The Challenge to Obedience

We're going to begin by singing to God's praise in Psalm 33. It's not from verse 18,

as marked on the bulletin sheets, from verse 15. And we'll sing from verse 15

down to the end of the psalm. Page 246 of the psalm books, Psalm 33 at verse 15.

He forms their hearts alike and all their doings he observes.

Great host saves not a king much strength, no mighty man preserves.

Then from verse 19 there, from death to free their soul and dearth,

life unto them to yield. Our soul doth wait upon the Lord. He is our help and shield.

We'll sing from verse 15 down to the end of the psalm and the tune is Irish.

He forms their hearts alike and all their doings he observes.

Great host save not a king, but strength no mighty man preserves.

And hordes for preservation is a deceitful thing.

And by the greatness of his strength can no deliverance bring.

Behold on those that do him fear, the Lord doth set his eye.

Heave those who on his mercy do, with confidence rely.

Heave those who on his mercy do, with confidence rely.

From death to free their soul and dearth, life unto them to yield.

Our soul doth wait upon the Lord. He is our help and shield.

His heart is a god's sin.

If there is a burden being soMan çaigneur near me.

As we do hope in thee.

Let's join our hearts together in prayer.

Let us pray.

Our Father in heaven, we come before you this night

thankful for every opportunity we have to call upon your name,

to praise your name and to give thanks to you

as our Lord and as our God.

And to come even as the psalmist from the psalm we've sung,

waiting upon you.

As he said, our soul doth wait upon the Lord.

He is our help and shield.

Help us to come with these words in mind,

recognizing who you are,

that you are indeed our help and our shield,

the one who preserves us, the one who keeps us.

For the psalm warns us too

that there is no preservation in a horse, as it is put.

For there the psalmist is thinking of putting their trust in the armies

and the strength of armies,

that they might find protection in that way.

But ultimately, they knew and we know

that our only protection, our only salvation,

is through the Lord as our God.

And so we pray, Lord, this evening that as we come,

we will come acknowledging you as that Lord,

the Lord of our lives,

the Lord of our hearts,

the Lord of all that we seek to do.

For apart from you, Lord, we can do nothing.

And so help us to come

and worship you in that way,

to put our trust in you,

that our hearts may be joyful,

that we might know your mercy upon us

as we put our hope in you.

And Lord, we pray for your word to be blessed to us,

that all that we hear would speak to us

of the wonder of your salvation

and your love and your grace towards us,

of the challenge to obedience to you,

and that your spirit would work in all our hearts

to build us up in our faith,

to help us to trust you more,

even to come and know you for the first time,

to know that joy of salvation,

to know what it is to have our hearts opened

and to receive you in that way,

to understand you,

to understand your word,

to understand your grace and your love,

to understand all that it means for our lives just now

and all that it means for eternity

that's before us all as well.

So help us, Lord,

that your spirit would be with us

to prompt us in that way,

to know you and to understand you as you are.

And we thank you, Lord,

that your word is powerful to that end,

that your word is the word of truth

and the word of life,

the word that sets us free.

And we pray, Lord,

that as your word is proclaimed here

and around us in so many different places

in our communities,

in our island,

our nation and the world,

in the many different languages

it's proclaimed in.

We thank you, Lord,

that it goes out with your power

and your spirit

and that that is a word

that is able to convince people

of who you are,

to convict in their hearts

and to convert them to you.

And so we pray, Lord,

for your spirit to move around us

and among us

and bring life to those who are dead,

bring life to those who are lost in this world,

not realizing the eternity before them.

But, Lord,

we pray for your salvation,

your saving power,

the light of your salvation,

to go out

and bring that light of hope.

And so we pray, Lord,

that today and each day

that you allow your word

to be among us, Lord,

for we do not know

the number of our days,

we do not know

when the Lord will return.

But we pray that until he does,

your voice will be heard

and that you will save many people.

And we know, Lord,

that we live in a world

that is full of so many challenges,

so many difficulties,

so many trials.

We know around us, Lord,

so many who are going through them

in different ways.

Even ourselves, Lord,

although on the outside

things may seem calm and right,

we know that within, Lord,

and even in our own hearts

there can be troubles

that are maybe only known unto you.

