Part 2 of 2 - Trouble, Disruption and the Gospel in Acts

“They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.” Acts 5:40b

One cannot read the book of Acts without concluding that trouble and disruption follows the gospel wherever it goes. The support for this statement follows the narrative.

Why would anyone submit their selves to the kind of abuse that followers of Jesus encountered? Why would families risk being torn apart, thrown in prison and executed? Why would mothers risk being separated from their children? Why would Paul go into a peaceful community and preach a message that would add stress to people’s lives, put their lives in danger, strain and in some cases destroy family relationships? We preach a gospel message today in the United States to move people out of stress and trouble. The gospel message preached in Acts moved people into stress and trouble. Why in Acts would they do that?

Because the gospel is worth it! Does the gospel message bring suffering to you? Has it strained your relationship with your parents or your relatives? Has it created trouble for you on the job? Has it put you out of synch with your culture? If it has, the troubles, stress and difficulties you are experiencing are worth it!

I went through 2 very dark years for speaking to an employee about Christ. He became angry with me on an unrelated issue and used my words about Christ to torment me. He called the local ABC affiliate to do an investigative report on me. He filed an EEO complaint against me for discriminating on the basis of religion. I was subject to a congressional inquiry for harassing an employee with religion. I was subject to Union inquiries…equipment at work was vandalized…my car was keyed…a very reputable member of the community who knew the disgruntled employee suggested my life was in danger. I had my “Peter” (denied the Lord 3 times) and “John Mark” (abandoned Paul and Barnabas) moments where I acted cowardly and shamefully. This was a very painful and difficult season in my life.

Was it worth it? In hindsight…yes…absolutely yes. What does this mean when I say yes it was worth it or when I say the gospel is worth it? It means that we gain insight into our Father’s heart like no sermon on earth can impart. It means we gain insight into loving our enemies because God loved us when we were His enemies. When we realize what it is like to be on the receiving end of an enemy’s hatred and are told to love that enemy like God loved us…we understand the incredible love of God toward us.

I saw my life transformed before my own eyes as the difficulties dragged on and as I attempted to bless my enemy daily in prayer. I developed perseverance in my faith. I learned, to an extremely small degree, what it means to share in the sufferings of Christ…what He must have felt…how horrible shame is to the human spirit. I appreciate what converts from Islam and other religions go through in following Christ though I have only experienced a very small fraction of it.

Is the gospel worth the trouble and disruption it brings to our lives? Yes…absolutely yes!

Part 1 of 2 - Trouble, Disruption and the Gospel in Acts

1. Jerusalem: Peter and John were jailed for preaching the gospel in the temple courts. 4:1-21

2. Jerusalem: The apostles were jailed for preaching the gospel, supernaturally released, brought back before the authorities and flogged. 5:12-42

3. Jerusalem: Stephen was brought before the authorities for preaching the gospel. Enraged at his words, the Sanhedrin stoned him to death. 6:8 to 8:1a

4. Jerusalem and foreign cities: Saul went from house to house, and synagogue to synagogue dragging off men and women and putting them in prison. He persecuted followers of the Way to their death. He tried to force believers to blaspheme and even went to foreign cities to persecute them. 8:3; 22:4-5; 26:9-12

5. Damascus: Saul became a believer and proclaimer of the Christ. A conspiracy was formed to kill him and he had to escape the city at night in basket lowered from a wall. 9:20-25

6. Jerusalem: Grecian Jews tried to kill Paul forcing him to go to Tarsus. 9:28-30

7. Jerusalem (?): James, the apostle, was martyred by Herod for proclaiming the gospel. 12:1-2

8. Jerusalem: King Herod arrested Peter and prepared to kill him as he killed James but God supernaturally spared Peter. 12:3-6

9. Pisidian Antioch: Jews incited the god-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from the region. 13:42-52

10. Iconium: Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against Paul and Barnabas. The people of the city were divided. There was a plot afoot with the leaders to mistreat and stone Paul and Barnabas. 14:1-7

11. Lystra: Jews came from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd who was drawn by the healing of a crippled man. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city thinking he was dead. 14:8-20

12. Philippi: Paul cast a demon from a fortune telling slave girl. When the owners of the slave girl realized their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities. The authorities had them severely flogged and jailed for throwing the city into an uproar. 16:16-40

13. Thessalonica: The unbelieving Jews were jealous of the crowds drawn to Paul and orchestrated a mob to go after Paul and Silas to bring them before the city officials. 17:1-9

14. Berea: The unbelieving Jews who caused trouble in Thessalonica came to Berea agitating the crowd and stirring them up against Paul and Silas. 17:10-15

15. Corinth: Jews opposed Paul to the point that he shook out his clothes in protest. The Jews later led a united attack against Paul and brought him into court. The judge ruled against the desires of the Jews. 18:5-17

16. Ephesus: A riot broke out in Ephesus led by those involved in the idol making industry. The city clerk of Ephesus prevented the riot from spiraling out of control. 19:23-41

