Apr 06, 2014

Acts 5:14-25

This week I decided to Google “The 10 Most Important Moments in History.” The results were interesting and diverse to say the least. Some included the tearing down of the Berlin Wall or the fall of the Roman Empire, others the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press or the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, one list even referenced the great tsunami of 2004.

And while there were minor divergences from list to list almost every one included WW1 and WW2, the spread of Islam, the Renaissance, Reformation, Industrial Revolution, and most importantly the emergence of Christianity.

According to the Pew Forum on Religion, today, with over 2.18 billion members, Christianity is ranked the largest religion in the world. According to Frontier Harvest Ministries, there are 20,500 full-time Christian workers and 10,200 foreign missionaries in the “un-evangelized world,” 1.31M full-time Christian workers in the “evangelized non-Christian world,” with 306,000 foreign missionaries and 4.19M full-time Christian workers in the “Christian world.” 

As one historian pointed out, “Whether you are a Christian or not, you cannot honestly say that the life of Jesus of Nazareth did not dramatically impact history.... At the time of his life, it might not have seen so dramatic to the world at large. He never traveled more than a few days journey from his hometown. It was only after he left earth that his teachings spread beyond his homeland.... Today Christianity is one of the largest religions of the world. Jesus set off an atomic religious bomb that is still felt today.”

The book of Acts is vitally important to history because it and it alone explains how this humble Jewish carpenter was able to impact the world in such a way that we are still experiencing its effects today.... The mechanism was His church! 

Even a cursory reading of the first five chapters of the book of Acts will reveal that just a few weeks following Jesus’ ascension the events that were rapidly unfolding in Jerusalem through the church were incredible, revolutionary, and supernatural. 

And though the church was making on undeniable impact (3000 were added to the original 120 on Pentecost with another 5000 following Peter’s second sermon), we noted how this work would not continue unopposed for very long. 

Satan’s initial strategy was intimidation. In order to squelch what was happening, we saw how the religious establishment “severely threatened” Peter and John to no longer “speak or teach in the name of Jesus.” And yet, not only did Peter and John refuse to cave to their demands, we’re told “they spoke the word of God with boldness.” 

And since it became clear this church was not going to be intimidated, in chapter 5 we noted how Satan shifts to a new strategy.... Infiltration!

In contrast with Barnabas, it was evident that Ananias and Sapphira weren’t genuine believers. They were hypocrites. They were fakers trying to gain influence in the church through their perceived generosity. Which explains why God ends up swiftly, deliberately, and publicly intervening in order to preserve the integrity of His work from the corrosive infiltration of the enemy! 

And the results of this divine act were that (1) “Great fear came upon all the church....” and (2) “None of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.” 

One could imagine this type of holy intervention would have had a negative effect on the growth of the church, but we’re told that instead of a dip in church attendance....

---

Acts 5:14, “Believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.” 

---

“Increasingly” is the Greek adverb “mallon” meaning “to a greater degree.” This indicates that following this event involving Ananias and Sapphira “believers” were being “added to the Lord” in a greater degree than anytime before (which might explain why Luke gives up placing a numerical value on this growth)!

What I find interesting about this is that it defies the conventional wisdom of church growth gurus who believe the only way a church can be effective in the 21st century is by creating a Sunday worship environment whereby “unbelievers” feel accepted and welcome. 

To accomplish this aim many “seeker-friendly” churches intentionally dumb down the truth of Scripture, avoid topics of moral absolutes, incorporate slick marketing and multimedia techniques all with the desire of fostering a positive, non-threatening, spiritual experience for everyone who might be in attendance. 

Ironically, the church in Acts took the complete opposite approach. 

While it’s true there were indeed “unbelievers” who stayed away out of fear, Luke tells us as a direct result of this reverential atmosphere “multitudes” were drawn to the church, turned from sin, converted, and followed Jesus. (To many to be counted.)

And why was this church so successful? I believe the key to the success of this church was that it was clearly distinct from the culture around it. This church stood in stark contrast to the world because it offered people a genuine experience in Jesus that neither religion nor hellenistic culture could offer. 

And while some will claim we live in a different time…. What is interesting to me is that the conditions we find in first-century Jerusalem are actually very similar with what we find in our own 21st century culture. Empty religion and pagan hedonism had left people hungry for something real, authentic, and genuine.

