Dealing With Opposition
Text: Acts 5:17-32
Introduction
1. Illustration: I’m reminded of an old song called “I’ve Been Redeemed.” It’s an old chorus that’s got like a million verse to it. One of those verses says, “Oh, the devil’s mad, and I’m so glad. Oh, the devil’s mad and I’m so glad. Oh, the devils mad and I’m so glad, he lost a soul that he thought he had. All my sins are washed away, I’ve been redeemed.”
2. This verse illustrates a great biblical truth; when God is moving and does something good, the devil is going to work in the background to fight against it.
3. But the reality is that God always wins!
4. Read Acts 5:17-32
Proposition: When dealing with opposition, realize that God has your back.
Transition: Realize that when opposition comes…
I. The Devil Is Behind It (17-18).
A. Filled With Jealousy
1. You can be assured, when God begins to move the devil will fight you tooth and nail.
2. So, with God moving, the church is growing, people are being healed, and signs and wonders are being performed, something bad had to be on the horizon.
3. So, Luke begins this story by saying, “The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.”
a. Jealousy is a terrible thing.
b. “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones” (Prov. 14:30).
c. That’s what happens here. Rather than listening to the message of life that the apostles were preaching and accepting the forgiveness and salvation that Jesus came to bring, these religious leaders were filled with jealousy.
d. They were jealous of the apostles because God was obviously working inside of them based on the signs and wonders they were performing.
e. If that wasn’t enough, they were also jealous of the apostles because the people were listening to them and coming to faith in Christ, and they were no longer listening to them.
f. They had lost their influence over the people, and this filled them with jealous hearts.
4. As a result, they arrested the apostles and put them in jail.
a. They had all the apostles thrown in jail overnight and planned to deal harshly with them in the morning.
b. Not only were they jealous, but they were also furious that their previous threats to Peter and John went unheeded, because they had told Peter and John not to speak in Jesus’ name again.
5. However, there is a great spiritual reality behind what’s happening here. The apostles were winning people to Christ and the church was growing. And the devil didn’t like it!
a. The sin that the council was committing here was jealousy, but the source of this jealousy is the devil.
b. He was working in their hearts to try and prevent the apostles from accomplishing their mission.
c. He was going to do everything he could to keep them from telling people about Jesus!
d. And he does the same thing to you and I, and we need to realize that we are in a spiritual battle and we need to fight it with spiritual weapons.
B. Spiritual Battle
1. Illustration: "Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den. God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world. Prayer gives us the significance of front-line forces and gives God the glory of a limitless Provider. The one who gives the power gets the glory. Thus, prayer safeguards the supremacy of God in missions while linking us with endless grace for every need." --John Piper
2. "As we begin to focus upon God, the things of the Spirit will take shape before our inner eyes." -- A. W. Tozer
3. When opposition comes, we must recognize its source – the devil, and we need to deal with him through the spiritual authority given to us by God.
a. “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:10-12).
b. First, Paul tells us when we are fighting the devil that we should be strong “in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
c. If we try to fight the devil in our own strength, we will lose every time. But if we fight in the Lord’s power we will win!
d. To do this, we must put on all of God’s armor. God has given us protection and equipped us to fight in this spiritual battle. So, use what God has made available to you. If you need to know what this is go back and read Eph. 6:10-18.
e. Second, we must realize who we are fighting.
f. We are not fighting people; we are fighting a spiritual enemy in a heavenly realm.
g. But the good news is that God has given us every spiritual blessing in that heavenly realm (Eph. 1:3).
h. God has given you everything you need, so, use it to your advantage!
Transition: Next, we must never forget that we are not in this alone. Always remember…
II. God Is Behind You (19-28).
A. An Angel of the Lord
1. Jesus had given the apostles the mission of preaching the gospel, so their time in jail wasn’t going to last long. In v. 19 Luke tells us, “But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”
a. Angels appear often in the Book of Acts, giving direction, encouragement, and as in this case, releasing God’s people from prison.
b. An angel of the Lord came during the night and opened the gate of the jail, and as we will learn a little later, with the jail securely locked and the guards standing their posts.
c. Now, Luke doesn’t tell us how the angel accomplished this, just the fact that it happened.
d. But the angel does more than let them out of jail, he also gives them a fresh commission.
e. He tells them to “go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”
2. Well, the apostles wasted no time in fulfilling this fresh commission. In v.21 Luke tells us, “So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching. When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial.”
a. They did exactly as they were told. At daybreak they went into the Temple and started teaching.
b. First, this was an opportune time because many people came to the Temple at daybreak to pray and worship, as this was one of the three times for prayer in the Temple.
c. Second, the Temple was the center of faith for the Jews. The time and place were perfect for the apostles to do as the angel commanded them.
d. In the meantime, the religious leaders gathered and asked for the apostles to brought from jail to stand before them.
e. In the words of Gomer Pyle, “Surprise, surprise, surprise!”
