Obeying God in Persecution
Acts - Witnesses To the Ends of The Earth
Acts 5:12-42
The Holy Spirit directs God's people to obey through the barriers of persecution. (2Tim 3:12)
1. God's People Thrive & Overcome Obstacles By The Holy Spirit | v.5-15
- 2Cor 5:17. Lives are transformed
- Religious people are always jealous of new life in Jesus Christ. v. 17-18
- What barriers are you experiencing in your life? How does the Lord want to set you free to serve him?
2. God's People Know What To Do And Are Faith-Filled By The Holy Spirit | v.19-26
- What do we do? v. 19-21
- What do we do? Acts 2:37; 5:24, 26 (fear)
- Religious people do not know what to do and our fearful.
- Are you living in fear and do not know what to do?
3. God's People Teach The Truth And Deal With Their Guilt | v.27-32
- v. 28 given strict orders not to teach. The disciples filled Jerusalem with gospel teaching and brought conviction of sin.
- v. 31 – repentance and forgiveness of sins.
- Religious people are false teachers and deny their guilt.
- Is there teaching from the word of God that is convicting you? Why have you not responded? John 14:15
4. God's People Obey The Lord Rather Than Compromise | v.29-37
- Why is there to be no compromise with God's people? v. 30, 31,32.
- The intervention of Gamaliel by the Lord. v. 33-37
- The Lord works things out in his ways and in his time.
- Is there compromise in your life?
5. God's People Will Not Fight Against The Lord | v.38-42
- The religious will fight against the Lord.
- Human origins fail. v. 38
- When God originates, ministry thrives. v. 39, 28, 40
- Violence is the response of the religious. v. 40
- They praised God and kept proclaiming the good news. v. 41-42
- Are you fighting against the Lord?
The Holy Spirit directs God's people to obey through the barriers of persecution.