Pastor's Sermon

Rejoicing in Suffering – Acts 5:28-42

2^nd Sunday of Easter – April 19, 2020

Grace, Mercy & Peace . . . Dear Homebound Easter People

Encourage you to open your Bible to God’s Word from Acts 5 esp. v. the last 2 verses ⁴¹ Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. ⁴² And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Intro: How are you doing? It’s tough!

• The coronavirus is closer to home and growing in our county (but so are the recoveries)
• Restrictions continue. When will they end?
• We want to get out! (Maybe the cloudy & cold days this last week made it easier, but today. . .)
• We want to be here in church with you, Pastor! (And I deeply miss you and want you here too, although I can picture & do pray for each of you, pew by pew.)
• We want to gather with family, friends, Brothers & Sisters in Christ. We want that fellowship meal.

Today, just 1 week after Easter we look at the early Christians,

• maybe a few months after Easter and then Pentecost.
• The church is growing by leaps & bounds.
• God is doing great miracles in & through them
• But, it is not perfect
• Ananias & Sapphira

Persecution

• Jealous high priest & Sadducees
• Apostles jailed – again
• An angel releases them with instructions to return to the Temple to teach “all the words of this Life” [about Jesus]
• In short those who killed Jesus are “enraged and wanted to kill them” too
• Later we’re told “they beat them. . .”

Starting a couple verses before: And the high priest questioned them, ²⁸ saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” ²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹ God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

• Their response? As stated, “they were enraged and wanted to kill them”
• Gamaliel intervenes with great advice “. . . if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”
• So “they beat them and charged them not to speak in the Name of Jesus”

Now we’re ready for today’s theme, Rejoicing in Suffering

Key verses: ⁴¹ Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. ⁴² And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

What Happened?

• They were Easter people – “We are witness to these things”
• They were Pentecost people – “and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given. . .”
• John 20:20 “The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.”
• They were restored and empowered

What happens to us?

St. Peter later wrote, “of Jesus Christ. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹ obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

• We ARE Easter people – we have heard & believe the “witness to these things”
• They are first hand accounts that can be trusted
• We are Pentecost people – received the Holy Spirit in our baptisms

We can Rejoice in Suffering

• Not that same as the apostles & early Christian – not being jailed & beaten
• Face the trials & persecutions of our day – feel jailed
• Know that God is & remains in control
• Judge’s ruling that if you can have beer you can have Easter
• Can’t currently go “from house to house”
• We can in and from our houses “not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.”
• Stay in His Word each day
• Pray for each other
• Know that this time will pass – eventually
• Then can rejoice all the more as we gather again.

And the Peace of God . . .