God is at work even today in 00:06:25.060 --> 00:06:31.500 and through the lives of God's people. We are, 00:06:31.699 --> 00:06:35.420 by the grace of God, a supernaturally empowered 00:06:35.420 --> 00:06:41.740 people because of our relationship by faith with 00:06:41.740 --> 00:06:47.079 the supernatural God. We are not people who have 00:06:47.079 --> 00:06:51.980 only natural abilities. We do have those. But 00:06:51.980 --> 00:06:54.560 there is about us that which is supernatural, 00:06:54.779 --> 00:06:59.699 because we are a part of a supernatural kingdom 00:06:59.699 --> 00:07:04.220 and family, the kingdom and the family of God. 00:07:05.699 --> 00:07:08.680 That was true also of these people that we read 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:13.069 about in Acts 5. Let's look at the text. and 00:07:13.069 --> 00:07:15.550 divided around the two locations that we've mentioned. 00:07:16.310 --> 00:07:20.149 First we see God's power at the portico, or the 00:07:20.149 --> 00:07:25.410 porch, of Solomon. This was a long colonnade 00:07:25.410 --> 00:07:29.629 on the east side of the temple's outer court. 00:07:30.430 --> 00:07:34.589 It is called the porch of Solomon because it 00:07:34.589 --> 00:07:36.870 was supposed to have been a part of the original 00:07:36.870 --> 00:07:40.910 temple built by Solomon. Thus it had his name. 00:07:42.829 --> 00:07:46.910 It was a place that many people gathered. It 00:07:46.910 --> 00:07:49.509 was, for example, a place where Jesus himself 00:07:49.509 --> 00:07:54.350 taught. In John chapter 10, we have one instance 00:07:54.350 --> 00:07:57.910 of that specifically recorded. But in verse 23, 00:07:58.269 --> 00:08:01.750 it says it was winter and Jesus was walking in 00:08:01.750 --> 00:08:06.009 the temple in the portico of Solomon. That was 00:08:06.009 --> 00:08:08.050 not too long before what we're reading about 00:08:08.050 --> 00:08:10.449 here in the book of Acts. You understand that. 00:08:12.189 --> 00:08:16.009 Jesus walked in this very place, and he taught 00:08:16.009 --> 00:08:18.310 the Jews there. On this occasion, they said to 00:08:18.310 --> 00:08:21.769 him, how long will you keep us in suspense? If 00:08:21.769 --> 00:08:25.550 you are the Christ, tell us plainly. And so he 00:08:25.550 --> 00:08:28.750 did tell them plainly, and they picked up stones 00:08:28.750 --> 00:08:33.730 to kill him. Now we see once again the very message 00:08:33.730 --> 00:08:37.149 of Jesus Christ being delivered on the portico 00:08:37.149 --> 00:08:42.980 of Solomon, and again, opposition comes. This 00:08:42.980 --> 00:08:46.799 same porch was where Peter and John preached 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:49.200 to the great multitude that gathered after the 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:53.480 healing of the crippled man. It apparently became 00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:56.840 a natural and popular meeting place for the early 00:08:56.840 --> 00:09:00.399 church. They, of course, had no facility, as 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:03.820 churches have today, in which to meet, and they 00:09:03.820 --> 00:09:07.120 thus used part of the temple area commonly for 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:11.759 their large gatherings. Now it says that there 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:16.340 at that porch, the power of God was manifested 00:09:16.340 --> 00:09:22.399 in what are called signs and wonders. What are 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:26.200 signs and wonders? Well, the word signs is used 00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:32.639 of miracles which point to a divine truth. In 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:35.759 other words, God has said something, and here 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:40.399 is a sign that points to the truthfulness of 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:46.340 that statement. A wonder is likewise a miracle, 00:09:46.519 --> 00:09:53.500 but its purpose is to evoke awe. It is to strike 00:09:53.500 --> 00:09:57.340 wonder in the hearts of the observers. There 00:09:57.340 --> 00:10:00.799 may or may not be some revelation in connection 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:06.679 with it. Signs and wonders were being done. And 00:10:06.679 --> 00:10:11.129 we have in verses 15 and 16, the kind of miracles, 00:10:11.309 --> 00:10:14.009 wonders, and signs that were being performed. 00:10:14.909 --> 00:10:17.750 By the way, the King James Version, I think properly, 00:10:18.029 --> 00:10:20.990 puts a parenthesis in the middle of verse 12 00:10:20.990 --> 00:10:25.429 through the end of verse 14. That section seems 00:10:25.429 --> 00:10:28.590 to stand by itself, whereas if you read the first 00:10:28.590 --> 00:10:31.470 part of verse 12, talking about the signs and 00:10:31.470 --> 00:10:34.549 wonders taking place among the people, and go 00:10:34.549 --> 00:10:37.509 to verse 15, it flows very naturally. He says 00:10:37.509 --> 00:10:41.350 these were to such an extent that they even carried 00:10:41.350 --> 00:10:44.350 the sick out into the streets. Now, those were 00:10:44.350 --> 00:10:47.350 not the narrow Jerusalem streets. The word here 00:10:47.350 --> 00:10:50.830 means the broad ways, the plazas, the squares 00:10:50.830 --> 00:10:55.590 around the city. And they laid them on cots, 00:10:55.590 --> 00:11:00.509 which were more substantial type beds, and pallets, 00:11:00.509 --> 00:11:04.129 which were basically blankets, as we would think 00:11:04.129 --> 00:11:05.909 of them, that could be rolled up quite easily, 00:11:06.110 --> 00:11:16.039 so that when Peter... Now, it does not specifically 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:20.460 state here that anybody was healed by Peter's 00:11:20.460 --> 00:11:23.860 shadow falling on him. There are those who say, 00:11:23.940 --> 00:11:27.200 indeed, that is the suggestion, and therefore 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:30.039 probably the case, and it may have been. There 00:11:30.039 --> 00:11:32.440 would be as much merit in that happening, I suppose, 00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:35.000 as one touching the hem of our Lord's garment. 