And we thank you that that is so,

that you are the one

who is able to calm our souls

and to calm our hearts.

You are the one who is able to,

as we heard this morning,

to call us to come

and put our trust in you,

that you are the one

who reaches down your hand to us

when we feel that we are

sinking under the waves

and that you are able

to lift us up

and to give us that security

to take us into

that secure place with you.

And so, Lord,

we pray that you will help

each of us

to know that security

and to know that hope

and that that hope

would be known

among many around us.

We pray for those

in particular needs

just now, Lord,

thankful for the power

of prayer,

thankful for the way

that you hear our prayers

and that you are able

to answer

and so often in ways

that go beyond

our understanding

and beyond

what we ask

or imagine,

as Paul says

in Ephesians.

We thank you

that you help us

to marvel at the way

that you remind us

of the power

that you have,

that you remind us,

Lord,

that you are able

to do abundantly

more than we ask

or imagine.

And so,

we thank you,

Lord,

for prayers heard

and answered

and we pray,

Lord,

that whatever your answer

is,

whatever your will

is for us,

that we will always

be content with that

and that that would

be our prayer.

And so,

hear our prayers,

Lord,

for those around us,

for those who are

unwell at this time,

for those who are

mourning at this time,

for those who

go through so many

different challenges,

Lord,

we pray for you

to surround them,

to uphold them,

to strengthen them.

Remember those who

struggle with addictions

at this time as well,

Lord,

we know so much

of our community

is bound up

in that way,

so much of it

is perhaps hidden

from us at times

and yet it's around us

in so many different ways.

And we pray,

Lord,

that in the silence

and the hiddenness

of it,

that in your knowledge

Lord,

that you will

draw near to

all who need you

in these ways

and help them,

Lord,

give them hope,

give them security,

give them the knowledge

of your grace

and your love,

give them to know,

Lord,

of the joy

that is found in you

and not in anything else

that this world offers.

And so we pray,

Lord,

for your help

to break these bonds.

We pray for your church,

we thank you

for a week

of General Assembly

in Edinburgh

for our denomination

and we pray

that your blessing

will follow it

upon all that was done

and upon all that

goes on going forward

from here as well,

that your hand

will be upon us

for good,

to lead us,

to guide us,

to help us

in all our different needs,

that ministries

will go on,

Lord,

throughout our nation

and throughout the world,

that there will be

a sense of your blessing

and your building

your church

in these days.

And we thank you,

Lord,

that there are

so many encouragements

from different places

around the world

as well as our own nation.

We are reminded

that you are the one

who builds this church

and that there is nothing

that will overwhelm it

or overcome it.

And we pray,

Lord,

for a day of your power,

a day of your salvation

in our midst.

We pray too,

Lord,

for our communities

at this time,

Lord,

we think of

the needs that we have,

Lord,

we think of

our homes

and our families

and our ignorance

of you

in so many ways.

Lord,

even as your people,

even as your church,

we can be blind

to what you call us to,

what you call us to be,

what you ask of us,

Lord,

and all of these things

we can go on

in our own wisdom.

But help us,

Lord,

to look not to

our own wisdom

but to yours.

To recognize,

Lord,

that as a people

that we are here

but for a time.

And we pray,

Lord,

that to have that spirit

of Esther

when we hear these words

for such a time as this.

And we pray,

Lord,

that you would remind us

that that is our providence

just now.

For such a time as this,

Lord,

you have placed us here.

You have given us opportunities.

You have given us moments.

You have given us

so many different blessings

and kindnesses.

And help us,

Lord,

not to take them for granted

but to use every good

and perfect gift

that you have given to us.

Whether they be

as a collective people

or individually,

help us,

Lord,

not to bury our talents

but to use them wisely

and to use them richly

for your glory.

That your blessing

may be upon us.

That we might know

your favour upon us

as a people.

So, Lord,

hear our prayers,

we ask,

and remember us

in all of these things

and help us

even this evening

as we prepare ourselves

and look ahead

to the week before us

and especially

to a communion weekend

to seek your blessing upon us,

to seek your good

in our midst,

to seek encouragement,

Lord,

to seek

that our hearts

will be built up

and strengthened

in our faith

for those

who have professed Christ

that they will know

once more

that overwhelming power

of what Jesus

has done for us.

