The Fruit of Fearing God

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Let's pray together.

Let's pray together, church.

Lord, thank you that all debts are canceled.

That means that you didn't just forgive us, you took away our sin.

Sin no longer has power over us, it no longer has to be a part of our life.

So the recipe that you're cooking up for us does not involve an ingredient called sin.

So we've been forgiven, set free, uh, delivered from the domain of darkness, brought into the kingdom uh of light, and life begins with you.

Life begins, life, capital L begins with you.

Until then, we're just existing, we're taking vacations, we're eating good Mexican food, we're having good things to drink with our Mexican food, but we're not really experiencing life.

This Zoe existence of life, real and genuine and deeply consequential.

The thing that everyone looks at us that works with us and says, please be consistent.

Give me the hope that there's something more than what I'm doing right now.

So, Lord, this is our holy privilege today.

We're gonna open up the scripture and Lord, would you just illuminate what's there for let us see?

Just pull back the curtain and give us more revelation than we deserve so we can be transformed, so we can be changed from glory to glory to glory.

So the more people watch us, the more their appetite gets wetted for this life that begins with a capital L.

Not existence, Lord, but power and glory.

This is our prayer.

We prayed in Jesus' name, and everyone said, Amen, amen.

You can have a seat.

If you got a Bible, I invite you to take it up to uh and open it up to Acts chapter 5.

Acts 5 · chapter mention

Acts chapter 5.

Acts 5 · chapter mention

I'll start reading verse 12.

When I talked to you this morning about the fruit of fearing God, the fruit of fearing God.

We talk about the fear of God like it's a bad thing, uh, but the Bible talks about the fear of God like it's a really good thing.

Like it says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

It says in Isaiah 33 that the fear of the Lord is a strong, it's a storehouse of wisdom and knowledge and power.

And so the Bible puts a high value on fearing God, not like being afraid, but understanding his capacity and nature such that you make some corrections in your life, more about awe and reverence, and it does have a little bit of a dread to it.

And so I want to pick up, I'll start reading verse, actually verse 11.

Uh, it's kind of the end of where Leo left off last week because I want you to understand uh everything now.

It's a long section of scripture that I'm gonna read, but I'll break it into sections.

Like I'll read a short section, then I'll uh I'll talk about that, and then we'll go on to the next section.

But I want to just read verse 11 so you can understand the context of what happened.

Verse 11 says, and great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Now, what are these things?

If you weren't here last week, Leo preached about Ananias and Sapphira, the section right above this, a man, husband and wife, Ananias and Sapphira.

The church was taken off.

People were sacrificing, making great sacrifices.

A man named Joseph sold some land, put it at the apostle put the money at the apostles' feet, and said, You know what?

Do what you want with this.

Ananias and Sapphira sold some land.

Now the Bible's clear.

You can go back and read, check me on this.

Like, hey, use your land.

You could have, you could have done what you wanted with.

You could have kept all of it, you could have given some to the church, but they sold some land and they came and put it at the apostles' feet.

They could have done anything with the money.

What they could not do was lie to the Holy Spirit, which is exactly what they did.

Because they let's just say they sold the land for 100,000.

They put 50,000 now at the apostles' feet.

They said, Is this what you sold the land for?

Oh, yes.

We're we're big sacrificers.

No, you're not, you're big liars.

And God killed that man and woman.

Uh He put them in a JB 1.5, rolled them up, and smoked those fools.

Yeah, there's only certain people who understand what I just said right there.

And I'll see you after the service, you sinners.

Uh, anyway, because we're like, oh, I don't like a God that kills people.

Hey, hey, listen, you cannot tell God how to demonstrate his nature.

He killed them, okay?

And we don't talk about that enough in the church, which is why we don't fear God in America anymore.

Because when you you stop being offended when you understand the nature of God and your nature, what you're capable of, you you'll no longer, I don't like a God.

My God's a God of love.

You'll be saying, it's a wonder he ain't killed us all.

Okay?

And so God smoked them people, and great fear breaks out upon all those who heard of these things.

I mean, fear broke out on them.

This is why you see what you see after that, the fruit of fearing God.

Let me just read the first section, verses uh uh 12 to 16.

It says, 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, and none of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem.

And more than ever, believers were added to the Lord, uh, multitudes of both men and women.