00:11:36.490 --> 00:11:38.870 It does not specifically state that that was 00:11:38.870 --> 00:11:40.830 the case, though, and this may have simply been 00:11:40.830 --> 00:11:44.230 kind of a superstition that quickly rose up, 00:11:44.309 --> 00:11:46.710 that only if they could get that close to Peter, 00:11:46.769 --> 00:11:50.309 they might be healed. But whatever the case, 00:11:50.330 --> 00:11:52.629 it says, also the people from the cities in the 00:11:52.629 --> 00:11:55.690 vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing 00:11:55.690 --> 00:11:59.730 the people who were sick or afflicted with unclean 00:11:59.730 --> 00:12:07.440 spirits, and they were all being healed. It talks 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:11.659 here about those who were physically ill or diseased. 00:12:11.820 --> 00:12:15.559 That is the sick. And it differentiates those 00:12:15.559 --> 00:12:19.340 who were demon -possessed. Luke, being a careful 00:12:19.340 --> 00:12:22.299 physician, carefully noted the difference between 00:12:22.299 --> 00:12:25.519 the two groups. But it says whichever group they 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:29.700 were in, they were all being healed. There was 00:12:29.700 --> 00:12:32.970 not a healing line for some of them. There was 00:12:32.970 --> 00:12:35.210 not a case where they had a public meeting and 00:12:35.210 --> 00:12:37.870 people were psyched up to be healed. But here 00:12:37.870 --> 00:12:40.269 was a case where people were just streaming in 00:12:40.269 --> 00:12:44.009 from all around Jerusalem here to the portico 00:12:44.009 --> 00:12:48.470 of Solomon. And it says they were all, every 00:12:48.470 --> 00:12:52.370 one of them, being healed. The signs and wonders 00:12:52.370 --> 00:12:56.750 were amazing. These were miracles intended for 00:12:56.750 --> 00:12:59.529 a divine purpose. And that purpose primarily 00:12:59.529 --> 00:13:02.750 at this point was to testify to the unbelieving 00:13:02.750 --> 00:13:06.710 nation of Israel that the message that was being 00:13:06.710 --> 00:13:10.210 proclaimed by these men, these apostles, was 00:13:10.210 --> 00:13:13.649 authentically, genuinely from God, and they had 00:13:13.649 --> 00:13:17.289 better listen to it. Now, I think it's important 00:13:17.289 --> 00:13:19.529 to notice what it says again back in verse 12, 00:13:19.590 --> 00:13:23.509 that at the hands of the apostles, many signs 00:13:23.509 --> 00:13:27.269 and wonders were being done. Not everybody was 00:13:27.269 --> 00:13:32.470 doing these things. Only 12 men who were the 00:13:32.470 --> 00:13:38.110 apostles. At their hands, the healings, the demon 00:13:38.110 --> 00:13:41.970 deliverances were taking place. Now that's to 00:13:41.970 --> 00:13:44.370 be expected after all. That's what Jesus really 00:13:44.370 --> 00:13:47.610 predicted would happen. Back in the Gospel of 00:13:47.610 --> 00:13:52.279 Mark in the 16th chapter. He says, these signs 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:54.860 will accompany those who have believed. In my 00:13:54.860 --> 00:13:57.879 name they will cast out demons. They will speak 00:13:57.879 --> 00:14:00.320 with new tongues. They will pick up serpents. 00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:02.899 And if they drink any deadly poison, it shall 00:14:02.899 --> 00:14:04.980 not hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick 00:14:04.980 --> 00:14:08.220 and they will recover. Now there are those who 00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:10.460 say, well, this is talking about all believers. 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:12.919 But if you look at the context, Jesus is talking 00:14:12.919 --> 00:14:17.679 to the 11. To the 11. Later to become 12 when 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:22.009 they added Matthias. Here in the book of Acts. 00:14:22.610 --> 00:14:26.090 And so it is at the hands of the apostles as 00:14:26.090 --> 00:14:28.710 Jesus had predicted that all of these things 00:14:28.710 --> 00:14:34.950 were taking place. That these were the signs 00:14:34.950 --> 00:14:39.389 of the apostles is made clear by a word in 2 00:14:39.389 --> 00:14:41.769 Corinthians chapter 12. And I'd like you to look 00:14:41.769 --> 00:14:43.830 at that as well because it deals with another 00:14:43.830 --> 00:14:47.289 individual who was an apostle, this time Paul. 00:14:48.750 --> 00:14:57.789 He was not one of the twelve. In 2 Corinthians 00:14:57.789 --> 00:15:03.370 12, 12, Paul, in defense of his own apostleship, 00:15:03.370 --> 00:15:06.690 which was under attack, says, The signs of a 00:15:06.690 --> 00:15:10.269 true apostle were performed among you with all 00:15:10.269 --> 00:15:15.029 perseverance. Now, what were these signs that 00:15:15.029 --> 00:15:18.100 he was truly an apostle? Well, he calls them 00:15:18.100 --> 00:15:23.940 signs, wonders, and miracles. In other words, 00:15:23.940 --> 00:15:27.580 these amazing feats were not being done by everybody 00:15:27.580 --> 00:15:30.059 in general in the early church, as we are sometimes 00:15:30.059 --> 00:15:33.500 led to believe, but they were being done by just 00:15:33.500 --> 00:15:36.639 a few people. They were, in fact, the signs of 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:40.600 the apostles. And so one would expect, then, 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:43.179 that when the apostles left the scene, that the 00:15:43.179 --> 00:15:46.610 signs, wonders, and miracles which were their 00:15:46.610 --> 00:15:50.429 signs, would also leave. And in fact, that's 00:15:50.429 --> 00:15:53.750 exactly what happened. In the first place, history 00:15:53.750 --> 00:15:58.450 records that. And secondly, Scripture seems to 00:15:58.450 --> 00:16:04.190 indicate that. Turn to Hebrews chapter 2. We 00:16:04.190 --> 00:16:10.129 do not know who wrote this book. But whoever 00:16:10.129 --> 00:16:13.029 it was seems to have been in the second generation 00:16:13.029 --> 00:16:19.210 from the Lord Jesus. By what he says here. And 00:16:19.210 --> 00:16:21.909 how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, 00:16:22.230 --> 00:16:25.789 he asks. After it was at the first spoken through 00:16:25.789 --> 00:16:30.370 the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who 00:16:30.370 --> 00:16:34.149 heard. That is, who heard him. And so he says, 00:16:34.190 --> 00:16:36.309 the Lord spoke, and there were those who heard 00:16:36.309 --> 00:16:39.610 him, and then they told us. So you see, he's 00:16:39.610 --> 00:16:43.750 in that second generation. And he says, God also... 00:16:44.690 --> 00:16:48.549 bearing witness with them, that is, those who 00:16:48.549 --> 00:16:52.330 heard him, both by signs and wonders and by various 00:16:52.330 --> 00:16:54.850 miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according 00:16:54.850 --> 00:16:57.750 to his own will. This book was written in 68, 00:16:58.009 --> 00:17:01.789 69 A .D. And by that time, all of the apostles 00:17:01.789 --> 00:17:05.589 had been killed or had died except for the apostle 00:17:05.589 --> 00:17:10.809 John. And the signs of the apostles were disappearing 00:17:10.809 --> 00:17:12.789 quickly from the scene. In fact, he indicates 00:17:12.789 --> 00:17:15.519 here. that for the most part, they were gone. 00:17:15.700 --> 00:17:19.839 He says God bore witness to them with signs, 00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:23.720 wonders, miracles. They were not the possession 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:27.900 of even that second generation of believers in 00:17:27.900 --> 00:17:31.460 the early church. And so at the hands of the 00:17:31.460 --> 00:17:34.140 apostles, as we come back to Acts chapter 5, 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:38.740 because that was their ministry, these signs 00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:44.359 and wonders were being done. Now this manifestation 00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:48.259 of God's power at the porch had five results. 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:51.819 Number one, there was the heightened sense of 00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:55.039 unity among the believers. Notice that at the 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:57.940 end of verse 12. They were all with one accord 00:17:57.940 --> 00:18:02.420 in Solomon's portico. The unity that they sensed 00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:06.359 was not some relaxed feeling that they had. It 00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:09.480 was not just a theological doctrine, but it was 00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:21.809 something very intense, very real. Now why was 00:18:21.809 --> 00:18:24.490 that? Well, because of the signs and wonders 00:18:24.490 --> 00:18:27.970 that were being done. That brought them together 00:18:27.970 --> 00:18:33.269 and made them sense their oneness. A second result 00:18:33.269 --> 00:18:36.049 is found in verse 13. It was an intense fear. 00:18:38.829 --> 00:18:41.950 And that fear was basically among the rest who 00:18:41.950 --> 00:18:47.349 dared not to associate with them. Who are these 00:18:47.349 --> 00:18:51.730 people? The rest. Well, there are commentators 00:18:51.730 --> 00:18:53.369 who have different opinions about that, but it 00:18:53.369 --> 00:18:55.349 seems that they are those who are merely curious. 00:18:56.609 --> 00:18:59.650 These were the fringe onlookers. They were not 00:18:59.650 --> 00:19:02.150 sincere seekers after the truth, but they were 00:19:02.150 --> 00:19:05.839 only those who were there for the sideshow. There 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:08.180 were those who enjoyed seeing these kinds of 00:19:08.180 --> 00:19:11.420 things happen. They heard about Ananias and Sapphira, 00:19:11.579 --> 00:19:14.579 and then there were all these healings and demon 00:19:14.579 --> 00:19:16.920 deliverances taking place with all the sights 00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:19.920 and the sounds involved. They were there to see 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:23.180 these things, but they didn't get too close. 00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:27.980 They kept their distance, you see, because of 00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:33.289 the fear that was created in them. Back in verse 00:19:33.289 --> 00:19:35.609 11, it mentions the great fear that was upon 00:19:35.609 --> 00:19:39.009 the church, but also all those who heard of these 00:19:39.009 --> 00:19:44.170 things. A third result of this power of God being 00:19:44.170 --> 00:19:50.529 released is increased popularity. We notice in 00:19:50.529 --> 00:19:54.029 verse 13 that the people, that is the masses 00:19:54.029 --> 00:19:58.630 in general, held them, the apostles and the early 00:19:58.630 --> 00:20:03.619 church, in high esteem. In other words, that 00:20:03.619 --> 00:20:07.019 miracle in chapter 3 had captured their imagination. 00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:11.359 And now the repeated miracles, not just one lame 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:15.019 man, but person after person being healed of 00:20:15.019 --> 00:20:17.960 this disease or that, or demons being cast out. 00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:21.859 All of these miracles caused the public awareness 00:20:21.859 --> 00:20:26.039 and interest in this group of people to be multiplied 00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:29.339 tremendously. So there was increased popularity. 00:20:30.299 --> 00:20:33.799 as a result of the miracles and the power of 00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:37.079 God. Fourthly, it resulted in multitudes of new 00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:40.740 converts. Some of those people were saved. Verse 00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:43.240 14, it says, all the more believers in the Lord, 00:20:43.380 --> 00:20:47.680 multitudes of men and women were constantly added. 