Grace Chapel Bible Ministries
worship Call 1168 Happy are the feet - 2024/10/28
[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] Welcome to Worship Call with Bible teacher Buzz Laubec. Buzz is the pastor of Grace Chapel Bible Ministries located in Duncan, South Carolina. This ministry is dedicated to the verse by verse teaching of God's word and discipleship programs aimed at strengthening the faith of God's people. Now here's today's message. God is on our side. This is from A.W. Tozer from his pursuing God for October 28th. Let's have become founded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul, Psalm 7113. It was a gracious revelation to my human spirit when I discovered that the Word of God was actually on my side, operating in my behalf. I was reading Psalm 71 and I came to this amazing statement that I has given commandment to save me, 7113. My heart has been warmed with the realization ever since. I believe that the Word of the living God has gone throughout all the earth to save me and keep me. Let the theological experts raise their eyebrows. I don't care. The living Word has changed himself with responsibility to forgive, to cleanse, and to keep me. Let it not be guilty of underrating the Word of God operating on our behalf. I dare to say that there is not an uncontrolled stroke or force anywhere in all of God's mighty universe that can take eternal life away from trusting, believing, obedient child of God. Let us thank God for the Word. It is living in powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, Hebrews 4/12. This is the second day of the week in God's created order. The 28th day of the 10th month, 2024th year of our Lord, and this is another fine day in the Lord. Let us pray. Father in Heaven, thank you for this opportunity. Once again, another week, you woke up this morning to be your servant. Our hearts and our minds are directed to thee. I pray, Heavenly Father, that you encourage us this week, lift up our hearts to thee and everything that we do, everything that we say for the divine appointments that we might have this week, and may we share Christ with others. We pray these things in Christ's name, a man, and we're excited this morning as we start another day. Here we go. We're talking about Paul, Peter, and John here. This is really the first trial they have to stand before the Sanhedrin and with this man who is now walking, who couldn't be born. What could they say, and actually, as we have said, who's really on trial here? Peter and John, or was it the Sanhedrin on trial? Whereas the Sanhedrin wanted to strongarm these two and figure that they would run out with their tail between their legs, scolded dogs. Scolded dogs are scolded dogs, scolded dogs, I guess. But that wouldn't happen. These men remain bold. They were not disrespectful by no means, but you don't have to be disrespectful and arrogant and trade evil to evil to stand firm and to present the truth. And who knows, maybe your oppressors will themselves have a changed heart. There are 70 within the council. I don't know if all 70 were there, but maybe there were some there that did hear the words and maybe responded to a certain degree. I don't know. We'll find out, I guess, when we get to heaven. Verse 13 of Acts 4, now, as they observed the confidence, the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated, untrained men, they were amazed and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. They thought they had put Jesus away. They thought they had crucified Him. They thought that that was behind them. Now, they're starting to realize that Jesus was more dangerous than what He was before to them, before their way, before their religious thrones, that now it wasn't just Jesus. He got two of them standing from now, where they had to deal with one before. Now, they've got both Peter and John, and not to say that in regards to the rest. And they also recognize that people were believing them, not the religious leaders, but Peter and John. This has become a pretty good threat here. And seeing the man who had been healed, verse 14, standing with them, they had nothing to say and reply. What were they going to do? With the people believing, with the miracle, obvious miracles that stood before them, what were they going to? Were they going to really go about and carry on with a persecution, jail, and who knows what else to these men when the population was on the side of these men? But when they had ordered them to leave the council, they began to confer with one another, saying, "What shall we do with these men?" For the fact is noteworthy, the miracle has taken place. Through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. As we've said before, Jesus' miracles, most of His miracles took place not in this general vicinity, but took place up in the Galilee in the area, up around the Galilean Sea. Jesus' headquarters was Capernaum. These miracles were now starting to become prevalent in the Jerusalem area. But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name. You can speak about God. We all believe in God. There is no controversy saying that you believe in God. Actually, the Bible says it is the fool who says that there is no God. The Romans had no problem. There are all kinds of pagan gods. And as we've noted before that, you can have a pretty good, lively, and really edifying conversation with just about anybody pertaining to God until you bring in the name Jesus. And when you bring in the name Jesus, that's where you bring in. Sometimes it will shut the conversation right down, amazingly. And when they are summoned them, when they had summoned them, brought them back into the council, they commanded them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Not being cowering one last parting shot from the Pharisees, but also one last parting shot from Peter and John who answers that charge. But