In God We Trust

Introduction

Good morning. Phil, open your Bibles with me to Acts chapter 5. Acts the fifth chapter. I see a couple problems this morning. One of them is I don’t see Brother Rufus, and Brother Earl continues to be out, so someone’s going to need to pick up the Amen slack. Amen. We’ll work on that. Another problem I’ve seen recently, and I don’t know that you’d couch it as much as a problem, as whatever word I’ll let you define the situation as, is on Friday, the Supreme Court handed down a pretty landmark decision. That decision, of course, was to legalize in all 50 states of this United States of America homosexuality. That is, there is no marriage that does not include both male and female, as well as male and male and female and female as it stands at the time.

And as a reaction to that, social media went, of course, ablaze. There was rainbows everywhere. Somehow that movement has captured a covenant between God and man, the symbol that was to stand for us, and that is the symbol, perhaps, of the homosexual movement, the rainbow. So there’s all types of rainbow profile pictures and posts and companies are lining up to make different multicolored, or might we say, rainbow-colored designs to show their support for this benchmark decision. And what’s interesting is there’s also the Christian reaction. I, of course, on social media, see a lot of what Christians have to say, what Christians think, what Christians sometimes post without thinking by hitting that send button all too quickly. And what you see is a very mixed bag. And the truth is there is a mixed bag of political ideology.

There is the frame of mind that says the country has no business issuing marriage licenses anyway. There’s the frame of mind that says we need to be passing laws to avoid this lawless in respect to God’s law behavior. And the truth is, politically, within a certain framework, we as Christians can reach a number of different conclusions on that matter. The problem is if we have been distracted from the true issue, and that is there is spiritual lives at stake. And we’re instead battling the political ideology. You see, we have failed as Christians when we make our spiritual war into a war in our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C. into our politics. There’s nothing wrong with voting, with standing up for God’s law, but this is not a nation that truly trusts in God.

And yet, when you consider our money, I must think what Adam mentioned a few weeks ago. That putting a cat sign around a pig’s neck no more will make that thing meow than I will. See, a sign, a phrase, doesn’t mean anything if the actions don’t back it up. But what I’m concerned with is what is our responsibility here? What is the Christian reaction to this type of decision in this world and in this country where this ruling has come down? What are we to do? And what I want to see is do we trust in God? And if so, we can identify how. Look with me in verse 12 of Acts chapter 5. Now, many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles.

And they were all together in Solomon’s portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever, believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. And you see, this is an amazing story. You look at verse 14, and you see more than ever believers were added where? To the Lord. Multitudes of both men and women were added to the Lord.

1. Go, Stand, and Speak the Words of This Life

And this is a fantastic time, but of course, there has to be a wet blanket thrown upon it in verse 17. But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him, that is the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life. And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. And you see this amazingly happy but also frustratingly sad moment where there’s multitudes of believers are coming to the Lord. The message, the word of the Lord is being spread.

People are seeing it, the sick are coming. All are being healed. And then what happens to the apostles? They’re thrown in prison. Now it’s very quick that that’s referenced, but consider kind of the letdown that would be. We’re just making progress here. We’re rolling on all cylinders. But an angel of the Lord frees them. But what is the message in verse 20? What are they to do? They’re to go, stand, and speak. They’re to speak about the words of this life. That is eternal life. And you know who would have a problem with the life having to do with the resurrection? The Sadducees. The Sadducees believed there was no resurrection. How many times in Scripture? I counted at least four. In Matthew chapter 22, Mark chapter 12, Luke chapter 20, and Acts chapter 23, we see time and again, the Sadducees say there is no resurrection.

And so here are these men teaching this message that the council that they’re going to be put before clearly does not want them to be teaching. And we’re going to see that. Pick up the reading with me in the middle of verse 21. Now, when the high priest came and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the synod of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, we found the prison securely locked, and the guards standing at the doors. But when we opened them, we found no one inside. Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priest heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering, what would this come to?

