Continuing through the book of Acts, we find that the church in Jerusalem has been growing. Early in chapter four, Luke advises there are 5,000 men counted in their number, and this is within a 2-year period of Christ’s ascension. The Holy Spirit is moving and growing His church. As dad mentioned last week, in such a fledgling movement, God is quick to keep His church pure. Despite the seemingly drastic measures with Ananias and Saphira, God doesn’t want His church affected by hypocrisy! We’ve got to be real! We’ve got to be honest with where we’re at. Following the death of Ananias and Saphira, the Apostles find themselves in Solomon’s Portico, where God confirms the authenticity of the movement through the Apostle’s signs and wonders. Many people are healed in Jesus’ name.
We come to this week’s passage. If you’ve got your Bible’s with you, we’re looking at Acts 5:17-42. From verse 17:
“17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.”
Healing so many people in public, especially at the Temple, the centre of Jewish worship, would have caused quite a scene. Being the religious elite, it’s possible the High Priest and the Sadducees were jealous of losing the spotlight, but that’s too simple a reading. As such, who were the Sadducees? They were one of the numerous sects of Jewish leaders. We know the Pharisees, who represented a large portion of the people. Their rabbinic practice, not too dissimilar to what discipleship is all about, shaped the practice of Judaism after the fall of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70. There also was the Essene community at Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Zealots, mentioned in the Bible, were extremists who militantly opposed the Roman occupation. The Sadducees themselves were upper-class citizens who only accepted the Torah – the first five books of the Bible – as Scripture. We can see quite a plurality of beliefs in Israel at the time. Despite the diversity, the Sadducees held power in the Jewish Council, also known as the Sanhedrin.
Earlier in chapter four, Peter and John are arrested for “proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead”. For the Sadducees, there was no resurrection, it wasn’t possible. Heaven and Hell did not exist, once you die that’s it! Game over. Which makes this life all the more important – so they sought power, control and comfort. When we forget about the life to come, we too can do this. This is the text’s attack against the Sadducees. The Apostles were healing in Jesus’ name. You can’t heal in someone’s name if they’re dead. Despite what people may believe, despite what public opinion is: Jesus is alive and we need to act as though His life, death and resurrection mean something to us. The Apostles angered the political power. The entire party of the Sadducees were pitted against them. Imagine facing off against the government today. It seems insurmountable. Outraged, the Sadducees arrest the Apostles and place them in prison.
From verse 19:
“19 But during the night an angel of God opened the jailhouse door and led them out.”
The Sadducees didn’t believe in angels. It seems that the author is taking every opportunity to undermine their authority. And despite their wishes, the angel releases the Apostles that same night. God’s providence is clearly on display. This isn’t the first time the Apostles have been imprisoned. But God opens the prison door. In his book Providence, John Piper writes that “the ultimate purpose of God’s providence over the natural world [so when God parts the Red Sea, sends a plague of locusts, or Jesus calms the sea] is that the glory of God, which we see and hear and taste and feel and smell in it, might be joyfully, thankfully, admiringly experienced as part of the inheritance purchased for us by the blood of Jesus”. When God provides for us, when He opens a prison door, there’s always a purpose in mind. The angel announced that purpose:
“20 He said, “Go to the Temple and take your stand. Tell the people everything there is to say about this Life.” 21 Promptly obedient, they entered the Temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching.”
You could certainly forgive the Apostles if they desired to take a break. To rest and hide until anger against them lessened. Angels previously advised Joseph in a dream to “Rise, take the child [being Jesus] and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there” [Mt 2:13 ESV] because of Herod’s desire to kill the child. But no, this time, the Apostles are to continue teaching in the Temple: “tell people everything there is to say about this Life”. Hold on a second, shouldn’t the angel advise them to talk about Jesus? About the Gospel? Absolutely… and that’s what the angel did. By speaking about this Life, the Apostles are referring to Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. But it also refers to the eternal life that Jesus’ resurrection ensures for believers. The ESV translation advises they were to “speak to the people all the words of this Life”. They weren’t to hold back. They were to tell everything about Jesus’ life and ministry. No aspect was to be left out in fear of further persecution. And their obedience is telling, they’re in the Temple at dawn.
Meanwhile, “when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them [being the Apostles] brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside. 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.” That’s fair enough. If you have no understanding or belief in the miraculous, in angels, it would be highly confusing! In this space of confusion, where the council were trying to determine what happened:
“25 someone came and told them, Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” Further increasing their confusion.
“26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.”
They were afraid of being stoned. That’s pretty telling of the political situation. Gotta hold onto power by any means necessary! But it’s such a fickle thing to grasp. Where’s the humility? In complete contrast, the Apostles agree to go with them. They’re happy to go where the Spirit leads. They’re not clinging to their authority and power. There is humility in their character, as opposed to pride.
“27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
The Sanhedrin, the Jewish leaders, were not only opposed to Jesus’ name being preached: they were fearful of it. As the Apostles continued to preach and teach in Jesus’ name, they did so with boldness, there was no fear of persecution. With the Spirit in their midst and working, all of Jerusalem was filled with the teaching. Nearly all of Jerusalem had heard about Jesus and his resurrection, which deeply worried the council of leaders. These leaders had brokered a deal with the Romans who took control of the land. In exchange for keeping the peace, they were allowed to practice the Jewish faith, upholding the facade that they were in control. It also provided their wealth: they monetized the temple and grew their capital. Hence why Jesus overthrew the tables in the Gospels: Jewish leadership and worship had become self-centred, as opposed to God-oriented. By preaching in Jesus’ name and extending his fame throughout all of Jerusalem, the status quo was threatened and the Sadducean grasp of the political power could slip. People tend to get defensive and angry when something they hold dear is threatened. How dare the Apostles charge them with the blood of Jesus? Who would want that on their hands?
In response to the high priests questioning, “29 Peter [on behalf of] the apostles answered, We must obey God rather than men.” Even the Sadducees wouldn’t dispute this claim. The Scripture they held most dearly was the Shema found in Deuteronomy 6: “4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart”. So Peter, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, starts his response with a solid foundation: “we must obey God rather than men”. That’s got to be our foundation too. As followers of Christ, we must obey Him and listen to His voice, as opposed to those that seek to tear us down.
So Peter continues: “30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.” They’re not beating around the bush are they? There’s no holding back! You killed him. So yes, the Apostles were putting Jesus’ blood on their hands. But through raising Him back to life, God negated their criminal actions.
“30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Here’s the Gospel message in a nutshell: God the Son took on human flesh. He was killed on a tree, yet was raised back to life. The purpose? To provide humanity, including those who killed Him, with an opportunity to repent, turn to God, and receive forgiveness. You can’t bestow forgiveness upon someone, they must receive or accept it. It is this double-punch of repentance and forgiveness that restores the relationship. So the Apostles and the Holy Spirit are witnesses to the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is alive, and because He’s alive, we can have life.
As you could imagine, the council was enraged to hear this. In fact, they wanted to kill them.
“34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.”
“35 And he said to them, Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.”
“37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.”
By the way, if you didn’t know, Jesus was not the first person to claim the title of Messiah. There were numerous. Both Theudas and Judas the Galilean are examples of such. Some of these men could perform miracles as Jesus did. But in every case, as soon as the leader perished, their following dispersed. Death proved their leader’s falsehood. From here, Gamaliel provides words of wisdom:
“38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail [experience suggests this to be true]; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God! So they took his advice,”
“40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.”
“41 Then they [being the Apostles] left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”
Peter and the Apostles left rejoicing. A few weeks ago, I talked about joy around the Lord’s table. Calvin Miller describes joy in this way: “Many Christians confuse happiness with joy, as did I. Happiness is about a buoyant emotion that results from the momentary plateaus of well-being that characterize our lives. Joy is bedrock stuff, on the other hand. Joy is a confidence that operates irrespective of our moods. Joy is the certainty that all is well, however we feel”.
Joy is a disposition of contentedness. There is peace in your inner being, you can gladly sing all is well with my soul. There can certainly be an element of praise and happiness, but that’s not the root of joy.
Facing off against the political powers, being imprisoned on numerous occasions and being flogged for their association with Jesus, the Apostles were having a rough trot! Yet they leave rejoicing because they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus. Their joy came from community. It was communion with the Triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God’s very nature is community! But the joy also comes from communion with one another. The Apostles personally knew the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And this communion with Jesus, where they abided together with Jesus – the vine. This was their source of joy. Their deep friendship with Jesus flooded their lives with joy. And it was out of this joy, that obedience became easy. They happily filled the Temple and their homes with the teaching and preaching of Jesus. When joy in Jesus is present in our lives, it becomes so much easier to follow His way.
If you’re going through a rough patch right now, perhaps even a crisis of faith and you’re questioning everything you’ve ever been taught. Can I encourage you to continue down the road? Keep asking the questions and keep searching for answers. A few years ago, when I hit one of my crises’ I gave God an ultimatum. I said, “God if you’re real, get me out of this mess”. I was struggling heavily with depression, and I had just lost something very dear to me. I was more than ready to give up. God answered, proving his faithfulness, by surrounding me with a new community of believers. People who encouraged me and built me up. It was a slow process, but I started to find joy again. I still have much to learn about personal joy in Jesus, but my experience and the Scriptural witness suggests that if you want a deeper joy, a sense of deeper peace and contentedness, you’ll find it with other believers as you follow Jesus together. You don’t learn to follow Jesus alone, you catch it from those around you. This is the journey of discipleship and why it is so important to get alongside one another regularly; to be vulnerable and open about each other’s flaws and failures. Praying for each other and spurring each other on. Listening to the Holy Spirit teach you about yourself and guide how to form into Christlikeness. It’s a gradual process, taking years. We’ll still be going until the day we pass on to glory. If you’re seeking a deeper joy, if the Spirit has laid it on your heart, seek out specific people who can keep you accountable. These can be home groups, but it’s worth considering finding yourself a spiritual mentor, or close friends that you can take the relationship deeper. Someone who can speak into your life and point out where God has been active in your story. The important thing here is to meet regularly. If we are serious about growing our joy in Jesus, then we’ll meet regularly. For those that are married, perhaps still with children at home, remember to spend time together in God’s word. It is the community of believers that the Spirit uses to form us into Christlikeness. And as we grow in contentedness, the troubles that face us won’t worry us as much. It is well with my soul. Come what may.
