Resources Acts 4 : 21 - 8 : 4 - The Acts of the Apostles The Church Scattered Week Two Continue this week with the second in our series ... The Church Scattered and the following three points ( show OHP ) A continuation of our last point last week ... Proclaiming Christ   -   Acts 4 : 23 - 31; 5 : 17 - 42 The Word Spoken. The apostles continued to use every opportunity to speak God's word. Last week we heard how Peter spoke openly in the town square, Peter and John spoke boldly before the Jewish religious leaders and this kind of action continued to take place. They were forbidden / commanded to speak anymore of what they had seen and heard, 'you must no longer speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus,' they were told. But they continued to speak the Word - proclaiming Christ. ( We cannot help it ) In prayer and study together they taught and spoke of Jesus. In Acts 4 : 29 their prayer request was ..... ( read ) In chapter 5 the apostles were arrested and put into the public jail. What happened ? ... read v 19 - 20 It was the Lord who opened the gates, it was the Lord who told them to continue with the gospel message ( the Saviour's Commission - my witnesses ) ... and so they continued to tell the people the full message of this new life. They told the whole of the Sanhedrin this message ..... see also v 42 day after day ... they continued proclaiming the good news 'Jesus is the Christ' This proclaiming Christ was the message that was told to others - whatever the circumstances ..... look through the book of Acts, the Epistles and see time and again this message talked of ... To the ones and two's; to the crowds; to the authorities; to the Jewish leaders; to foreigners; to leading officials; to army officers; to households; to the rich and to the poor. It was the same message it was a life changing message ..... explain it .... It is the message that our fallen world needs to hear today .... that we need to hear .... that we need to act upon. As Hebrews 4 : 12 says 'For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.' The People Challenged - Acts 4 : 32 - 5 : 11 It was not only a message that challenged their spiritual situation ... what will you do with Christ etc ... They were challenged and changed in their response to one another ... - They were one in heart. - They were one in mind. - They shared everything they had. - There was none needy amongst them. - Their possessions were held onto lightly and from time to time ... items were sold to provide for the need of the believers. Their Wealth was Shared. Whatever they had they shared it - little or much. They gave what they had. Is this not a challenge to you and I ...... enlarge - see above points Then let's look further at Ananias and Sapphira .... let's take a look at this passage and see what it is not saying and then perhaps let's learn a lesson or two from the passage. ( Expand this passage ) Our giving / the challenge of giving sacrificially / giving with a cheerful heart / giving without deceit or glory. Notice in the midst of all that was going on in the life of the early church - all the exciting happenings - Satan was working. He had so filled Ananias's heart that he lied to the Holy Spirit - lied to God. Don't be surprised with the activity of Satan ... he continues to prowl around and desires us. What greater challenge for us therefore to remain in Christ ..... to abide in Him .... to hide in Him .... And so to our third point ... Persecution Comes - Acts 5 : 17 - 8 : 4 A further proof of the work of Satan ..... but a classic reminder for us of the Sovereign hand of God on and over all things. Was not God in control when the apostles were imprisoned - he open the gates and used the situation for his glory. Was he not in control even though Ananias and Sapphira blew it .... the church grew in the fear of God. A great lesson for the embryonic church to learn. Was God not even in control now as persecution comes ... and the Word of God is spread as his witnesses suffer. Acts 5 : 41; Acts 6 : 11 - 13; Acts 7 : 54 ff; Acts 8 : 1 Persecution is the way for the believers .... they persecuted me said Jesus, they will persecute you. Many more references throughout the NT to this teaching. If you follow after me, said Jesus then you must follow even on to death. Death would come for some - not for the many - but for some. Persecution would come in different disguises as it does today in our generation and our differing cultures across this world. For some in the early church ... it may well have been fighting for their lives in the Colosseum ... gladiator to gladiator; gladiator to wild animal. History records it as fact. For others in may well have been to be dipped in tar and set alight, so you could light for a path. History records it as fact. It may have been being beheaded or thrown into burning oil. History records it as fact. Imprisonment and false trial. History records it as fact. For others it may well have been leaving home, leaving everything behind to escape with your life; it may well have been loss of job opportunities or promotion as you proclaimed your allegiance to Christ instead of the Roman Emperor of the day. History records it as fact. History records the conversation of ( Ignatius - Antioch ) as he was brought to trial in Rome .... 'I am God's grain to be ground between the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become a holy loaf for the Lord.' ( friends collected bones ... they knew he was 'with Christ, which is far better.' ) ( Polycarp - Smyrna ) - refused to acknowledge the Emperor as Lord - was burnt to death at the stake .... said 'Eighty and six years have I served Christ and he has done me no wrong; how can I blaspheme my King who has saved me? You threaten me with fire that burns for an hour then is quenched; but you know not of the fire of the judgement to come, and the fire of the eternal punishment. Bring what you will' In the first and second centuries - even as the 'witnesses' suffer - their witness to Jesus Christ continues and spreads further afield. Stephen's witness .... look at 6 : 15 Stephen in his death .... offering forgiveness .... Apostles witness .... look at 4 : 13 As the people suffered persecution .... 'they preached the word wherever they went.' And so the great commission of Jesus was fulfilled .... they began in Jerusalem, they spread out into the regions and the gospel was proclaimed in all the cities and countries around. This gospel message ........ ( remind - enlarge ) And next week, we will look at the key figure in the spread of this gospel into all the world. Back to top of page

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