00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:50.640 This is the first time that Luke specifically 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:54.440 notes that women were among the converts. That 00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:57.059 doesn't mean that they were not converted before 00:20:57.059 --> 00:21:01.339 this, but Luke... Take special note of the women 00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:03.640 here, and you will find that that is characteristic 00:21:03.640 --> 00:21:07.339 of Luke. He is very sympathetic toward women 00:21:07.339 --> 00:21:11.200 and does all that he can in his writing of his 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:15.460 books to elevate them because they were oppressed 00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:19.980 in the society in which he lived. And so he specifically 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:22.819 notes here that both men and women in multitudes 00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:26.400 were believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and being 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:32.690 constantly added to the church. And notice also 00:21:32.690 --> 00:21:34.710 that these people came from the cities around 00:21:34.710 --> 00:21:37.130 Jerusalem, and it specifically states here that 00:21:37.130 --> 00:21:40.630 now the gospel is going into Judea. Remember 00:21:40.630 --> 00:21:46.069 the order, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria? Well, here, 00:21:46.130 --> 00:21:48.430 because of the miracles being done, the gospel 00:21:48.430 --> 00:21:51.289 is going out into Judea, and from all these little 00:21:51.289 --> 00:21:54.890 villages surrounding Jerusalem, back up in the 00:21:54.890 --> 00:21:58.019 valleys and the ravines, on the hilltops, Around 00:21:58.019 --> 00:22:01.099 the city, there were streams of people coming, 00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:04.180 bringing their sick. And as a result of the healing 00:22:04.180 --> 00:22:07.299 and the power of God being manifested there, 00:22:07.420 --> 00:22:11.440 they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Then 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:15.559 there is a fifth result of God's power being 00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:18.740 exposed and revealed here, and that is an angry 00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:22.980 jealousy, verse 17, among the religious leaders, 00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:27.529 especially the Sadducees. It says the high priest 00:22:27.529 --> 00:22:32.289 rose up along with all his associates. And Luke 00:22:32.289 --> 00:22:35.990 says that is the sect or the group of the Sadducees. 00:22:37.890 --> 00:22:42.650 The Sadducees were quite opposed to this movement 00:22:42.650 --> 00:22:47.150 because they denied the resurrection of anybody, 00:22:47.450 --> 00:22:50.369 let alone the Lord Jesus Christ. They denied 00:22:50.369 --> 00:22:54.710 supernatural things. Whereas the Pharisees... 00:22:55.049 --> 00:22:58.049 were opposed to Jesus primarily in the Gospels. 00:22:59.250 --> 00:23:01.950 They seemed to take a more moderate seat in the 00:23:01.950 --> 00:23:06.509 book of Acts. And it's the Sadducees, the liberals, 00:23:06.670 --> 00:23:10.250 we might say, of that day, which really opposed 00:23:10.250 --> 00:23:17.789 the early church. We notice that it resulted 00:23:17.789 --> 00:23:20.349 in the arrest of the twelve. It says that they 00:23:20.349 --> 00:23:24.269 were filled with jealousy and laid hands on the... 00:23:25.639 --> 00:23:28.140 Notice, by the way, what it was that motivated 00:23:28.140 --> 00:23:32.180 them. This was more than just a doctrinal issue. 00:23:35.079 --> 00:23:37.759 This was a matter of popularity among the people. 00:23:39.140 --> 00:23:41.619 Remember I told you before, the Sadducees wanted 00:23:41.619 --> 00:23:44.799 to keep the status quo. That was their primary 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:48.420 concern because they were on the top of the heap. 00:23:50.279 --> 00:23:53.380 Everybody looked up to them. They were the wealthy 00:23:53.380 --> 00:23:57.880 people. And they wanted everything to be quiet 00:23:57.880 --> 00:24:01.339 around Jerusalem. And suddenly they have multitudes 00:24:01.339 --> 00:24:03.819 of people on their hands who are getting all 00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:08.420 excited about this Jesus and who are being healed 00:24:08.420 --> 00:24:12.240 and delivered from demons. And so out of jealousy, 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:15.819 really, they were motivated to put the twelve 00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:20.640 into jail. It is interesting to note that when 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:25.099 Jesus was arrested, and then turned over to the 00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:28.980 Romans to be crucified, it is stated in Mark 00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:33.380 15 .10 that it was envy on their part then that 00:24:33.380 --> 00:24:37.359 turned him over. And this is the same Caiaphas, 00:24:37.420 --> 00:24:42.819 the same Annas, the same group of Sadducees that 00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:48.579 attacked the Lord Jesus Christ. The very same 00:24:48.579 --> 00:24:53.900 people, motivated by a very similar sin, now 00:24:53.900 --> 00:24:58.579 attacks the apostles. Well, that brings us to 00:24:58.579 --> 00:25:02.039 the second location, which is the prison. It's 00:25:02.039 --> 00:25:04.099 amazing how many times those early Christians 00:25:04.099 --> 00:25:09.059 did their work behind the bars. It says here 00:25:09.059 --> 00:25:11.519 that God's power was released in the prison through 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:15.900 a supernatural release. And isn't it rather ironic 00:25:15.900 --> 00:25:19.819 that it was done by an angel? First time, by 00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:21.259 the way, angels are mentioned in the book of 00:25:21.259 --> 00:25:25.990 Acts. but in this part of Acts. But isn't it 00:25:25.990 --> 00:25:31.049 ironic that the very beings that the Sadducees 00:25:31.049 --> 00:25:36.390 denied even existed were those who released the 00:25:36.390 --> 00:25:41.990 apostles? The Sadducees said angels don't exist. 