Handling Church Problems God's Way

Scripture: Acts 3:1-

C.I.: Government Interference

Today we begin a new series. “Church problems” are not new. Indeed, they have been around as long as the church has been here. During October we will be seeing what kind of problems they faced and learn from them how we should handle similar situations!

•  When Government Interferes with the Work of the Church

•  How the Problem Began

•  Peter and John used the healing of the lame man as an opportunity to tell the people about Jesus.
a. ( Acts 3:13-15 ), “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, whom you delivered up, and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of Life, whom God raised from the dead, to which we are all witnesses.”
1) The point of Peter's message was not the miracle of the healing, but that of the resurrection!
2) It was his focus on the power of God that got these two believers in trouble!
3) ( Acts 4:1-3 ), “And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in jail
until the next day, for it was already evening.”

•  How might the Lord's people see this sort of thing today?

a. There still exists religious persecution in the world.
1) THE WASHINGTON POST - “ Just days after Iran released 2 American accused of spying, an Iranian court has upheld the apostasy conviction and execution sentence of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. The 11 th branch of Iran's Gilan Provincial Court has determined that Nadarkhani has Islamic ancestry ancestry and therefore must recan his faith in Jesus Christ. Iran's supreme court had previously ruled that the trial court must determine if Youcef had been a Muslim before converting to Christianity. However, the judges, acting like terrorists with a hostage, demanded that he recant his faith in Christ before even taking evidence. When asked to “repent,” by the judges, Youcef stated, “Repent means to return What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my Faith in Christ?' The judges replied, “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam.” To which he replied, “I cannot.” .”Technically, there is no right of appeal, and under Iran's interpretation of HAdith and Sharia law, Pastor Youcef is to be given 3 chances to recant. He has already been asked to recant twice, and will be asked to do so again on Tuesday. If he does not recant his Christian faith, he could be executed at any time.”

b. “But we have a Constitution here that would not allow anything like that to happen here!”
1) You may believe since these things happen in the Middle East they won't happen here.
2) THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION - Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, “U.S. must rely on foreign law. The impressions we create in this world are important. American courts need to pay more attention to international legal decisions to help create a more favorable impression abroad,” said Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at an awards dinner in Atlanta. “The impressions we create in this world are important, and they can leave their mark," O'Connor said.

c. “Yeah, but nothing like that would happen here in the good ol' U.S.A., right?”
1) DEARBORN, MICHIGAN -(ANS)-Three Christians were arrested today at the Arab International Festival as they shared their faith with Muslims. The three were arrested by police as they engaged in respectful dialog in which they proclaimed their faith in Christ. The three arrested include Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, David Woods, and Paul Rezkalla. Dr. Quereshi is co-director of Acts 17 Apologetics Ministries. He holds an MD from Eastern Virginia Medical School and an MA in Christian apologetics from Biola University. "When Dr. Quereshi was arrested I heard people clapping and applauding, and some said 'Allahu Akbar,'" Atkins said. There was a crowd of 15-20 people watching the exchange and subsequent arrest. The festival attracts several hundred thousand Arab Americans each year, and some Christian groups find it an ideal venue for Christian outreach.

•  The Government's Response to the Church

1. Any government, even in a “religious one,” sees itself as the sole authority.
a. ( Acts 4:5-7 ), “It came about on the next day, that their rulers & elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; & Annas the high priest, & Caiaphas, & John & Alexander, & all who were of high priestly descent. When they had placed them in the center, they inquired, ‘By what power, or in what name, have you done this?'”
1) These same men had asked Jesus this same question earlier.
2) ( Matt. 21:23 ), “And the chief priests and elders of the people asked Him, ‘By what authority are you doing these things and who gave You this authority?'”
3) The believer knows the authority and the source of their power, ( quote Col. 3:17 ).


2. Peter's response to the question
a. ( Acts 4:8 ), “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers and elders of the people….'”
1) The last time Peter had been this close to this council was in the courtyard at Jesus trial!
2) ( Matt. 26:69-70 ), “Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a certain servant-girl came to him and said, ‘You too were with Jesus the Galilean.' But he denied it before them all, saying, ‘I do not know what you are talking about.'”
a) Peter displays that which keeps most believers from being persecuted today – fear! 3) But what made the difference now?! “Then Peter, filled with the holy Spirit ….”
a) Being filled with the Spirit is a choice, ( Eph. 5:18 ), “Do not get drunk… be filled….”
b) But how do we make that choice? It all comes down to where do we focus our attention: on what could happen to me (i.e., fear); or on how to please God?!!
c) ( Rom. 8:5-6 ), “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, and those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” = What is Your Mind-Set?
d) ( Rom. 8:12-13 ), “ So then, brethren, we are not under obligation to the flesh, to live according to the flesh – for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the
Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” = What is your Choice?!
e) ( Rom. 8:14-15 ), “For those who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit leading to FEAR again, but you have received a spirit of
adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!'” Who Controls You? (fear/faith?)
f) We have nothing to FEAR, ( Heb. 2:14-15 ), “Since children share in flesh and blood… and might deliver those who through fear were subject to slavery their whole lives.”
g) Jesus warns us, ( Matt. 10:28 ), “Do NOT fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.”

b. ( Acts 4:9-12 ), “…if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how he has been made will, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead – by this name this man stands here before you in good health. He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which you must….”
1) All the things which had previously caused Peter to be afraid are gone!
2) Our thinking is now focused on what Jesus will do for us rather than what man can do to us!

