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on the pews look look full that's good to see it's a joy to be back in the house of the Lord it's a joy to have visitors with us here this morning so wherever you're from we we welcome you to our church and it's a always a joy to have new faces and diffuse joining us just one announcement before we begin worship this morning we're almost finished Jonathan is almost finished with with the photos for the the church directory if you haven't filled out the cards there at the back and if you haven't yet got your photo taken perhaps you can see Jonathan at the end of after this morning service we're trying to get done by the end of by the end of this month by the end of October so please see Jonathan if you've not yet completed that well let's turn in our Bibles to begin our worship the song that we're going to read from as our call to worship is Psalm 100 at Psalm 100 Psalm 100 beginning in verse 1 this is the Word of God a psalm of thanksgiving make a joyful shout to the Lord all you lands serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing know that the Lord he is God it is he who has made us and not we ourselves we are his people in the Sheep of his pasture enter into his gates with Thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankful to him and bless His name for the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth endures to all generations amen will it stand and sing our first hymn this morning if you turn in your thin red Trinity Salter will stand and sing Psalm 110 to a familiar tune that's Psalm 110 let's stand and sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] please be seated well now have a time of Prayer let's go to our God in prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in this Lord's Day Sabbath we thank you that you have called us from out of the world to come into this place as the saints of Christ to worship Father Son and Holy Spirit the one true God and we confess again Lord or we would pray again Lord that you'd help us to now hallow your name we pray that by the lips of your saints gathered in this place you would receive all honor and all praise and once again that this would be the case throughout the earth the men and women boys and girls throughout the earth would hallow your most high name would give you honor and would give you the praise that is due your name we do thank you again that you pour out upon us so many benefits on a daily on a daily basis we rejoice and the blessings that you give and your condescension and in your loving-kindness and we thank you even above all for the saving work of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and we rejoice in that blessed truth that you did send him in the fullness of the times born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those who are under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons we thank you again for that apostolic declaration that this is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into this world the sinners to save as we reflect upon our own lives and upon the reality of the thing and the truth that it is we know that we are not saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done but much rather and gloriously according to your mercy you saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit and we know that we are saved solely and alone by virtue of the perfection of the work of Jesus Christ our Savior we thank you that he came into this world sinners to save that he lived a life of obedience to your law in the place of all who believe in his name that we have that we might have a righteousness not our own that avails with you even the righteousness of Jesus Christ the Savior imputed to us and received by faith alone and we rejoice in that perfect cross work that reality that upon the cross of Calvary Christ Jesus so died so as to secure the cell of a multitude which no man can number that blessed sacrificial and substitutionary death and we rejoice in the cross of Calvary and we rejoice in the victory of the resurrection that on the third day he rose again in power and in great victory we do pray that you'd help us to rejoice in this year gospel knowing that we're saved by amazing and victorious grace brought forth from deadness the deadness and the darkness of sin to life and light and Christ Jesus the Lord do fill our hearts with your spirit that our hearts might arise to a to a high end proper worship of Father Son and Holy Spirit that we might rejoice in your Grace and that we might sing the praises of Jesus Christ our Savior that he might be exalted upon the praises of this gathered assembly we would ask once again God that you'd be with those who need prayer for many physical things or are many in our midst afflicted with illness with disease with injury and in all these things Lord we do pray that you'd strengthen them do be with Linda help her Lord God in the midst of her cancer to be strengthened to be healed we know that healing comes from one alone and that is the Lord God the fountain of all being and we do pray that you attend to her that you would heal her and Lord God in the midst of sickness and the midst of suffering in the midst of these procedures we do just pray that you would help her to call upon the name of her God and to find all comfort and all good things in the living and true God we do pray for John Proctor we pray for Dawn Neufeld we pray for many others Lord struggling physically do just help your saints in the midst of physical trial lift them up in the inner man to rejoice in their God help each and every one of these to be resigned to that precious fact that the God of all the earth does right according to the counsel of his own will and for the good of his people we do pray God that you'd be with those who rule over us as we come to in prayer often for kings and those who are in authority we do pray that those who rule over us would do so in righteousness and in justice and in a biblical equity we pray Lord God that those who rule over us would rule in that proper righteousness knowing that it's so often the case that we see those ruling and sanctioning abominations and engaging in all manner of wickedness and we long to see righteousness as the order of the day so we do pray unto that end for the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ for your power throughout the earth that you would vindicate your name throughout the earth we know with great confidence that the nations of this world are the nations of our God and of his Christ we know that Jesus Christ is the ruler over the kings of the earth and so we do pray Lord God that the one by whom Kings reign would cause righteousness and justice and equity to rule throughout the lands that you would cast down even those who would seek to pervert the nations that you would cause them to stumble like drunken men and raise up those who would seek to to order government into a rule in a manner that is proper we do pray Lord God that you would cause your saints to cry out for these things to be in prayer for those who are in authority that we might live peaceable lives and so that the gospel of Jesus Christ may be proclaimed freely we do pray unto that end as well Lord God that throughout the earth you attend to those who are persecuted for the cause of Jesus Christ we do pray for our brothers and sisters and many nations where there is daily opposition where there is daily tyranny where the hands of wicked oppressors come upon them we do pray that you'd strengthen them in the midst of their afflictions and trials that God do be near to them we know that you are the God of all comfort and we would ask that you would be near to your people once again we pray for those who are presently persecuting that we would hear of their conversion that they would hear of the gospel they would hear the holiness of you our God that they would hear of their sin and that they would hear of Jesus Christ the only Savior of men and that men you by your grace and for your glory would come to a knowledge of Jesus Christ that they would bend a knee in saving faith to the king of kings and Lord of lords and that they would be found among those whom they formerly persecuted and we pray as we often pray God that those who would remain in opposition that you would take them out of the way that they may no longer bring violence against the people of Christ we pray God that you'd be with us now in worship we also think before we close in prayer with our own worship we think of those worshiping throughout the world we think near to us of the surrey church we pray that you'd be with them we think as well of the church and and Lord we pray that you'd be with those brothers and sisters there we pray that the the word would be proclaimed richly in both of these locations that your people would be strengthened and nourished we do pray throughout the world Lord and all your true churches that