Teach in Christ’s Name
Sunday April 11, 2010
Our scripture today comes from Acts 5:27-32. I want to read that to you now.
27When the apostles were brought before the council, the high priest said to them, 28"We told you plainly not to teach in the name of Jesus. But look what you have done! You have been teaching all over Jerusalem, and you are trying to blame us for his death."
29Peter and the apostles replied:
We don't obey people. We obey God. 30You killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross. But the God our ancestors worshiped raised him to life 31and made him our Leader and Savior. Then God gave him a place at his right side, [a] so that the people of Israel would turn back to him and be forgiven. 32We are here to tell you about all this, and so is the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to everyone who obeys God.
We need a little back story for this to be in context. The story of Acts takes place around 65 to 70 years AD. It covers the beginning of the Church, and follows the disciples’ early struggles to spread the words and love of Jesus Christ. Our scripture comes in the middle of a larger encounter. It begins with the disciples, in particular Peter and John coming into the Temple in Jerusalem. There, they see a disabled man from birth begging for money. In due course they heal him. Many people witness this and are converted. As the two are teaching, the High Priests and Sadducees come into the temple and hear what they have done and what they are teaching.
They have them arrested and brought before the temple council. However, due to the large number of new believers, the council is unsure how to punish them with out starting a riot. So, basically, they tell them to stop preaching and teaching and that if they are caught again, they will be in real trouble.
Well, this slap on the wrist did nothing to dampen the resolve of the disciples who promptly went out among the growing crowds of believers and continued to preach, teach and heal.
As you could guess, this really upset the Jewish leaders. They had the disciples arrested again and thrown in jail. It was then an angel of the Lord came and led them out of jail and told them to continue preaching to the people in the temple. Now, when the leaders called for the disciples to trial, they were informed that not only were they not in the jail, but that they were back in the temple preaching. This is where our passage begins.
Let’s remember that this is the third time the disciples have been arrested inside of roughly 2 days. They have been warned in the strongest sense not to preach and teach Christ’s message. They have been warned that if they continue to do so, they may find themselves in very serious trouble, up to and including death.
Yet, they continued to preach. They continued to teach. They continued to share Christ’s love and compassion for each of his children as they encountered them. They completely failed to follow the order of the High Priests of the Temple. This would be akin to us failing to follow the law. I am not talking about getting a speeding ticket. They would be considered to have committed a felony in today’s lexicon.
They are even accused of attempting to have Christ’s death blamed on the chief priests of the temple. This would be like accusing a Senator or a Federal Judge. Not something to be taken lightly.
With all this, what do the apostles say? Basically, “Sorry guys, but we don’t answer to you. We follow God’s instructions, not yours.”
Can you picture the look on the faces of the priests? I am going to guess, and I know this is a real strong limb I am climbing out onto, they are not used to being talked back to. Usually, what they say goes.
But here are these guys; these guys who have failed to heed their first warning, who have escaped from jail with the door locked and the guards still in place, who have repeatedly shown these elite leaders little or no respect, standing in front of them again and flat out telling them to their face, go take a long walk off a short pier.
Again, I ask, can you picture the look on their faces?
The coup-de-gras; the disciples slap down on the table the authority with which they have continued to ignore the priest’s warnings.
Verse 32 “And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to all who obey him."
There it is. There is the authority; there is the sanction to stand up to those who believe they know better than anyone else, better than even God himself.
We typically aren’t thrown into prison for preaching Christ’s message. We don’t have to fear for our lives or the lives of those around us for believing in Jesus and sharing our story. Nevertheless, we are called to stand up to those who would question us, stand up to those who would challenge our message, stand up to those who would ask us to do something that goes against our beliefs and values.
It is not enough that we share our story with others, it is not enough that we spread the message of Christ, it is not enough that we talk the talk; we also have to walk the walk.
This was a message Jesus had to convey to the disciples multiple times when he was alive. We have been studying the disciples and their many mistakes during their time with Christ. We all know of the situations that they threw Jesus under the bus rather than admit their relationship with him. Peter denied knowing Jesus the night of his arrest three times because he was scared. He was afraid of the consequences of his association with a guy whom the leaders of the day had determined was someone who had committed such an egregious act that he should be put to death. That would scare all of us. Today, we know that guilt by association is not something we have to worry much about, unless that associate is John Gotti. Unfortunately, it was something that the disciples had to be concerned with.
Curiously, that thought process changed. Death can have distinctive effects on an individual. We can be jarred to action by one passing or we can be pulled into seclusion by another’s departure. I think it is safe to say Christ’s passing had a positive effect on his disciples.
They may still have had reservations about teaching and preaching, they may still have had concerns about ticking off the religious leaders, they may have had questions regarding the exact message they should bring to the people. Nevertheless, they stood up and faced the music. No longer were they going to be worried about the results of their preaching. They had the authorization, they had the confidence to stand up and say, “Sharing Christ’s message is more important than what happens to us. Following God’s orders is more important than our freedom. Doing what is morally right is more imperative than following some arbitrary rules.” They were talking the talk and walking the walk.
I want you to take a moment to read the verses from Psalm 118 again. They are on your handout for those who don’t have their bible.
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the LORD say: “His love endures forever.” 5 When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. 6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans. 9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. 10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. 11 They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. 12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them down. 13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. 14 The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.
15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things! 16 The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!” 17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. 18 The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. 19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter. 21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 23 the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. 25 LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. 27 The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. 29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
This is what we all should be feeling and saying. This is what our hearts and souls should be shouting from the rooftops.
As I said before, we are not typically subject to harsh treatment for our choice in religious dogma. Yet, we are tasked with sharing that belief system and being willing to stand up to those who would have us usurp our beliefs in the pursuit of secular rewards. We are called to be willing to share God’s rewards for his children at the cost of our own personal and emotional well-being.
The $64,000 dollar question, “Are you willing to risk; are you willing to let it all ride; are you willing to walk the walk all for the benefit of sharing the Message of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?” He eagerly awaits your answer.