00:25:42.910 --> 00:25:45.869 So in response to that, God sent an angel down 00:25:45.869 --> 00:25:50.329 and got the 12 out of jail. And it says that 00:25:50.329 --> 00:25:53.480 it happened during the night. I think it's also 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:55.240 interesting here that with all these miracles 00:25:55.240 --> 00:26:00.799 going on, that the apostles consented to go to 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:04.140 jail. Why didn't they say, Lord, would you just 00:26:04.140 --> 00:26:06.720 send down a little fire here and lick up these 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:08.599 people? We'll be rid of them. We'll get on about 00:26:08.599 --> 00:26:12.279 our business. They didn't do that. Nor did God 00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:17.740 initiate that. God took them away from that miraculous 00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:21.259 atmosphere at the porch. and allowed them to 00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:24.920 be put into jail. And it was during the night 00:26:24.920 --> 00:26:28.740 that the gates of the prison were opened by the 00:26:28.740 --> 00:26:31.779 angel. He took them out, and notice what he says 00:26:31.779 --> 00:26:36.940 to them. Go your way, stand your ground, essentially 00:26:36.940 --> 00:26:42.680 is what he says, be steadfast, and preach or 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:47.440 speak to the people. Now what were they to speak? 00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:51.559 He calls it here, The whole message of this life. 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:56.200 This is an unusual description of the gospel. 00:26:57.539 --> 00:27:01.940 It's called the message of this life. Why is 00:27:01.940 --> 00:27:05.960 it called that? Well, one reason may be because 00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:09.740 the Hebrews basically associated salvation with 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:12.680 life. In fact, there's one Hebrew word that's 00:27:12.680 --> 00:27:16.700 translated into the Greek by both the words salvation 00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:20.170 and life. The very same Hebrew word. Because 00:27:20.170 --> 00:27:22.250 you see, when the Hebrews spoke of salvation, 00:27:22.250 --> 00:27:24.210 they thought of life. And when they thought of 00:27:24.210 --> 00:27:27.230 life, they thought of salvation. The two were 00:27:27.230 --> 00:27:30.369 together to them. And so it could as well say 00:27:30.369 --> 00:27:35.009 the whole message of this salvation. I think 00:27:35.009 --> 00:27:38.329 it's called life here specifically. And the Holy 00:27:38.329 --> 00:27:40.789 Spirit does choose that particular Greek word 00:27:40.789 --> 00:27:44.769 in this context. It's called life here specifically. 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:50.160 Because the Lord Jesus Christ is the life. And 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:52.759 because those who believe on him receive life. 00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:57.140 And so it's called the message of this life. 00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:01.700 I want to say something else at this point as 00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:05.039 well. I hear some people talk about the Christian 00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:10.220 way of life as though almost to imply that Christianity 00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:14.319 is only an ethical system which people can follow. 00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:17.960 It is true that Christianity does involve an 00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:22.359 ethical system, but it is much more than a system 00:28:22.359 --> 00:28:25.660 of ethics. It is more than a Christian, quote, 00:28:25.720 --> 00:28:29.880 way of life. For the biblical Christianity involves 00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:34.200 a message which says that people are dead in 00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:38.359 trespasses and sins, but that they can be made 00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:43.240 alive through faith in Jesus Christ. In other 00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:46.859 words, it involves the message that life is imparted 00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:52.039 from God to man through the new birth. That's 00:28:52.039 --> 00:28:55.259 why it's called the message of this life. When 00:28:55.259 --> 00:28:59.660 a person is saved, it means that he is raised 00:28:59.660 --> 00:29:01.839 from the dead on the inside. He is something 00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:06.140 he wasn't before. He is a new creature and old 00:29:06.140 --> 00:29:09.039 things have passed away. That is biblical Christianity. 00:29:09.579 --> 00:29:14.180 It involves the actual impartation of life itself. 00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:17.859 And as a result of that, then, of course, there 00:29:17.859 --> 00:29:22.500 is a way of life. But I feel sorry for those 00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:24.640 people who think that being a Christian means 00:29:24.640 --> 00:29:29.000 living a Christian way, or a Christianly way, 00:29:29.140 --> 00:29:32.180 as I've heard it expressed. because that's not 00:29:32.180 --> 00:29:35.160 what it means to be a Christian. To be a Christian 00:29:35.160 --> 00:29:39.599 means to be the recipient of life from God. And 00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:41.740 then as a result of that life, of course, the 00:29:41.740 --> 00:29:46.740 individual's lifestyle is impacted. Well, we 00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:49.700 have the miracle here in God's power revealed 00:29:49.700 --> 00:29:52.119 in the prison doors being opened, but there's 00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:55.880 a subtle miracle that is not specifically stated, 00:29:55.980 --> 00:29:58.519 and that is that the doors were locked again. 