Here, verse 14 again.

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, and at least 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.

Now, the first fruit uh that you see of fearing God is just conversion.

It's conversion.

That's what you see in this section.

And more than verse 14, and more than ever believers were being added to the Lord.

Now, they've already in the book of Acts so far, they had a day where 3,000 people came to faith.

They had another day where 5,000 people come to faith, and now great fear has broken down on these people, and now more than ever, believers were added to the Lord.

So it's some number more than 5,000.

And it's important we understand what we mean here when we say conversion, because I think we've confused conversion uh with with agreement.

You can agree with everything the Bible says, you can agree with a set of biblical principles, you can agree with some biblical truth and never actually experience conversion.

Okay?

And so be careful that you don't come, you can this is what we do in the American church.

We like to agree and we even like to appreciate, but but but that's not what conversion is.

Notice it says they were added to the Lord, they didn't just join the church.

You see, there's a difference in the two, and you really see it as your kids get older.

Uh, you realize that you cannot create, when your kids get to be adolescent, 15, really about 16, they get car keys and mobility, and they don't need the youth group to socialize anymore.

And so then you begin to see parents that I can't really create a desire for spiritual things in my uh late adolescent children or my early adult children.

I cannot manage their behavior.

And one thing you have to be confronted with, or you are confronted with, whether you face it or not, admit it or not, is my kid might have just been joined the church but never been converted.

Because I don't I don't see the fruit of the spirit being produced in them.

And we'll talk about that more in just a little bit.

And often, let me just let me just go first.

Oftentimes the church is to blame because of the way the church does things, for because people are never confronted with their separation from God and the holiness of God and the sinfulness of humanity.

The church has become a well-oiled machine that produces converts who don't live the Christian life.

And they're not converts, they just agreed.

They just played along.

Michael Lawrence said he wrote a little man wrote a book called Conversion.

And in the book, he says this about the church and our methods.

He says, too often our confessional theology says one thing, while our practical theology says something else.

We say that regeneration makes us new creatures in Christ, but then we teach our kids a moralism that atheists could duplicate.

We say that Christianity is about a trusting relationship with Jesus, but then we treat it like checking a box on a decision card.

We say that only the Holy Spirit transfers a person from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, but then we employ marketing tools used for getting someone to switch brands of toothpaste.

Again and again, what we claim in our doctrinal statements about conversion doesn't match what our churches practice or their ministry models.

So it shouldn't surprise us that our kids end up being something less than Christian.

That is that is an indictment upon the American church.

Now, I I'm proud to say it, and not in the negative sense of proud, but we work hard for that not to be true here.

We don't do that.

That's why I told you earlier we don't do uh guilt and manipulation and pressure because we don't need to manufacture some number so we can keep up with the Joneses.

We're not about that, we're about doctrinal integrity and a fidelity to the text.

Now, the difference in between conversion and agreement, one makes you nice and one makes you new.

The church makes you nice.

You ever notice how nice church people are?

They're just nice.

They'll lie to your bold face, they're just nice.

They got certain sins, aren't you?

Lying's not a sin anymore.

I mean, they just listen things because you're just nice.

Oh yeah.

No, oh, sure.

No one says when you meet somebody say, This is my fiancee.

No one says, Really?

I think this is a huge mistake right here, bro.

You better back this up and think about it.

No, we're just nice.

We just smile and go, but I'm gonna pray for you guys, and then you'll walk off and talk about them instead of talking to them.

You're nice.

Church makes you nice, God makes you new.

There's a big difference in the two.

And again, Michael Lawrence from his book Conversion, he says, nice is based on three ideas.

Number one, an optimistic view of human beings.

You ever say to your kids, hey, why does my spirit man get punchy when your friends come over?

And your kids are like, Oh no, dad, you're just being a jerk.

My man, they're good people.

No, they have this optimistic view of human beings, they can't admit reality.

Secondly, nice is based on this, a domesticated view of God.

Well, my God's a God of love, he would never kill anybody.

You've clearly never read the Bible.

Your God is not the God of the Bible, and here's the other part that means you're not a Christian.

If your God is not the God of the Bible, and he's not as terrible and ferocious and to be feared as the God of the Bible, you are not a Christian, friend.

Because you don't worship this God.