And someone came and told them, Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the high priest questioned them, 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. The apostles, when freed from the prison, were to do what again? Go, stand, and speak. Where were they found? What were they found doing in verse 25? They were found standing in the temple and preaching. Teaching the people. What message were they teaching? Verse 28. In this name. They were teaching the name of Jesus. They had been told explicitly not to teach the name of Jesus. Peter and John had previously been before the council. They had been punished. They had most assuredly been strictly told, do not teach in this name.

Don’t put this man’s blood upon us. Don’t teach that we crucified the Christ. And what was their problem? Do you remember it all the way back in verse 17? They were filled with jealousy. What’s the problem? You see it in verse 26. Why couldn’t they bring them by force? Because they were afraid of the people. Peter and John and the Peter and the Apostles, excuse me. They were making an impact. They were making a difference.

2. Trust Like the Apostles: Obey God Rather Than Men

I want to consider this morning what is it like to trust like the apostles did? Let’s see how they responded in verse 29. But Peter and the Apostles answered, We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things. And so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him. When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. Do you see the problem with what the apostles were doing? They were right in front of the group, telling them, Do not teach this.

We told you not to. And what are they doing? Right in their face. Teaching that they will not back off the name of Jesus the Christ. In verse 34, but a Pharisee in the council named Gameliel, a teacher of the law, held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put them in outside for a little while. And he said to the men of Israel, Take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theodus rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about 400, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him.

He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone. For if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail. But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God. So they took his advice. And when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

What was it about these apostles? But they just didn’t get it. You see these leaders on this council? They were telling them quit it. Stand down, Peter. Stand down, apostles. This is not right. We will not stand for this. Did that stop the apostles? No. Immediately after being beaten in verse 41 and 42, what does the text say they were found doing? They did not cease teaching everywhere in the temple and from house to house. And what were they teaching? That Christ is Jesus. Jesus is the Christ. And that’s why in Acts chapter 4 and verse 12, it makes sense. You pair it with it. Look over there. It should be just a page over, if that in your Bibles. There is salvation in who else?

There is salvation in the name of no one else. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Where is this trust in God? Where is this trust in the Christ from? Well, they deliver that. Do you notice back in Acts chapter 5? Notice in verse 31. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. How did they know this? Verse 32, and we are witnesses to these things. They saw Jesus. They saw him resurrected, and so their faith would not be moved. Their trust in the Lord would not budge. And they had a faith in God that not only is God who he claims to be, but Jesus is as well.

3. A Wonderful, Powerful Picture of God

I want to examine that thought about God for a moment, though. Turn in your Old Testament to Isaiah chapter 40. You’re going to see a wonderful, beautiful, powerful picture of God. If you notice in Isaiah chapter 40, in verse 12, in beginning. In Isaiah chapter 40, in verse 12 beginning, we have a chapter in which God is being established as who he is. And he’s later going to be compared with idols and the folly of comparing the God of heaven with the idols of men. And you see in verse 12, who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span? And clothed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains and scales and the hills in a balance.

Who has measured the spirit of the Lord? Or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult? And who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice and taught him knowledge and showed him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket and are accounted as the dust on the scales. Behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. You see the wonderful, powerful picture in verse 12 of God? Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand? I don’t happen to know what percentage of this earth is comprised of water, but I do know that it is the vast majority. There’s more water than land. And so I want to consider for a moment that figuratively, in the Lord’s hand, in the hollow of his hand.

He measured the waters. Can you imagine that? One of the top NBA draft picks from this past week, when number three overall, his hands were huge. The kid is almost seven foot tall, so it makes sense that his hands are that large. So what they did to have some fun with it was they started putting normal sized objects in his hands, and you see how tiny they look. They put a football, a baseball. It looked like they were miniature versions because this man’s hands were huge. There was nothing on God there. You see, the apostles, and we likewise have our faith not in anything like man, nothing like idolatry, nothing like something that we can truly understand. Our God is so great that he cannot fail.

4. Trust in the Lord With All Your Heart

No one gives him counsel. Do you see that in verse 14? Whom did he consult? Who shares his wisdom with God? Who tells God, this is what I think? Let’s reason about this together. God is in charge. It is God’s plan that is what man needs. And God’s plan of salvation for men was always for Jesus the Christ to come to this earth to be crucified, to be put to death, and be risen from the dead, giving us a chance to live eternally in heaven if we trust in Him. I want to look at Proverbs chapter 3 for a moment. I want to discuss this idea of trust in God. What does it mean? We always sing trust and obey, for there is no other way.