ministers of your gospel would proclaim the true and saving word that many would be strengthened by the proclaimed word and that Lord by your grace and for your Gloria that the preaching of the word would be unto the salvation of sinners throughout the earth we pray here in our own midst God that you would bless the worship as we continue to sing hymns as we continue to pray as we read the scriptures and and as we engage in that central act of worship the preaching of your word we do pray that we would all we would do this in good order that we would do this in spirit and in truth we pray Lord God that you would be in the midst of your people the Lord Jesus Christ would be among this lamp stand and we do pray that you'd be with Pastor Butler as he preaches your word we pray each and every Lord's Day and it is true that the minister of the gospel rests not upon his own strength but rather rests upon the strength that the triune God affords ministers and we do pray for that for pastor Butler as he proclaims your word give him strength in this place as he grips this pulpit help him to know the aid of his triune God we do pray then that you'd be with us now made all that we do be for your glory sake and unto your praise we pray once again that the Lord Jesus Christ would be exalted upon the praises of this people we do pray God that Saints today in this place would be nourished and strengthened well instructed by your word that sinners young and old would be saved and that this would be an exercise done for your glory sake we pray in Christ's name Amen let's stand again and sing this time in the larger Trinity hymnal will sing eighty-one will stand and sing eighty one together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] please can turn in your Bibles with me to the Gospel of Luke Luke chapter 24 our new testament scripture reading is from Luke 24 beginning in verse 1 Luke 24 beginning in verse 1 once again the Word of God now on the first day of the week very early in the morning they in certain other women with them came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared but they found the stone rolled away from the tomb when they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus excuse me then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus and it happened as they were greatly perplexed about this that behold two men stood by them in shining garments then as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth they said to them why do you seek the living among the dead he is not here but his risen remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee saying the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again and they remembered his words then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest it was Mary Magdalene Joanna Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles and their words seemed to them like idle tales and they did not believe them but Peter arose and ran to the tomb and stooping down he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves and he departed marveling to himself at what had happened now behold two of them were travelling that same day to a village called Emmaus which was seven miles from Jerusalem and they talked together of all these things which had happened so it was while they conversed in reason that Jesus himself drew near and went into went with them but their eyes were restrained so that they did not know him and he said to them what kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad then the one whose name was Cleopas and and said to him are you the only stranger in Jerusalem and have you not known the things which happened there in these days and he said to them what things so they said to him the things concerning Jesus of Nazareth who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified him but we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel indeed besides all this today is the third day since these things happened yes and certain women of our company who arrived at the tomb early astonished us when they did not find the body they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said he was alive and certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said but him they did not see then he said to them o foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory and beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself amen well just very briefly notice in verse one now on the first day of the week the Lord Jesus Christ appears to these on the first day of the week is is one of the reasons why we gather on the first day of the week is because it is Resurrection Sunday the day now with the inauguration of the new covenant that God's people gather is the first day of the week no longer the seventh and here as a as if instituting a particular pattern the Lord Jesus Christ here appears to these and he appears to them speaking to them and he delivers to them a particular cutting sermon if you will disclosing or opening up their their unbelief in the face of all that the Scriptures had said concerning him in fact the Angels announced announced to first off the women who came to the tomb he says why do you seek they say why do you seek the living among the dead he is not here but his Prison those beautiful three words but is risen remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee saying the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again Jesus had often often disclosed and often proclaimed to the disciples that he would be delivered up into the hands of wicked men would be crucified but would rise again the third day and then Jesus gives this this sermon or this Bible study to these two disciples on the road to Emmaus verse 25 o foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken ought not the Christ who have suffered these things and to enter into his glory and then there's this very interesting statement and beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Nehemiah Cox an old Baptist said something like this that in in all our search after the mind of God in the Holy Scriptures we are to manage our enquiries with reference to Christ and that's what Christ here does he says that Moses the Psalms and the prophets all spoke concerning me he'll say that later in this discourse with the disciples when we come to our Bibles we don't come to an ancient dusty tome of books slapped together that have a disharmony that aren't marked by the consent of all the parts but rather we come to one single book with one ultimate author who superintended human authors to disclose to us the plan in the wild the will in the mind of God captured in one Lord Jesus Christ that one who page after page chapter after chapter of the holy scriptures points to who would come in the fullness of the times to deliver his people from their sins and Christ opens this up in a Bible study with these two distraught disciples who know who were no longer distraught after he disclosed to him himself and after he said these scriptures spoke concerning me and we're here 2000 years removed as I often say from this particular discourse we rejoice in the same God we sing the praises of this named Christ and we have faith in this same price as we continue in worship let us marvel at the fact that the Scriptures spoke concerning this one this one came and he has effected the salvation of a multitude which no man can number let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in your word we rejoice in your truth help us as we continue in worship to do so might we worship You Father Son and Holy Spirit might we rejoice in this Savior the Lord Jesus Christ who rose again in power and in great victory might you keep us now attentive in worship and might we rejoice in you our God we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord amen our final him before the preaching then if you'll stand with me again is 2:53 and the larger hymnal 253 let's stand again and sing together [Music] [Music] well you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts we're in Acts chapter 5 Acts chapter 5 our focus this morning will be verses 12 to 16 but I want to begin reading in verse 12 and to the end of the chapter just to set the larger context before us and to see what Luke is recording concerning the church beginning in Acts chapter 5 at verse 12 and through the hands of the Apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people and they were all with one Accord in Solomon's porch yet none of the rest dared joined them but the people esteem them highly and believers were increasingly added to the Lord multitudes of both men and women so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits and they were all healed then the high priest rose up and all those who were with them which is the sect of the Sadducees and they were filled with indignation and laid their hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison but at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said go stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life and when they heard that they entered the temple early in the morning and taught but the high priest and those with him came and called the council together with all the elders of the children of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought when the officers came and did not find them in the prison they returned and reported saying indeed we found the prison shut securely and the guards standing outside before the doors but when we opened them we found no one inside now in the high priest the captain the temple and the chief priests heard these things they wondered what the outcome would be so one came and told them saying look the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence for they feared the people lest they should be stoned and when they had brought them and they set them before the council and the high priest asked them saying did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name and look you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood on us but Peter and the other apostles answered and said we ought to obey God rather than men the God of Our Fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree him God has exalted to his right hand to be Prince and Savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins and we are his witnesses to these things and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him when they heard this they were furious and plotted to kill them then one in the council stood up Pharisee named Gamal ill a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people and commanded them to put the Apostles outside for a little while and he said to them men of Israel take heed to yourselves that you and that what you intend to do regarding these men for some time ago dudas rose up claiming to be somebody a number of men about four hundred joined him he was slain and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing after this man Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him he also perished and all who obeyed him were dispersed and now I say to you keep away from these men and let them alone for if this plan of this work is of men it will come to nothing but if it is of God you cannot overthrow it lest you even be found to fight against God and they agreed with them and when they had called for the Apostles and beaten them they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go so they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name and daily in the temple and in every house they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ amen let us pray our Father in heaven we thank you for the written word we pray now for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit we thank you God that you've not left us as orphans in the world but you gave us another just like the Lord Christ in the person and in the work of the Holy Spirit we thank you that you've not left us without your word God we know your word is a most blessed truth and we ask that your spirit would guide us now as we consider this section of Holy Scripture may Christ be magnified and may he be glorified in our midst may he be believed on by those who are dead in their trespasses and sins may your grace come upon sinners today in this place and throughout the earth so that men women boys and girls may call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ do forgive us now for our sins and our transgressions cleanse us in that precious fount that is open for sin and uncleanness and we pray this in Jesus Holy Name Amen well we see a lot of similarities here to what we've already seen in the book of Acts there is a miracle wrought out in Acts chapter 3 and on the heels of that the Apostles Peter and John are arrested they are then summoned to stand before the Sanhedrin and give a defense of their ministry well the same sort of thing happens here in chapter 5 verses 12 to 16 we see the presence of signs and wonders the work and the Ministry of the Holy Spirit on the heels of that the high priest rises up the Sadducees along with him and they want to not only arrest Peter and John but all of the Apostles so they do that so there are similarities but there's also differences in terms of increased or escalated persecution against the Church of Jesus Christ in chapter 4 they simply threaten them to no longer preach in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ here in chapter 5 they actually meet out physical punishment they actually scourge the Apostles so we see this escalation of persecution occurring in the context of the church and I think this section that I've read breaks down into those two categories first in verses 12 to 16 which will take up this morning the continuing growth of the church and then in verses 17 on we see the continuing persecution of the church but as I said we'll just take up verses 12 to 16 this we'll look at the continuing growth of the church under a few considerations first the presence of signs and wonders in verse 12 and then secondly the continuing growth of the church in verses 13 to 16 now note this presence of signs and wonders in verse 12 it says and through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people that's similar to what we see in acts 2 at verse 43 it's through the Apostles they're the agents they're the human instruments by which God the Lord brings this power to bear upon sinners it's not that the Apostles in and of themselves have any strength or any excellency or any ability it's not as if Paul or Peter or James or John not Paul obviously at this particular point redemptive history it's not like they went to school and learned how to you know sort of perform the Whammy on those who are not doing well they were the human instruments they were the agency by which God wrought out these signs and wonders that's emphasized emphasized in chapter 2 at verse 43 we see it manifested in Acts chapter 3 verses 1 to 10 Peter says I don't have silver I don't have gold but what I have I give to you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk we need to appreciate the conspicuous Ness of the agency of the Apostles in terms of these signs and wonders Matthew Poole says by the Apostles ministry though they were holy and excellent man they were but instruments the power they acted by was gods which also they had prayed for and acknowledged go back to chapter 4 at verse 30 well Acts chapter 4 beginning in verse 9 they are praying to the Lord God after Peter and John had been arrested and had stood before the council they gathered together now as the church and they pray and in verse 29 they say now Lord look on their threats and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word they don't say stop them from threatening they don't say that they don't say silence the Sanhedrin though that's a prayer we can go to the Psalms the songs of David we can pray thee and practice imprecatory psalms against the enemies of God that is consistent and that is legitimate but in this instance they do not pray that they stop being threatened they do not pray for a life of ease and comfort they do not pray that they'll be able to wander around unmolested through the empire preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ they don't pray that they pray that in the midst of the threats in the midst of the pressure in the midst of the hardships and the trials and the difficulties God fill us with boldness so that we may preach the word of the Cross not remove the threats but rather in the midst of the threats empower and embolden us so that we may preach the gospel and then in verse 30 notice what they ask by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus so going back to 5:12 their prayer has been answered verse 12 and through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people and then notice it goes on to say and then we're all with one Accord in Solomon's porch again a couple of things that we see mark the early church they were all with one Accord in Solomon's port Solomon's porch was a particularly popular place for the disciples to meet and gather but they were assembled towards the people of God got together for the worship of God one of the things that pastor Porter mentioned in the the comments on the scripture reading was the the sort of setting apart the first day of the week as the day that the church comes together to worship that is primary that's what we've been called to do as God's people yes we're supposed to be faithful husband's faithful wives faithful parents faithful children in the context of our families and homes we're supposed to be hard workers when we show up at work tomorrow morning we're supposed to be good citizens of this civil polity but the people of God have been saved to be the worshipers of God we have been called out of darkness into marvelous light to proclaim his Excellency's to open our handbooks to open our