3. Boy were the Temple guards surprised when they got to the jail! Look at what Luke tells us in vv. 22-24, “But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, 23 “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!” 24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end.”
a. The Temple guards went to the jail they found the doors securely locked and the guards were at their posts. So far so good.
b. But when they opened the doors and looked inside the cell there was no one there! It seemed as if they just disappeared into thin air!
c. Luke tells us they were “perplexed,” or as we might say, they were at a loss for words.
d. It also interesting what the captain of the guards and the other religious leaders say at the end of v. 24, “where would it all end.”
e. They were dumbfounded as to how they were going to stop these men and their followers when they couldn’t even keep them in jail.
4. However, their surprise didn’t end there. Luke tells us in vv. 25-26, “Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!” 26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them.”
a. While they were pondering what had happened to the apostles, someone comes in and tells them they were in the Temple teaching the people.
b. The exact thing they were trying to prevent was happening.
c. Not only were the apostles not in jail, but they were also teaching the people about Jesus and doing it in the Temple!
d. So, the Temple guards went and arrested them, again, but they had to do it without violence because they were afraid the people would stone them to death (meaning the guards).
5. So, “Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28 “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”
a. So, once again, they are brought before the council and were confronted about teaching the people about Jesus.
b. Notice that they wouldn’t even say Jesus’ name. They simply referred to him as “this man’s name.”
c. You’ll also notice that they admitted that the apostles had been successful in their calling because they had “filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him.”
d. On top of that, they were telling people that the council was responsible for Jesus’ death.
6. James, the Lord’s bother, wrote in his letter, “when trouble of any kind comes your way let it be an opportunity for great joy.” (James 1:3).
a. We can let it be an opportunity for great joy because we know that God is with us all the way!
b. We can also be assured that God is going to use it to teach us something important.
c. He will never leave us or forsake us!
B. By My Spirit
1. Illustration: Hudson Taylor was once asked, "Why do you think God chose you to start China Inland Mission." He replied, "God picked out somebody who was so weak that apart from Him I knew I could do nothing."
2. We must always remember, especially when opposition comes our way, we must depend on the Spirit’s power.
a. “Then he said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” (Zech. 4:6).
b. So, how do I depend on the Spirit’s power? First, recognize that you can’t do it without Him.
c. Second, pray, pray, pray!
d. Third, read and study Scripture every day!
e. Fourth, stand, but do it in the Spirit’s power and not your own!
Transition: In addition, we must…
III. Never Give In (29-32).
A. We Must Obey God
1. Now, Peter and the other apostles get their chance to speak. Luke tells us in v. 29, “But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”
a. Just as they had done before, the apostles declare that when it comes to whether they should obey the council or God, there was no choice, they had to obey God.
b. Obeying God always comes before any human authority.
c. “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.” (Romans 13:1).
d. However, when the human authorities are requiring us to sin against God, they choice is clear that we must obey God first!
e. Should we obey traffic laws? Yes.
f. Should we kill a defenseless, unborn child in abortion? Absolutely not!
g. We must always put our obedience to God before any human authority.
2. Peter then continues to declare the truth of the Gospel. In vv. 30-32 he declares, “The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”
a. This Galilean fisherman turned Gospel preacher proclaims the truth about Jesus.
b. First, he tells the council that they have a common connection when he talks about the “God of our ancestors.”
c. He said it was their God who had raised Jesus from the dead. But he also tells them that they had rejected the Messiah, the Son of God, whom the Father had sent.
d. Next, he proclaims that God put Jesus at the place of honor at the Father’s right hand. It is a place of not only honor but authority, as Prince and Savior.
e. Then he says that God did this so that the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven.
f. To be forgiven we must repent, turn away from our sins and towards God. In Jesus’ first sermon he didn’t just say believe, but rather to repent and believe.
g. Peter concludes by saying that the apostles were witnesses of these things with the Holy Spirit.
h. They had walked and talked with Jesus. They had seen him crucified and had been with him after his resurrection.
i. They knew it was the truth because they had experienced it first-hand.
B. Strong and Immovable
1. Illustration: I don't know whether you are a lover of boxing as a sport or not, but when a boxer has had enough, the trainer can 'throw in the towel." This signifies we just can't go on any further... We often use the turn of phrase to say were giving up.
a. If were honest, there may be times in our Christian lives that we feel like giving up in a particular situation. But our purpose is to stand firm, to continue fighting the good fight. Giving up is not really an option.
b. If we were to picture the Christian life as a boxing match, every Christian would have to be like the southpaw Joe Calzage , nicknamed "The Pride of Wales" or "The Italian Dragon," who has had 46 fights and won 46 fights.
c. Yes, he has had many a bruising round with opposition; he has been knocked down on the canvas, but he got back up, he has stood firm, he has given himself fully to the task and has come out victorious.
2. When opposition comes your way, never give up!
a. “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (1 Cor. 15:57-58)
b. We might as well come to the realization that in the Christian life there will be opposition.
c. Get used to it, there is going to be opposition.
d. But remember you’re in good company.
e. Jesus faced opposition. The apostles faced opposition. The early church faced opposition. The church today is facing opposition.
f. But we can never give up. Never give in. Never give out!
g. God will give us the victory!
Conclusion
1. When you face opposition, remember…
a. The devil is behind it.
b. God is behind you.
c. Never give in.
2. What’s the point preacher? Opposition is a way of life for all Christians, but we must never give in because Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. He always gives us the victory!
