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GO, STAND, AND SPEAK

by Jeffrey Hagan
11/05/2014 / Christian Living

by Rev. Jeff Hagan, DCE, DMin

Acts 5:17-33, especially verse 20: "Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life."

Introduction:

This story is pretty basic, yet it is profound as well. It speaks of deliverance and revival, of true courage and high goals, of world-changers on fire for Jesus. In the early days of the church, revival fires were torching up all over Jerusalem. I'm talking real revival, not the cheap imitation we read and hear of today. Thousands of people were putting their faith in the Nazarene carpenter and the number of disciples was multiplying. No area of the city was immune. The streets, markets, schools, and homes were alive with the latest news. In Acts 4, the high priest called for an emergency meeting of the Sanhedrin (the Sanhedrin was Israel's seventy highest ranking religious politicians). The Sanhedrin was like a combination of a Senate and a Supreme Court. They gathered together somewhere in the temple complex, set up in a semi-circle configuration with the high priest, Annas, acting as moderator. Annas despised the church. Peter and John were commanded not to preach. But, in chapter 5, we find them preaching anyway, and it was becoming clearer with each passing day that Christianity was not just some fad, but it was a permanent faith. In a flash of intense anger, Annas sent the temple police to arrest all twelve of the disciples and to lock them in the common prison. A jail like this, in a city such as Jerusalem, would have been disgustingly filthy. The clinking of chains and the cries of woa echoing in the dark, damp atmosphere. But, all of the sudden, the chains released from their wrists, the angel of the Lord opened the door, and the disciples escaped. The disciples were delivered from their cell because God is in the delivering business. He delivers from "sadness, sorrow, and sin." He can deliver you from "addictions and afflictions." And he can deliver you from your guilt and shame:

--- "Because the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy, so that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you" (Deuteronomy 23:14, ESV).

--- "He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you" (Job 5:19, ESV).

--- "The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him" (Psalm 37:40, ESV).

--- "And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me" (Psalm 50:15, ESV).

--- "And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one" (Luke 11:4b, NKJV).

Charles Wesley once said, "My chains fell off! My heart was free! I rose, went forth, and followed Thee!" So, what are we to do once we have been delivered? What are our instructions? The angels words in our main verse today are short and sweet: "Go stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life."

1. GO. "Go" was one of Jesus' favorite words. Just as a side note, it's kind of interesting that Go are the first two letters of the world "gospel." Anyway, Jesus told the missionaries in Matthew 10 to GO to the lost sheep of Israel. He told the disciples of John to GO tell him what they had seen and heard. He told the man delivered from a demon to GO home and tell all of what he (Christ) had done. He told the seventy in Luke to GO as lambs among wolves. He told the wedding servants to GO out an invite others to the banquet. He told those at the tomb to GO with the news of his resurrection. He tells us to GO into all the world. Where specifically might Jesus be calling you to go with the gospel?

2. STAND. Here is another popular New Testament word. "Stand" is used approximately 47 times in the New Testament. We are given instruction to stand firm in the faith, stand against the plans of the devil, stand fast in the liberty with which Christ has set us free, stand girded with truth, stand fast in one spirit. The angel was virtually saying, "Stand with your feet planted firm, your shoulders back, your head held high, and your chest out. Don't be intimidated, but take a stand."

3. SPEAK. We clearly live in a time of never before seen communications technology. It's improving and modernizing almost daily. However, the most effective way to spread the gospel is face to face. It is most effective when we share God's plan of redemption one colleague to another, one youth group member to another, one housewife to another, one bowler to another, etc. Have you witnessed to anyone recently? If you have, do you do so regularly?

Conclusion:

This group of rag tag misfits, these twelve escaped convicts, went along walking and leaping and praising God through the early morning streets of Jerusalem. As the sun came up, they were right back in the temple preaching Jesus Christ crucified and risen. They were arrested and beaten and whipped for doing so, but nothing was going to stop them. Do you have anything you need to be delivered from? Maybe addiction? Lust? Fear? Remeber that Jesus is the great Deliverer and he waits for you to come to him to be delivered. Once you are delivered then what? That's when you "go, stand and speak" to the people the saving gospel message. Share with others that God is more than able to deliver them as well.

Jeff Hagan is the President of True Grace Ministries and Theological Institute. Interested? www.preacherjeff45.wlxsite.com/truegracetheolgical

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