That we will not

grow weary of it,

that we will not

lose our sense

of awe

and amazement

and wonder

of the one

who gave us life

for us,

that we might know

life through him.

Lord,

for some we might cry,

restore to us

salvation's joy.

And we pray,

Lord,

for others to come,

to come and put

their trust in you,

to come and know you

in that way,

to come and know,

Lord,

your saving power

and to know the blessing

that there is

in obedience

to your command.

And so we ask,

oh Lord,

that you will go before us,

that you will bless us

by your word

and by your spirit

in all that we do

and all that we see.

As we come,

we come confessing

our sins before you,

knowing,

Lord,

that you alone

are able to forgive,

but you,

Lord,

are able to do

so much

that we

so often forget,

that you have

paid the ultimate price,

that our sins

are forgiven

through the blood

of Jesus

who gave his life

for us.

So hear our prayers,

Lord,

and continue with us

as we ask it all

in his precious name

and for his glory.

Amen.

Amen.

Let's praise God again

by singing

in Psalm 25,

the first version

of the Psalm

in page 231,

the Scottish Psalter version.

Psalm 25,

we'll sing from verse 1

to verse 6

in Tunes Surich.

To thee I lift my soul,

O Lord,

I trust in thee.

My God,

let me not be ashamed,

nor foes triumph

over me.

We'll sing from verse 1

to verse 6

to God's praise.

to thee I lift my soul,

O Lord,

I trust in thee.

My God,

let me not be ashamed,

nor foes triumph

for me.

Let none that wait

on thee

be put to shame

at all,

but those that without

cause transgress,

let shame upon them fall.

Show me thy ways,

O Lord,

thy paths,

O teach thy me,

and do thy lead me

in thy truth,

therein my teacher be.

For thou art God

that does,

to me salvation send,

and lie upon thee

all the day,

expecting to attend.

thy death,

thy death,

thy mercy,

Lord,

I pray thee to remember,

and loving kindnesses

for thee have been

all for forever.

God.

Amen.

Amen.

We're going to read together

God's word

in the book of Acts,

in Acts chapter 5.

Acts 5 · chapter mention

We're going to take up

our reading at verse 12.

Acts chapter 5,

Acts 5 · chapter mention

reading from verse 12,

and we read down

to verse 32.

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 their sick

into the streets

and laid them

on cots and mats.

And as Peter came by,

at least his shadow

might fall on some of them.

The people also gathered

from the towns

round Jerusalem,

bringing the sick

and those afflicted

with unclean spirits,

and they were all healed.

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

and 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.

Now when the high priest

came and those

who were with them,

they called together

the council

and all the senate

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 priests

heard these words,

they were greatly

perplexed about them,

wondering what this

would 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.

And 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.

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.

But Peter and the apostles

answered,

We must obey God

rather than men.

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 saviour

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 so on.

And may God bless

that reading

from his word.

Before we turn back

to look at this passage,

we'll sing from

Psalm 48a

in the Sing Psalms version.

Psalm 48a

on page 63

of the psalm books.

We'll sing from

verse 4 down to

verse 11.

When kings joined

forces to attack

as one,

they marched ahead.

They saw her

and they were amazed.

They all in terror

fled.

Like women giving birth

in pain,

they trembled in dismay.

You wrecked them

like a merchant fleet

by tempest

blown away.

As we have heard,

so we have seen.

God's city

will endure.

The Lord Almighty

evermore

his city

keeps secure.

We'll sing from

verse 4 down

to verse 11.

And the tune is

Paisley.

Paisley.

When kings joined

forces to attack,

as long they marched

ahead.

They saw her and they were amazed.

They all in terror

fled.

Like women giving birth

in pain,

they trembled in dismay.

You wrecked them

like a merchant fleet

by tempest

blown away.

As we have fled,

so have we seen.

God's city

will endure.

The Lord Almighty

evermore

has set

deep

keeps

secure.

we

contemplate

your steadfast

love

within

your

hearts,

O God.

For

like

your name

your grace

extends

through

all

the

air

abroad.

Lord.