00:29:59.210 --> 00:30:01.089 And the guards didn't even know that they were 00:30:01.089 --> 00:30:04.670 gone. You say, how does that happen? I have no 00:30:04.670 --> 00:30:08.589 idea. It's a miracle. But what's the outcome 00:30:08.589 --> 00:30:10.829 of this anyway? Well, there are two. Number one, 00:30:11.170 --> 00:30:14.130 there's a great opportunity. The apostles were 00:30:14.130 --> 00:30:16.990 given even greater notoriety because of what 00:30:16.990 --> 00:30:20.130 happened. After all, it was in public that they 00:30:20.130 --> 00:30:23.789 were arrested there at the temple. Everybody 00:30:23.789 --> 00:30:26.829 knew that they were arrested. I am sure that 00:30:26.829 --> 00:30:29.710 that news went through Jerusalem like a wildfire. 00:30:30.569 --> 00:30:34.309 And now at dawn on the next day, here these same 00:30:34.309 --> 00:30:37.789 guys are back in the temple preaching. That is 00:30:37.789 --> 00:30:40.549 going to arrest the people's attention once again, 00:30:40.710 --> 00:30:42.910 and they're going to say, what has happened here? 00:30:43.569 --> 00:30:46.210 And so there was a great opportunity given by 00:30:46.210 --> 00:30:48.990 the Lord for the gospel to be preached by the 00:30:48.990 --> 00:30:52.589 apostles. As someone said, the apostles were 00:30:52.589 --> 00:30:56.500 saved out of prison to serve. And that's why 00:30:56.500 --> 00:30:59.480 we are saved as well out of our prison of sin 00:30:59.480 --> 00:31:04.359 to serve the Lord. And then there was great perplexity 00:31:04.359 --> 00:31:09.319 as well. In verse 24 it says that when the captain 00:31:09.319 --> 00:31:11.180 of the temple guard, the chief priest, heard 00:31:11.180 --> 00:31:15.240 these words, they were greatly perplexed. Literally 00:31:15.240 --> 00:31:17.839 it says they were at their wit's end. They did 00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:21.900 not know what to do next. They could not handle 00:31:21.900 --> 00:31:25.269 this group of people. They tried to warn them 00:31:25.269 --> 00:31:29.589 in a firm way to be quiet. They could not shut 00:31:29.589 --> 00:31:34.769 them up. They tried to ignore them and they began 00:31:34.769 --> 00:31:38.190 doing miracles at the temple. They threw them 00:31:38.190 --> 00:31:41.069 into jail and now they're out of jail and they 00:31:41.069 --> 00:31:44.269 can't explain how. Even to save their own skins, 00:31:44.650 --> 00:31:47.390 they can't explain how. And here they've called 00:31:47.390 --> 00:31:50.569 together this great council. which involved not 00:31:50.569 --> 00:31:53.309 only the Sanhedrin, but also probably a large 00:31:53.309 --> 00:31:56.170 group of the elders of Israel, and they have 00:31:56.170 --> 00:31:58.349 no way to explain why they don't have the prisoners. 00:32:00.369 --> 00:32:03.390 But they are delivered from their dilemma, because 00:32:03.390 --> 00:32:05.970 someone came and said, Behold, the men that you 00:32:05.970 --> 00:32:08.170 put in prison are standing in the temple teaching 00:32:08.170 --> 00:32:11.329 the people. I would imagine they threw their 00:32:11.329 --> 00:32:15.009 hands to their head, and they said, Now, now 00:32:15.009 --> 00:32:19.690 what? Well, the captain... went along with officers, 00:32:19.829 --> 00:32:22.329 and they proceeded to bring them back without 00:32:22.329 --> 00:32:26.269 violence. And so there was a second arrest. And 00:32:26.269 --> 00:32:28.630 notice that Luke records specifically it was 00:32:28.630 --> 00:32:31.450 without violence. Basically, you could put it 00:32:31.450 --> 00:32:33.910 this way. The officers went to the temple, and 00:32:33.910 --> 00:32:37.130 they said, Hey, fellas, look, we know you got 00:32:37.130 --> 00:32:39.009 out of jail, but we're not finished with you 00:32:39.009 --> 00:32:41.730 yet. Would you mind coming back? We'd like to 00:32:41.730 --> 00:32:45.190 have a little trial. So please, pretty please. 00:32:46.029 --> 00:32:49.210 And so without violence, very calmly, they took 00:32:49.210 --> 00:32:50.970 them. Now the reason they had to approach it 00:32:50.970 --> 00:32:55.089 that way, Luke also explains, the officers were 00:32:55.089 --> 00:32:57.289 afraid of the people, lest they should be stoned. 00:32:59.309 --> 00:33:01.309 You see, the Jews, when they would get upset 00:33:01.309 --> 00:33:04.650 in those days, had this habit of picking up rocks 00:33:04.650 --> 00:33:07.950 and throwing them. Now they're going to do that 00:33:07.950 --> 00:33:09.569 in just a couple of chapters to Stephen. They're 00:33:09.569 --> 00:33:12.509 going to kill him. And the soldiers knew that 00:33:12.509 --> 00:33:15.589 they could as well be targets. because they would 00:33:15.589 --> 00:33:20.190 not be popular with these masses who were thronging 00:33:20.190 --> 00:33:24.309 around the apostles in their preaching. But we're 00:33:24.309 --> 00:33:26.190 going to leave the narrative at that point and 00:33:26.190 --> 00:33:30.309 pick it up again next week and close with some 00:33:30.309 --> 00:33:32.549 lessons that we can hope, I hope, apply to our 00:33:32.549 --> 00:33:36.390 lives. What can we learn from this record of 00:33:36.390 --> 00:33:40.039 God's power in action? God's power expressed 00:33:40.039 --> 00:33:42.559 there at the portico is signs and wonders and 00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:45.680 in prison with a miraculous release. What can 00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:48.220 we learn from all of this? Well, it seems to 00:33:48.220 --> 00:33:50.359 me that there are four expectations that you 00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:55.000 and I can have. Number one, we can expect God's 00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:59.000 power to make a difference in lives. My friend, 00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:01.579 where God is working, there will be amazing things 00:34:01.579 --> 00:34:06.000 take place. The