Though the seeker-friendly model of church has proven incredibly successful in attracting Generation X (those born after the post-WW2 baby boom up to 1980), I am convinced this model will die out because of its ineffectiveness in reaching Millennials (born after 1980).

Gen X or the “MTV Generation” is without a doubt the most superficial, image driven, ego-centric, commercialized, materialistic generation in American history making them perfect for the “big church with little substance” model. For more information on Gen X I encourage you to watch the six part documentary narrated by Rob Lowe titled, “The ‘80s: The Decade That Made Us.”

Though much research still needs to be done, it doesn’t take a PHD in sociology to recognize that Millennials are radically different than their predecessors. 

Pew Research Center issued the first report of its kind last month in which they discovered that a singular characteristic of Millennials is that this new generation of American’s has become increasingly “detached from institutions.”  

According to their report, 50% of Millennials (age 34 and younger) describe themselves as being politically independent with 29% claiming no religious affiliation. Pew notes that “these numbers are at or near the highest levels of political and religious disaffiliation recorded for any generation....”

Pew also observes that Millennials have been keeping their distance from marriage (another core institution of society.) Just 26% of adult Millennials are married (down 10% from Gen X, 22% from the Baby Boomers, and 39% from the Silent Generation) with the median age at first marriage now being the highest in modern, American history.... 29 for men and 27 for women. 

In response to the question, “Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you can’t be too careful in dealing with people” just 19% of Millennials say most people can be trusted (down 12% from Gen X and 21% from the Baby Boomers). Pew observes, “Millennials have also emerged into adulthood with the lowest levels of social trust than any other generation before them!”

The Pew report concludes, “Now ranging in age from 18 to 33, Millennials are relatively unattached to organized politics and religion, linked by social media, burdened by debt, distrustful of people, in no rush to marry— and optimistic about the future.”

The Barna Group (who’s compiled data concerning the Millennials and church for the last 20 years) claims that 52% of Millennials do not attend church with nearly 59% who grew up in church walking away at some point during the first decade of their adult life. 

When Millennials who have remained faithful attenders were asked to identify what has helped their faith grow, “church” does not even make the top 10 list. Instead, Millennials identify prayer, family, friends, the Bible, having children, and their relationship with Jesus as the most common drivers of spiritual growth.

David Kinnaman (author of the book unChurched) commented, “Millennials are rethinking most of the institutions that arbitrate life, from marriage and media, to government and church. They have grown up in a culture and among peers who are often neutral or resistant to the gospel.... Millennials often describe church as ‘not relevant’ or say that attending worship services ‘feels like a boring duty.’ One of the specific criticisms Millennials frequently make about Christianity is that it does not offer deep, thoughtful or challenging answers to life in a complex culture.”

As a Millennial myself I believe the reason this younger generation is leaving the church in droves is actually very simple. Church (along with other institutions) is no longer perceived as being genuine and authentic, and what’s worse.... They’re 100% correct.  

Why are Millennials abandoning the Democratic party while still remaining liberal on many social issues? Why do Millennials still refuse to join a Republican party embracing a more libertarian mindset? Millennials prefer to be independent because both political institutions are perceived by Millennials as phony and disingenuous.

 Why are Millennials abandoning the traditional view of marriage for a more libertine approach? Because, more often than not, a Millennial’s experience with this institution has has been negative. With over 50% of marriages ending in divorce is there any surprise Millennials don’t believe the “sanctity of the institution” argument is a valid reason to deprive a gay couple in love the right to marry?

You see seeker-friendly churches that appeal to Gen X are resisted by Millennials for the same basic reasons. Because these churches attempt to appeal to everyone they end up stand for nothing and in the end present what is perceived by these Millennials to be an empty, meaningless, superficial, spiritual experience. 

Millennials don’t attend traditional churches for the same fundamental reason. Because these “steeples in the community” are viewed as being legalistic, filled with blatant hypocrites, and have been mired in scandal, Millennials no longer find them trustworthy. 

Should it really come as a surprise that, with all this in mind, only 16% of Millennials say they have a “good impression” of Christians, with the most common perception of Christians being that they are judgmental (87% of Millennials believe this). 

It’s true that Millennials have a fascination with what seems authentic.

Unlike the X’ers who drove Bud and Miller to the bank, Millennials are instead the driving force behind the micro-brew and craft beer movement.

Unlike the X’ers who made Jack and Jim a staple, Millennials are making pre-prohibition whisky vogue and have inspired the resurgence of the classic America Cocktail. 

