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Psalm 11 I'll begin reading in verse 1 to the chief musician a psalm of David in the Lord I put my trust how can you say to my soul flee as a bird to your Mountain for look the wicked bend their bow they make ready their arrow on the string that they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart if the foundations are destroyed what can the righteous do the Lord is in his holy temple the Lord's throne is in heaven his eyes behold his eyelids tests the sons of men the Lord tests the righteous but the wicked and the one who loves violence his soul hates upon the wicked he will rain coals fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their Cup for the Lord is righteous he loves righteousness his countenance be holds the upright amen will please turn in your Trinity hymnal to him number 105 hymn number 105 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] what a wonderful psalm to sing at the beginning of the Lord's Day a song to call us to high thoughts of our great and our awesome God let us go now to his throne in prayer our Father we thank you for this beautiful day we thank you for the fact that you have made the world and all things in it that you are the God who governs all his creatures and all their actions and you are the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ we give praise to you this day for all of your glory and all of your majesty and all of your power and excellence and how we praise your great and awesome name that you have called us out of darkness into marvelous light that you have put it in our hearts to worship you that you have put it in our hearts to sing praises to you and to rehearse your glory and your majesty through the Psalms and the hymns and the songs that we sing we pray this day that you would be exalted now but you would be enthroned upon the praises of your people here that we would come to the Father through the son by the power of the Holy Spirit and that our triune God would be all in all in this place we asked you would forgive us for our sins and our transgression that Bible declares it not only tells us that you inhabit eternity it not only tells us that you are Father Son and Holy Spirit but you are a holy God a righteous God a God who is committed to justice and Lord we see our sin and our waywardness and our rebellion against you and we confess that sin now not because we believe that you owe us anything but because you have sent your son into the world and we know that he is the Lamb of God it takes away the sin of the world and even now we pray that you would cleanse us that you would wash us and that you would purify us as the psalmist says a few Lords should mark iniquities O Lord who can stand but there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared and in this we rejoice and we pray that the fear of God and joy would indeed fill our hearts this morning and for those who have not yet tasted the forgiveness of sins those who are strangers to that grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ we pray that today would be the day of salvation that your Holy Spirit would be at work that you would bring that conviction for sin and shows sinners their need for the Lord Jesus Christ and may you set him forth before our eyes now our eyes of faith is the one who is altogether lovely and the one who is chief among 10,000 we ask God that you would do your work in the midst of this assembly and that in it you would bring glory to your great and awesome name we ask thee would be with those who are unable to be with us today we pray for the D Armani's we know this is a great trial that they are facing god we thank you they're facing it with you and we pray that you would bless this coming treatment on Tuesday and that these means would eradicate from her body this cancer and that you would bless her with great health and with great strength we also pray for our brother John Proctor and for sue we ask that you would watch over them and encourage them and strengthen them and God be with the new Feld's as well we know father that it is difficult when we are in pain when we are physically challenged and so we pray that you would comfort their hearts and strengthen them with might and the inner man that they may indeed stand by grace in the presence of a great God we also pray our Father for the various countries that we considered this morning we know that there is great persecution among the people are upon the People of God throughout the world and we pray for those nations steeped in Islam we pray for those nations steeped in Athey and atheism and communism those places where Jesus Christ and him crucified is not owned and acknowledged by a vast majority of people we pray Lord God that you would watch over our brothers and sisters that are targeted for destruction those that are are sorely tried and persecuted for their commitment to the Living God we would pray father that you would be merciful to them we pray father that you would uphold them that you would encourage the churches throughout the earth to stand fast and to hold fast the word of truth and we would pray Lord God in heaven that you would be pleased even in the midst of these persecutions to bring many sinners to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ we know the ear gospel is powerful we know that you are able to save to the uttermost and we pray that even now as that word goes forth many would come out of darkness and to marvelous light confessing the glory of Jesus Christ the Lord be with the Bibby family God in heaven and protect them be with others like her that have suffered for the cause of Christ and Lord God we pray that you would be merciful to your persecuted church we asked he would be gracious as well to the governing authorities in this land we know father that we have many liberties and we don't want to take them for granted we are able to meet here peaceably today and in this we rejoice and we would pray that you put the fear of God in the hearts of those in high places that it would not be the case that they would continue to continue down paths that that are contrary to Christianity contrary to the god of of absolute truth and holiness we pray that you would be merciful to those in high places and cause them to kiss the son lest he be angry and they perish in his way when his wrath is kindled but a little may they hear that blessed word that blessed reality that that those who come to Christ will know forgiveness and they will know life everlasting and we ask that you would continue with us now father we pray that you bless our assembling here together we pray that you your spirit would be at work in the midst of the preached word and in the singing and in the prayers that we offer up being with Pastor Porter as he preaches in the church in California today we pray that you would just clothed him with your Holy Spirit and use him for your glory in that local body and be with the Saints and Surrey and bless Pastor Mike and be with the Saints and Vernon and blessed this brother Ryan and help him to handle accurately your word of truth and we pray that all over the earth today you would be glorified and praised and honored for you are worthy and we ask this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnals again to 489 we're going to use a different tune but one I believe is familiar 4 8 9 and we'll stand together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] we can turn in your Bibles to the Gospel according to Luke we find ourselves in Luke chapter 24 beginning in verse 28 Luke chapter 24 beginning in verse 28 then they drew near to the village where they were going and he indicated that he would have gone farther but they constrained him saying abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent and he went in to stay with them now