And I'm not hating you right now, I'm loving you.

Because this God, He He's to be feared, and He doesn't demand it, He just shows up and He gets it.

Here's the third thing.

Uh, nice is based on this third idea of view of religion as a means of moral self-reform.

A kid that come through our student ministry, he and I are having lunch one day.

And I said, Well, so tell me about your faith.

How's your faith kind of shaping the way you do life?

And he said, I don't know what you mean.

And I said, What do you mean you don't mean?

I mean, how is how is your Christianity acting upon you to make you somebody you just by nature couldn't be?

And his response after a few awkward minutes of silence was, Well, you know the thing I love about Christian about Christianity, it makes me look good in the eyes of my friends.

And I said, I don't think you understand what Christianity is, bro.

And then he wants to have lunch with Pastor Sunshine anymore.

I don't know why, but I was just like, just hear that again.

The thing I love about Christianity is it makes me look good in the eyes of my other private school friends.

You think that's what Jesus died for?

You think God reduces his kingdom agenda down to making you look good to some other people who who may or may not know God?

Really?

Wow, you got two problems, my man.

You think way too much of yourself and you think way too little of God.

See, what you see here in Acts is that people are actually converted to the Lord.

They're not convinced to join a church because they got a youth group that's dynamic and happening, going to take taking you on cool experiences until you get keys and can get out of here.

They don't come to the church to help them manage their family or fix their marriage.

They want truth, not just relief.

You got to ask yourself, which one of those drives my behavior?

Do I want truth or do I want relief?

The first fruit of fearing God you see in Acts 5 is conversion.

The second one is that this life gets taught.

This life gets taught.

I'm gonna read the second section.

It starts in verse 17.

He says, But the high priest rose up after this.

I mean, they're bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

And by the way, do not miss the fact, I don't have time to preach this, that this is Peter.

Remember Peter who swore he didn't deny Jesus?

So if you've ever just put it in the ditch and screwed up and just thought, well, I'm one and done, you don't get to say that if you're really born again.

If you have the Spirit of God in you, if you have the life of Christ that's being reproduced in you by the Holy Spirit, you can't be one and done.

Peter royally drove it off the cliff.

And here he is, and people are dragging their crippled auntie and putting her in the street so a shadow may just fall over them.

And so don't excuse yourself because God hasn't dismissed you yet.

Get yourself sorted and get back in the game.

But what I mean, this life gets taught.

But the high priest, verse 17, 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 public prison.

Uh but during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the prison's 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 they began to teach.

Now, when the high priests came and those who were with them, they called together the council and 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 we, when we opened them, opened the doors, 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 this could 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.

Let me ask you this question: Who breaks out of jail just to go to church?

These morons.

You see, they don't want relief, they just want opportunity.

They don't want to get out of jail and we're headed off into Mexico or Canada.

No, they just want to say, hey, go and proclaim all the words of this life.

When I say this life gets taught, notice in verse 20 that life is capitalized because it refers to a specific way of being, of living that only comes from a genuine conversion experience with Jesus.

And this is what gets produced in you.

It is Zoe, not bios.

It's two Greek words for life.

Bios is just biological existence.

I go to college, I take 14 hours, I work out, I got a girlfriend, I go to Bible study, blah, blah, blah, blah.

It's just existing, it's just life.

Nothing wrong with that if you go to college.

Don't be so shallow and you're thinking like, oh, Pastor Dill making fun of God's people.

No, I'm saddened if you come to believe that's the life that Jesus came for you to have, or that's the life they preached about in the book of Acts.

It's not.

That's just biological existence.

This is the Greek word Zoe.

And I'm never gonna tire of reminding you of this because all through when I preach to the Gospel of John, I just beat this drum all the time.

Every time it came up, I put the definition on the screen of what Zoe life is.

Why?

Because this is how you know who is actually converted.

The Holy Spirit does not take up residence in you to forgive you for what you've always done and give you permission to keep doing it.

No, sir, no ma'am.

The Holy Spirit, you are converted.

The Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you and empowers you.

Actually, he lives this capital L life through you.

This is the gospel.

This is how you know God.

It's not, did you pray a prayer?

No, is the life of Christ being manifested in you?

Is this Zoe life being manifested in you?