Peter and John answered and said to them, whether it is right, and so here we see also on their Peter and John answered them. Peter may be doing much of the speaking here, but John is also doing the speaking. So it's not just John tagging along. He's also in the mix and in the conversation. And Peter and John answered and said to them, whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, well, you be the judge. All right, there's going to be times when you see some of the greatest, well, the greatest testing, there's a number of tests as you're growing in the spiritual life. There's a number of things that are going to test your stand with God. It's going to be those things that are challenged your spiritual life. There's going to be thought testing. There's going to be your temptation set testing. There's going to be disaster testing, but some of the most prevalent testing that you're going to have in your life are both people in system testing. Here is the religious system and sometimes it's the religious system that's going to test your stand for the Lord. But certainly it will be people testing that's going to stand there. And even with all the testing, you're going to have to ask the question, who do you stand with? We mentioned yesterday during the class that we are all subordinate or that we are all slaves to something, that we all bow in need to something. We are either bow in need to our sin nature, we're bow in need to people, we're bow in need to the systems, the cosmic systems, we're bow in need to devil. If we're going to bow in need, if that's what we're going to do, we might as well bow in need to Christ and make our resolve that that's who we stand with. And that's what Peter and John are doing right here. That Peter and John answered the set to them, whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you, rather than to God, let God be the judge. For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard. And the most recent challenge to most of the churches that we have seen in our lifetime has been just a couple of years ago with COVID. And many churches bow down to the government and they closed their doors. They allowed the circumstances and they allowed the people or the government to shut them down. And while at the same time, the government allowed bars and taverns to remain open, they defiantly closed the churches. I hope we've learned a lesson from that by now, and it's not necessarily to make a stand and make a point, but it's to do the right thing. I hope in the after-action report, let me tell you about this, we're going to be challenged with things. And sometimes, listen, in our personal lives or even corporately as a church which we had been here in the United States, we're going to be challenged. And sometimes things are going to, you're not going to always make the right decision. There's going to be a knee-jerk decision. And this is why we're occupied with Christ. We're going to be better able to handle the situation when we come into the situation. That when we're occupied, when we have a spiritual authority, I like what someone once said that we are either going into the storm. We're in the storm or we're coming out of the storm. When we're going into the storm, we need to be preparing. That's with our spiritual priorities in place. And that we're learning the Word of God, we're growing in the Word of God. And even then, sometimes the storm is unexpected. And we might make the wrong decisions, which I think a lot of churches made wrong decisions in that time. It is my opinion. They did so. And not that they were bad, but this was something new. They just caught them off guard individually as people and as believers. We get off guard. And then we may make the wrong decision. Now, when we are tested, and we come into the storm, and victory comes when we properly apply the Word of God. We have our sights set on Christ, and we are Christ's followers. And coming into the storm, we properly apply the Word of God to the situation. By doing so, we open up doors for greater doctrine. We open up doors. It's victory. We open up doors for greater opportunity to serve. We open up doors for greater testing and with greater testing, greater opportunities to glorify God. That's victory. Not only that, we also become a testimony of God's power, and that victory is shared by the body of Christ. And we see that there. Now, alternatively, is when we fail a test. And how do we fail a test when we come into it each and every time, it's the same way for however we tell. We can blame it on many things. But the one thing that way we fail a test is the fact that we fail to apply the Word of God. Take it one step further than that. We take our eyes. This is it. We take our eyes off of Christ. We take our eyes off of Christ. We take our eyes off of the plan, and we put our eyes on people and circumstances. That's when we lose. That's when we lose our testimony. That's when we lose, that's when we can run as scalded dogs with the tail between our legs. So those who are in victory, they press on further into their spiritual life and upwards. Those that fail are faced with their guilt, their faith with their, the loss of that opportunity. They fail the test. What's their alternative? To get back with the Word of God. To repent, change your thinking, repent from any sin, and come back in because God is faithful to bring a retest, and there will be a retest. So if you're going to be retested, mouth will pass at first time. How's that sound? Alright, let's get back to scripture here. Coming down, I'm going to start with 18. And when they had summoned them, and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Peter and John answered and said to him, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than God..." Well, you be the judge. You be the judge because that's, you know, we can't, there's no alternative