it came to pass as he sat at the table with them that he took bread blessed and broke it and gave it to them then their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanished from their sight and they said to one another did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us on the road and while he opened the scriptures to us so they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together saying the Lord isn't is risen indeed and has appeared to Simon and they told about the things that had happened on the road and how he was known to them in the breaking of bread now as they said these things Jesus himself stood in the midst of that and said to them peace to you but they were terrified and frightened and supposed they had seen a spirit and he said to them why are you troubled and why do doubts arise in your hearts behold my hands and my feet that it is I myself handle me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have when he had said this he showed them his hands and his feet but while they still did not believe for joy and marveled he said to them have you any food here so they gave him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb and he took it and ate in their presence then he spoke to them these are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me and he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures then he said to them thus it is written and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and arise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem and you are witnesses of these things behold I send the promise of my father upon you but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high and he led them out as far as Bethany and he lifted up his hands and blessed them now it came to pass while he blessed them that he was parted from them and carried up into heaven and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and we're continually in the temple praising and blessing God amen well this is after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ when he appears to his disciples these do on the road to Emmaus and he had taught them our beginning from according to verse 27 beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself and then he appears again to his disciples all of his disciples and he asks them why they are troubled and he shows them the evidence he shows them the the manifestation that he has in fact been raised from the dead love the way the language is worded verse 39 behold my hands and my feet that it is I myself handle me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have it almost sort of foreshadows a heresy that would arise in the early church later on called Gnosticism and Gnosticism basically denied the the goodness of fleshly things Gnostics taught that the only thing good about man was the spiritual part of man and that's why John condemns it wasn't a full-blown Gnosticism in the days of John but he had it in his churches or he had it amongst the people of God of professing people of God at his Day and that's why in 1st and 2nd John he says that Antichrist is anyone who denies that Jesus came in the flesh it's the beauty of Christianity that Jesus Christ in the flesh Jesus Christ took on our humanity with all of the essential properties and the common infirmities thereof yet without sin as the early fathers would say what is not assumed is not redeemed he must assume our humanity in order to redeem us as humanity and that's the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ so he says he's not a phantom he's not an apparition he's not an appearance but rather he is flesh and bones and then notice what he does in verses 44 and following it gives them a Bible study now I love Bible study I love our Wednesday night Bible studies I love the Fellowship of the Saints and the encouragement that we get with one another I love to hear certain men teach the Bible that that really encouraged me there was never a Bible study like this when you've got Jesus opening the scriptures and expounding from the Scriptures how those scriptures describe Jesus that was the best Bible study ever and he does this already on the road to Emmaus with these others when he began and Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself you see the Old Testament is not useless the Old Testament is not futile the Old Testament isn't some sort of you know necessary piece of baggage that we attach to the to the New Testament rather it is a testimony concerning who Jesus Christ is it is proleptic it is promissory it is anticipation but it's all about the Lord Jesus Christ we go to the law we go to the prophets we go to the writings and therein we find Jesus Christ notice in verse 44 these are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you that all the things must be full that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me and he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures so not only does the Word of God tell us information about the Word of God the Lord Jesus Christ but Jesus also or Luke also highlights here the necessity for divine illumination that's why we pray the Holy Spirit comes to our church on Sunday morning and evening when we gather for worship because this is a spiritual exercise it's not simply the case that were engaged in an intellectual exercise the the presentation of data but we hope and pray that this data moves the hearts of men women and boys and girls to flee to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation so we need divine illumination we need God to open our understanding that we might comprehend the scriptures and then just by way a brief summary Jesus highlights the very essence the very centrality of the message of the Bible thus it is written and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem it's a lot of wonderful truth in the Bible I think there's about 31,000 verses in the Bible and all of them worthy of our attention all of them worthy of our study worthy of our commitment to them but make sure you don't miss the main point in the Bible and that's the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ following of course on the heels of his great life of obedience to the Father in some the grand message of the Word of God is salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and that salvation is available to all who come to him in faith well let us pray father thank you for the written word thank you that you've not left us in this world alone that you have given us Scripture you've given us the Holy Spirit and again we cry out to you for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit that you would illumine the minds and the hearts of the people of God that you would illumine the minds and the hearts of those who are not yet the people of God that they may see the glory of God as revealed in the person and work of the Lord Jesus and may sinners here and throughout the earth today believe on him and we ask in his most blessed name amen well for our final him before the preaching we can turn to 457 450 we'll stand as we sing together [Music] says we find ourselves in this world so filled with sin and so filled with compromise they nevertheless steal us off and cause us to reflect upon such passages as these and may you fill us now with your Holy Spirit guide us and and keep us and help us as we pursue truth and may you indeed forgive us again for all of our sins and transgression and we ask in Jesus name Amen well as I said we have the continuing growth of the church in the one section verses 12 to 16 and then the continuing persecution of the church in verses 17 to the end of the chapter I want to look at two things this morning first the Apostles imprisoned and released in verses 17 to 21 a and then secondly the Apostles brought to the council or to the Sanhedrin in verses 21 B to 26 I'd kind of