17. Greece: Paul was about to sail to Syria after ministering 3 months in Greece but had to change his route because of a plot on his life by the Jews. 20:3

18. Jerusalem, Caesarea, Rome: Paul was spotted in the temple by Jews from Asia who were familiar with his ministry there. They riled up a mob against Paul and the Romans intervened and arrested Paul. Paul was allowed to speak to his accusers on 2 separate occasions but was cut short by the Jews angry reaction to his words. The Romans whisked Paul from Jerusalem to Caesarea to protect him from a plot on his life by the Jews. After being under arrest in Caesarea for 2 years He was transported to Rome and was under house arrest in Rome for 2 years. Ch.21 -28

Growth of the Church in the Book of Acts

“…The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree...“ Mt 13:31-32

Messiah Jesus was like the mustard seed He spoke of. Relative to the population of the Roman Empire, He was small and insignificant. He was executed then buried. He did what any seed does when it is planted and buried, He sprung to life. The book of Acts begins with Messiah full of life only days after His burial, giving final instructions to his eleven apostles. Then He rose into the air and disappeared in a cloud and took His seat on a throne in heaven. On earth he left his followers with some simple instructions…wait in Jerusalem. About 120 Jews patiently waited and prayed. A few days later, Messiah Jesus from His throne in heaven baptized this small group with the Holy Spirit and the church was born...the mustard seed had begun to sprout. That very day, 3,000 Jews believed in the Messiah and were added to the church (2:41). “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (2:47b)

A short time later, Peter and John preached in the temple complex in Jerusalem and the number of Jewish men who believed grew to 5,000 (4:4). “…more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” (5:14) The growth of the church in Jerusalem began to burst out into surrounding areas. “Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem…” (5:16). “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.” (6:7)

The church began as a Jewish church and for several years had grown throughout the land of the Jews. The mustard seed had yielded a plant that was large for a garden plant. But then the growth became “tree-like” by 3 unpredictable factors. A godly follower of Messiah was martyred in Jerusalem (7:59-60) scattering believers. “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” (8:4) Secondly, Gentiles in Caesarea were baptized with the Holy Spirit just like the Jews in Jerusalem and the church for the first time included Gentiles. (ch.10 and 11) And finally, a fierce persecutor of the followers of Messiah was converted and became a powerful missionary to Gentiles in the Roman Empire (ch.9).

Fast forwarding beyond the Book of Acts, the mustard seed became a tree of far disproportionate size for a mustard plant. The emperor of the empire became a Christian in 312 AD and legalized Christianity in the empire a year later. Seventeen hundred years later 2.1 billion people on earth, about a third of the world’s population identify themselves with Christianity.

The unpredictable growth of the past can happen today through a fourth unpredictable growth factor…you and me. With this in mind, I direct my words heavenward and say “Father, You are able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine…grow the tree of your kingdom bigger….surprise us and use us!

The Leading of God in Acts

Note: This is not a comprehensive presentation regarding the leading of God. It is simply a compilation of observations and conclusions regarding the leading of God in the book of Acts.

1. The leading of God may involve:
1. Waiting for indefinite periods of time.

The apostles are told to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit. They are not told how long they will have to wait. 1:4-8

Paul at the time of his conversion near Damascus was not told how long to wait in Damascus. For 3 days he waited while blind and not eating or drinking. 9:9

2. Human wisdom and decision making.

The selection of a replacement apostle for Judas was done through a human crafted screening process. The final selection was made through casting lots. 1:15-26

The Scripture merely says toward the end of Paul’s 3^rd missionary journey that he decided to go to Jerusalem. 19:21

3. Scriptures taken out of context.

Peter cites a Psalm as the basis of selecting an apostle to replace Judas. The Psalm he quotes is Ps 109:8 in which David is reciting the curses of his enemies against himself (Psalm 109:6-19). 1:15-26 (i.e. v.20)

4. A group.

The apostles as a group were told by an angel to preach at the temple. 5:17-21

The leaders of the church in Syrian Antioch were told to set aside Paul and Barnabas for the work God had for them. 13:1-3

5. The appearance of insanity.

The apostles are told by an angel to preach at the temple immediately after being jailed for preaching at the temple. The ones who jailed the apostles were the ones who had turned Jesus over to the Romans to be killed. 5:17-21

Paul is compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem where hardship and persecution awaits him. 20:22-23;21:4; 21:10-14

6. Pain.

The apostles were re-arrested and flogged for preaching again at the temple. 5:17-21

Paul and Silas go to Philippi in Macedonia as a result of a vision Paul had. There in Macedonia they were severely flogged and beaten with rods and thrown into the inner chamber of the jail and put in stocks. 16:9-10

7. Unanswered questions.

The angel told Philip to go to a road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. The angel did not specify where on the road he should go. 8:26-40

Paul, during his Damascus road conversion, was instructed to go into Damascus but was not told where in Damascus to go. 9:1-9

Cornelius, the Roman centurion, is told to send for the apostle Peter but is not told why to do this. 10:1-8