Unlike the X’ers who gave up on good music for a digital imitation, Millennials are instead raiding their grandparents basements in search of real, analogue, record players.

Unlike the X’ers who sold out on quality for a quick, processed Happy Meal, Millennials are instead fostering a commercial shift back to natural, home grown produce.

After being raised in a society that oozes commercialization, Millennials have reacted with a craving for things that seem genuine and authentic while also having a distaste for things that appear contrived or corrupt. 

When comparing the 20-somethings who remained active in church beyond high school with those who dropped out, the Barna Group uncovered a significant difference between the two.... Those who stay in church were twice as likely to have a close personal friendship with an adult inside the church. 

David Kinnaman observed, “Among those who remain active, this much is clear: the most positive church experiences among Millennials are relational. This stands true from the inverse angle as well: 7 out of 10 Millennials who dropped out of church did not have a close friendship with an adult and nearly 9 out of 10 never had a mentor at the church.” 

His conclusion is where I respectfully disagree.... “The implication is that huge proportions of churchgoing teenagers do not feel relationally accepted in church. This kind of information should be a wake-up call to ministry leaders as well as to churched adults of the necessity of becoming friends with the next generation of believers.”

In 10 years of youth ministry I have seen first hand the incredible impact adult mentors have on Millennials, but it’s not because this connection makes the Millennial “feel relationally accepted.” The key is that these relational connections model for the Millennial an authentic, genuine form of Christianity that can be embraced because it’s respected. 

It’s interesting that the Apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthians to “imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Not only do we desire Calvary316 to be as close to Jesus’ model for the church as it can be, we’re convinced the best way to reach the next generation (and honestly every generation) is by personally demonstrating and verbally encouraging people to have a genuine, authentic Christian experience as modeled by Christ Himself. 

Understand: Millennials don’t want the Gospel dumbed down into self-help nuggets or surface level Bible lessons. In a crazy, complex, information-driven world that presents more problems than answers Millennials crave “deep, thoughtful, challenging answers” in how to find meaning and purpose “to life in a complex culture.” 

Millennials want the Word of God taught, but they desire logically based explanations not fast-paced overviews. And since Millennials challenge everything, before applying or discussing the implications of a truth, pastors must first validate the truth itself.

Millennials don’t want a worship experience relegated into nothing more than mindless repetitions or energetic, pop-driven sing-a-longs. In a superficial and emotionally draining world Millennials crave a deeper more passionate way to express themselves to God. Millennials want to praise God with both the mind and the heart! (Which is why we have seen a renaissance of old hymns within the Millennial church community.)

I am convinced Millennials will embrace a “church life” they find to be logically consistent and clearly in-sync with what the Bible has to say. But I am also keenly aware that, because Millennials have a built-in distrust of people, they will quickly and passionately resist submitting to a “church life” based solely upon the opinions of man. 

If you show a Millennial what God has to say about various issues and explain why God took this approach, a Christian-Millennial will often embrace it. However, if a Millennial perceives that a person in authority is enforcing a position on top of or beyond what God has to say, they’ll reject it and leave the church because their intrinsic distrust of people and institutions was just reinforced.

Let me give you an example.... When a church teaches that the moderate, responsible consumption of alcohol is permitted in Scripture only to then actively restrict the enjoyment of this liberty, Millennials intrinsically resist and in many instances simply leave the church altogether because things no longer appear consistent.

They reason, “If God’s Word is the final authority on such matters (and the Bible has much to say on alcohol) then why aren’t we allowing God to issue the final ruling?”

However when a church teaches that the moderate, responsible consumption of alcohol is permitted in Scripture only to then actively instruct the enjoyment of this liberty within the guidelines of the Bible, Millennials intrinsically accept and embrace the instruction of their leaders because they see consistency.

This is why at Calvary316 we don’t promote alcohol, but we’re honest with what the Bible has to say, and in our attempts to be consistent, we actively engage with Millennials as to the appropriate and inappropriate ways this liberty can be enjoyed.

You see we live in a culture that is equally dominate by empty religion and pagan hedonism very similar to what we find here in Acts 5. Today (as then), people are hungry for something real, authentic, and genuine, and at Calvary316 that’s all we’re trying to be. 

We want to be a community of believers who love Jesus, love people, and live lives consistent with the truth of God’s Word. We want to be known as being genuine and authentic when it comes to our Christian experience. 

