'under Pressure' (2023)

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). Joy in the Jail (vs 18-20)

(2). Teaching in the Temple (vs 21-26)

(3). Courage before the Court (vs 27-40)

(4). Heralding in the Homes (vs 41-42)

SERMON BODY:

We use the word, ‘pressure’ in a variety of ways.

• e.g., We put air in our tires and check the pressure.

• e.g., You go to the doctors only to be told, “You have high blood pressure”.

• e.g., In sport, athletes often say, “I work better under pressure.”

• e.g., When life is busy, we say, “I am under so much pressure.”

• e.g., At school or at work we can often face, peer pressure.

• TRANSITION: Pressure can either work for us or against us.

• In our Bible passage today, the young Church will be put ‘under pressure’.

• But it will be a different type of pressure to the one you saw in your last study.

• You recently looked at verses 1-16:

• Where we saw opposition or ‘pressure’ to the Church from within.

• The problem was at the sad story of Ananias and Sapphira,

• They sinned and were punished because of their dishonesty, deceit, and hypocrisy,

• Today in verses 17-42:

• We will see another type of opposition or ‘pressure’ to the Church,

• This time it comes from outside forces, the religious authorities.

Note:

• We will read the passage as we go through it one section of a time,

• But if you read the passage before you came out today,

• Did you notice during the Bible reading of Acts chapter 5 is a series of places?

Ill:

• Joke - talking of places – I like the story of the man who went to a restaurant,

• On the menu it said, ‘They served full English breakfast at any time’.

• So, he ordered an English breakfast during the Reign of Charles 2nd!

• Now if you scan through Acts chapter 5 with me,

• You will see that a variety of places are mentioned.

• e.g., Solomon’s Colonnade (vs 12).

• e.g., The public Jail (vs 18-20):

Place #1. Joy in the Jail (vs 18-20):

Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”

Ill:

• Did you know that cats can’t taste the flavour of sweetness?

• That’s right. Felines cannot taste sweet.

• It’s like their tongues are colour blind to sugar.

• No wonder cats are so grumpy all the time!

• They can taste sour, bitter, saltiness, and meatiness, but not sweetness!

• So next time you see a dog barking at a cat,

• Who knows, maybe the dog is just trying to cheer the cat up!

• TRANSITION: Some people don’t have a lot of joy,

• Like a cat they can taste the sour, bitter things in life but not sweetness!

• As followers of Jesus, he gives us joy!

• The fruit of the Spirit is, “Love, joy…” (Galatians chapter 5 verses 22-23)

• Happiness may depend on relationships or circumstances,

• But joy can be constant whatever our situation.

• Because our joy is centred, it is fixed in an unchanging God!

Now these apostles have gone from freedom to captivity,

Ill:

• Now I have been to prison on many occasions,

• (don’t panic not as a prisoner but as a visiting speaker taking prison chapel services)

• Every prison I have ever been into is a depressing place,

• Every prisoner wears a drab uniform,

• And whatever anyone says to you, prisons are not very pleasant places,

• They always leave you feeling miserable.

• TRANSITION:

• Now these apostles have gone from freedom to captivity,

• The freedom and the opportunities to share their faith,

• •The freedom and the opportunities to use their spiritual gifts in building up the Church.

Prison cells are designed to restrict your movements and contact with other people.

• If you are stuck within four walls,

• Humanly speaking your opportunities to serve God are virtually zero!

• Now to the casual reader it might seem that someone has put the brakes on their mission!

• Or have they?

• Even though they are restricted to a prison cell,

• We are going to see that God's will is still being done!

• God can use ‘all things’ (even bars, bricks & mortar) for his purposes and glory!

Ill:

• Alfred Hitchcock the famous film director always appeared in each one of his films,