At first glance, this passage of scripture seems to be yet another
account of the apostles getting caught preaching the gospel, thrown in prison,
and miraculously being freed by God’s power—to be able to go on
and preach the gospel. While this chapter in Acts does present us with that
type of plotline, the story is much deeper than that.
Read through the passage a few times—do you see the swirl
of emotions in the text? The people involved in this story are: jealous, passionate,
confused, dumbfounded, perplexed, apprehensive, afraid, guilt-ridden, uncomfortable,
determined, convicted. The list could go on, if you spend enough time reading
this encounter between the religious authorities in Jerusalem and Jesus’
apostles. The people in this story are very real in their feelings, actions,
and beliefs. Where else can you hear the high priest interrogate the apostles,
accusing the followers of Jesus of trying to place Jesus’ blood on the
religious authorities’ hands (that is a thought)?
In the midst of the emotions, we see the steadfast presence
of God. Jesus just will not go away. No matter what the religious establishment
tries to do--including killing Him--Jesus is always there. Intimidation, threats,
imprisonment, orders—nothing stops the gospel of Jesus Christ from spreading
all around them. They are powerless, and clueless, to stop it. They have taken
on the God of the Universe, trying to pin Him down with their twisted version
of His own rules. It just will not work.
To focus on the apostle’s is easy enough in this passage:
they have been told by Jesus to spread the news, they face persecution, Jesus
empowers them to live through it and glorify Him. We would like to see ourselves
in their place, the honorable martyrs for the sake of Jesus Christ. Perhaps
some of us truly fit this description, but more often than not, we are more
like the religious authorities than the apostles.
You do not have to be a high priest, pastor, board member, or
Sunday School teacher to be one of the “religious authorities.”
Recent conversions, spiritual experiences, or new-fangled ideas about church
are also not required. The first on the list of required characteristics of
the religious authority: control.
Notice verse 17, the high priest and all his crew were “filled with
jealousy” because of what God was doing through the apostles (NRSV).
The people whose lives were wrapped in the business of God, were jealous of
God’s movement through others lives. Why? God and the apostle’s
were not playing by the rules. If everyone followed the rules, the authorities
had control over life, people, situations . . . ultimately God.
God, however, does not play that way. God’s rules will
not be used against Him. God is not helpless when humans start spouting rules,
laws, and promises in God’s face (remember God’s chat with Job,
God was clear about His place).
Through the obedience of the apostles, we see the persistence
of God. God just will not go away. The grace and love of God spreads through
communities, towns, and villages. Jealousy can’t stop God. Prison can’t
stop God. Fear can’t stop God. Orders can stop God. Our attempts to
control God with our religious rule can’t stop God.
What are we to do? As humans, we naturally gravitate to the
orderly, controlled, predictable world. The unknown is terribly frightening.
The mysterious is allusive. God can’t be pinned down like the exotic
butterfly on display.
We can embrace the grace of God or we can allow fear to trap
us. Undoubtedly the apostles were, at least a bit, apprehensive about imprisonment,
guards, religious authorities that kept obstructing their mission to share
Jesus Christ with the world. The apostles, however, followed the persistent
God who continued to call them to share the good news.
(For the full manuscript of this sermon
go to www.preachersmagazine.org and click on “Sermons.”)
One of the exciting pieces of preaching is the different perspectives
the preacher can use to share God’s word. As many characters are in
the scripture passage are the number of places a preacher can stand to proclaim
the good news. In this particular passage the obvious places to stand are
the religious authorities and the apostles. Beyond those two, however, are
a multitude of places to stand and share the gospel: High priest, Sadducees,
apostles, Peter, Angel of the Lord, Council/body of Elders of Israel, Temple
police, prison guards, captain of the Temple guards, “someone”
(messenger to the authorities), the people at the Temple, and Trinity (God,
Son, Spirit).
What would each one of these people have to say about this situation
in Acts 5? How does what the prison guard experience, convey what God is telling
us here? What could the messenger’s observations tell us about the persistence
of God and the obedience of the apostles?
Once you have immersed yourself in this passage, take some time to see through the eyes of the various people involved in this passage. Allow God to communicate to you through the difference experiences and perspectives of this gospel message. As you look through other’s eyes, you’ll be surprised at how God shares with you and your congregation His grace.
