As the early Christian church began to grow in leaps and bounds, the existing religious establishment reacted quite negatively to the good news of the Gospel. Acts 5:12-42 tells the story of the increasing tension and of how the apostles responded to the rising persecution. How is this passage relevant to religious freedoms in our own time? What can this passage teach us about the honor of being dishonored for the sake of the name of Christ?
Sermon Notes
1. The apostles were proclaiming the Gospel
2. God was confirming the Gospel
3. The religious establishment opposed the Gospel
4. Gamaliel became pragmatic about the Gospel
“The blows of the enemies’ rods engraved God’s promise on the apostles’ hearts and, without pausing, they pursued the task that their Lord had given them. All the time (every day) and everywhere (in the temple and from house to house) they incessantly proclaimed the good news that Jesus is the Christ, who gives repentance, forgiveness, and eternal life to those who believe.”
Dennis E. Johnson
“This is the difference between them (the law and the gospel): the law says ‘Do this’; the gospel says ‘Christ has done it all.’ The law requires works of human achievement; the gospel requires faith in Christ’s achievement. The law makes demands and bids us obey; the gospel brings promises and bids us believe.”
John Stott