like to try and take more of this but I don't want to take us too far into the afternoon and I want to look first at the Apostles imprisoned and released essentially what you have is they're arrested they're divinely released and they re arrested again and this divine release is quite encouraging and again it helps to show us that Christ is for his church and Christ promised is good and that the gates of Hell shall not triumph against the beat the people of God but let's look first at the Apostles imprisoned and released notice the parties involved in verse 17 says then the high priest rose up and all those who were with him which is the sect of the Sadducees now when it says the sect of the Sadducees that word sect is usually negative in English it's not so here it's probably just the party of the Sadducees and remember that we've had cause to reflect upon what this Sanhedrin was or what this religious council was we saw them already in chapter 4 where they arrest Peter and John and where Peter and John have to stand before this Sanhedrin a religious council to give their defense well the same pattern is being followed here but it's escalated here they don't simply give them a threat to stop preaching but here they actually impose upon them physical violence and we their fury revealed when they when they want to actually kill the Apostles but the Sanhedrin was made up of 71 percents and at this particular time the Sanhedrin was mostly populated I don't mostly might not be the word but there were a lot of Sadducees on the Sanhedrin now I simply ask you to remember that because what we will find as we move through the passage is quite amazing and quite wonderful and I wonder if Luke didn't have a bit of a grin on his face as he penned this particular section so just remember we've got Sadducees specifically and conspicuously mentioned by the sacred author here so these are the parties involved and essentially what's happening as Bach says three circumstances evoked the reaction of the high priests and the Sadducees the Apostles expanding popularity through preaching their signs and the Apostles disobedience to the leadership's prohibition to preach you see there are all kinds of upset with these apostles one because they're popular preachers and people are listening to them too because they can engage in signs and wonders such that persons are coming from afar and are being healed through the agency of these men but also they have disobeyed an order the Sanhedrin told Peter and John that they were no longer permitted to preach now Peter says we're going to obey God in acts 4 Peter shows that they do indeed obey God in Acts chapter 5 and then Peter reiterates this when he stands before the Sanhedrin later on in Acts chapter 5 at verse 29 that you can see why the Sanhedrin is upset they want to maintain power and control they want to maintain a strong hold upon the religious sensibilities of the people of Israel well they first had to contend with Jesus of Nazareth and they saw how that went Jesus of Nazareth commanded great crowds of people Jesus of Nazareth taught multitudes and Jesus of Nazareth also healed a great number of persons even raising some from the dead and so they crucified Jesus of Nazareth in the attempt to silence this a new religious sort of uprising and now lo and behold the disciples have come and they are claiming that Jesus of Nazareth has been raised from the dead and these members of the Sanhedrin are connected enough to society to know that something certainly did happen the body was not in the tomb if the early leaders who opposed Christianity wanted to stop the spread of Christianity it was imperative upon them to produce a body in other words if they could produce the body of Jesus that would have stopped at all but they were never able to produce the body of Jesus because he was raised the third day because he showed himself to his disciples and because he ascended on high he led captivity captive and he gave gifts to man and so these religious leaders are fearful now that their stronghold upon the religious sensitivities of the people of Israel is not only compromised but it's going to be further compromised and so they respond with what our tax calls indignation indignation they are furious at these proceedings they did what we told them not to do they went out and preached when we said they weren't supposed to now the word indignation here is translated elsewhere as Envy it's also the word zeal and sometimes zeal can be good and other times yield can't be good or isn't good but in this context I think it's indignation it's a good proper translation but probably Envy is there as well you remember what Envy is I've often used this illustration to try and tell the people here what Envy is jealousy is when I just want what you've got envy is when I don't want what you when I not only want what you've got but I don't want you to have what you've got and the classic illustration was me fishing as a lad with my father and my cousin at a river in Oregon and my cousin pulling you know fish trout out of that that river left and right had a whole string of fall and I was skunked I got nothing well my cousin and my father walked up the river a little bit and I took that stringer of fish and I let it go because I didn't want him to have caught those fish that's envy I didn't just want to catch fish I want to deprive him of the fish that he had and I think that's probably contained in the thought here the sanhedrin is upset not only because they disobeyed a direct order but because people are listening to them people are fired up by them people are responding to them more people are coming to Jesus Christ because of that we not only want to get what they have but we don't want them to have what they're getting and so indignation and envy is the motivator that drives these men this Sanhedrin this religious and political Council heavy with Sadducees to actually go and arrest the Apostles now notice in verse 18 says and laid their hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison now notice there's escalation because in Acts chapter 4 it was simply Peter and John that were arrested it was two of the twelve and here it's the Apostles it's all 12 of the Apostles they are seized and they're put in the common prison they're put away until the Sanhedrin can convene and they can testify before them now notice what happens in terms of the tax well just before we move on I just want to say that today is the International Day of Prayer for the persecuted church I don't know who makes these things up I don't know how they actually come into play or you know are they a part of the official calendar that that we as God's people need to hold your I don't think so I think that we typically do try to pray for the persecuted church both at our Wednesday night prayer meetings and then on Sunday morning every other Sunday morning we have a prayer meeting and we typically try to read those requests that are from suffering Christians and other parts of the world and and we try and remember that but if you know we look at that today this is being the International Day of Prayer for the persecuted Church we need to realize that this isn't a modern phenomenon it's not something new now they say historians and those familiar with such things they say that the 20th century was the bloodiest of of all centuries in terms of Christian martyrdom that truly is fascinating it may be because there's more people more Christians who knows but it was indeed a very bloody century in terms of the amount of people that died for their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ but we need to remember it's not modern and it's not simply in Uzbekistan today or in Sri Lanka it's not simply the case that you know Asia Billy's been acquitted but Muslims still want to see her dead and want to see her family dead and want to see her lawyer dead and probably want to see judges dead who actually render an acquittal to this woman who didn't do anything it's not modern it goes back to the very inception of the church as soon as the people of God confessed the Christ of God they were targeted for destruction this has always been a threat to the ruling class this has always been a threat to those engaged in power religion this has always been a threat to those who want to maintain a strong hold on a people it was a threat to Mao Zedong in China look at what's happening today in China it's a beautiful thing try as they might they cannot stop the spread of the Christian gospel and that's what our taxed evidences for us in this passage isn't it just intriguing to you that while the Pharisees and the Sadducees and that this Sanhedrin are are wondering what's going to be the outcome of all of this a guy shows up and says hey the people that you put in prison are preaching in the temple what's Luke telling us try as you may you cannot silence the gospel of Jesus Christ try as you may you cannot stop the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ it may look bleak it may look dark it may look harsh it may look severe it may look like the work is extinguished the Christ shall see his seed Christ has 7,000 that haven't bowed the knee to bail Christ is building his church and he has promised that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it on this International Day of Prayer for the persecution of the church we need to remember this isn't a modern phenomena it is always play the people of God such that the Apostle Paul can say in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 at verse 12 that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will what will live healthy wealthy and prosperous li now praise God that in His mercy life isn't constant misery praise God that in His mercy we get a nice steak once in a while praise God that in his mercy we get family and all those sorts of things but that's not what we're promised what we're promised is all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution what's Peter tell the church he writes to in 1st Peter chapter 4 don't be surprised at tribulation I think it was a CS Lewis who wrote a book booklet chapter I say something on the problem of pain and here's Lewis as a theologian of sorts trying to address the problem of pain in the world well he much prefer John Gerstner z' approach because he wrote the problem of pleasure if we understand the concept of sin pain in this world makes sense right if we like sheep have gone astray offended a holy God then the repercussions or Consequences are going to be sorrowful the thing that the Gerstner points out is the problem a pleasure dead any sinner should get a nice steak once in a while that any sinner should have nice family relations once in a while that's the perplexing question in light of our sin we deserve God's wrath and curse both in this life and that which is to come you see brethren we are promised by God persecution with reference to our commitment to Jesus Peter says don't be surprised about it John says the same thing in 1st John 3:15 my little children don't marvel if the world hates you you ever do that I can't understand why Christianity is opposed I can't understand why abortion is subsidized why abortion and euthanasia subsidized because all they that hate me love death Jesus says in proverbs chapter 8 again I'm not justifying it I'm certainly not nationalizing and i'm not saying that it's somehow okay but when you see angry mobs of people trying to put down any notion whatsoever of an attempt to possibly overturn Roe versus Wade what drives that well it's demonic isn't it we don't wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities polities and powers of darkness lurking behind the scene how does Jesus describe the devil in John chapter 8 you are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do he was a murderer and a liar from the beginning so lo and behold we live in a world worthy unconverted the young godly the unbeliever acts with lies and murder John and Peter say don't marvel at this again weep over it be concerned about it pray about it preach against it engage accordingly but don't be shocked brethren there is a war against God in his Christ it was penned for us in the second Psalm and it's displayed for us each and every day that we live in this world again we get these letters and we pray for these people that are persecuted but on the on the other hand and I don't want to see positive necessarily at the expense of somebody else's misery guess what's happening in Pakistan Asia Biggie's a threat one woman who gave some water to somebody he's a threat to Islam I can tell you if your religion can be brought down by that you got big problems you don't know what you're facing yet with reference to Jesus Christ you don't know the power that he has with reference to stomping out your false religion in other words brethren what we find in this passage is paradigmatic of what the church has always experienced whenever she has functioned faithfully in the world the world doesn't flock into good churches and say oh wait we just love to hear these sorts of things I remember seeing a thing one time on on Joel Osteen and and at the end of the the sermon of Joel Osteen I don't know if you'd call it that he probably wouldn't call it that their message so I had a pastor tell me that once I don't preach sermons I have little love messages love messages the people of God needs sermons can I just say that they don't need sermonettes they need sermons they need you know 16 ounces to the pound preaching anyways after this sermon message sermon at whatever it was Hell itself felt meeting somebody this couple comes up to Joel Osteen and this fellow says I'm a Jew and my wife's are Roman Catholic and we just love it here and I thought to myself if anybody ever does that at our church please take me out back and dispose of me that shouldn't be the case that a Roman Catholic and a Jewish person feel at home in a Christian Church now I'm not saying we pick on them I'm not saying we throw tomatoes at them I'm not saying anything of the sort they're certainly welcomed here we will be friendly to them we will try and encourage in terms of commitment to the scripture but the preaching of the Cross does what according to the Apostle Paul it offends men it's an offence Paul says this in Galatians if I preach the cross why am i considered an offence it's because the cross it's an offensive message to to man in sin it's an offensive message to man who thinks he's altogether upright it's an offensive thing when preachers come and say you're a wretch you're a sinner you transgress God's law you say wait a minute I'm not that bad yes you are you're a whole lot better than any of us could ever even imagine there's no no end to how bad you are thankfully preachers don't know that and preachers don't see that the God most high does because the eyes of Yahweh are in every place beholding the good and the evil all that to say brethren what we find in this passage is a pattern or at least programmatic for what's going to happen with reference to the church whenever she's faithful whenever she does what she's supposed to do now notice I mentioned to you to remember one of the key players in the narrative it's the Sadducees for sake of time I won't go to Matthew's Gospel but just turn over with me to Acts after 23 that's chapter 23 just a little bit of a reminding a reminder in terms of information on the sadducees Acts chapter 23 verse 7 and when he had said this a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the Assembly was divided which by the way was masterful in the part of Paul I mean we'll see that when we get to chapter 23 just masterful but but anyways notice in verse 8 for Sadducees say there is no resurrection they say there is no angel and they say there is no spirit but the Pharisees confessed both we just repeat that for Sadducees say there is no resurrection the Sadducees say there is no angel and the Sadducees say there is no spirit now go back to our text in Acts chapter 5 at verse 18 verse 18 says and they laid their hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison now verse 19 but at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said just did that make you laugh and in a hopefully holy way right these Sadducees who deny the existence of angels who breaks the Apostles free it's an angel of the Lord probably not the angel of the Lord that we find in those Old Testament narratives but it's an angel of the Lord again as I'm thinking through this Luke probably thought this is this is genuinely funny and what does this show us you may be a sad you see and deny the existence of angels but guess what angels exist you know we get fearful of these atheists and they're big studied volumes of rational defenses for the non-existence of God it's garbage every word of it it's trash why anybody would pay for such drivel is beyond me brethren they're wrong they are altogether wrong somebody saying well I don't believe in the existence of God doesn't mean doesn't exist and yet people want to live like that and sometimes Christians so don't live like that well well you have your beliefs it and I have my beliefs that we never want to say but we're right I know that's getting to be most offensive today in a day and age where tolerance is the supreme virtue Christianity is going to increasingly come under pressure because Christians at least historically haven't been tolerant were the kinda narrow people that say apart from Jesus you die and end up in hell were the kind of people that say unless you come to Christ by grace in through faith in Him you will go to hell see that's typically been the way that the Christians have responded to such things so as we proceed down this pathway of Tolerance being the cardinal virtue do not be surprised if Christianity more and more comes under fire true Christianity because there's always going to be those panderers I read I think it was last week that a group of ministers and I would use air quotes here if that wasn't just weird but a group of ministers blessed a place where they were building a new Planned Parenthood facility just imagine that blessing where Moloch is this is is is put up for child sacrifice could you imagine any of the priests back in the the Old Covenant do that you know so the Levitical priests you you come over here and bless this sacred ground where Moloch is going to be perched for the sacrifice of babies that would never happen why they even call them ministers there's a word that's completely devoid of any meaning today Reverend I mean there's people out there Reverend they're the pretty ear Reverend they shouldn't be called reverent you see brethren when virtue is the Cardinal or tolerance is the cardinal virtue as Christians start to say no it's only through grace it's only because of Jesus it's it's forgiveness of sins will come under persecution the whole point is just a denial of angels doesn't mean angels stop existing just to deny the existence of God doesn't mean God somehow isn't there I love that but an angel at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out in sets almost as if Lucas hey I don't care what you said you cease to say there are angels and they bust Apostles out of the pokey and they're great for doing it that's what happens but at night there's two other jail breaks in the book of Acts and we'll get to those someday Acts chapter 12 and then Acts chapter 16 but here specifically notice at verse 19 but at night an angel of Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out the angel of the Lord is wise he reshot the prison doors we know that based on what is reported later didn't leave the prison doors wide open he shuts the prison doors our God is a God of order shut the door it's a good thing anyways he brings them out and says verse 20 go stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life not you are now freed to go and continue on to pursue your pleasure to pursue your retirement to pursue whatever it is that makes you happy no you have been free to preach you have been freed to continue on as bondslaves of Jesus Christ you have been freed so that you may take up the task that was given to you and go to the temple first thing in the morning and stand among the people and tell them all the words of this life John Calvin comments on this he says the Lord doth deliver his children not to the end they may cease off from the course which they have begun but rather that they may be the more zealous afterward and I would imagine that probably is the net effect an angel of the Lord busts you out of a jail cell that next sermon is one that you're going to want to hear you have seen the power of God you have seen the glory of God you have seen the majesty of God and you have underscored or seen underscore the promise of Jesus that he would build his church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it these men did what they were told and they went and preached but notice how it's described all the words of this life all the words of this life this kind of convention or literary technique is used in a few other places and acts but I think the one that it's closest to is in John 668 remember the scene in John 6 Jesus had healed or rather he had fed a great multitude of people and Jesus fed them and then he started preaching - that the things that he preached to them offended a great deal of that it was what we later call Calvinism or reformed theology in other words it was an emphasis on divine sovereignty it was an emphasis upon the power of God in the making of a saved persons that was the emphasis and people heard that and they didn't like it and so they fell away and so Jesus looks to his immediate disciples and he says do you want to leave - and what is Peter - Peter says Lord to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life we don't want to go anywhere else we don't want it apart we know that you have the words of eternal life we want to be wherever you are Lord that I think is consistent with what we find in this particular section notice all the words of this life by that he doesn't mean this life that you're bound to in terms of physicality in terms of your job in terms of your car in terms of your children in terms of your house in terms of your your whatever that's not this life this life is the life connected to Jesus Christ it's the life to come it's eternal life it's the forgiveness of sins it's the the righteousness of God given to us is imputed or the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone the words of this life of the gospel in other words the angel Springs them from the present with this particular message to go preach the truth as it is in Jesus we talked about this yesterday he didn't say I want you to get out of prison and I want you to go on a campaign now to overturn the political authority in the Roman Empire you didn't do that he just didn't do that he didn't tell them I want you to go march against you know Nero's Palace and and I want you to tell them what a horrible person he is he didn't do that the angel frees the apostles so that they can preach the words of this life the gospel of Jesus Christ the fact is that all men are sinners and all men are justly liable to the punishment of God but the words of this life reveal a savior the words of this life reveal a way of salvation the words of this life emphasized the life the death and the resurrection of the Savior the words of this life tell man that if they come by grace to believe on him they will be forgiven