entrance of God into a life... 00:34:06.900 --> 00:34:11.800 into a family makes a difference. I wish that 00:34:11.800 --> 00:34:14.000 all of you could read the testimonies that I'm 00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:16.860 privileged to read when our new members come 00:34:16.860 --> 00:34:19.920 into the church. As most of you know, they write 00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:23.219 out those testimonies. And some of the expressions 00:34:23.219 --> 00:34:26.760 of God's reality and God's power in lives and 00:34:26.760 --> 00:34:31.360 in marriages, in families, has brought me to 00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:36.550 tears. As people express what God has done, in 00:34:36.550 --> 00:34:43.530 delivering them from sin, from habits, from the 00:34:43.530 --> 00:34:51.409 work of Satan, from alcohol and drugs, from depression 00:34:51.409 --> 00:34:56.710 and misery. It is a marvelous thing to see the 00:34:56.710 --> 00:35:00.929 difference that the power of God makes in individual 00:35:00.929 --> 00:35:05.440 lives. We can expect that to always happen. But 00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:08.639 that does not mean that we will necessarily see 00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:12.800 identical things happen today as happened back 00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:16.239 here in Acts chapter 5. God doesn't always do 00:35:16.239 --> 00:35:19.179 the same things in the same way. Keep that in 00:35:19.179 --> 00:35:22.199 mind. I know there are people who say, well, 00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:24.699 it says Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, 00:35:24.840 --> 00:35:27.639 and forever. And bless God, that's true. He is 00:35:27.639 --> 00:35:31.440 the same. He is the same. That's his nature. 00:35:32.420 --> 00:35:35.510 But he doesn't always work. in the same way. 00:35:36.329 --> 00:35:39.369 You see, God is a God of infinite variety, of 00:35:39.369 --> 00:35:42.769 unlimited creativity, of absolute freedom, and 00:35:42.769 --> 00:35:46.590 he can work any way that he wishes to. Well, 00:35:46.670 --> 00:35:48.869 someone says, why don't we see miracles today? 00:35:49.309 --> 00:35:52.510 Why don't we see signs and wonders today, like 00:35:52.510 --> 00:35:57.949 in Acts chapter 5? Did you realize that all of 00:35:57.949 --> 00:36:02.449 history, since the beginning, that all of history 00:36:03.650 --> 00:36:08.449 records only three general periods of time when 00:36:08.449 --> 00:36:13.650 miracles were prominently God's way. I'm speaking 00:36:13.650 --> 00:36:15.989 about the time of God's release of his people 00:36:15.989 --> 00:36:20.710 from Egypt, the exodus, and the conquest of the 00:36:20.710 --> 00:36:25.570 land of Canaan. That's one period. A second period 00:36:25.570 --> 00:36:27.949 is the time of the prophets, primarily Elijah 00:36:27.949 --> 00:36:32.090 and Elisha. And the third time is the ministry 00:36:32.090 --> 00:36:34.949 of Christ and the early church and the apostles. 00:36:37.070 --> 00:36:40.130 Only three periods of time in all of history 00:36:40.130 --> 00:36:43.809 when God's way of dealing with mankind has been 00:36:43.809 --> 00:36:48.489 primarily in that order. You say, is it ever 00:36:48.489 --> 00:36:52.030 going to happen again? Yes. In the tribulation 00:36:52.030 --> 00:36:55.070 period, there will be amazing miracles that will 00:36:55.070 --> 00:36:58.880 take place, unexplainable things. Perhaps even 00:36:58.880 --> 00:37:00.920 some of the greatest of miracles will take place 00:37:00.920 --> 00:37:05.380 at that time in the future. But friend, miracles 00:37:05.380 --> 00:37:09.199 are not the norm. Or they wouldn't be miracles. 00:37:10.300 --> 00:37:15.099 You think about that. Well, someone says if there 00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:17.719 were only more miracles, then we'd see more people 00:37:17.719 --> 00:37:22.219 coming to Christ. We need more miracles. Do you 00:37:22.219 --> 00:37:24.320 realize that that is man's way of thinking and 00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:27.599 it's not God's wisdom? Go back to Luke chapter 00:37:27.599 --> 00:37:30.679 16. I'll prove this to you. Luke chapter 16. 00:37:32.619 --> 00:37:36.059 The last part of the chapter records the story 00:37:36.059 --> 00:37:41.719 of the poor man, Lazarus, who died and went to 00:37:41.719 --> 00:37:44.360 paradise, to Abraham's bosom it's called, and 00:37:44.360 --> 00:37:47.099 then the rich man who died and went to hell, 00:37:47.260 --> 00:37:52.199 to Hades. He cried out to Abraham, saying, Send 00:37:52.199 --> 00:37:54.219 Lazarus to give me some comfort. And Abraham 00:37:54.219 --> 00:37:57.699 said, Child, remember, verse 25, that during 00:37:57.699 --> 00:37:59.659 your life you received your good things, and 00:37:59.659 --> 00:38:02.639 likewise Lazarus bad things, but now he's being 00:38:02.639 --> 00:38:06.179 comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides 00:38:06.179 --> 00:38:09.519 all this, between us and you, there's a great 00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:13.099 chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to 00:38:13.099 --> 00:38:16.789 come over from here to you may not be able. and 00:38:16.789 --> 00:38:21.250 that none may cross from there to us. So he said, 00:38:21.369 --> 00:38:24.190 Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to 00:38:24.190 --> 00:38:26.670 my father's house, for I have five brothers, 00:38:26.929 --> 00:38:30.889 that he may warn them, lest they also come to 00:38:30.889 --> 00:38:34.690 this place of torment. And Abraham said, They 00:38:34.690 --> 00:38:37.170 have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. 00:38:38.409 --> 00:38:41.070 And he said, No, Father Abraham, but if someone 00:38:41.070 --> 00:38:43.630 goes to them from the dead, they'll repent. Do 00:38:43.630 --> 00:38:46.889 you see what he's saying? This man who's in hell 00:38:46.889 --> 00:38:49.449 is pleading that someone be sent to his family 00:38:49.449 --> 00:38:53.070 who's still on the earth. And he's saying, tell 00:38:53.070 --> 00:38:57.309 someone to go to them, that they may be saved. 