"A Simple Presentation into The Book of ACTS" - Chapter #5 (Part 2) - Bro. John "Ernie" Perez

We continue our study into "A Simple Presentation in The Book of ACTS - Chapter 5 - Part 2" with Bro. Ernie Perez.  A locked prison, posted guards, and empty cells at dawn—then the same preachers back in the temple, teaching like they never left. Our deep dive into Acts 5 follows that breathtaking sequence from angelic release to public proclamation, through a tense council hearing where the apostles utter the line that still unsettles power: we ought to obey God rather than men. Along the way, we explore why the name of Jesus isn’t a tagline but true spiritual authority, and how real doctrine—clear, grounded, and persuasive—turns a city upside down.

We unpack the sharp contrast between Barnabas’ Spirit-led generosity and the fatal pretense of Ananias and Sapphira, showing how holy fear purifies motives and sparks mission. Then we grapple with Gamaliel’s measured wisdom: if this movement is human, it will fade; if it’s from God, resistance is a losing war. That lens helps us test spiritual claims today without cynicism or gullibility, and it anchors a posture of patience, prayer, and discernment. Even after beatings and a gag order, the apostles rejoice and keep teaching daily—both in the temple and from house to house—offering a resilient pattern for public faith and intimate discipleship when pressure rises.

This conversation is for anyone wrestling with how to live boldly yet wisely: pastors who want to preach with clarity, believers navigating cultural hostility, and seekers curious about why the early church grew under fire. Expect honest talk about repentance, baptism, the Holy Spirit, and the nonnegotiable center of Christian witness: the authority of Jesus’ name. We also challenge political tribalism that fractures the church, calling us back to kingdom-first allegiance that dignifies civic engagement without letting it own our hope.

If this stirred your courage or your questions, share it with a friend, subscribe for more studies through Acts, and leave a review with the moment that stood out most. Your insights help shape where we go next.  *Recorded on 10/27/2025.

Ways to Give at www.m3mi.org...Thank you for your seed!  :)

Transcript

Setting The Table And The Times

SPEAKER_00 0:45

And we're gonna run on the table once again. Um, we've got brother Ernie over here. Good morning, Sister Anne, morning, sister Ellie. I'm thinking sure she's away. Sister Audia. Good morning. Sister Tammy. Sister Patty. And Sister Sandy. So everybody's here today as we're continuing our study on a simple presentation on the book of Acts. I just want to kind of give you, I want to ask, I want to ask you, Brother Ernie, can you just kind of tell me what you think is going on in around the world today? Just kind of give us a little synopsis of where do you see the church? And we're talking about Acts, we're talking about the Apostolic Church. Where do you see the church right now in end times?

Generosity, