Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekend Sermon. It is good to be with you again this week to share a message from the word of the Lord. It is my hope and prayer that all of you are doing very well.
This week has gone fairly well at work, and I am thankful to the Lord for that. We had another big storm blow through this week, but it didn't cause too much trouble down where I live. Some people up to the north of me had tree damage, but that was all. I keep praying for better weather.
In prayer this week, please remember to pray for peace and safety in whatever country you live in. Here in the United States, we had another violent incident this week. Let us pray that terrorism and extremism will come to an end and that people will learn to live together in harmony.
Let us continue to pray for an end to the Ebola crisis, and let us continue to pray for peace in Syria, Libya, Ukraine, Iraq and Afghanistan. Pray for refugees and those facing persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ.
Last week, the message centered around the work of Philip as he sought to spread the message of Jesus and fulfill the Great Commission. Philip took the message of Jesus to the Samaritans and to an Ethiopian governmental official.
Today, we will continue our study of the early church as presented in the book of Acts. We will look at the ministry of Peter and the apostles in the city of Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 5.
When the church of Jesus Christ first began after the day of Pentecost, one of the ways used by the Holy Spirit to attract people to the message of Jesus was through signs and wonders. The Holy Spirit empowered Peter, and the other apostles, to perform miracles of healing.
Each day, Peter and the apostles would go to the Temple and stand in the Portico of Solomon and preach the good news about who Jesus is and what He accomplished through His death and resurrection.
During their time of ministry, many people were healed of various afflictions. People came to hear Peter from all the area surrounding Jerusalem. So many people came to be healed that they would come near where Peter was walking so that Peter's shadow would fall on the sick, and the sick would be restored to complete health.
Just as the religious leaders of the day despised Jesus, they hated Jesus' followers. Of course, this is just the way that Jesus said that it would be. The religious leaders had Peter and the other apostles arrested and brought to trial before the council.
The council instructed the apostles to cease preaching in the name of Jesus. The apostles said that they had to obey God and not men. They would continue telling people about Jesus and His message.
The council was enraged, and they wanted to immediately kill all of the apostles on the spot. However, one prominent member of the council named Gamaliel spoke up. He said that they should just wait and see what happened. If the apostles message was false; it would fail. If it was from God, then it would succeed.
The council had the apostles beaten, and then they were released. However, the apostles did not stop preaching about Jesus. They counted it an honor that they were allowed to suffer for the sake Jesus Christ.
What can we as believers in this day and age learn from this story about the earliest days of the church under the leadership of Peter and the apostles?
First of all, the apostles were continual preaching the message of Jesus. They went every day into the Temple to proclaim the message of the cross. Not all of us are called to have a ministry of public proclamation. We aren't all called to be full-time pastors or missionaries. However, we can be the servants of Jesus and proclaim His name right where the Lord has placed us.
We need to have the attitude each day that we get up that we will be witnesses for Jesus. This means different things. We should always live in such a way that people see our good works and give glory to the Father who is in Heaven. The people who interact with us on a daily basis should see that we reflect the values and teachings of Jesus our Lord. When people look at us and our actions, they should see Jesus.
We also need to take advantage of the opportunities the Lord sends our way to share the hope that is within us with others. If a conversation at work comes around to spiritual matters, don't be afraid to share what Jesus means to you and what He has done in your life and in the life of your family and friends. Be a missionary where the Lord has placed you.
The second thing that we can learn from this passage is that it is always better to obey God than man. This world system may want us to conform to its value system. We must obey our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If it should come to pass that we are ever forbidden from sharing our faith or practicing our religion, we should do it anyway. We must obey what the Lord has told us to do.
The third thing I want to focus on is the statement made by Gamaliel. While this is a faithfully recorded statement, and the words Gamaliel spoke allowed the apostles to go free, they are incorrect. There are many movements and false beliefs in the world today that have been and are very successful. Just because a movement is old or has many followers does not mean that it is blessed by God.
Ultimately, only what is of God will endure. One day, when Jesus returns, the truth will be revealed to all people, and everyone will bow to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who is Jesus Christ.
Finally, the apostles felt blessed that they were allowed to suffer for the Lord. I know that many Christians are suffering persecution for Jesus. Stand firm in the faith. Jesus is pleased with you for what you are doing for Him. Trust in Him, and do not be afraid. The Lord is with you, and He will see you through in this life and in the world to come.
Next week, we will continue in Acts. The following week, we will begin our series about the divinity of Jesus as portrayed in the Gospel of John. On Monday, I will post the verses, and there will be a book review on Wednesday. May God bless you. Amen.
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