they will be cleansed they'll be able to join that blessed class of people that can sing my sin oh the Bliss of this glorious thought my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more praise the Lord praise the Lord John Gill describes this life even of eternal life as in John 6 68 because they show the nature of it and point out the way unto it not by the law and obedience to that but by Christ and His righteousness and are the means of quickening dead sinners of reviving drooping saints and of nourishing them up unto eternal life beautiful isn't it listen to what he says these words are the means of quickening dead centers of reviving drooping saints drooping saints don't you need the words of this life drooping Saints don't you need to hear about Jesus drooping Saints don't you need to be encouraged to fresh with the gospel of our blessed Savior John Gill says you do so does Jim Butler and of nourishing them up unto eternal life so what do the Apostles do notice in verse 21 a and when they heard that they entered the temple early in the morning and taught they were spared from their prison to go preach and they did it it's a beautiful thing when men obey gone now let's see how the Apostles are brought to the Sanhedrin the discovery of their escape and vs. 21 be 2:24 the Sanhedrin is assembled they call for the Apostles it's time to meet it's time to call some of them to the court they have to give their defence they have to testify and they have to be held accountable for disobeying our law our rule our mandate that they no longer teach in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ now notice in verse 22 but 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 in side so the doors were secured the guards were still standing present but when the doors were open the Apostles are gone like Matthew pull helpfully comments here he says let me just find the quote here he says all means imaginable were used to secure their prisoners but when God will deliver what can keep them let's throw at the people of God anything and everything secure doors and a president guards and these guards were men that were fit and ready and willing and able to inflict pain and punishment and and suffering on persons that tried any monkey business you know when we see these officers go to take them without violence just in a moment we'll see that be assured these officers were ready to engage with violence they're the same officers that we find in Gethsemane they're the same officers that Peter felt threatened enough by to take a sword out and launch it hopefully at the head of one of them but but clipped his ear these men were ready to do violence these weren't you know the the guy that didn't have anything better to do so you know you just posted him on the on the on the door there no they were ready to throw it out but God protects God watches over God preserves God cares now notice in verse 24 now when the high priests the captain to the temple and the chief priests heard these things they wondered what the outcome would be now I just want to take that little phrase for just a quick moment time's running quickly this morning that they wondered what the outcome would be there's probably two ways we could go with that little clause first we could say they they wondered about what was happening in terms of how did they get out what's your typical jailbreak you know there wasn't a you know a TNT thing there wasn't broken doors there weren't you know killed guards there wasn't this you know ingenious plan to engage in subterfuge and hide in a in a trash can and but no there wasn't any of that so they might have been wondering how'd they get out see brethren we know verses 19 and 20 but they did in fact many of them didn't even believe in angels that would have never arisen on their radar they wouldn't have thought for a moment oh I know what happened angels came or an angel came in and let them out so they may be faced with a real conundrum either the officers are in cahoots with the Apostles the the temple police they may be sympathizers or worse yet maybe within the Sanhedrin maybe we've got problems within our own ranks maybe there are those who are sympathetic to this movement and they went in cover of night they bribed the guards they like that's not what's in view though I don't think that's a stretch to imagine some of that went on in their heads but I think it's more in terms of the present and in terms of the future they wondered what the outcome would be with these 12 men recently broken out of prison who've already demonstrated their failure to submit to our mandate to not preach it was they're wondering what's gonna happen now how is this movement gonna proceed how is this thing gonna function that they're wondering the same thing mal wondered they're wondering the same thing stall and wonder they're wondering the same thing Hitler they're wondering the same thing what Chinese Communists wonder they're wondering what happens when you have a band of faithful man who have this message in their bosom and they aren't afraid to go and preach it that's what they're wondering about they're thinking what now how do we stop it if 12 men escaped undetected what are we up against makes clear the the advice of gamma leo when we move on in the chapter gamma leo says you might want to rethink what you're doing here you might want to just back it down a bit because if these guys really are of God everything you throw at them is going to fail see gamma will at least gets points for thinking smartly or wisely in the midst of all of this but we'll have to consider gamma Leal's advice here is it true if a particularly faithful Church is eradicated from the face of the map does that mean that God's Word isn't true not at all we don't ultimately judge by results we don't ultimately judge by numbers we don't ultimately judge by how many people we judge by the truth revealed in Scripture see I think that's a big one for all of us that we really struggle with just doing what the Bible says believing what the Bible says now we want numbers we want results we want to see maybe you guys me praying on the Sunday morning God please save somebody demonstrate your sovereignty show us you know what we call Calvinism display for us reformed theology well whether somebody gets saved this morning or not if they don't that doesn't mean Calvinism is wrong it doesn't mean reformed theology is wrong doesn't mean the Bible is wrong it means that God and His sovereignty has chosen not to save someone today so so davalillo while a wise light among a bunch of dim bulbs nevertheless I want to I want to consider that line of advice in terms of practicality is that legit we wipeout a faithful preacher does that mean the gospel is not true no doesn't mean that at all but but here I think he's he's given them some sage advice you really really need to think through what you're doing at this particular time so the their perplexity is they're wondering about the outcome would be now lo and behold again in Luke in fashion to sort of answer for us and at the same time amuse us he says verse 25 so one came and told them saying look the man whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people get the conundrum here they're there wondering what's what's gonna happen now look the guys you in prison they're preaching in the temple of the very thing we didn't want them doing they're wondering what's going to happen and while they're wondering what's going to happen somebody comes to tell them what is happening and it's precisely contrary to what they want to happen that's beautiful narrative that's glorious display of God's grace that is magnificent for us to understand so one came and told them saying look the man whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people the Apostle said they would disobey the