Or you're doing the same things you've always done, but except now you have a built-in forgiveness clause.

Not Christianity.

No wonder you're anxious, no wonder you're depressed, no wonder you're sad, no wonder you're down on church.

You've never been a part of it, you've never tasted and seen that the Lord is good ever in your life.

What I mean by Zoe, this life.

Here's the definition for the word capital L life.

It refers to the absolute fullness of life.

Remember Jesus, John 10, 10, I'm come so you can have life and have it to the full.

If you could have life to the full, Jesus would have never come.

If you and I could have life to the full apart from him, Jesus would have never come.

I'm not saying you can't have happy moments, you can't have moments where you think this is ecstatic, but there will be this gnawing itch in your soul that says, something's missing, and I can't buy it, and I can't seem to find it.

That's a gift from God.

That's not hate, that's love.

That's the Holy Spirit saying, Yeah, giddy, giddy, giddy, giddy.

We got a cat at my house.

It's not my cat.

I got a cat, which I didn't want in the first place, but I'm married and got kids, so I got a cat.

And now another cat has come to our garage and eaten my food.

And the two women that are here with me for the summer are like, We're gonna make that cat our pet.

I'm like, I got a BB gun, says you don't.

Don't tell them that, but anyway, that's why when the cat sees me, he just takes off running.

And they're like, Yeah, kitty, they just put out food, they move the food deeper in the garage.

Now the cat's getting comfortable.

Now it sleeps in our flower bed, and I'm just like, another day I was looking at that cat, and the Holy Spirit clears a bell said, That's what you were like.

You were wild and untrusting, but I wooed you and won you.

So put the BB gun up.

And so I had to bear down, Lord, the devil's trying to get me not to practice wildlife conservation.

No, here's the thing.

I brought you a couple of visuals.

I want you to help you understand.

It's like if you went to work for a company and they said, Hey, by the way, you got this is your salary.

We contribute to your 401k, we have a matching, we got full benefits, you get a cell phone siping, and you get a company truck.

And not just a company truck, but this is gonna be the company truck you're gonna drive.

This is a 20, oh yeah.

When I saw this, whoa, I had to read the Ten Commandments all over again.

Thou shalt not covet your neighbor's possessions.

Uh, this is a 2023 GMC Denali, heavy duty 2500 pick 202,500.

This bad boy's got a 12-inch display screen in it.

This thing will go anywhere.

This is your company truck.

We're gonna put the logo on the driver's and passenger side doors, but you get to drive this for free, and you get a company gas card.

What would you think if that's what your boss said to you?

Would you be like, shut your entire face?

Absolutely.

But, see, this is the life, capital L.

But they hired someone, and a guy looked at that and said, you know what?

That's nice and everything.

You know those side mirrors have a defroster on them, they defrost themselves.

The more I read about it, the more covetous I got.

I had to stop.

I had to, oh no, no, no.

So they hired John.

John's like, oh man, that's all nice and everything.

I appreciate that and everything, but uh, I'd rather drive my car.

Here's my car, says John.

Most of you don't even know what this is, do you?

This is a 1976 gremlin with a denim package on the inside.

The seats, this is called the denim gremlin.

And John says, hey, listen, I'm just gonna spray paint the company logo on the side, and I'll drive this, and I got some bungee cords, and I'm gonna strap a ladder to the top, and I'm gonna pull up to the construction side in this bad boy.

Because this is what I prefer.

And meanwhile, God is kind of going, go back to the other picture, please.

And God, this is what you prefer, John?

Here's the problem.

This is what I provide.

And so this is what I provide, and you're gonna live in what you prefer.

Tell me how I should respond to that, John.

This is Zoe.

Go back to the other picture, please.

This is bias with your denim seat covers that you can wash, not making that up.

It's called the denim gremlin.

1976.

Yes, yes.

And basically, what God is saying is, I don't want you representing me in this.

Maybe he knows something about himself, you don't.

This life also involves things we see in this section of scripture like jealousy, verse 17.

They were jealous, they weren't mad, they weren't threatened, they were jealous because the people responded to this life message more than they did the message of death that comes from religion.

And these people were like, we gotta kill these people.

Not only people were jealous, but verse 18, they threw them in prison.

In this life, look at me, in this capital L life, you're gonna experience hardship.