The leaders of the church in Syrian Antioch are told to set apart Paul and Barnabas for the work God has for them but the work was not defined. 13:1-3

Paul has a vision of a man in Macedonia begging for help. The vision does not instruct Paul to go there and does not specify which town in Macedonia to go to. 16:9-10

8. The appearance of being illogical.

Outstanding believers in Jerusalem were closer to the Ethiopian Eunuch who was in and south of Jerusalem than Philip who was north of Jerusalem. However, Philip was the one sent to the Eunuch to tell him about Messiah Jesus. 8:26-40

Philip was likely in Caesarea when Peter is told to go there to minister to Cornelius, the centurion. 10:1-23; 8:40 and 21:8

9. Multiple modes.

An angel of the Lord gave the initial instructions to Philip where to go. The Holy Spirit gave the final instructions to Philip of where to go. 8:26-40

Peter had a vision of unclean animals. The vision was followed by instructions by the Spirit. 10:9-23

10. Precise instructions.

Ananias is told precisely which house to go to in order to speak to Paul. 9:11

Paul is told to keep speaking in Corinth and that he would not be harmed. 18:9-11

11. Indirect and implied.

In a vision, Ananias is told of Saul’s dream in which he (Ananias) places his hands on Saul and heals his blindness. The implication is that Ananias should go and fulfill Saul’s dream. 9:12

12. Two or more people in two or more separate locations in concert (timing) for a single purpose.

Ananias and Paul were led of God independently and at about the same time in order to interact with each other according to the will of God. 9:1-16

Cornelius and Peter were led of God independently and at about the same time in order to interact with each other according to the will of God. 10:1-23

13. A riddle.

Peter is given a 3-fold vision of unclean animals being lowered from heaven and being told to eat them. He was puzzled by the vision but shortly afterward understood it to be in reference to Gentiles being declared clean by God. 10:9-23

14. Prevention of going a certain direction.

Paul and his companions are prevented from preaching the gospel in Asia and Bithynia. 16:6-7

15. A concept rather than technical accuracy.

Paul concludes from a vision of a man begging for help in Macedonia that they should go there. But their first ministry was to a group of women in Philippi. There is no evidence that Paul is in pursuit of finding the man that was in the vision. 16:9-10; 12-13

16. A personal aspect.

Paul is told in a vision to keep speaking in Corinth and he will not be harmed. 18:9-11

17. Believers with contradictory understandings.

Paul was compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem but believers along the journey to Jerusalem urged Paul by the Spirit not to go. 20:22-23;21:4; 21:10-14

18. A generality without specifics.

The Lord appears to Paul after being arrested in Jerusalem that he will testify of Him in Rome. No specifics are given. 23:11

19. Reinforcement along the way.

Paul was told that he would testify of Jesus in Rome (23:11). However, the ship that he is being transported on is caught in a storm and it appears that they will die on the sea. In this context an angel speaks to Paul in the storm and says that he will stand trial before Caesar and everyone’s life on the ship will be spared. 27:21-26

20. Circumstances that we have no control over.

The ship transporting Paul to Rome is caught in a severe storm for many days and is blown along for hundred’s of miles until it shipwrecks on the island of Malta. Malta is a tiny island in a wide expanse of sea at the southern tip of Italy…the perfect stopping place for turning northward to go to Rome. The people of Malta were friendly and receptive to the gospel. 28:1-10

2. God may lead us using:
1. A face-to-face encounter with Messiah Jesus. (1:4-8; 9:1-9; 23:11)
2. Scriptures (1:15-26)
3. A person’s wisdom (1:15-26)
4. Lots (1:15-26)
5. An angel of the Lord (5:17-21; 8:26-40; 10:1-8; 27:21-26)
6. The Holy Spirit (8:26-40; 10:9-23; 13:1-3; 16:6; 16:7; 19:21; 20:22-23;21:4; 21:10-14)
7. A vision (9:10-16; 10:1-8; 10:9-23; 16:9-10; 18:9-11)
8. A combination of a vision and an angel or the Lord or a person (9:10-16; 10:1-8; 16:9-10; 18:9-11)
9. Uncontrollable circumstances (28:1)

3. The one(s) being led of God is (are):
1. Devoted as disciples of Jesus. (1:4-8; 9:10-16 and 22:12; 10:9-23; 13:1-3)
2. Devoted to prayer. (1:15-26; 10:1-8)
3. Bold witnesses actively on the move for God to the point of being in danger. (5:17-21; 8:26-40; 10:9-23; 16:6, 7; 16:9-10; 18:9-11)
4. May be totally out of step with God. (9:1-9)
5. Gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly. (10:1-8)
6. Worshipping and fasting as a group. (13:1-3)

4. When God leads us to do something that is illogical, involves pain, or the appearance of foolishness, He will generally use a mode that is explicit and supernatural.

5. The one being led in Acts is generally a fully devoted follower of Messiah Jesus who is on the move in service to Him. The saying “God will not steer a parked car” is generally true in Acts.

6. The leading of God in Acts is generally associated (directly or indirectly) with the spread of the gospel.