Salters and to sing praises to God we have been called to meet with one another to gather together for the worship of the father through the son in the power of the Holy Spirit and they do this with one Accord there is unity that marks the people of God they're not all going a thousand different directions they are unified in this desire to bring glory to God Most High now no we see the continuing growth of the church in verses 13 to 16 we're going to spend our time here this morning I want to look at three sub points here first the hesitation of some second the addition of others and third the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in verses 15 and 16 there's a bit of a tension between verses 13 and 14 I think it's pretty obvious I think it's pretty evident I don't think it should be difficult to convince you of that tension at least as we look at the surface of the text notice in verse 13 yet none of the rest dared join them and then in verse 14 we read and believers were increasingly added to the Lord so on the one on one hand none of the rest dare join that and on the other hand we have all these believers increasingly added to the Lord now the ambiguous big UWE t ambiguity rather of the various terms use has spawned no little discussion on who's actually involved in this not coming these that are joining I think the most simple reading of the text is this there were many who had witnessed what was happening in the church and it scared them what specifically acts 5 1 to 11 I didn't start the reading in acts 5 1 simply for time I didn't want to keep you here till you know 2:00 in the afternoon actually I wouldn't mind that but I think you'd all have a bit of a struggle with that but remember Acts 5 1 to 11 what happens Ananias and Sapphira lied to God Almighty and what does God Almighty do he kills them so you can imagine now as the outsiders get wind of this as they perhaps not only witnessed it but have heard about it it doesn't take much of a stretch to consider the thought process of a first century unbeliever living in Jerusalem at this particular time hey did you hear about that new group of people they call themselves a Church of Jesus Christ yes I've heard about them and their God kills hypocritical liars no thank you I'm not going to show up there on Sunday you get that right the fear of God chased people away it should chase people away namely unbelievers unbelievers don't love God unbelievers don't honor God unbelievers don't revere God unbelievers don't fear God in fact as Paul rehearses the problem of man in Romans chapter 3 he ends on that note there is no fear of God before their eyes and so as word got out persons began to understand that if you go in amongst those people and you call yourself one of those people and then you lie to their God their God may just kill you I think that's probably what's happening in verse 13 yet none of the rest dared join them but I think the same group is still here in verse 13 but the people esteemed them highly I may not want to go join their but I understand what's happening there you see they were able to disagree and yet appreciate that there was a work of God in play and so on the one hand there were many who had heard what was happening in terms of the God of heaven and earth with reference to those who would fake being adherents of the God of heaven and earth so God kills those hypocritical liars and so the verse 13 persons are those who are not totally committed there are those kinds of people that want nothing to do with that kind to God fact this probably describes a whole host of people that populate Canada and America we want enough God to make our lives a little bit better we want enough God to make our lives a little bit managable we want enough God to make our existence a bit more palpable unfortunately there are preachers that cater to that mindset but they don't want or a lot of people don't want the kind of God that demands absolute allegiance they don't want a Matthew 6:33 God but seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and then these things will be added to you no they want the things and they want God as the means by which they achieve the things you see I think verse 13 probably describes a whole host of people that we bump elbows with on a daily basis who if they actually witnessed a display of God's judgement would want nothing to do with Church that makes sense everybody with me it looks a bit weary this morning I don't want you to be weary I want you to see what's happening here so the ones who did not join them John Calvin made this observation with reference to Ananias and Sapphira the punishment of Ananias and his wife did not a little terrified the wicked and keep them from breaking in unadvisedly into the company of those men where God had showed himself so sharp a judge you see I mean the one hand at least they are counting the cost isn't that what Jesus calls men to do and Luke 14 no military commander goes out with his you know his contingency of troops without first assessing what the enemy commander has nobody starts to build a house unless they first make sure they have all the materials I think I've shared with you there was a time I preached in a in a small town in northern Idaho called McCall and there's this resort that was built there in McCall or just on the outskirts of McCall Idaho that they never finished I mean it's mostly done you've got all these beautiful structures it kind of looks like a Whistler village up there but it didn't get completed and you know you'd go up there and you look around and on the one hand it looks beautiful and it's a and it's kind of neat that it's there but on the other hand you just think what ignorance what folly these guys didn't count the cost they didn't think how much it would cost to rent cranes and buy materials and and do the hard work of actually putting this together well Jesus calls you to that you need to count the cost if your desire is a God who simply adds to your already almost complete life then Christianity's not for you but if your desire is salvation by grace through faith from sin from damnation and from the fury and wrath of God most high may I tell you that Jesus Christ is your answer Christ alone is the one in whom alone there is forgiveness and a righteousness that avails with God you need to count the cost you need to consider do I want to come into a place where God kills hypocritical liars you see I believe that true believers want to be in a place where God kills hypocritical liars and that's what verse 14 highlights notice it says and believers were increasingly added to the Lord it's not they want to be there because they might see God kill a hypocritical liar so you know that that's not what I mean my point is is that those who love and fear God trust God and they know that God has all things under control and that if God does break out in judgment against an Ananias and Sapphira that is the exact response that is most appropriate for the situation see the true believer who fears God fears God as God he doesn't try to qualify he doesn't try to defend he doesn't try to explain he doesn't say well you know that happened in the early church but such things don't happen today oh they most certainly can happen today read the life and Ministry of Ralph barnard that man went around preaching and saw some amazing judgments of God fleshed out on people but back to our text verse 14 believers were increasingly added to the Lord multitudes of both men and way it's a beautiful thing the point seems to be this is FF Bruce that the death of Ananias and Sapphira scared off all but the totally committed and note that the totally committed here are described in a way that is uh uh has been used in many instances before with reference to the adherence of Christianity there are those who believe again Luke holds out to us the way of salvation the Bible is everywhere clear with reference to how is it that we are numbered among the totally committed is it something I have to do is it something I have to work up is it something I have to conjure no you need to believe the gospel believe God's gospel believe the truth as it is in Jesus his life his death his resurrection all those who believe in him will have everlasting life see the emphasis is is the Apostles were preaching Christ and the resurrection from the dead and sinners by God's grace were believing that gospel and they were added to the church the church was multiplying the church was growing not through the gun not through military power not through the ability to coerce you know poor saps at Solomon's porch but it was through the power of God and the text indicates that they were added to the Lord who added them to the Lord it wasn't the Apostles it wasn't they themselves it was God Most High who adds them to the Lord it's God most high in his sovereignty who has purpose to save a great multitude that no man can number that God who sent his son in