Not everybody's gonna like you.

They're not, you're not gonna get ass out, girls.

High school's gonna be lonely.

Early college is probably gonna be a little bit of the same.

Because you gotta ask yourself, do I wanna do I wanna live this capital L life?

Or do I just want to live this little small L?

Just hey, hey, you like me, don't you?

I'm I'll do whatever you want.

You sure?

Yeah.

You're gonna get put in prison.

Yeah.

You can't preach the gospel without getting in trouble, so just get in trouble and leave the results of God.

Because here's another thing that happens.

I experience deliverance.

Verse, verse, verse 19.

Deliverance.

It says an angel of the Lord.

Now, a lot of biblical scholars try to decide, well, this is a real angel, or is this a guy that worked at the prison that was kind of like, I did something nice for somebody the other day, and the lady went, Oh, you're an angel.

I said, wait right here, let me get my wife.

My wife walks up and she goes, Sure.

Husband is an angel.

I was like, really easy, lady.

Rain it back in.

He's a good man.

He's not angel.

Well, he's my angel.

Yeah, I'm her angel.

We got in my truck and drove off.

My wife said, She doesn't live with you 24-7.

She's like, What?

She said, I'm not saying you're a bad person, but angels, a little bit big language.

Yeah.

And so I'm okay either way.

I believe God sends angels from above.

I believe we we've entertained angels unaware.

And I also think there are people that act so contrary to the culture that we don't have a word for them other than say, Oh my gosh, you're like an angel.

But they get delivered.

Here's the point: they get out of situations they shouldn't get out of.

Here's another thing that happens in this life.

Instruction, verse 20.

They say, go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.

The place in greatest need of grasping what is being said here is the church.

It's not the culture.

It's you and me, beloved, who do not understand.

You think that Jesus came to jam you up and tell you what you couldn't do.

He came to set you free to live this capital L life.

This is not about their life.

You notice everybody wants the church to accept their preferred way of life.

They come and jam it down our throat.

And if you don't, you're a bunch of homophobic, misogynistic, blah, blah, blah.

Here's the talking points.

Thank you.

We've heard it before.

But here's the thing that the people that want the that have this, they want to live their life.

They don't understand the beauty and the juiciness of this life.

Capital L.

And the reason they don't is they don't see it in you and me enough.

Because if they did, they would hate their life.

Christianity is not just forgiveness for your life or that life, it's the experience of this life.

And without the experience of this life, you're just sipping Shirley Timples and wondering why you can't catch a buzz.

And you come to church every Sunday and it's another, I'm gonna have me another Shirley Temple, and you walk out and you're like, I don't know what the deal is.

I mean, I'm not feeling it.

Pastor Neal seemed very excited because you've never tasted of this life.

You've tasted church, but not life.

Here's another thing that happens is the unexplainable.

Verse 24.

Prison is locked, they go to they send people to go get them, they go to get them, they're not there, like, hey, the doors are locked, prison guards are standing there in their starch uniform looking good, and there's no prisoners in there.

That's not the thing that makes them crazy.

If you look in the Bible right there, the explanation point they drop on them is in verse 25.

And someone came and told them, Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.

Why?

Because this capital L life is so absolutely liberating and intoxicating and life-altering.

They get released from jail just to go to church.

Because the church is the place that needs deliverance the most.

Because the church are the people that misrepresent God and gospel consistently.

You make it something it's not.

And then finally, what you see is respect.

Verse 26.

The religious leaders don't put a hand on them because they knew the people respected them and they hold them in high regard because here's why.

The way these men and women lived that gave the people hope that there's more to this life than the what than the one they've been living.

They're like, please, please, please tell me there's something bigger and better and beyond the grind that I'm currently engaged in.

And the answer is yes.

Here's a third fruit from the text of a biblical fear.

It's consistency.

Consistency.

We'll pick up the next section.

It's verse 27.

It says, and when they brought them, they set them before the council.

Now, this is the second time they've been sent to the principal's office.

Did you ever get sent to the principal's office as a kid?

Say amen.

I knew my principal on a first name basis.

I would see him in the morning.

He'd go, Hey Nubby, I'm gonna see you before fourth period.

I said, You got any snacks?