We understand as a Christian, we need to put our trust in God. But what does it mean? In Proverbs chapter 3 and verses 5 and 6, you might know these. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path. And you see, what does it mean to do that? Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Trust that God knows what’s best. Don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him. Recognize God is behind everything. As Christians, God is our source of everything. This part cannot be overblown. This cannot be overdone. You see what Peter said in verse 29 of Acts chapter 5? We must obey God rather than men.

5. The World Doesn’t Need Legislation, It Needs Salvation

Why is that? Because God is eternal. And we better be careful that we cast our lot in with God instead of any other man. Any other religious system. And you’re probably thinking this is all very obvious. I know this. That’s why I’m here on Sunday morning. I don’t need to hear a lesson on this. I trust in the Lord. I know I need to trust in God no matter what. Do you know the world needs God? In Acts chapter 5, in verse 30. Peter says, The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. Verse 31 God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. When we talk about the U.S.

Supreme Court making its rulings, when we think about the degradation of society, we think about Philippians chapter 2, and we think, yeah, we live in a crooked and perverse generation. We need to be as lights in that. The world is just stricting from God. This country doesn’t trust in God. Brothers and sisters, the world doesn’t need legislation. It needs salvation. Brothers and sisters, we need to wake up and see. It doesn’t matter what Washington, D.C. says or does. It matters that God is. Jesus is the author. He is the source of our salvation. God’s plan was for us to have forgiveness of sins. Jesus carried it out. It’s time to seek that. Seek the Lord, not political ideologies. Our faith, our trust needs to be in God.

Not 90% in God and 10% in man, but 100% in the Lord. It’s not a catchphrase. It’s not an option. It’s everything. Do I trust in God? Can I say in God, I trust? For my family in God, we trust. The world needs God because he has salvation. We don’t need the Supreme Court. We need the Supreme Ruler. We don’t need the president. We need the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This is not an abandonment of our government. Brothers and sisters, we need to honor those who are elected. We need to pray for those who are in charge. And in this country, we have the right to vote for people who will help us turn to God. But whether the Supreme Court rules everything that aligns with what God has said or nothing with what God has said, we must obey God rather than men.

6. They Did Not Cease Teaching and Preaching

Our faith needs to be in the Lord. And what that carries with it is a significant responsibility. See, while it’s easy to get caught up and say the world’s just it’s heading, it’s heading down that broad path. We need to fight. We need to stop lamenting where the country was and start focusing on where all the lost souls are. You see, in verse 40, they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus. And they were let go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And I could talk here about how we should we should count it worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Christ, and that in the coming decades, if not before that, we might face persecution, we might face some sort of suffering or jail time, particularly those who are teaching things in light of this week on homosexuality.

But I want to focus on verse 42. And every day in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. And I have a question for you. Did I even start teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus? If I haven’t, what is my problem? If I trust in God, if what the world needs is salvation, there is no salvation in anyone else. There is no name under heaven that off that offers salvation other than Jesus the Christ. It is through him we have forgiveness of sins, and that means I need to tell everyone about it. I have an obligation not to go into a voting booth alone, but to stand on the street corners and turn to my fellow employee and tell him, have you heard the good news?

Jesus can forgive you of your sins. No law the United States or any country ever passes will forgive us of our sins. Only Jesus can do that. And we get all worked up and concerned over what the courts do, and it has an impact on our lives. I’m not ignorant of that. But what God offers and responding to Him, it’s everything. There is nothing else that matters if we are found without God. And that’s a fact. We must obey God rather than men. Verse 29. Think about all the things Peter and the apostles could have said, all the things they could have done.

Conclusion

They weren’t focused on making any sort of statement other than a statement of belief and of persistence that they will not stop teaching that Jesus is the Christ. I said before that the world needs salvation, not legislation. The world needs Christians shining their light, not lamenting the dark. We can make a huge difference in mass quantities in the voting booth. But can I tell you that we can make a more lasting, a truly important difference by talking to people about Christ. Where is the fervor? Where is our