All that

you do

is righteous,

Lord,

Mount Zion's

joyous

great.

And

Judah's

towns

rejoice

as they

your

judgments

celebrate.

we can

turn back

to our

reading in

the book

of Acts

Acts 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5.

We're looking

at this section

that we read.

We'll just

read again

at verse

29.

But Peter

and the

apostles

answered,

we must

obey

God

rather than

men.

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 saviour

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.

We must

obey

God

rather

than

men.

men.

When you

think back

in your

life,

what's

your

earliest

memory?

What's

the first

thing that

you can

remember as

you think

back?

I'm sure

the more

you think

about it,

the more

different

things might

come back

to you.

And sometimes

it's hard

to distinguish

just what

was the

earliest

memory,

because there

would be a

number of

different

memories that

kind of

merge

together.

But how

many of

these memories

involve

people,

and especially

how many

of these

involve

people

telling you

what you

should or

what you

shouldn't

do.

It might

be the

memories of

your parents,

it might

be the

memories of

a school

teacher,

it might

be the

memories of

a minister

or a

Sunday

school

teacher,

but the

message

that they've

been giving

you is to

do something

or not

to do

something.

And very

often it's

in light of

you having

done

the opposite

of what

was being

asked of

you.

And these

memories

stand out

because very

often they

instill in

you maybe

a sense

of fear.

There can

be a sense

of fear

that you've

let somebody

down or

that you've

done

something

wrong.

And letting

someone down

is often

something that

just stays

with us.

But when we

think about

God and

what he

wants of

us,

you think

of maybe a

minister or

a sermon

you've

heard and

it's stuck

with you

for a

reason.

Because the

minister was

saying something

that just

really resonated

with you.

And it's

still maybe

lingering there

in your

mind just

now.

It still

comes back

to you

often and

you're

thinking what

that minister

said, what

that message

was saying,

what the

Lord was

saying was

powerful.

And God

speaks to

us in

different ways

like that,

in ways that

can often

remain with

us all

our days.

A word

from the

Lord that

sticks with

us.

And it's a

word from

the Lord

that so

often is

calling us

to obedience

to him,

to listen

to him.

When we

think of

parents or

teachers or

Sunday school

teachers, they

wanted what

was best for

us.

They wanted

us to be

obedient to

what they were

saying because

they knew it

was for our

good.

And God

ultimately is

the one who

knows what

is best for

us.

And that's

why his

word calls

us to

obedience.

And as you

look through

the book of

Acts, you

find it's

full of so

many ups and

downs, the

acts of the

apostles, the

things that

they were doing

as the Lord

had gone to

be with the

Father, and

as the church

was in its

infancy, as

its church

was just

small in

number as

you see at

the beginning

of Acts, and

then expanding

and growing as

it went out

from Jerusalem

and to all

the ends of

the earth.

You see the

amazing ways

that the

Lord was

working, and

all the time

God calling

his people

and a

people to

obedience.

And what

you find as

you go through

the book of

Acts is that

obedience to

God, yes,

it can lead

you to a

place of

quiet and

calm and

joy, but

there's also

so many

times when

obedience to

God takes

you into a

place that's

uncomfortable, a

place that you

maybe didn't

expect to find

yourself, but a

place where the

Lord reminds you

that he wants

what is good

for you.

We don't

always understand

maybe parents

who are telling

us what they

know is good

for us.

We don't

understand or

see it at the

time, and it's

only when we

look back.

Well, in the

same way, we

think of what

God says to

us.

We don't

understand at

times, we

don't see it

for ourselves

until ultimately

we look back

or see God

does know

best.

And so he

is calling

us to

obedience,

because obedience

is the way

to God's

peace.

And that's

what we see

with Peter and

the apostles as

they answered

there in

verse 29.

in all the

troubles and

trials of

prison and

persecution that

they were facing

up to here,

what was their

response?

We must obey

God rather

than men.

Those who

are telling

them to be

quiet, not

to proclaim

the Lord

Jesus, not

to show him

publicly, they

must obey

God rather

than men.

So obedience

as you go

through the

book of Acts,

is challenged.

And it's

challenged in

two different

ways.

It's challenged

in are we

being obedient

to God

ourselves?