council's orders in for 19 and 20 the Apostles display their willingness to a disobey the council's orders in this section the Apostles will reiterate that commitment to disobey any man that will ever pit them against God in 5:29 they wondered what the outcome would be and they get a big dose of it right now so they respond by rear esting they respond by going after them they respond by trying once again to silence the spread of the Christian gospel verse 26 then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence what is a necessary inference we should draw the Apostles didn't just arrest they didn't take swords and cut off ears they learned something in Gethsemane they learned something in Gethsemane now I'm not suggesting that we never can say but I was innocent or we can't launch a defense in terms of a criminal hearing or a civil hearing not suggesting that at all the Bible is filled with that very thing rules of evidence corroboration a due process the scriptures are replete with such themes but it is intriguing that knoweth no violence is inflicted upon the apostles at this point because they didn't resist arrest they went with that they were compliant to them even unjust men even ungodly men even men that would try and pit them against their own God they nevertheless submitted and they went with the officers but notice the text reveals more the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence now here's the motivating factor for they this is the Sanhedrin feared the people lest they should be stoned again this is the emphasis we see it in Luke 22 Matthew it's even more conspicuous in Luke the Sanhedrin feared taking Jesus at the Passover why because Jesus was popular people wanted to hear Jesus people had been healed by Jesus and so the Sanhedrin reckoned that if we go in there on Passover day and we arrest Jesus and drag him out these supporters may pick up stones and throw them at us that's why they hire Judas to go in the cover of darkness that's why they hire Judas to be the betrayer that was orchestrated by this Sanhedrin Anna's and Caiaphas it was organized by these self same men they hired Judas was a wretch Judas betrayed the master but Judas was a pawn of conspirators and that can Spira see was the sanhedrin well they're facing the same problem now the apostles are popular people want to hear the preaching of the Apostles people are coming to hear that or see the signs and wonders of the Apostles so they can't just rush into the temple complex and and sees these apostles and drag them off to jail they can't do this at this point because they fear that the multitudes will pick up stones and throw them at the Sanhedrin they're really on the horns of a dilemma it it's wonderful isn't it it's glorious and it's awesome that God most high is overruling this wickedness for the advancement of his church beautiful beautiful beautiful stuff well in terms of some concluding thoughts we need to first appreciate the persecution by the enemies of Jesus Christ the persecution of the church by the enemies of Jesus Christ again this isn't something just then and it's not something just now I mean there's full books on martyrdom John foxes Book of Martyrs that is a book that has encouraged and edified believers throughout the centuries there's you know big fat big fat volumes on Martyrology persons that died for the cause of Christ in various circumstances various places various positions various various times and in the history of the world this ain't no new thing Christians have typically been hated by the world when Christians are doing what they're supposed to be doing on the one hand the world doesn't hate it that Christians pay their taxes the Christians typically try to keep their lawns cut that Christians typically show up at work on time they don't hate that that's not offensive they hate it when the Christian actually opens up his or her mouth and presses the the claims of God and truth upon upon them they hate it when the Christian says you're a sinner and you need Jesus that they just hate that they hate the thought that that it's somehow you know that horrible people are gonna that's just not fair now I understand that everybody's a horrible person and nobody Enza should end up in heaven and that's what what grace gods you see brethren the people of God have been persecuted by the world in our section in chapters 4 & 5 they threatened the Apostles again we don't really get that because we've never had an authority structure in our world threaten us to no longer worship Jesus we can't even sort of enter in now maybe done in the future we will and I'm no prophet in the son of a prophet maybe it's gonna used to get better you know maybe somebody's gonna get converted they're gonna be in charge of it you know Ottawa they're gonna do great things that that could happen God is good and glorious but on the other hand it may not there's my pessimism coming out no pessimist ever wants to admit they're a pessimist they say they're a realist no no fun the pessimist my wife would probably say yeah you are she bought me a magnet many many many years ago they are out to get you or something I don't know you remember what it says but you've heard that old adage just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not trying to get you oh he's parent but they really are trying to get him I'm not that but it could get worse we don't know what it's like to have an actual law stipulated wherein we cannot preach the gospel of Jesus Christ how will we respond if we never preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in peacetime it's doubtful we'll do it in wartime that's my thought you look at that passage in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 where the Apostle Paul coming to the end of his life says I have fought the good fight I have finished the race I have kept the faith do you know why Paul could say that in the eleventh hour because he said it in hours 1 to 10 in other words if you're never witnessing when you have liberty and freedom I doubt you're gonna witness when you are threatened not to but as well they actually laid their hands on all the Apostles they physically restrained them they used coercive power to put them in a jail cell overnight they strip them of their freedom they strip them of their dignity they strip them of those things that ought to be precious in the sight of all God's creatures as well they remind the apostles of their threat with great vehemence I mean the you know verse 28 it's just power politics power religion 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 we see how they respond with reference to the Apostolic defense they're furious and they want to kill them damned allele a voice of reason prevails so they don't kill them but they scourge them they beat these men why they obeyed God rather than them they wanted to be a rival God at this particular time we need to remember not only that this happened in the first century but brethren we do need to remember the persecuted Church I said earlier and I think it's just you know a small tiny miniscule attempt on a Wednesday night every other Sunday morning we tried to pray for those particular concerns but this is a mandate for all of God's people those who go to prayer meeting and those who don't we're told in the book of Hebrews let brotherly love continue do not forget to entertain strangers for by doing so doing some of unwittingly entertained angels remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also do you is a regular habit that doesn't mean every single day doesn't mean every moment of every single day but at some point in your life do you remember that there's people in other parts of the world that that don't get to do what we're doing here the the biggest complaint we might have is Michael passed 12:30 where the biggest complaint others might