Yeah, and when they brought them, they set them before the council, and the high priest questioned them, saying, We strictly charged you, past tense, this is now the second time, not to teach in this name, and yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

But Peter and the apostles answered, We must obey God rather than men.

Look at me.

If you had to pick one sentence that best describes your life today, what would it be?

Because for these people, it's like, we must obey God rather than men.

Can you imagine young men saying that on a date?

Well, tell me about you.

My life doesn't make sense unless you understand this sentence.

I must obey God rather than men.

We must obey God rather than men.

Verse 30.

The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.

God exalted him at the 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.

And when they heard this, they said, Thank you so much for sharing the gospel.

You see, we kind of expect different treatment in America nowadays.

You're not gonna get it.

And when they heard this, they were enraged and they wanted to kill them.

But a Pharisee in the council named Gameliel, teacher of the law, held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.

And he said to them, Men of Israel, take care what you're about to do with these men.

But before the days of Thaddeus, uh before the days Thaddeus 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.

And in the days of the census and drew away some people after him, he too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.

So is the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone.

For if this plan or 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 to be opposing God.

So they took his advice.

Consistency.

Consistency.

If you ever get tired of being consistently inconsistent, you should listen up.

Because for Peter and John, consistency was derived from one simple sentence.

We must obey God rather than men.

And the way our culture seeks to get rid of God is by teaching our kids, starting in kindergarten, elementary, and public school, you must obey man rather than God.

And the payoff, boys and girls, for obeying man rather than God is that as you get older, you get to be God.

In the meantime, we are God.

And neither one of those are true statements.

And we ask you a question: what would have to change in your life if you embrace the simple truth?

We must obey God rather than man.

We just laid this down as a template over our lives this morning and said, We must obey God rather than man.

Now, as I mentioned, this is the second time they've been arrested and brought before the religious police.

And what happens here begs us and asks us a question.

Because in verse 30 and 31, look at it.

They're in trouble.

But Peter and the apostles answered, we must obey God rather than men.

Verse 30.

Look what they do.

They start preaching the gospel.

Like, hey, we got a captive audience.

You religious knuckleheads, you need to live this life as well.

And so they just applied the gospel to them.

The God of our fathers 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.

There is no forgiveness without repentance.

Get the order right.

To give repentance and forgiveness.

Some of you, you're inconsistent because you don't repent.

You want permission, not power.

You want God to say, okay, I forgive you again.

And you're like wiping a slate clean, and you're gonna go out and dirty it up this afternoon and tomorrow because it's a holiday.

Repentance and forgiveness of sins.

And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.

Hear that last part.

We are witnesses to these things, and so is this Holy Spirit, whose God has given to all, to everyone.

So God has given to those who obey him.

So here's why here's why that's important.

The more people come to faith, and they told us earlier in the passage that more came than ever before, more than 3,000, more than 5,000.

And so what?

This is why they wanted to kill them.

They realize there's an increasing number of people who see through our religious facade and don't believe us anymore.

We are losing control.

And so they got to do something.

Here's the question it asks us how often do you gospel the people who oppose you?

This is the question rising out of the text for us in 2023.

How often do you gospel the people who oppose you?

It doesn't always mean we preach the gospel to them, it does mean that we always apply the gospel to our disagreement.

They don't preach the gospel as kind of a cute, funny way of going, look, I love Jesus so much.

No, you just apply the gospel to the disagreement.

This is what they do.

We must obey God rather than men.

Stop us if this sounds familiar.

Here's the last thing that comes out of the text.

It's just a Godward joy.

Verse 40.

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.

And then they left the presence of the council rejoicing.

Stop.

Shut up.

Are you serious?

They beat them and they leave there rejoicing.

Okay.

Just me, huh?

All right.

So they beat them and they 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 do I mean when I say God rejoyed?

These guys, they clearly they must have it all wrong because of the things they rejoice over.

By the way, if you want me to see what you value, let me see what you rejoice over.

If you want me to see what you value, like if this gets back to you, I said this.

One of our seniors just graduated comes to me and says, Hey, Pastor Neil, I graduated.

Congratulations, right?

And I said, nah, okay, let's not get too excited.

People in prison graduate high school.

It's not that big of an accomplishment.

And this kid was like, what?

And I said, I mean, I'm not excited for you, but I mean, it's high school.

They get$32 every day you show up to school.

