Last week we saw how the church continued to grow. We saw that the church met the needs of the society by doing many signs and wonders. As a result the church grew even more and more. According to verse 28 the church spread to Jerusalem and was so forceful that it caused a negative reaction among some people.
This caused persecution to arise. This is the second time that the church faced persecution. Only Peter and John were arrested in the first persecution. This time all the apostles were arrested. Therefore, it was a dangerous persecution.
However, God sent an angel and the apostles were miraculously set free. The angel told them in verse 20, “Go, stand in the temple courts, and tell the people the full message of this new life.” Today let’s look at 3 aspects of what the angel said.
I. Tell the full message of new life
This is a command from God.
This is the second time for the High priest and all his associates to arrest the apostles. The first time was when Peter and John used Christ as an example of resurrection of the dead. The High priest and all his associates didn’t know what to do so they arrested the apostles and put them in prison. (4:2, 3) This time many people came to the disciples and arrested them and put them in prison. They did this out of jealousy. The apostles performed many signs and miracles and the church continued to grow. Therefore, there were many other religious leaders who were jealous. Jealously rarely takes place for a proper reason. It usually takes place because things are not going well for the person who becomes jealous. It is a sign of self center ness. We are all prone to this emotion. We compare ourselves with others. We are happy when we are something to be proud of and depressed and jealous when others rate better than us. When jealousy becomes strong then it hurts others. This is what was happening here. There was nothing wrong with the work of the apostles. In fact, in reality it was a very positive thing they were doing. People were being set free from their worries and sufferings, they were being saved. What they were doing was wonderful. The problem was that the High priests and Sadducees were afraid of their positions.
However, God sent an angel and set them free. Before when Peter and John were is prison, God sent an angel to set them free too. However, God did not send an angel every time they were imprisoned. The reason that God did this time is given in verse 20. They were to “go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
What is this new life?
I Thess. 2:13
It is the Word of God that is alive and continuing to work in our lives. Also it gives life to those who believe. The Bible is the Word of God and gives life to those who believe. The apostles were not to preach only parts of the Word of God, but the whole message. At this point the apostles hadn’t taught the whole Word of God. Therefore, if the Apostles stayed in prison, evangelism and education would stop. Therefore, God sent an angel and miraculously set them free.
Therefore, the Apostles who were sent free by the angel, “At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.” (21) They went to the temple courts because that was where the believers were meeting. They needed to be fed by hearing “the whole message”. Also the temple courts were the place where the citizens of the city came to and thus was a place for evangelism. By preaching the message of life, it was a good opportunity for people to receive salvation.
However, they went to the temple courts at daybreak. At daybreak it seems like there wouldn’t be anyone there. In verse 21 it says they “began to teach the people.” Therefore, we know that there were people there. We can sense the zealousness of the early church.
There are some people that think that since they were set free, it seems ridiculous to do something that might cause them to be put in prison again. However, that is not so. Even if we are in a situation where we might be imprisoned, it is necessary to preach the Word of life because by it evangelism and education will take place.
II Timothy 4:2
At all times we need to use every opportunity to evangelize. Then God will work a mighty work.
In II Kings 5 Naman is healed of a skin disease because of a little girl who told him that if he went to Elijah’s place that he would probably be healed. Something that we say may influence someone we know to receive the words of life. “If you go to that persons place…” “If you came to church,…” etc. Even though we may be imprisoned, we need to use every minute, every opportunity to preach the Words of life. This is what the angel came to tell us.
II. We must obey God rather than men
It is the will of God that we preach the Words of life. The Sanhedrin assembled planning to try the apostles. “They sent to the jail for the apostles.”(21) However, the officers could not find them and not only that but the jail was “securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors”; but no one was inside.(23) Everyone was puzzled. Then someone came and reported to them that the apostles “are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” (25) Therefore, “the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.” (26)
At the Sanhedrin the High Priest had two complaints against the apostles. One was “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name… Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching.” (28) In other words they have committed the crime of disobeying the command that was given them at the first persecution. The second complaint was that the apostles were “determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” (28) “This man’s” refers to Jesus Christ. When the people were trying to get Pilate to order Jesus to be crucified, they said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” (Matt. 27:25) Now the apostles are trying to get the people to realize their sin.
In reply to the first complaint, Peter and the other apostles says, “We must obey God rather than men!” ((29) They are saying that they are right in doing what they were doing. All authority is from God who is the ultimate authority. If any authority asks us to do something that is against the will of God, the ultimate authority, then we need to obey God. Not to preach the Gospel is against the will of God. Therefore, the apostles need to obey God, not them.
Mark 16:15
Matt. 28:19,20
II Timothy 4:2
I Peter 2:4
The Word of God tells us that God wants us to preach “this name”. It is the will of God. To stop doing so is not the will of God. When we share our faith we need to have the same confidence that what we are doing is the will of God.
We need to always choose to follow God’s will. Then God will guide us. To tell the people the full message of new life is to follow God and that is what he wants us to do.
III. The Holy Spirit will witness (30-33)
In reply to their second complaint that the apostles were “determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood” (28) Peter and the apostles said, “The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead-whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.” (30,31) “hanging him on a tree” means to put him on the cross. In the Old Testament “hanging on a tree” was used as a death penalty for those who were cursed. Therefore, the apostles are saying that the Jewish Sanhedrin hung Jesus on the tree as a cursed person. However, God’s judgment was different than their judgment. God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him to his own right hand. God blessed Him double over.
The fact that God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him to his own right hand wasn’t just to show Israel that they were wrong. This was to make Jesus “Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.” (31) It was so that the Jewish leaders would realize their responsibility, repent, and ask God for forgiveness.
This isn’t just them, but us too. We too didn’t know who Christ was, and followed others and our own selves rather God. We realized that and repented and were forgiven. However, we did not do this on our own. It was by the work of the Holy Spirit. Evangelism isn’t just talking about the historical fact of Jesus’ cross and resurrection. It isn’t an intellectual debate. The essence of evangelism is in verse 32
We are witnesses to the repentance and forgiveness of sins of Jesus who has been exalted and raised to the right hand of God. The Holy Spirit who is given to all who believe in Christ is also a witness. Evangelism is the work of the Holy Spirit who gives new life to those who believe. The Holy Spirit brings us salvation, purifies us, and uses us as His instrument to spread the words of life.
Therefore, we should look forward expectantly to how the Holy Spirit is going to use us. God is alive and working today. Let’s believe this and be a faithful witness to the Lord. The command that we have received is to “tell the people the full message of new life.” (20) That’s the will of God. When we follow the Lord’s will, then the Holy Spirit will witness.