the fullness of the time that son he lived and died and rose again that son who now reigns enthroned at the right hand of the majesty of God on I that father adds to the son see the emphasis in our text is not upon the ingenuity of the church the emphasis in the text is upon the power of God see brethren if we'll ever make any strides in our church if we'll ever go forward in our church if we'll ever know something of the love that marked the early church the unity that was that was palpable amongst the people in the early church if we'll know anything of the fear of God in the midst of the church we are beholden to God we are dependent upon God it's why very often I encourage you on a Sunday morning pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be here if we're gathering together devoid of the Spirit we may be filling an obligation or fulfilling an obligation or checking off a mark somewhere or a box somewhere but are we going to know the presence and the power of God that manifests itself not only in the sanctification and edification of God's people but in the salvation of sinners what better way to prove Calvinism than to see God's save right what better way to demonstrate what we call reformed theology than in some dead center coming to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior brethren do you pray for that on a Sunday morning do you pray that that hymn that we sang the third one right before the the preaching of the word I mean that language oboe sounds charismatic pastor Butler we got to be careful of that yeah the Puritans prayed baptize the nation's the Puritans were all over that reality that apart from God we can do nothing you see the people outside the church feared the church because God was in the church the people that were believing the gospel they increased they multiplied they were being added to the Lord by the power of God Almighty just as Jesus himself had promised in Matthew 16 you know this church growth motif or this emphasis on building churches if we do it irrespective of Jesus we're on a fool's errand I mean isn't Matthew 16 clear who builds the church is it gifted or tears is it handsome pastors because we're dead in the water if cam and I are the the hope here it's Christ who promised I will build my church this is a very church Lee text for a very church Lee day because about 501 years ago a monk by the name of Martin Luther pounded 95 theses on a castle door at Wittenberg and thus officially began at least from our vantage point the the Protestant Reformation brethren if the church is to go forward if the church is to to model what we find here in the book of Acts it's not going to be the wisdom the ingenuity and the power of pastors it's not the wisdom and the ingenuity and the power of people it's the power of Jesus Christ who is purposed and promised I will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it it is a beautiful tax displaying for us what jesus promised in matthew chapter 16 and there notice on the heels of that we see this manifestation of the spirit in a very powerful way in verses 15 to 16 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that at least a shadow of peter passing by might fall on some of them also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits and they were all healed so we see the effect of this movement of God the spirit within the confines of Jerusalem verse 15 and then we see how that sort of permeates it affects those cities and towns surrounding Jerusalem in verse 16 so you have the immediate impact of verse 15 and then you have this extended impact in verse 16 again as the power of the Holy Spirit goes forth as the power of the gospel is going forth as people are believing the truth as it is in Jesus we see God manifests in the midst of his people now verse 15 is an interesting verse so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them now we note several things about this and we're gonna spend some time here because I said I suspect that we have brothers and sisters and what may be called Pentecostal or charismatic churches who would say to us reformed that that verse 15 sure looks more like what their churches are doing than what our church is doing everybody get that the the pomp and the show and the majesty of verse 15 that's carried on today enough in the care maduk movement that's that's champion today among those churches that are called Pentecostal I want to try to get that out of our heads if you didn't have it there and I put it there should be easy but if you have that mindset you were brought up in the charismatic or Pentecostal are you sort of discourse with anybody from that kind of a background I mean verse 15 sounds like a Benny Hinn show doesn't it doesn't so a Benny Hinn conference sounds like you know something you might witness you see the videos on YouTube or their you know everybody's falling down their slain in the spirit you know in Acts chapter 19 there were these handkerchiefs that were that were employed persons thought that if they they had these handkerchiefs that they would somehow be healed but it is intriguing and acts 1911 prior to that reference to what I might call the Holy handkerchief of verse 12 1911 says God worked many unusual things through the hands of Paul no that's one translation the New King James gives it the ESV has extraordinary again both the same extraordinary means out of the ordinary just like unusual God work unusual things now I'm just going to tell you something it seems to me that our modern charismatic and Pentecostal brethren want to normalize the unusual they want to normalize the extraordinary and in many respects they tend to marginalize the normal which i think is to completely miss read the book of Acts so so let's look at what's happening here notice the similarity with our Lord's ministry they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that happened and Jesus ministry did in it people came because they had heard that Jesus was able to heal jesus was this man who had power not only in his teaching that we see in matthew chapter you know 5 5 to 7 but also in his acting or in his deeds during the things that he could do so persons heard this and they thought will bring our sick so that they can come near to Jesus and be healed so we see that similarity the Apostles had that as well and that was given to the Apostles specifically in matthew chapter 10 at verses 1 to 4 remember Jesus hand chose 12 particular individuals and he conferred upon them specific authority authority that would mirror his authority that would be like his authority that we arrested in not only preaching but in healing and so this is all very consistent with what we ought to expect now there's no instruction on this shadow of Peter to make this sort of proof text or the handkerchiefs of Acts 1912 some sort of proof texts to legitimize the kinds of nonsense that go on among some of the professing people of God is a stretch there's no instruction that the apostle said okay just get within shot of the shadow and you'll be that's not in the text there's no divine sanction there's no divine instruction there's no sort of exhortation seek the shadow of Peter we're not told that we're not told anything concerning the efficacy of the shadow of Peter in fact in verse 16 it says and all were healed are we supposed to assume that all got in contact with the shadow no the shadow or the the lack of shadow wasn't the means by which people were healed so again I'm I'm just introducing some things for us to think about with reference to the modern charismatic and Pentecostal movement and some of the the things that go on somebody at some points got to ask the question is this really what the book of Acts authorizes is this really what you've been led to believe is expected in the churches of Jesus Christ today is this really an expression of a god-ordained worship service I mean one only needs to read I mean spend a little time on YouTube it's probably easier for most to spend a little time on YouTube and look up you know interesting charismatic and Pentecostal church services that'll be an eye-opener for those of you brought up in a reformed church she'll be like wow this actually happens I mean we've had cause to consider certain persons and things that go on that are just incredible but but read within the history of the church and you'll see there was you know holy barking and some churches gathered together revivals holy barking this was in the 1800s so there really is nothing new Under the Sun in terms of the manifestation of this but does verse 15 authorize the sorts of things that are going on I think at least verse 15 tells us something about the faith of those who were responding wasn't magic and it wasn't superstition but rather it did display a degree of faith on the part of the persons that were seeking out the Apostles you see this with Jesus in his ministry remember the Centurion said you don't even need to come