It's kind of a big pyramid scheme.

Crank the handle, put kids in, and they pay the teachers.

And he's just like, what?

What kind of what?

Okay, you graduate high school.

I think it's great, but I mean, go on to bigger and better things.

And don't get overly excited.

I mean, it's great.

Again, let me just see what you rejoice over.

And I'm now don't send me letters, please, if you had a kid just graduated.

I'm not saying it's not that big of a deal.

I went to your grad parties.

I ate your chip and dip.

Okay, I was there.

I'm just saying to all you seniors, okay, you graduated.

Keep your powder dry.

Let's don't go berserk.

Does that make sense to anybody but me?

Okay.

Because I think they're kind of like, I graduated, now the world's gonna stop and clap.

No, it's not.

No, no.

Every once in a while I go into the staff's offices here when I find their doors unlocked, and I write messages on their board for them.

They have whiteboards in their offices.

Just little motivational messages, you know.

Just sweet, kind, nothings from the heart of Pastor Sunshine.

Like I wrote on somebody's a while back, nobody cares.

Work harder.

They start getting a lot of that affirmation cream.

They turn into a politician.

Hey, brother, good to see you in God's house.

Finger guns, whatever.

God were joy.

Basically, they they must have it all wrong because they they rejoice over some crazy stuff.

It says they beat them.

That's just that's just glossed over what actually happened.

This is the 40 lashes minus one, which is 39.

Because they believe 40 lashes would kill a man.

So they beat them within an inch of their lives, and then they told them what to do, what they told them before.

Do not speak in the name of Jesus, ever stop, be quiet.

So, what do they do?

They do two things.

Number one, they rejoice.

They rejoice.

Look right there in your Bible, verse 41.

They rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

Does God count you worthy of suffering for his name?

Can God trust you to go through hardship and not spit the bit and go, I don't care, I don't believe anymore.

Okay, a God let this happen.

Or does God look down and go, I trust you to suffer for me?

You haven't lived until you've been in a room with a man that says who's got cancer, and he's during his prayer, he says, Lord, thank you that you've trusted me with cancer.

I want to represent you well.

I don't, that's him, God.

Clearly, he feels that way.

I don't think I'm there yet.

Yeah.

They rejoiced, and then secondly, they continued.

Verse 42.

Look at what they did.

And every day in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease.

They told them to stop, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Now, what what how is this possible?

It's because they believe one simple truth.

Don't miss this.

They believed that the Christ is Jesus.

The Christ, the Messiah.

This history lesson we've been taught uh ever since we were born.

The fulfillment of every promise God ever made is not still to come, it's right here, right now.

It is Jesus.

Translation: everything you've been waiting for, looking for, longing for, and were created for is right before you right now.

And look at me.

I'm saying the same thing to every one of you.

Everything you're looking for, everything you wanted, and all that you were created for can only be found in Christ Jesus.

Because he is the Messiah, he is the fulfillment of every promise God has ever made.

And only in a relationship with him where his spirit comes to live inside of you does this capital L life get experienced, get produced, not by you, but by the Holy Spirit inside of you.

Does that make sense?

That's Christianity.

Look at me.

Everything else is just religion.

Everything else is just religious math.

This is liberating music.

Let's pray together.

If you're our guests, just relax.

We like to teach the Bible and then give you some soul space to think about it.

So let me voice a prayer.

Let's think about this life that men were men were led out of prison and they didn't escape from.

They went to because they wanted people in the church to understand this life.

Holy Spirit, thank you.

But this is the life, this is what it's all about.

It's not moralistic therapeutic deism, it's life with a capital L.

And we don't try to live it.

The Holy Spirit in us lives it through us.

Our life becomes a medium and the message of God.

It's not hard.

We have to say to girls that we that might be interested in dating us, you know what, I'm not interested because I don't I don't see capital L life coming out of you.

Have to say to guys, you know what?

Thank you for your interest in me.

I I I can't reciprocate the interest because I don't see Capital L life coming out of you.

I ain't judging, I ain't hating, I am telling.

God may that kind of language provoke people to want this life they see in us.

Now, Holy Spirit, let us start with ourselves and ask ourselves: is that in us?

Is that coming out of us?

Or are we just using our life and our stuff to make people think things about us that really aren't true?