have is armed men wanting to do violence to us may come crashing through those doors see there's a whole world outside a whole group of people that we call brother and sister that don't have the liberties that we enjoy there's you know sixty seven incidents facing Sri Lankans just recently in terms of persecution against Christians that was my particular group to pray for this morning but there was who's Becca Stan another Stan there was Chyna we get these reports consistently continually from the Hamiltons and that santiago's and the constant refrain is this they are increasingly putting pressure on God's people and the spirit of Mao they want to silence the Christ but in the spirit of Matthew 16 Jesus is building his church and he's doing a fine job there in China doing a magnificent job in terms of the salvation of sinners in that land brethren the point is you need to think about this there is a duty commanded in the book of a bruise that you remember the prisoners that you think about them that you pray for them that you write letters to them that you involve yourselves in them and try to see that they get freedom or see that they get food or see that they get some sort of decent treatment and then in terms of the of the triumph we ought to ought to see this as well the delightful contrast in verse 19 and maybe that didn't throw you as much as it did me but thought the Sadducees are involved and an angel of the Lord frees them and that's just great that's awesome but as well the inability of the Sanhedrin prisons or guards to hold the Apostles when God wants them preaching Darrell Bock makes the observation he says the undercurrent to this passage to the passage is that nothing will be able to stop the advance of the gospel message divine leading and protection are on the Apostles side the opposite opposition may persecute them but will never crush them and then I would suggest in terms of the triumph or the gospel of Jesus Christ we ought to appreciate the bull of these men the boldness of these men the courage of these men these men that are willing to resist this sort of pressure these men that are listening to the sanhedrin men that they would respect men that at one time they would have held in high regard now they have to hear these men threaten them upon the pain of death upon the pain of scourge upon the pain of the deprivation deprivation of freedom in terms of prison they have to hear these men tell them not to do what they're doing no we can't take it for granted that everybody's got the same heart of courage you go back to the days of Ahab and there's an introduction of a man by the name of elijah elijah the tishbite out of nowhere first kings chapter 17 there's elijah no prep know there was this man by the name of Elijah he was married at three kids and he tended goats and then all of a sudden got no he's just right there what's God saying when evil prevails and the person of Ahab God has his antidote in the person of Elijah now there was another prophet at the time called Obadiah and Obadiah was a good man Obadiah was an excellent man Obadiah Didem didn't much to to harbor and provide safe haven for the prophets of God but Obadiah wasn't Elijah Elisha was the sort of fellow that would go up on Mount Carmel and laugh at false prophets Elijah was the sort of person that would throw down the gauntlet Elijah was the sort of person that would say okay let's see your God pony up will present our offerings and who's ever God answers by for not every man's and Elijah brethren Obadiah wasn't doesn't mean Obon is bad doesn't mean he doesn't get you know sort of accolades or credit for being a great guy and the prophetic scheme or guilt but but we need a lie just we need the apostolic ministry we need men like John Knox of whom it was said he neither feared nor flattered the face of any man in other words when God wants to do great things he raises men and he utilizes those men and we in the church today ought to be thankful for that band of faithful apostles that the Lord raised up that stared down the sword that kept on going that knew the threat of the Lions under Nero and never stopped preaching the gospel you want to talk about the triumph of the gospel these twelve men will turn the world upside down we got to be thankful for them we ought to be very thankful and I want to end finally by answering the question they wondered what the outcome would be well men from every tribe tongue people a nation a great multitude that no man can number a glorious Church made up of a whole host of people from various backgrounds from various people groups all consolidated in their love for God their faith in the Savior their commitment to honor and obey that Lord that's what will come of those apostles getting broken out of jail by that angel in Acts chapter 5 I don't think that they were thinking and you know to two thousand years they were thinking more about Thursday if it was Thursday the brethren that's what happened that small band committed to this truth did in fact turn the world upside down today what was very miniscule in China numbers a great deal of people that profess the true faith in Jesus Christ our Lord why are the the Muslims in Pakistan so upset about the acquittal of a woman because it's the religion of the cross it's the Lord Christ it's the reality that the preaching of the gospel turns men from their useless idols to the true and living God and on the one hand brethren we ought to lament and grieve when we read these these emails in these prayer letters concerning the persecution of the church but on the other hand the churches have threatened those countries the people of God are are an irritant in those countries May be the case that that's the way it would be here in in Canada may we be posed a scene as a threat because we're going to take physical arms and march against Ottawa but because we're gonna preach the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord that's what the triumph of the truth looks like and if you have not believed the words of this life that's the emphasis in this message believed the truth concerning Jesus believe the reality that he lived he died he was raised the third day and all those who come to him will not only receive the forgiveness of sins but they'll receive a righteousness that avails with God one day all those who have believed will hear those blessed words well done good and faithful servant because of the work of the master on their behalf well let us pray father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for the triumph of the church and for the reality that as men may try to stop the the preaching of the gospel they will always fail against the hiking of Evon we asked you would bless the word as it goes forth throughout the earth today we do pray for those in prison those who've lost homes or businesses or other things with reference to their commitment to Christ and we pray that you'd uphold your people wherever they find themselves grant them boldness and courage and grace to continue to live for the Lord Jesus Christ and otherwise difficult situations and we pray that you would help us to be faithful help us to be in earnest and help us to bring glory to you and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well let's sing the doxology and praise to God as we close out our service this morning we'll stand as we sing together it's on page Roman numeral 16 in your handbook if you don't know it by heart [Music] the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace God may this be true for each and every one here and may you give us the grace to bring glory and honor and praise to you on this holy Sabbath day thank you again for your mercy thank you again for your gospel and go with us now we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen please be seated for a brief time of meditation