under my roof but but only speak the word and you'll you'll heal my servant or that woman that that just wanted to get at the hem of His garment I don't think we're supposed to read that and think magic we're supposed to read that and think faith this woman understood that if she got near to the to the perimeter of Jesus that Jesus power would bring healing I think that's how verse 15 ought to be understood these sec these persons bringing their sick had faith in the apostolic ministry they had faith in the apostolic word they had faith in these men not as men but as representatives of the name of Jesus Christ so that was the emphases and in verses through chapters three and four I don't have silver and gold but what I do have I give to you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk remember when the Sanhedrin arrests them and pulls them before the council they say tell us by what authority and in what name you are doing this so people in verse 15 are hearing that these disciples are these apostles or representatives of the name of Jesus and so they are drawn to them now the fact that all were healed again in verse 16 indicates the power of Christ extended beyond Peters shadow and in terms of Peters shadow thing that that even has to be sort of the focal point of a sermon and it and it's not but I do want to clarify because we find ourselves in a in a milieu a religious landscape that is populated with a lot of strange ideas again verse 15 sounds more like a modern Pentecostal or or charismatic worship service than it does the reformed I mean you guys come in you it looks like you're about to die you know you open up your handbook you open up your Salter and you sing your particular things and then the guy goes up there any preaches for two hours just kidding and it just looks like it gets miserable whereas within the charismatic we're happy and and joyful and we've got the joy of the Spirit again I like to think that one can have the joy of the Spirit while they're sitting quietly he is after all the Holy Spirit that God is about decency and orderliness why do we associate the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit with frenzy rather than with sobriety what why is that do you want to know why I suspect you might not like this you may get triggered you might get offended but I think we have far more in common with bail worship than we do with the worship of Yahweh today bail was about glands baby bail was about thrills bail was about emotional charge bail was about all the things that please a man or a woman not y'all way y'all way specifically forbids them to make images why because you saw no form in other words you don't try to picture you don't try to depict you don't try to encapsulate the God of heaven and earth the God of heaven and earth has spoken and you as recipients and adherers obey it's that simple it is that simple so let's continue with our survey here listen to John Gill about the Peter shadow of Peter he says who these were that fancied there was such a virtue in Peters shadow and whether they were cured by it is not certain however it is a vain thing in the Papists to conclude from hence the primacy of Peter the worshipping of images and that the Pope is Peters shadow and has his power John Calvin made a similar sort of application with reference to the Pope of Rome the Papists abused this tax not only to the end they may command a command feigned miracles which they say are done at the graves of martyrs but also that they may boast of their relics why say they shall not the grave or garment of the touching of the bones of Peter have power to heal as well as his shadow had this power that's much of what Roman Catholicism does apparently when I was a kid they taught us that in that altar that was on the you know the center center point in the Church of the Roman Catholic Church and I used that term very broadly I don't mean Church as the people of God but you know the Roman Catholic institution I would imagine those who were brought up that way heard the same sorts of things there was an altar in the center not a pulpit it was an altar central to Roman Catholic worship is not the proclamation of the truth it is the abomination of the mass well as a young papist I was told that in any Catholic altar there were within that alter certain relics or images or stuff you might get the bones of a saint you might get the bones of a you know particularly noteworthy person in the history of the church and they sort of you know build it right into that because there's efficacy there John Calvin goes on to suggest or say rather with reference to their miracles for this is the end of their miracles to lead away the world from Christ unto Saints I think that's a good observation so there's an anti Roman Catholic way that we ought to learn or understand verse 15 but as I said there is a anti Pentecostal or charismatic way now I don't put the charismatic sin the Pentecostals in the same boat at least ideally Pentecostals and charismatics affirm justification by faith they're supposed to believe the gospel in order for salvation they're supposed to believe the truth in order for the forgiveness of sins and the reception of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone so don't put them in the same category but I do want to deal with a few things that perhaps may confuse people in terms of verse 15 but being a better description of a modern Pentecostal church versus the description of a modern reformed church now the reformed do not deny the presence of signs and wonders the the the reformed and we might call them if you familiar with the language of cessationist or a non continuationist i guess is the new language and vote no reformed person believes the existence of science and wonders it's right there isn't it you'll see that verse 12 you see it in verses 15 and 16 there are signs and there are wonders there are amazing things going on the Reformed however questions the modern application of such things in churches today because the reformed understand or are supposed to understand one of the primary reasons behind signs and wonders now do you want to guess what that primary reason behind signs and wonders are or is it wasn't to dazzle the crowds it wasn't to heal people though it did I know that sounds odd it was to manifest that the person through which the sign and wonder came was a spokesman for God in other words if you look at the Bible it's a big book but when you ask the Bible are you filled with miracles there's a lot of years in-between times where there's not miracles I suggest that miracles came with Moses miracles continued with the prophets miracles come to you know fruition in the life and Ministry of Jesus and they're there as well with the Apostles why because God speaking through Moses God speaking through the prophets God speaking through Jesus and God speaking through the Apostles the signs and wonders accompany the preaching of God's Word to highlight that that word was in fact God's Word so the reformed say now that the word is completed now that the Canon is closed we shouldn't look for those accompanying signs and wonders again the argument isn't that God can't do those things the argument isn't that God can't heal the argument is it don't ever pray for healing because God won't do that no but are we supposed to expect a context in an environment where these things are normal after the Word of God has completed no that's the reformed argument as simply as I can make it and if you say well but learner that's just your spin I'm gonna go to a passage that perhaps some don't even expect or don't even believe should be in the Bible but it is there and it's for us listen to mark 16:20 and they the Apostles went out and preached everywhere the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs isn't that a theology of or explanation to the presence of signs and wonders we asked the scriptures why are there these signs and wonders in connection with Moses the prophets Jesus and the Apostles the answer must be to confirm the word right makes sense I think as well reformed people see God's power in verse 14 just like they see God's power in verse 15 let me try to explain what I mean when the Lord God Most High through an apostle has a demon expelled from a person that manifests God's power we'd all say yay and amen but so does believers or increasingly added to the Lord because if a dead sinner believes the gospel that is a power from without in other words God raised that man from the death so while we might question the presence of the healings and the exorcisms in connection with the gospel ministry today we affirm that the gospel ministry today is a magnification of the power of God that any dead sinner ever goes to heaven shows his power doesn't it yes is the answer you can all nod at that point and in terms of charismatic and Pentecostal I think there's some things that they need to wrestle with they need to