Our icebreaker question for our spiritual family gathering today caught some people off guard:
Share with us your name and who you would call with your one call if you were in jail?
As we continued in the book of Acts, being thrown in jail was a common theme for the the early church leaders. By chapter 5, some of the apostles have had two overnight stays in prison!
The first time, the apostles were released with a tongue lashing telling them to stop talking about Jesus. The apostles vowed to obey God, and not the religious officials.
In Acts chapter five, the officials have had enough of being accused of murder (Jesus) and hearing about the Messiah’s resurrection, so they imprison the apostles again. Yet in the middle of the night, an angel secretly releases the apostles without anyone knowing:
This picture was colored today by one of our church plant kids as we were talking through the story.
But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them,“Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!” (Acts 5:19-20 NLT)
The apostles obey and begin teaching about Jesus in the Temple in the morning. The officials convene for court, send to the jail for their prisoners and they can’t find them! Finally the officials discover that the apostles are teaching in the Temple the same message that has cause such an uproar!
The apostles were seized and brought before the officials who grew so angry they were desirous to kill the apostles!
But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while.Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men!Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing.… “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown.But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!” (Acts 5:34-39 NLT)
The advice of Gamaliel was heeded (after a body beating), and even today we see that the officials couldn’t “overthrow them” and the message has spread all over the globe about Jesus the Messiah. They were fighting against God…and lost!
The story concluded with this:
The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.” (Acts 5:41-42 NLT)
What an example from the apostles:
– They were bold to follow God and not conform to human pressure.
– They had joy in suffering for Christ, the Messiah.
– They continued to follow Jesus and share about Him everyday, everywhere!
Wow…may we live this for our King Jesus the Messiah today!
A huge problem loomed in Jerusalem for the early followers of Jesus, namely they believed in their Messiah’s resurrection from the dead. As we read in the beginning of Acts chapter 4, the resurrection was why the Jewish religious officials were so incensed at the Jesus followers (verse 2).
These disciples or followers of Jesuswere a band of misfits: fishermen, zealots, tax collectors and commoners. This handful of men were unrefined in scholastic and educational pursuits and very ordinary. These disciples followed Jesus throughout His earthly ministry, crucifixion, resurrection and through His fifty days on earth after the resurrection. And this band were humble and true believers that Jesus was the Messiah sent from God to be worshipped and followed as the one Way, Truth & Life.
The power of God was on these disciples, and God used Peter and John to heal a forty year old man who everyone recognized back to full and immediate health (chapter 3). This healing drew a crowd, and Peter shared from the ancient Scriptures about Jesus and how He was the Messiah, how He died and rose back to life and that all should follow Him. Many responded to the truth of Peter’s explanation and pledged their allegiance to Jesus the Messiah!
The Jewish officials wanted to put a stop to this message, so they had Peter and John arrested and they spent the night in jail (4:3-4). What would you think about if you were (like Peter and John) sitting in jail overnight waiting for trial?
I think that the Gospel of Mark gives us a hint. They were WORRIED!
Many believe that Mark wrote his Gospel along with the apostle Peter who was coaching him as an eyewitness about the stories of Jesus’ life and ministry. We have this teaching from Jesus to his disciples captured in Mark 13:9-11:
“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehandabout what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” (NIV)
We see that Jesus said “don’t worry beforehand” because He knows us! He also counts the Holy Spirit into the words of witness!
I think this teaching was remembered well by Peter who actually endured the trials, floggings, witnessing and worry! I believe this teaching is vital to us who follow Jesus many years later, because we need to remember don’t worry, and that the Spirit is able to give us what words to say of witness to Jesus!
Back to these ordinary guys–Peter & John–who are standing trial for causing all of the city to be in an uproar. As they stand in front of the officials, Peter with power and persuasiveness shares that the resurrected Jesus is their Messiah and the only Way for salvation!
They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is
‘the stone you builders rejected,which has become the cornerstone.’
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
So how do you go from Ordinary to Extraordinary? The officials at the trial saw the transformation and they took note that these men had been WITH Jesus!
We can be transformed the same way today from ordinary to extraordinary by being WITH Jesus!
What an example from the apostles:
These disciples or followers of Jesus