•  The government's final responses and Peter's rebuttal
a. Their “inner response” to the reality, ( Acts 4:13-14 ), “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men. They were marveling and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.”
1) “Uneducated & untrained”??! It was because these men had been with Jesus = confidence!!!
2) When we are involved in the work of Christ – He will watch over us!

b. Their “external response” to the reality, ( Acts 4:17-18 ), “‘In order that it [their message] should not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to any man in this name.' And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or to teach any more in the name of Jesus.”
1) God has called for His people to be the most law-abiding citizens that there are!
2) But when the government's laws violate the laws of God, then we have only one choice…
3) ( Acts 4:19-20 ), “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to give heed to you rather than to God....

c. The final response of the government (for now)…, ( Acts 4:21 ), “And when they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which they might punish them.”

C. The Church's Response to the Government

1. As should always be the case, they took their response to God…
a. ( Acts 4:23-29 ), “ When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O ??Lord, it is You who ?? made the heaven and the earth and the sea , and all that is in them , who ??by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, ‘?? Why did the ?? Gentiles rage , And the
peoples devise futile things ? ‘?? The kings of the earth ?? took their stand , And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His ???? Christ .' “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy ????servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both ??Herod and ??Pontius Pilate, along with ??the ??Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and ??Your purpose predestined to occur. “And ??now, Lord, take note of
their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may ??speak Your word with all ?? confidence .'”
1) #1 – the comfort of fellowship! They went and shared all that had been said to them.
2) #2 – the encouragement of the scriptures! David's Psalm 2 speaks to their hearts.
3) #3 – the confidence of prayer! They asked God for precisely what the government didn't want them to have, confidence!!!

b. God's house-shaking response to their prayer, ( Acts 4:31 ), “And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness !” – HOW GOD ANSWERED THEIR PRAYER!
1) #1 – When God's people pray in faith, houses may shake, but God's people won't!
2) #2 – They experienced the same thing Peter did when he stood before the council, “And Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit…!”
3) #3 – God always answers our prayers better than we can pray them! For they had asked for “confidence,” but God gave them “BOLDNESS”!!!

2. How should God's people today respond to governmental intrusion into our lives?
a. First, we should never face difficulties for doing what is wrong (before God), ( I Pt. 4:15-16 ), “By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a ‘Christian,' let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God.”
b. Second, we should be ready to respond biblically to any issues, ( I Peter 3:15 ), “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”
c. Third, we should use every opportunity (good or bad) to glorify God, ( I Pt. 4:11 ), “Whoever speaks, let him speak as the oracle of God; whoever serves, let him do so by the strength that God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Christ Jesus.”

CONCLUSIONS:

1. Live each day to glorify Jesus.
2. Focus your mind on Him and live every day without fear!
3. Become His child today if you are not already His son/daughter, Gal. 3:26-27!!!

Religious Persecution has not “gone away”!

WASHINGTON POST – Just days after Iran released 2 Americans accused of spying, an Iranian court has upheld the apostasy conviction and execution sentence of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. The 11 th branch of Iran's Gilan Provincial Court has determined that Nadarkhani has Islamic ancestry and therefore must recant his faith in Jesus Christ. Iran's Supreme Court had previously ruled that the trial court must determine if Youcef had been a Muslim before converting to Christianity. However, the judges, acting like terrorists with a hostage, demanded that he recant his faith in Christ before even taking evidence. When asked to “repent” by the judges, Youcef stated, ‘Repent means to return. What could I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?” The judges replied, “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam.” To which he replied, “I cannot.” Pastor Youcef will be brought to the court for two additional “hearings” on September 27 th and 28 th for the sole purpose of being called upon to recant his Christian faith. Although Pastor Youcef's attorneys will attempt to appeal the case, there is no guarantee that the provincial court will not act on its own interpretation of Sharia law and execute Pastor Youcef as early as Wednesday. Technically, there is no right to appeal, and under Iran's interpretation of Haddith and Sharia Law, Pastor Youcef is to be given 3 chances to recant. He has already been asked to recant twice, and will be asked to do so again Tuesday. If he does not recant his Christian faith, he could be executed at any time.

“But we have a Constitution in this country that would not allow something like that here!”

ATLANTA JOUNAL-CONSTITUTION – Former Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor, ‘U.S. must rely on foreign law. The impressions we create in this world are important. American courts need to pay more attention to international legal decisions to help create a more favorable impression abroad,' said O'Connor at an awards dinner in Atlanta.‘The impressions we create in this world leave their mark,' ‘Connor said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“Yeah, but nothing like that would happen here in the good ol' U.S.A., right?!”

DEARBORN, MICHIGAN – Three Christians were arrested today at the Arab International Festival as they shared their faith with Muslims. The three were arrested by police as they engaged in respectful dialog in which they proclaimed their faith in Christ.
The three arrested include; Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, David Woods, and Paul Rezkalla. Dr. Qureshi is co-director of Acts 17 Apologetics Ministries. He holds an MD from Eastern Virginia Medical School and an MA in Christian apologetics from Biola University. “When Dr. Qureshi was arrested I heard people clapping and applauding, and some said, ‘Allahu Akbar,' Atkins said. There was a crowd of 15-20 people watching the exchange and subsequent arrest. The Festival attracts several hundred thousand Arab-Americans each year, and some Christian groups find it an ideal venue for Christian outreach.