wrestle with Daniel seventy weeks you can turn to Daniel chapter 9 if any of you know anything about Daniel seventy weeks you're saying they're not the only ones that need to wrestle with it but one thing in particular Daniel announces the seventy weeks which I take is a reference to the time of Messiah the time of Jesus his first coming not his second coming his first coming and in the first coming of Jesus he will do all the things that are specified here in verse twenty four seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city to finish the transgression to make an end of sins to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring in everlasting righteousness notice to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy Jesus did all those things Jesus did all those things in that first coming he sealed up vision and prophecy how through his designated representatives named the Apostles as they went about and Pete taught and preached the Word of God they did signs and wonders and when they finished their ministry and they wrote their memoirs as the fathers called them there were no longer these things that were expected to confirm the Word of God there is a specific statement in Scripture speaking of cessation is the specific function of signs and wonders in connection with the word mark chapter 16 verse 20 that that has to be reckoned with he asked the charismatic or Pentecostal why does God heal people again it is right to say because God loves people and he doesn't want them to be demon-possessed god is good I don't want to make you make sure everybody understands that I understand that the primary focus in terms of the the signs and wonders given to us in Scripture or to authenticate the men of God that they speak the Word of God that's the emphasis and the charismatic has to wrestle with that thirdly the the absence of apostles in the modern church now it's become in vogue to interpret Scripture today in a way that's all about me let me meet Jim Butler I mean me whoever the reader is we insert ourselves into texts we put ourselves into passages we read Matthew chapter 10 verses 1 to 4 and we see that Jesus specifically chose 12 people and we add ourselves or we hopefully don't but Benny Hinn does or some of these other people do that's arrogance does everybody get that it's arrogant to say that I have apostolic Authority when Jesus didn't give me apostolic Authority and not only do we have the appointment of the Apostles in matthew chapter 10 we have criteria specified for the replacement of judas in acts 1 21 and 22 know which it wasn't just the most charismatic happy fellow no pun intended there that could be another apostle but it was somebody who had been with the other apostles that had witnessed the resurrection of jesus no living person today can qualify as an apostle so if the emphasis in the book of Acts is on the agency of the Apostles through which the signs and wonders are done why do we expect those signs and wonders today again God can do signs God can do wonders God can heal people God can't that's not the argument the argument is should the Church expect those manifestations of the Spirit the church has the written word of God I'd say the answer is absolutely positively no can God do signs and wonders absolutely are we to expect him to do signs and wonders the way he does here no he's given us the written word that's our sign that's our wonder I'm not a real practical note and people who have been here for any amount of time know this as I've said it before it's always shocked me that people who get new revelation from the Lord are sometimes people who haven't read the 66 books of the Bible you really expect me to believe that God gave you a word and you can't give me the basic basic description of what's happening in Hosea you can't tell me who Amos was why would God give you more when you haven't availed yourself to what there is it just makes no sense on a practical level and dare I say it it sounds proud he's a butler you got issue I'm proud I'm not gonna lie to you if I try to hide it a little better than that oh well the Lord spoke to me well can you give me the gist of the book of Deuteronomy I don't know never read Deuteronomy never read Ezekiel never right I'm not saying you've mastered those books and can preach them but there are people out there though the Lord spoke to me and the Lord told me the Lord this the Lord died have you read you know do you know who Hezekiah was well no I don't know who has a Kyle oh it's just falling and then in terms of the normalization of the unusual or the extraordinary go to acts 19 verse 11 go to acts 19 verse 11 and weren't winding this up we really aren't going to ours now to notice in acts 19 verse 11 now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick and the disease's left them and the evil spirits went out of that do you see what Luke's saying this is unusual this is at for ordinary this isn't normal this isn't show up sing a few hymns preach the word go home that this is unusual stuff so it seems to me the charismatic and the Pentecostal want to normalize the unusual and extraordinary as I said earlier they oftentimes marginalize the normal I was in one such meeting before and a man who was talking about a healing ministry that happened you know in some foreign setting basically looked in our direction and said when these people come to these places they don't want doctrine they want a healing Wow that's pretty incredible for somebody to say in light of a finished canon because where does Paul emphasize the church is to find its life sound doctrine that's why I suggest they want to normalize the extraordinary and they oftentimes marginalize the normal I've also said this to you my beloved brethren most of us are normal regular ordinary slobs trying to do what we're supposed to do in a manner that is consistent with God's work most of us won't be John Calvin most of us won't be CH Spurgeon most of us won't be Amy Carmichael most of us will never make some lasting mark upon the Ganga were called to be faithful we're called to be normal we're not snowflakes we're not delicate we're not wonderful individuals were people saved by grace that are supposed to show up here sing praises to God try and love each other during the week and be faithful in all walks of life the normal and the ordinary are perfectly acceptable for the people of God this always longing for more this always craving for something more I submit is more a can't to bail ISM than it is to the worship of Yahweh and then finally last sort of point before we leave our charismatic and Pentecostal friends the failure to distinguish between the descriptive and the prescriptive I've said that in the book of Acts not everything described by loot is prescribed for the church because persons were trying to position themselves so that the shadow of Peter might fall on them that doesn't prescribe how churches should function we don't have a wing so that the shadow might pass by we don't do that it's sort of like second Kings some of you all use Robert Mary McShane's reading calendar and you've been in second kings and you've read the life and Ministry of Elijah maybe not all of it yet but you have been reading I don't think any of you in Chapter two or the day of chapter two said I need to put salt in my water to purify it I don't think any of you at dinner time that night thought there was death in the pot so you put flour in it and I doubt that any of you lost an ax head sometimes since you've read and you threw a stick into the pond so that the axe head would float out I don't think that happens and yet we get to Acts 515 and all of a sudden we got to seek a shadow brethren some things are described for us things that happened in redemptive history that are not necessarily prescribed in terms of duties and responsibilities and things were supposed to pursue the disc that the descriptive that is prescriptive is in acts 2 they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine fellowship breaking of bread and prayers that's the normal and the ordinary embrace it do it and never ever stop and then finally we notice that everybody from outside of Jerusalem came because the church and her influence was was growing John Gill comments on verse 16 none went without a cure which served greatly to confirm the gospel preached by the apostles and to irritate and vote their enemies as appears by what follows you see that's happening it's not only the preaching of the word its these accompanying signs and wonders remember there's a power play sort of behind the scenes that the Sanhedrin is threatened like they were with Jesus Jesus was a menace to the sanhedrin's power because everybody wanted to hear Jesus everybody wanted to listen to Jesus throw into the mix that Jesus actually had the power to heal people he was a man that could command crowds and he could keep crowds and the Sanhedrin saw that as a threat to their power well the