for us. So basically, you're going to have to do whatever you've got to do, okay? For we cannot stop speaking about what we see and what we have seen and what we have heard. And sure enough, Isaiah 52 7 says, "How lovely are the mountains, are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace, and who brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, "Your God reigns." There is so much bad news in this world. There's so much, just on TV and it's all there, it's all radio, it's there. And there's a lot of wazi-wazi-woo-woo. But the fact is, the good news is Christ. And where there is a victory, where there's a victory with Jesus, it needs to be shouted from the mountaintops. And not that we look, and that, the testimony, which is the Martus. Martus in the Greek, the testimony, the witness, how God is working in your life. I love the, I love the here testimonies. I love, I love people say, "Let me tell you what the Lord is doing in my life." And people mentioning Lord Jesus Christ. And that just lifts my heart because the, the very Jesus that they're talking about is my Jesus. And so Peter says, "We cannot stop talking about what we have seen and heard." John says here, first John, I believe. Let's go, let me bring it up here. First John, one. I believe this is it. Yup, this is what, this is what I'm looking for. And John writes in first John, same John, first John, or this first John, one. What was from the beginning? And what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes. And what we have looked, our eyes, and what we have looked at. And touch with our hands concerning the word of life. And the life was manifested, and we have seen and testified for claim to you, the eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. What we have seen and heard and proclaimed to you also. So that you too have the fellowship with us. And indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his son Jesus Christ. These things we write so that our joy may be complete. You think John followed along with what the religious leader said, don't speak of this name anymore, don't speak of this Jesus anymore, no. John is proclaiming it in his writings and his teachings and of the name of Jesus. And so shall we. If we are consumed of our hearts of form, like I've said before, there used to be a time when I just kind of rolled my eyes and think people are overboard. How can they be overboard when our hearts are overflowing with the person of our Lord Jesus? Of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 21, when they had threatened them further, they let them go finding no basis on which to punish them. So they gave them another, they want them to be the last words. Here's the last words and raised their voice, pointed their finger, whatever they did, but they wanted to threaten them one last time. On account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened. Here the people are the Jews primarily. I won't say that there wasn't no Gentiles mixed in it, but primarily it was the people of Israel. It was the Jews here. You know, people because they were glorifying God for what had happened. Okay, something that's happened. Okay, the circumstances, the circumstances dictate. Now look at this. There was the arrest of the great wonders thing that's happened with this man being healed. That was a great thing. And all of a sudden Peter and John are arrested. That was a bad thing. Or was it? During the arrest and being hauled in before being arrested and having to spend the night in jail and have to stand before the saying, "Oh my goodness." But you see, this is one body of believers. And when a body of believers, when a brothers or sisters are persecuted, the whole body is persecuted. Now, is there a victory? Now on this, not everyone is directly, the whole body is being persecuted, but not every individual have to go through the front lines. At this point, Peter and John are on the front line. They're the ones facing the persecution. So what do we do? We wipe the, as we on the outside of that courtroom, do we just wipe us in? It's just bad to be Peter and John or do we strike our need and get on our knees and pray for a good testimony that Peter and John is going to stand strong before this. And because their victory is the church's victory, which is Christ's victory, which is Christ and God's glorification. For the man was, so because they were all glorifying God, they were given glory to God for what had happened. Bad circumstances, trying circumstances, trials, tribulation, those things that were going on, and what had happened from not only with the miracle of the man who now is able to walk, but through the circumstances that presents itself with the early persecution. We'll see that. For the man was more than 40 years old in whom the miracle of healing had been performed. When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all to the chief priest and to the elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, "Oh Lord, it is you who made the heavens and the earth." And to see in all that is in them, who by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our Father, David, our servant said, "Why did the Gentiles rage and the people's devised feudal things?" The kings of this earth took their stand and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His anointed. Really, prayer goes on. And it's not right there, who's doing the praying? Who's doing the praying? Come on back. And when they heard this, when they heard this, they lifted up their voice to God. Okay, let's pack up there. When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all to the chief priest and the elders had said to them. And they heard this. They lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, "And this one accord is just Peter and John. I think it's Peter and John. I think it's everyone who's joined together, one accord, that here is a corporate prayer among all of them and said, "Oh Lord, it is you who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that's within them." And Acts, here we've got Acts and that's not basic for this, but we say that Acts can use that as a cross-step, whatever, but Acts, the A-C-T-S, you have adoration, confession of sins, thanksgiving, and then supplication. And here we see, first of all, the adulation of God, the glory of God. Through the circumstances, and the circumstances that they're seeing, they're seeing the hand of God going at work and they're lifting up their hearts to this. He has said, "You have made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that's within. Acknowledging not only his omnipotence, his power to do so, but he who creates is the one who's sovereign overall, if he created, he rules over it. Who by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our Father, David, your servant, said this." And this is quoting from Psalm 2. And let's go, we've got a couple of minutes, let's go to Psalm 2. Let me bring up one here, all right, and in Psalm 2, why are the nations in an uproar? And the people devising and obeying things, up right there, nations are the Gentiles, the Gentile nations, and the uproar and the people's devising and obeying things. The kings of this earth be like Herod, Herod the king. Take their stand in the rulers like the emperor here at this particular time, the emperor, the Roman emperors and Pilate. Take counsel together and the kings, like Herod, once again the Edomite, the governing powers over Israel, and the rulers, which are the Roman rulers and the counsel, the pro-council, the Pilate and all that. Take counsel together against the Lord, against his anointed saying, "Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away the courts from us, every influence. Get rid of all the influence, get rid of everything, get rid of the name of Jesus altogether." Okay, applying this to the time and acts right here, he who sits in heaven laps and the Lord scuffs at them, then he will speak to them in his anger. See, while we may be flustered down here on earth, and while we may see these vain things going on and the attacks against Jesus and the opposition against the spread of the gospel, and we think those bad things and the persecution, and they are bad, but yet we can be comforted because God in heaven is laughing at them, laughing at our enemies. Then he will speak to them in his fury and terrify them in a fury saying, "But as for me I have installed my king upon Zion, my holy mountain. They are recognizing that Jesus Christ is the supreme over all of this, over the governing powers of Rome and over the kings, the governing rulers, the religious establishment, he is over it all. There is nothing that God has not sovereign over. I will surely tell you to create of the Lord. He said to me, "You are my son today, I have begotten you." Ask of me, and I will surely give you the nations as your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as your possessions. You will break them with a rod of iron, you shall shatter them like earth and where, and they are starting to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is something that is happening which these people now want to be a part of. Now therefore kings of the earth show discernment take morning old judgments of the earth, worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling, do homage to the son that he not become angry and you perish in a way, for the wrath will soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge." And this is quoted in part in Acts where it says, "Why do the Gentiles wage and the people devise a futile thing, kings of these earth take their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ." So when you see God's hand moving and you are able to anticipate in the time in which we live, if we know God's work, if we continue to inculcate ourselves with the Bible and God's plan, these people apparently from Psalm 2 new God's plan, knows God's plan, we can anticipate the next move and we can anticipate that the next move is going to be victory. But for these people there is going to be a lot more persecution ahead. This bringing Peter and John, they were the first ones to be brought into trial over this name Jesus. They won't be the last, and this won't be the last time they are going to have to stand before the judges. So before long, we are going to see greater persecution. We are going to see them drug, and we are going to see them beat, and we are going to see them drug across the Coles, and we are going to see them give their lives for this name Jesus. So this is just the first part. This is just the beginning. In our lives, in our spiritual lives, we begin as spiritual babies, and we will encounter some opposition, but how we handle that opposition from the beginning, we continue muscle upon our faith so that when it comes time to giving our own lives, we have no problem with doing that either. Father, in heaven's act for this opportunity of fellowship in your words, morning. Thank you for this week that you've given another day that you've given us. I pray heaven I follow that you continue to watch over us, and everything that we do, everything that we say, everything that we think may be to your glory in Christ's name we pray. Amen. All right. Another fine day in the Lord. Keep your armor on. Keep fighting in good fight of faith. Lord, well-spurred God, raptured opinion, we're going to be back here in the AM. You can hear this message again, as well as previous lessons, and get note by visiting us online at www.gchapel.org. Thank you. in the Lord. of the Lord. of the Lord. of the Lord. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Okay. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
spiritual victory is shared by the body of Christ