And it's

also challenged

when you see

the persecution

that arises.

Will you go

on in

obedience even

when the way

is difficult?

John Calvin

once said,

we must

realize that

God is

longing to

shower blessings

on his

church.

but he

still allows

it to be

harassed by

the ungodly.

So we must

be ready

to battle.

Do you

feel harassed

today?

Remember,

that's how

Jesus often

saw the

people around

them.

In the

Gospel of

Matthew, he

speaks of the

crowds that he

saw around

them as

harassed and

helpless, like

sheep without

a shepherd.

are you

feeling

harassed

today?

Are you

feeling that

your obedience

is being

pulled one

minute towards

God but

then tasted

in a way

you think,

well, I

can't go on

like that,

and then

you're being

pulled in a

different

direction.

And especially

as we think

of this week

ahead of us

and as we

approach another

time of

communion in

our midst,

it's often a

time when that

harassed feeling

can fall upon

us.

We haven't

been obedient

as we should

have been.

We haven't

done as we

should have

done, and we

can feel harassed,

we can feel

in the midst

of a battle,

but we are

coming to

remember the

Lord's death.

We are

coming to

remember, as

we read here

in the book

of Acts,

the one who

the God of

our fathers

raised Jesus

whom you

killed by

hanging on a

tree.

God

exalted

him at

his right

hand as

leader and

saviour to

give repentance

to Israel

and forgiveness

of sins.

So as we

feel harassed

and helpless,

we have a

place to

look, and

one to

look to,

our leader

and our

saviour,

the Lord

Jesus

Christ.

In his

obedience,

in going

to the

cross,

we see the

ultimate

obedience,

and we

ask ourselves,

are we

obedient to

him?

Are we

being obedient

even in the

midst of all

that harassment

that comes

our way?

Obedience that

will ultimately

lead to peace

with him.

And so we

want to just

think about this

obedience as we

see it before us

this evening in

this section.

And the first

thing we're going

to think of is

there is blessing

that follows

obedience.

obedience.

It's maybe a

phrase you've

heard,

blessing follows

obedience.

But what is

blessing?

The blessing

that follows

obedience isn't

always everything

going swimmingly

and everything

going straight

forward,

but it's a

blessing and the

comfort and the

assurance that

you're right

with God,

that you are

doing as

Peter says

here,

we must obey

God rather

than men.

Whatever the

consequences are,

we must obey

God rather

than men.

And when we

look at this

section, we

didn't read at

the beginning

of chapter 5,

but what we're

reading of is

in light of

what comes at

the beginning

of chapter 5,

which is

Ananias and

Sapphira and

their disobedience

to God.

And if you read

through it when

you go home,

you'll see that

for yourselves,

but Ananias and

Sapphira,

they were

disobedient to

God.

They kept

back for

themselves,

it says in

verse 2,

some of the

proceeds and

brought only

part of it and

laid it at the

apostles' feet.

They had sold

a piece of

land and what

they were going

to give to

the Lord's

cause, they

held back for

themselves.

And look at

what happens as

you read through

it, both of

them died

almost instantly.

within moments

of having been

called out,

they both died

instantly, the

two of them,

this husband and

wife, and they

were buried that

day.

They were

disobedient to

God.

And you say

to yourself,

how harsh is

that?

But it stood

as a warning,

it stood as a

warning then and

stands as a

warning to us

that ultimately

disobedience to

God, the

consequences are

serious and the

consequences are

deadly.

An eternal

death is the

ultimate consequence

of disobedience

to God.

So it's in light

of that

disobedience that

we're reading on

when they're

calling them to

obedience to

God rather than

men.

But what kind of

outcome would you

have expected

after this has

happened to

Ananias and

Sapphira?

Do people just

turn away?

Do you think

what kind of

cruel God is

this or would

allow this to

happen to them?

What kind of

God are we

coming to if

the slightest

mistake is going

to strike us

down in this

way?

Is that the

kind of God

that they're

coming to?

Did it make

them re-evaluate

how they would

go about

preaching the

word of God?

What they might

say?

Do they start

thinking,

well this is

too cruel a

God to

follow and

how are

going to

people come

and follow

and we'll

have to

change this.