same thing is happening with the Apostles the apostles are preaching the truth as it is in Jesus they have these accompanying signs and wonders the Sanhedrin is smart enough to read the writing on the wall and they realize that if we don't silence these apostles this movement is going to overtake us so why gam allele says leave them alone it's a fool's errand for you to try and silence them they should have listened to gamma Leal because they don't stop trying to persecute the people of God Almighty see it's a power-play they are threatened and they want to silence the Apostles for they're having du done what they've done terms of some concluding thoughts first the faithfulness of the church militant we've been looking at this as we move through this book and we will continue to do do so we see it flashed out in further ways in this section first we see the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit again the Holy Spirit's evidence and manifestation or presence isn't simply seen by those seeking the shadow of Peter the spirits influence is here when you leave and you're more conformed to the image of Christ that's not Cam's power it's not my power if anybody's gonna be more like Jesus that's divine power we shouldn't underestimate that or or devalue that it just seems like such an offense oh the only way we know the spirits been at work is if somebody who is sick is healed what about somebody that was sick with sin who stopped then he look at poor tonight because of the spirits work in their hearts do we give God glory for that they don't go out and abuse people this week they they don't steal from their employer does God get glory for that is that a manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit I say yay and amen and the Spirit is at work in this church and in this early church setting and the way and the means by which will know the spirits at work and our me and our gathering together is if one we obey what God says you know that doesn't seem to be any more of the issue how do we know that worship was good because I felt it know because God commanded it we obeyed him we obeyed God that's a good thing people who obey God do so because of God as well sinners are saved Saints are sanctified secondly the UNIF unified gathering for worship they were all with one Accord in Solomon's porch again I don't think this means they were cookie cutters I don't think they means you know they all wore uniforms they all had nametags they all look you know that's not what it means but it means they loved each other they wanted to be with each other it wasn't an aversion to the body of Christ they didn't for reasons to stay at home and bad on a Sunday morning anyway you know no they wanted to be with the people of God as well the presence of the fear of God verse 13 I think that's evidence that the Spirit is at work when people actually are afraid again the two types of fear the Bible envisions one is hiding under the piano fear and the other is revering and honoring and glorifying God fear dare I say it a little bit of hiding under the piano fear is consistent as well in that other type of fear so we're dealing with God Almighty who killed Ananias and Sapphira because they lie to the Holy Spirit let's not forget that let's let that shape us and frame us and fit us for service to God you mean God kills hypocritical liars yes God kills hypocritical liars that gives all of us some duties for this afternoon we need to go home and confess forsake and repent of our hypocritical lying so that God doesn't kill us and we can show back up tonight and worship and serve Him the recognition by others of the validity of the church 13 B 13 B I don't think that the world should fawn all over the church I don't think the church should have favor in the eyes of the world but I do think that if the church does what the church does then the world will at least think we don't want to mess with that we don't want to mess with that probably the thrust of the they were esteemed highly we don't wanna we don't want to get involved with what they got going on there when the church laughs or whether it rather when the world laughs at the church when the world sees the church just like the world when the world sees the church with no manifest power or evidence of the Spirit of God that's not good should be such that the world sees and fears and then the multiplication of believers through the preaching of the gospel verse 14 so those are some of the traits or fruits rather of the faithfulness of the church militant in terms of the presence of the signs and wonders it authenticated the word of the Apostles it demonstrated the power of God and it did manifest the goodness of God I don't want that to be lost because in acts 5 1 to 11 God sent down power but it was in terms of killing Ananias and Sapphira so now he goes back to or resumes that pattern of signs and wonders that are remedial that are redemptive that are beneficial that are healing in terms of the application of such things John Calvin said he returns to miracles of another sort which are more proper to the gospel to wit whereby Christ if not only declare his power but also his goodness to the end that he may allure man unto himself with the sweetness of His grace Calvin said elsewhere miracles never be separated from the work so you might understand it this way miracles don't make Christians miracles don't change the heart if you doubt what I'm saying read Matthew 11 22 24 Jesus upgraded the cities of his day because they saw his mighty miracles and they did not repent so the miracles don't make believers but the miracles advertise the God who saves sinners that's what I think Calvin means it allures them it shows them it displays that goodness and that kindness and that mercy of God such that if he's healing such that if there's exercising of demons such that there's putting back together broken bodies this God is to be trusted in terms of salvation for another life that is one of the reasons for the signs and the wonders well I hope that all of us will be encouraged with this sort of understanding of Acts chapter 5 that we'll be spared from the Roman Catholic abuse in terms of the primacy of Peter but will also be spared from the Pentecostal and charismatic abuse of seeking shadows when we have the written word of the Living God I do want to close with this final emphasis the way of salvation for anyone here this morning that is not saved is verse 14 they who believed it's about belief in the gospel you will never go to heaven because you're good you will never go to heaven because you're accomplished you'll never go to heaven because you didn't murder or you did it commit adultery or you did it embezzle from your employer you will never go to heaven based on what you did or didn't do because at the very essence of your core you're a sinner before God no matter how many good things you've done no matter how bad things you avoided you're a sinner you're an Adam all we like sheep have gone astray the only way of salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ we preach this or try to every single week you're not saved by works you're not saved by merit not say but reformed you're not saved by changing your mind in terms of church quality you save by looking to another you're saved by looking at Christ you're saved by looking to him who lived and died and who who was raised the third day it's in him alone that there is forgiveness it's in him alone that there is a righteousness given that avails with the father for the everlasting benefit of your soul so come believe you may not completely and fully understand everything about verse 15 you may not completely and fully understand anything about verses 12 to 16 but this much I want to leave you with Jesus Christ is a real Savior for real sinners now let us pray father we thank you for your word we thank you for your grace and your mercy we thank you for your power displayed in verse 15 and in 16 and many people being healed physically and having demons cast out we see that power displayed in our day through the preaching of the word attended by the Holy Spirit to the saving of sinners and the sanctifying of saints and we give praise and glory and adoration unto you our great God and we pray that you would go with us now that you would watch over us help us to have a good lord's day and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well let's close by singing the doxology you can find that in your Trinity hem kn'l on page 16 Roman numeral sixteen but we'll stand as we sing the doxology in praise to God [Music] the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen go with us now father may we know these blessings and our own arts and in our own lives and may you help us to encourage one another help us to bring glory and honor and praise to you and do bless us with your presence and with your nearness and we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation