God Is In Control

Acts 4:23-31

• The Roman Empire was the biggest, most prominent, powerful, prosperous nation in the history of the world. The citizens lived relatively lavish lifestyles. They had multiple religions, multiple spiritualities, multiple gods, multiple goddesses. Their values included tolerance and diversity. They had widespread sexual sin. Homosexuality was very popular. Bisexuality was very popular. Adultery within marriage was common. They also had child sacrifice where if they didn’t like the baby, they would kill it. Sound Familiar? Yeah they are Americans! 
• Their culture just like our culture is against Christianity. Persecution is rising, A headwind against Christianity is starting to blow.  

Acts 4:23-31

Context/Story

• The Story So Far. Jewish carpenter raised from the dead. Appears to hundreds of people, Ascends into heaven, a week later, a tornado shows up in the room with God’s people and tongues of flame allow them to speak in other languages.  Thousands convert to Christianity.  Then, the followers of the carpenter heal a cripple,  They get up, talk about the Jewish carpenter again, and 5000 more convert to Christianity.  The authorities step in and arrest them for healing the cripple, they threaten them, but then have to let them go.
• We are going through this story with our future in mind.  This service is not just for entertainment. We aren’t looking at the early church for the fun of it.  We are looking into the scriptures to see what It can tell us about our present and our future.  What are you and I supposed to look like individually?  What are we supposed to look like corporately?  Are you going to be faithful? Is Celebration Church going to be faithful to what we find within these pages?  I hope so.  

God is Sovereign

• “Sovereign Lord” 
  • Although they had just been before the highest authority in the land, they refused to bow to man. But once they get home, we see who is truly on the throne of their lives.  They bow the knee and pray.
    • The Lord is God, the One worthy of adoration and highest submission.  
    • Creator of all things (sun, moon, stars, emotions, time, circumstances)
  • Acts 1:7 – He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
  • Acts 1:16a – Brothers the scripture had to be fulfilled
    • God has a clear plan. (wait until the spirit comes, Casting lots for the replacement of Judas)
  • Acts 2:23 – this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
    • Peter brings up several OT prophecies Jesus fulfilled. (The lord added to their number)
  • Acts 3:18 – what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.
  • Acts 4:27-28 – for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
  • Here is how sovereignty works.  Some of you might be confused on this point of theology.  Here is what you need to know.  The Bible says that we are responsible for our own actions.  But God uses those evil actions for His purposes.
    • When we sin, we do things that God does not condone.  He is not the author of sin.  He is not in favor of sin.  But when we do those things. God uses them as a part of His predestined plan.  God takes bad things, and turns them into good things.  
  • • “How does this work?”  I don’t know.  
      • I have a 3 pound fallen brain that had a 2.7 gpa.   
      • When the Bible says, “Who has known the mind of the Lord?” I am not raising my hand.  
      • But what I do know is that when you sin, it is your fault.  When I sin, It is my fault.  But God is so awesome, that He uses my sin and your sin for good.  God doesn’t cause sin.  But He uses sin in His sovereign plan.  
• Apply
  • When tough times come, do you trust in, or doubt the sovereignty of God? 
    • It is easy for us to trust the sovereignty of God when things are going well.  But when things are turning in a negative direction, do you question Him? 
    • Circumstances are sovereign
      • this is all not going to work out for my good because it’s a big, complicated situation. (Medical Diagnosis, Stock Market Losses)
    • Other people are Sovereign
      • Someone else is in control.  They have the wheel, not me.  They are calling the shots.  I am just being dragged behind it all.  They don’t care about me.  They are in it for themselves. And I am helpless.
    • How can I get sovereign?
      • I need to be in charge.  I’ll take the reins of my own life. I’m making the plan now.  I’ll store away for retirement, I’ll check the reviews and get the safest car imaginable.  I’ll get all the best insurance, and Diversify my portfolio.  I’ve got a plan, and I’ll execute my plan and I have 17 backup plans so I will never be caught off guard again.  I will be Sovereign. 
    • Circumstances aren’t in control, People aren’t in control, you aren’t in control.  He is in control. Trust Him.  He is worthy of Your Trust

Enemies Plot In Vain

• • The Church is Growing
    • Acts 2 – People start speaking in different languages, Peter gets up and preaches, 3000 people come to Christ.
    • Acts 4 – Lame guy gets healed, No deductible, no co-pay.  Peter once again gets up and preaches, and 5000 people come to Christ.
      • That number may have only been the men!
      • And every day more people are being added by God.  But the enemy isn’t happy with that.
  • The Opposition Growing
    • as the church moves forward, it does so in an increasingly strong headwind of opposition.
    • Whenever the church grows, the opposition will grow accordingly.  This is a universal truth.  People getting saved? Enemies will arise.  People getting baptized? Expect to see resistance.  Church is growing?  Expect the enemy to be trying to stop it.
      •  All of this is against God.  
    • Psalm 2:1-6 – Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?  2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”  4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
    • Gentiles rage and plot IN VAIN.  Why? Because God is in control
      • No amount of kings, or rulers could succeed against the Lord and His anointed.
        • Acts will continue on until Christ is confronting the emperor himself.  (He wins by the way when in 312 AD emperor Constantine is converted and within 10 years, all of Rome becomes a Christian empire.)
        • Herod, Pontius Pilate, Vladimir Putin, Osama Bin Laden, Kim Jong Un, or any of the rest. God Laughs at their attempts, and in His timing, wipes them off the playing board.
  • Apply
    • Opposition will arise in this church.  Don’t be surprised.  Don’t be alarmed.  Don’t be angry.  People will try to divide us.  Satan will try to disrupt us.  enemies will try to harm us.  Our job is to be faithful to the word. Be faithful to the mission.  Be faithful to one another.  And God will take care of the rest.  We stay on God’s side, and the enemies of God will plot in vain.  

• Opposition will not stand forever.

• • • David in the psalms – Came into the house of the lord and discerned their end.

Allies Can Speak Boldly

• • Vs – 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
    • Did you notice what they didn’t ask for?  They didn’t ask for the threats to stop.  They didn’t ask for the persecution to end.  They didn’t say, “God, get rid of our trial, get rid of our trouble, get rid of our tribulation.”
      • They didn’t pray for anything out there to change at all.  They prayed for everything in “here” to change.
    • Bold preaching requires a work of the Holy Spirit.  
      • The Disciples in the garden all ran like cowards.
      • Peter on the night of Jesus’ death denied Christ when confronted by a little girl.

• Peter on the day of Pentecost

• Prove
  • 2 Timothy 1:7-8a – for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord
• Apply
  • The Importance of Community
    • Peter and John “went to their friends”  Good friends are hard to come by in our society.  We have a lot of superficial relationships, we have a lot of online relationships.  But we don’t have a lot of real close friendships that we cultivate.  I think it was a good thing that they had good friends before their trial came.  Might I encourage you to get your friends before your trial comes?
      • What I find at Celebration Church, is oftentimes, people will ignore Christian community.  They won’t get involved in a Celebration Group, they won’t pursue church membership, they won’t get relationally connected with God’s people. And then something happens and they just disappear.  Their relationship with God suffers.
      • I see them, 6 months later, and I ask, “hey how are you? Where have you been?”  and they say, “well I am really struggling.  I am going through some tough stuff, I haven’t prayed or read my bible in 6 months, I should really get back into church” 
        • This isn’t a rebuke, this is an invitation into Christian fellowship.  Get connected. Join us.  Don’t slip in and slip out of church.  Stay after build friendships!
  • Who Does the Lord want you to speak boldly to?
    • Friend, Neighbor, Co-worker, Family member?  Pray first, seek his boldness, you probably don’t have it in yourself.  That’s okay.

Don’t Look for The Miracle (Conclusion)

• • The passage concludes with a miracle.  
    • They pray, and the house they are in goes through a mini earthquake.  Does God still do stuff like this? He can, but he doesn’t have to.  Part of being sovereign means that you get to do what you want.  It is one of the perks.  We don’t get to demand Miracles from God. But if we are faithful, and are doing His will, and are active in His mission, of sharing Jesus.  God just might do something miraculous.  I know it doesn’t happen a lot.  That’s why they call them miracles and not Mondays.  But sometimes, when God wants to, It happens.  

• Don’t be searching for the miracle.  Search for the Miracle worker.

• • • • Gospel – Come to Jesus, come to the Son.  Come be reconciled to god.  Let go of the reigns and submit to His sovereignty, Take His gift, become a follower, And speak boldly His great name.