We'll have

to maybe

just mark

this incident

out,

leave it

out.

And yet here

we are reading

of it today

as well.

It's there

to stand

as a warning

to us.

We don't

change the

message of

the gospel.

We don't

change anything

that it

says to

make it

more appealing

by dropping

some bits

out as

many are

tempted to

do this

day.

We are to

preach the

whole counsel

of God

as it

says.

And we

find even

in the midst

of this

challenge

that the

wonder of

it all was

that they

continued to

come and

to hear the

message and

see the

wonders and

signs that

were being

done.

the awesome

power of

God was

there in

their midst

and they

didn't turn

away from

it in

fear but

instead they

feared the

Lord.

In

verse 13

it says

none of

the rest

dared join

them and

it seems

like there

was this

fear over

the people.

What will

God do

with me?

They feared

to join

them and

yet in

verse 14

more than

ever

believers

were added

to the

Lord.

So there

was a

fear of

joining

yet there

was a

realization

that where

else can

we go?

Disobedience

to God

has serious

consequences

therefore we

must come

to him.

And so

we too

are not to

be afraid

or ashamed

of the

gospel.

we are

not to

be afraid

of what

it says.

Don't be

afraid of

the fact

that the

Bible talks

about hell

and sin

and the

consequences

that lie

behind all

of these

things because

you need

to see

that and

see the

balance that

there is of

grace and

salvation.

When

Peter says

we must

obey God

rather than

men it's in

light of the

God of our

fathers raised

Jesus whom

you killed

and God

has exalted

him as

leader and

savior to

give repentance

to Israel

and forgiveness

of sins.

So the

disobedience

of sin

there is a

way out of

it by

repentance

and to

forgiveness

of sins.

And it

is only

in obedience

that blessing

will come

in being

obedient to

him.

And we

live in a

world where

everyone is

so easily

offended.

It's

something we

hear so

often now.

That people

are afraid

what you

say in

case it

causes

offense.

And yet

before us

we have

something that

will cause

people to

be offended.

Maybe it

even causes

you to be

offended

tonight when

you hear

the word

of God.

When you

hear things

being said

like you

are a

sinner.

sinner.

People are

offended by

that.

How can

you call

me a

sinner?

I'm a

good person.

But that's

what the

truth says.

That we

are sinners.

That we

fall short

of the

glory of

God.

And we

shouldn't

be ashamed.

We shouldn't

be afraid

of that.

Because if

we see

that in

light of

what the

gospel is

teaching as

a whole,

it brings

us to the

point where

the

offense that

we see

is against

God and

against

Christ.

The fact

that our

sins killed,

put to

death the

Lord Jesus,

it is what

brought him

to the

cross.

And we're

afraid sometimes

of the

truth.

But behind

what causes

offense is

the beauty

of the

gospel.

The blessing

of seeing

that in

obedience to

God,

though we

are sinners,

there is

hope of

the forgiveness

of sin.

Because it

is the truth

that sets

us free.

Blessing

follows

obedience.

As somebody

once said,

it's a

great deal

easier to

do that

which God

gives us

to do,

no matter

how hard

it is,

than to

face the

responsibilities

of not

doing it.

It's a

great deal

easier to

do that

which God

gives us

to do,

no matter

how hard

it is,

than to

face the

responsibilities

of not

doing it.

He is

calling us

to obedience.

There are

consequences

to not

doing that.

Obedience

will be

hard at

times,

as we'll

see in a

moment,

but ultimately

the blessings

will follow

obedience.

So,

secondly,

we see

obedience

leads to

trials.

God

blessing his

people is

not without

its own

consequences.

consequences.

And as

you continue

to read

through these

verses,

and as you

see the

apostles

arrested and

put into

prison,

you see the

challenge that

comes to

their obedience.

They are

saying in

verse 29,

we must

obey God

rather than

men.

And where

has this

led them?

Well,

it's led

them to

this trial.

They were

arrested,

and they

were put

into public

prison in

verse 18.

So,

you get

thrown into

prison.

There's fear,

there's questions

being asked

there.

Why are we

here?

We're doing

as God

has commanded

us, and

yet here we

are in

prison.

And yet we

see that

although there

is blessing