WHAT MUST I DO? OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN
ACTS 5:17-32
“Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!”(Acts 5:29)
Big Idea: Lordship requires our allegiance be first and foremost to the authority and call of God.
ACTS 5:17-32
17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees,were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life." 21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin--the full assembly of the elders of Israel--and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23 "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside." 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this. 25 Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people." 26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. 27 Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
INTRO
Recent years have seen a distinct and tragic shift in morality, and in the understanding of morality in our nation. This can be seen clearly (but not exclusively) in the laws that are being enacted by local, state and national governments. We used to make laws that restrained danger to the public and benefitted the general population; things like public drunkenness, violence, drug abuse, even adultery, homosexuality, and divorce.
But those days are gone. Now the laws are trying to create a new code of morality. Many of them call good evil and evil good. Now the laws that get attention are about REALLY important public issues {sarcasm}. Issues like, how many ounces of soda you can buy, what the nutritional content must be in the food you feed your family, what politically correct words are okay to say and which words will get you fined or arrested, forbidding the use of plastic bags for carry-out in grocery stores (California), and deciding which light bulbs are legal to use and sell. I know I am cherry-picking but it is much easier to do these days with the moral shift. We have made things morality based that are anything but that and we have become permissive on things that detrimentally affect culture and offend God.
The Christian blog, “First Things” said this in the opening statement of an article this week called “A Call to Martyrdom.” “It’s tough medicine to realize that principles inimical to traditional Christian morals are now deeply embedded in our laws, institutions and culture. The only America that actually exists is one in which 'marriage' includes same-sex couples and women have a Constitutional right to kill their babies.” (source: http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/leithart/2013/07/02/a-call-to-martyrdom/)
This, of course, is good news and its bad news.
• The bad news? It shows America no longer has a moral anchor or a social conscience. Pluralism, syncretism, and hedonism have brought us to a place akin to the book of Judges where “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6, 21:25). And it’s not a good thing.
• The Good News? The church can, if she will embrace her calling, be the model of morality in our country. We can set the standard for decency, civility, and morality. We must set that standard by taking Paul’s admonition “be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2) seriously. Many people you meet every day literally do not know right from wrong. Jesus’ church is God’s salt to influence them towards righteousness and God’s light to show them the way. The need for such an understanding of our mission might never have been greater in our country than it is right now.
This moral shift, which I speak of, is destined to bring conflict between the values of God fearing people and the authority we live under. The storm clouds are on the horizon. We, like many in other lands and in other times, will have to stand up and be counted … which means we will have to count the cost and risk much to follow Jesus as our conscience tells us too. It is already a subtle risk for pastors in churches to preach against the government or to preach for a particular moral platform by which we select our representatives; it does not take much for this to be turned into endorsing a candidate and risking the church’s tax-exempt and not-for-profit status.
The “First Things” article I cited earlier states this: “Nearly every state that has passed same-sex marriage legislation has made exceptions claiming that no pastor will be required to perform same-sex marriages. But as Robert George has pointed out, the protections are thin indeed. Tax exemption will be challenged, and so will accreditation for Christian colleges and schools that hold to traditional views of marriage. Once opposition to same-sex marriage is judged discriminatory, no institution that opposes it will be unaffected.”
As I said, this is not new and the tension is addressed in many ways in the Bible. The stories of Moses’ mother’s mid-wife defying Pharaoh’s order to kill all male children (Exodus 1 & 2) and the stories of Daniel and his friends do an excellent job of this in the Old Testament. The stories of the Apostles in the book of Acts help us with this in the New Testament.
What are the criteria?
• When is violating the law honoring to God and when is it self-preservation or even simply rebellion?
• When are we called upon by God to publicly announce that we will not respect or obey a law?
• What are the parameters upon which we must participate in principled rejection?
The Bible is helpful on this and I will give you a few basic principles from the Scriptures that have governed the church when it feels compelled to civil disobedience or as it is called in some traditions “holy resistance.” But these are not the real reasons for this message – the real core of “What must we do” that is illustrated by Moses’ mother, Daniel and his friends, and the apostles preaching is Lordship. First and foremost they served God and obeyed His Word – even when there was personal risk and enormous faith required. So please keep in mind, that is where this sermon will end; but first I will first give you a few principles upon which Holy Resistance must be founded.
We must understand that Holy Resistance is founded, not upon our preferences, but solely upon a faithfulness to God which transcends all earthly loyalties. We are not talking about making a statement regarding individuality or individual liberty. We are not talking about Henry David Thoreau (who coined the term “civil disobedience”) and his New England Transcendentalism which focused on “private conscience.” We are talking about a clear and distinct higher law.
Stephen Charles Mott suggests the following qualifications for Holy Resistance:
(1) The law opposed is immoral, in conflict with a higher claim (God’s Word)
(2) Every possible non-disobedient recourse has been exhausted
(3) The protest is not clandestine
(4) There is willingness to accept the penalty
{Source: Stephen Charles Mott, Biblical Ethics and Social Change}
As for a church or denomination to exercise Holy Resistance, John Howard Yoder finds three additional tests. These can also apply to individual Christian witness:
(1) The witness must be representative of the church’s clear conviction
(2) The witness of the church must be consistent with her present behavior
(3) The church should speak only when she has something to say, rather than feeling obligated to “cover the field.”
{Source: John Howard Yoder, The Christian Witness to the State}
But, my friends, as I look at “What Must We Do? Obey God Rather than Men” I think there is a more immediate application of this principle. It stands behind the afore-mentioned principles of Holy Resistance and gets to the very heart of the matter. It transcends issues, politics, denominations, preferences, cultures and customs. It is the matter of Lordship. Until this issue is resolved there will always be tension within you when it comes to right and wrong. Once the matter of Lordship is settled, however, other matters begin to fall in line. That does not mean taking up your cross and following Jesus will become easier; the cost will be greater than you could ever imagine; but the issue itself will be resolved and the struggle will be in seeking God’s strength and courage to do what you know is right.
We must obey God.
Have you turned a blind eye to God’s Word?
Perhaps you've heard the phrase "turn a blind eye," which means to ignore undesirable information. The saying comes from a 19th century British naval battle. On April 2, 1801, during the Battle of Copenhagen, the British fleet was attacking the combined navies of Denmark and Norway. Three British ships ran aground, so the admiral, Hyde Parker, decided that the fire of battle was "too hot to oppose." So Admiral Parker sent an order, through signal flags, that the younger admiral Horatio Nelson should "Discontinue Action" and withdraw.
When Nelson heard his own signalman relay the order, he pretended not to hear him. Mesmerized by the thrill of battle, Nelson had no intention of obeying the order. He turned to his captain and said, "This day may be the last for us at any moment," even as a Danish cannonball struck his ship's mainmast, scattering splinters all around him. This was typical of Nelson's stubborn and aggressive approach to war. In fact, he'd already lost sight in his right eye in a previous battle. So, when pressed again to respond to Parker's order, Nelson told his flag captain Thomas Foley, "You know, Foley, I only have one eye—I have the right to be blind sometimes," and then Nelson held up his telescope to his good eye and said, "I really do not see the signal!"
Sometimes we are all like Nelson, with one good eye and one blind eye, and when an order comes through from God, we cover the good eye. As a result, we willfully ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit.
(Source: Christopher Hibbert, Nelson: A Personal History (Basic Books, 1994), pp. 260-261)
Where are you on the matter of Lordship? To whom do you answer first?
To whom do you answer first?
For some of you, you answer to work before you answer to God. You may even a better spouse to your employer or company than to your real spouse. The values you live by are the corporate values not those found in the Word of God. When push comes to shove – you’ll do what the boss wants even if it compromises your faith.
If this describes you then God is calling you to repentance. He is calling you to obey him rather than men.
AND, REMEMBER, WHAT HIS WORD SAYS YOU MUST DO, HE KNOWS YOU CAN DO!
For some of you, you answer to your children. The decisions you make are dictated by them; some consciously and some unconsciously. They become the excuse you use for the actions you choose. They are your god. You must offer your children to Him; place them in better hands (His) and trust them to his care as you follow Him unswervingly even when it requires risk and faith.
If this describes you then God is calling you to repentance – to seek Him and His Kingdom. He is calling you to obey him rather than men.
AND, REMEMBER, WHAT HIS WORD SAYS YOU MUST DO, HE KNOWS YOU CAN DO!
For some of you, you answer to your own pleasure and comfort. The “man” you obey (rather than God) is yourself. The pleasure may take many forms; comfort, pride, materialism, addiction, hidden sin, but in each case you are the center of the universe. But what good will it be if you gain the whole world and lose your soul?
If this describes you then God is calling you to repentance – to deny yourself. He is calling you to obey him rather than men.
AND, REMEMBER, WHAT HIS WORD SAYS YOU MUST DO, HE KNOWS YOU CAN DO!
WRAP-UP
"We must obey God rather than men!” … “We must obey God.”
The reason the apostles were able to withstand the pressure of governing authorities and stay true to God’s call was because the issue of Lordship was settled and they were already following Him.
How about you? Are you following or are you sometimes conveniently turning a blind eye?
Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” (Matthew 7:21-23)
He Who has Ears to Hear,
Let Him Hear
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This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