And you know what.... From the feedback of those who have recently started attending Calvary316 that seems to be the refreshing reputation we’re building.

---

Acts 5:15-16, “So that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”

---

Note: It doesn’t specifically say the “shadow of Peter” actually healed anyone. The passage only affirms the reality that people thought his shadow would provide healing. 

As with other examples in the Bible, it would appear Peter’s shadow had become a point of contact whereby a person’s faith in Jesus was released for healing (similar to the story in Matthew 9 of the women healed by “touching the hem of His garment.”)

It should also be pointed out that not all spiritual phenomena can be naturally explained. It’s why we refer to these events as “supernatural.” The key is that the event itself can’t defy or contradict the governing laws of nature. Many times the supernatural is nothing more than a super infusing of what is natural.

---

Acts 5:17-18, “Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.” 

---

“Then” is an important transition because it not only provides the timing, but also the motivation behind the high priest’s reaction. Luke says these religious leaders were all “filled with indignation” or “zêlos” in the Greek meaning “an envious and contentious rivalry, or a zealous and fierce jealousy.”

What would cause such a reaction among the religious leaders? 

A chapter earlier this same group had threatened Peter and John to no longer speak in Jesus name hoping this would be enough to contain this new movement. Luke gives us further insight into their reasoning in Acts 4:17, “But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from not on they speak to no man in this name.”

They were enraged because not only had the apostles ignored their threats and continued to preach in the name of Jesus, but things had continued to spread among the people to the point it was now impacting the “surrounding cities of Jerusalem.”

Clearly a line of demarcation had been crossed! Something had to be done which is why they “laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.” All 12 apostles were peacefully arrested and the grammar suggest this was done publicly.

---

Acts 5:19-20, “But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” 

---

Imagine what was going in the minds of these men. They’re sitting in prison, uncertain of the fate that awaits them in the morning, but knowing full-well that they had defied the religious establishment. They knew they had kicked a hornets nest. They knew they had pitted themselves in direct opposition of the most powerful men in all of Israel. 

And as they’re waiting, Luke tells us “an angel of the Lord” (which literally indicates one of many “messengers” sent by Jesus) opens the doors of their cell - brings them out of the prison - and leaves them with specific commands to go back into the temple and continue teaching the people.

Though we’re not given the specifics as to how this jail break occurred, one thing is interesting.... In verse 23 we’re told that when morning came and the captain was summoned to bring the apostles before the Sanhedrin they found the “prison shut securely and the guards standing outside the door” but there were no apostles inside.

I think it’s ironic that Jesus used angels to free the apostles from prison since it was actually the Sadducees who didn’t believe in angels or the supernatural!

---

Acts 5:21-25, “And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. So one came and told them, saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”

---

What do you do with men like this? You threaten them and they preach Christ anyway. You arrest them and what do they do.... They bust out and do the most illogical thing possible! They could go back to the temple and preach Christ some more!

Though we’ll look at the rest of this story next week, I want to close with a thought.... Why would Jesus supernaturally free these 12 men from prison.... Only to then send them back into the temple to preach.... Knowing full well that they would be arrested again.... And ultimately brought back before the Sanhedrin?

Please understand.... Jesus didn’t free these men because He didn’t want them to stand before the Sanhedrin. I am convinced that appearing before these religious leaders was right in line with what Jesus was doing. Jesus want to give these religious leaders every opportunity to repent before they’d experience the coming judgment. Even the religious are in desperate need of a Savior.

Don’t forget what major character the book of Acts will ultimately focus on? You see sitting across from the apostles was none other than “Saul of Tarsus” who though presently stood in opposition to Christ will end up becoming His chiefest proponent. 

Have you ever wondered how in this passage and in Acts 4 we’re given specific details of private conversations occurring within the Sanhedrin? I mean how would Luke have known what was being said without someone providing a detail account? 

I am convinced Luke includes these stories in his narrative because so much of what was happening in these chapters ends up being incredibly instrumental in the life and ultimate conversion of Paul. Which means that, in a sense, Jesus was sending all 12 apostles into the fire of trial to witness to this one man!

Note: In demonstrating His power to free these men in such a supernatural way (knowing they be right back in front of the Sanhedrin one way or the other) Jesus wanted them to always know with certainty that no matter what circumstance they’d face in the future they could always trust they were exactly where Jesus wanted them to be!