Yes, Lord.

It's because we love you.

So this life, capital L life, is born of affection, not determination or self-hatred or all those negative emotions.

It is born of this holy affection in us that exceeds all the other less wild lovers in our life.

I love God in a way I don't love anybody or anything else.

Not even my kids.

And my kids are better for it, and I'm better for it.

Because you said, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as you love yourself.

So I'm gonna love me some me.

I'm gonna love God.

Loving God allows me to love me properly and love my neighbor properly.

And I can love them and I don't need them to love me back because I'm already filled up with the love of God.

Lord, make of us those kinds of people.

We pray in Christ's name when everyone said.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

If you're our guest today, let me say this.

You're always welcome here.

You're always welcome here, okay?

Uh and there's a number on the screen you can text, but I just want you to know that you're welcome.

You don't have to believe just yet.

You can just kind of come and say, hey, I'm just kind of curious.

I'm kicking some tires, slamming some doors.

I got some questions.

That's okay.

All that doesn't mean you're a bad person, doesn't mean you're an unspiritual person.

It just means that God is kind of king, and he giddy, giddy, giddy.

He woos and wins.

He doesn't guilt and manipulate.

Does that make sense?

Say amen.

All right, there's some things going on in the life of our church that we want you to be aware of.

So let's check out our video announcements today.

Thank you for joining us today.

Here's a look at what's happening at Graham Parkway Baptist Church.

If you're new, text welcome to 281-626-5707.

This way we can also know you're here and get you connected with the church.

Our men's dinner is coming up on June 1st at Rudy's 88.

Come join us from 6 to 8 p.m.

for fellowship with each other.

Our men's golf scramble is June 9th at Cinco Ranch.

Register at Gramparkway.org.

On June 21st, we'll have our chat and chow for women of all ages.

Join us for food and meaningful conversation with other women.

Our summer book groups are starting soon for all women.

Register at gramparkway.org to find your group this summer.

Our media team is in need of volunteers.

If you have a willingness to serve and work with technology, this may be the opportunity for you.

No previous experience is necessary.

We have team members ready to train you.

If you are interested in joining the Grand Parkway media team, please email Mike at GrahamProquay.org.

If you have any questions or want someone to pray for you, find one of our pastors at the front of the stage at the conclusion of our service.

Well, uh, where'd Clyde go?

There he is.

Stand up, Clyde.

Today is Clyde's last day before his sabbatical.

He is going on sabbatical, which is what is sabbatical?

Sabbatical is like an extended Sabbath.

It's a purposeful time of rest and restoration.

So he will be out until the end, the last Sunday in July.

And so I'm going to ask him in just a minute to come make himself available.

And I'm going to ask you to think right now do I have a little extra something in my pocket that I can fold up and give him the old Pentecostal handshake?

Give him a little beer, I mean a little gas money.

He and his wife are going to pond their 14 kids off on somebody, and they're going to take a road trip all the way down to the Florida Keys.

Is that right?

Oh, that sounds like hell.

You know planes fly, right?

Do what?

Oh gosh, I can feel the flames of hell lapping at my feet.

We're going to sleep outside where there's no air conditioning just because and call it camping.

And I'm being serious.

If you got a little something, I dropped something off on his desk this morning, a little sabbatical something, something.

So if you got a little something, because here's the thing: wealth is not money.

Wealth is you're driving down the road with the windows down, eating a burrito, listening to Jimmy Buffett, and you look over at your wife and you think, we should be burning in hell right now, but we're headed to the Florida Keys.

Yeah.

So seriously, fold up a little something if you got it.

If you don't, don't worry about it.

But come and speak a word to Clyde because you won't see him again for a while.

And don't call him.

He's off.

He's gone.

Okay?

Don't make me yell at you.

You know how much I love that.

Shut up.

Anyway.

Stand to your feet.

We like to conclude our service of spoken blessing.

Hey, there'll be other pastors down here if you have questions, you want to pray with anybody.

McLeod will be standing over here.

You do as the spirit leads.

Hold your hands out.

God has done so much to convince you of what Christianity really is all about.

It's about life.

Life with a capital L.

And you can have that.

He died for you to have that.

He died for your sin in your place.

So you'd stop living death and start living life.

Depart now and spread life.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Bless you.