The Hero of Heroes (Acts 5:12-42) Witnesses: The
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The Hero of Heroes (Acts 5:12-42) Witnesses: The Acts of the Apostles • November 17, 2019 HOOK: ————————————————————————————————————————— I don’t know how much this affects you, but I’ve been seeing a sharp increase in the amount of fear and anxiety people are having today. To be honest, there is a lot to be afraid of today…politics, climate change, natural disasters, hip-hop. We all have fears. In the USA, this is a list of our Top Ten Fears: 1) Flying, 2) Public speaking, 3) Heights, 4) Dark, 5) Intimacy, 6) Death, 7) Failure, 8) Rejection, 9) Spiders, and 10) Commitment. Wow! That’s a list! Do you know what I fear? Public speaking in the dark while I’m on high up in an airplane that is filled with spiders—knowing I’ll fail and be rejected while the plane crashes. Honestly, how much of your life is filled with fear and anxiety? When I was a Senior in High School, I was filled with a lot of fear. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, and it was time to make a decision about where I would go to college and what I would do with my life. The future filled me with fear! It was then that someone shared with me God’s words to Joshua as he took over the reins of leading the nation of Israel from Moses. Joshua followed one of the greatest leaders in the Bible, was leading 1.5 million people, was called to invade the Promised Land, and drive out all of its inhabitants. Not a bad day at the office! So, God spoke four words to Joshua over and over again: This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 (NLT) I love how God had to “command” Joshua to be strong and courageous and to not be afraid or discouraged! After all, God will “never leave us nor forsake us.” Do me a favor, close your eyes and think about the biggest fear you are facing right now. Let me read that verse over you (read three times aloud). My friends, are you living in fear or are you living with faith? Years ago, I heard this definition of Fear: False Evidence Appearing Real. I like that! I love movies where people have every right to be afraid but step out anyway and act with courage. Movies like Hacksaw Ridge, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot, Gladiator, Braveheart, Luther… BOOK: ————————————————————————————————————————— Today I want us to see a story about courage in the face of fear—and in doing so, to see the real hero of our story. Our text is long, so I am going to simply read through the story and then focus back on one section. Ready? The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed. The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!” So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching. When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!” When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!” The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!” But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.” When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered. “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!” The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.” Acts 5:12-42 (NLT) So far in our walk through the beginning of the Church, as seen in the book of Acts, everything has gone amazingly well for the early followers of Jesus. Miracles are being performed, people are being brought to God, there is an undeniable movement of God. But as we move into the next stage of the early Church, we’re going to see that things begin to get difficult for these disciples. Opposition beings. Persecution begins. Suffering begins. The possibility of death begins. But you also see faith, courage, and boldness! LOOK: ————————————————————————————————————————— Early followers of Jesus faced intense opposition, persecution, suffering, and death—and did it all with incredible courage. History tells us that in the first 300 years of the Church there were at least ten large-scale, systematic persecutions of Christians in the Roman Empire. Believers in Jesus had their possessions taken, they were imprisoned, they were tortured, and even killed. In fact, there was a total of 100 years in that time period where it was completely illegal to be a Christian. And yet historic accounts reveal that many Christians died praying for their executioners. They died singing as they were thrown to the lions. In Rome, followers of Jesus were hung on crosses along the highways so people could watch them as they were coming in and out of Rome. Where did they get that kind of heroic courage to face suffering and death? AND, can I get that kind of courage to face my troubles today? I believe the answer to that is found right here in our story. But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven.” Acts 5:29-31 (NLT) The apostles knew they could die for their actions. The religious leaders were furious that they kept sharing about Jesus and would not give up. When the apostles spoke, they could look into the eyes of their accusers, and they could see their death in their eyes.