00:39:00.909 --> 00:39:04.789 And Abraham's response is, well, they have the 00:39:04.789 --> 00:39:09.429 law. They have the writings of the prophets. 00:39:09.829 --> 00:39:14.780 Let them hear them. And so this man is... regenerate 00:39:14.780 --> 00:39:17.880 man who is in hell says, no, wait a minute. If 00:39:17.880 --> 00:39:22.579 only there was a miracle. If only somebody would 00:39:22.579 --> 00:39:27.659 rise from the dead, they would listen. But notice 00:39:27.659 --> 00:39:31.380 Abraham's response. If they do not listen to 00:39:31.380 --> 00:39:34.920 Moses and the prophets, neither will they be 00:39:34.920 --> 00:39:38.780 persuaded if someone rises from the dead. That's 00:39:38.780 --> 00:39:42.139 God's wisdom. You say, well, that isn't true. 00:39:42.590 --> 00:39:45.789 If someone were to rise from the dead, the people 00:39:45.789 --> 00:39:49.489 would listen. Do you realize someone has been 00:39:49.489 --> 00:39:52.769 raised from the dead? His name is Jesus Christ, 00:39:53.190 --> 00:39:57.730 but people will not listen. My friend, faith 00:39:57.730 --> 00:40:02.010 does not rest upon miracles. It rests upon the 00:40:02.010 --> 00:40:07.469 word of God. We do not need more miracles today 00:40:07.469 --> 00:40:16.230 so the people will get saved. It is no less miraculous, 00:40:16.309 --> 00:40:19.789 though, no less powerful to see one person converted. 00:40:23.469 --> 00:40:26.750 The heart of man is so hardened in his rebellion 00:40:26.750 --> 00:40:29.090 against God that it is a miracle that anybody, 00:40:29.409 --> 00:40:34.769 that any one of us, repents of his sin and turns 00:40:34.769 --> 00:40:39.969 to Jesus Christ in faith. God is still a miracle 00:40:39.969 --> 00:40:45.239 -working God. may respond and answer to prayer 00:40:45.239 --> 00:40:48.800 today because God still can deliver the diseased. 00:40:49.260 --> 00:40:53.320 He still can deliver the demonized. He still 00:40:53.320 --> 00:40:57.320 can deliver his disciples who are in jail. But 00:40:57.320 --> 00:41:03.079 that is not the norm. God does do it. God can 00:41:03.079 --> 00:41:06.840 do it. But that is not the norm for the age in 00:41:06.840 --> 00:41:10.480 which you and I are living at this point. Nonetheless, 00:41:10.619 --> 00:41:13.880 we can expect to see the power of God manifested 00:41:13.880 --> 00:41:19.320 in individuals' lives as they respond to Jesus 00:41:19.320 --> 00:41:23.840 Christ. That is God's method. There's a second 00:41:23.840 --> 00:41:26.960 expectation. We can expect that formal religion 00:41:26.960 --> 00:41:31.400 will oppose the genuine work of God. You see 00:41:31.400 --> 00:41:34.900 that here in Acts 5. The formal religion of the 00:41:34.900 --> 00:41:39.719 Sadducees and all of its deadness. in all of 00:41:39.719 --> 00:41:43.760 its status quo condition, opposed the genuine 00:41:43.760 --> 00:41:47.940 work of God. That's because there are basically 00:41:47.940 --> 00:41:50.619 two religious systems in the world. There's God's 00:41:50.619 --> 00:41:54.019 and there's the devil's. God's is based upon 00:41:54.019 --> 00:42:00.360 faith as man's response to salvation. The devil's 00:42:00.360 --> 00:42:03.900 is based upon works, saying man has to work. 00:42:05.780 --> 00:42:10.309 God's system of true religion, involves the gift 00:42:10.309 --> 00:42:12.929 of righteousness to an individual who believes 00:42:12.929 --> 00:42:17.269 so that he's right with God. The devil's clever 00:42:17.269 --> 00:42:20.630 system involves self -righteousness so that a 00:42:20.630 --> 00:42:24.369 person senses that he is right with God because 00:42:24.369 --> 00:42:30.550 of his own goodness. God's system leads to heaven. 00:42:30.730 --> 00:42:37.170 The devil's system leads to hell. The two are... 00:42:37.420 --> 00:42:41.780 to one another, and they are locked in conflict. 00:42:46.880 --> 00:42:50.780 We have not seen a great deal of that outwardly 00:42:50.780 --> 00:42:55.000 in our day. There have been believers before 00:42:55.000 --> 00:42:58.980 us who have faced the sword or other forms of 00:42:58.980 --> 00:43:02.320 martyrdom or imprisonment because of the battle 00:43:02.320 --> 00:43:04.840 between formal religion and the true work of 00:43:04.840 --> 00:43:08.570 God. I do believe this, I am persuaded of this, 00:43:08.690 --> 00:43:12.110 that we are on the brink of another period like 00:43:12.110 --> 00:43:17.309 that. There's a third expectation that we can 00:43:17.309 --> 00:43:19.250 have as we look at the text today, and that is 00:43:19.250 --> 00:43:21.190 that we can expect that suffering will often 00:43:21.190 --> 00:43:25.289 follow success in ministry. Oh, we would like 00:43:25.289 --> 00:43:27.769 it that there was always success, that there 00:43:27.769 --> 00:43:30.550 was always blessing, that we were always on the 00:43:30.550 --> 00:43:34.510 mountain. We can trace it in the ministry of 00:43:34.510 --> 00:43:36.989 organizations and of churches, of individuals, 00:43:37.329 --> 00:43:40.610 that when there is success, there often follows 00:43:40.610 --> 00:43:45.210 suffering. And indeed, I think that we can say 00:43:45.210 --> 00:43:48.590 that the work that claims to be God's, but which 00:43:48.590 --> 00:43:51.969 in the long run faces no opposition and no battle, 00:43:52.010 --> 00:43:57.239 no suffering, is probably a fraud. Because Satan 00:43:57.239 --> 00:43:59.840 will attack and work against the work of God. 00:43:59.940 --> 00:44:03.539 From within, from without, he will attack. And 00:44:03.539 --> 00:44:06.320 God allows that to take place, to test and to 00:44:06.320 --> 00:44:10.039 prove what is genuinely his, to sift and to purify. 00:44:11.400 --> 00:44:13.820 That's why we must make the most of our brief 00:44:13.820 --> 00:44:19.659 opportunity. We're not guaranteed tomorrow. And 00:44:19.659 --> 00:44:23.380 then there is a final expectation as a result 00:44:23.380 --> 00:44:26.179 of the look at our text this morning. We can 00:44:26.179 --> 00:44:31.719 expect that all of life's circumstances, yours 00:44:31.719 --> 00:44:36.539 and mine, are ordained by a loving, sovereign 00:44:36.539 --> 00:44:37.000 God.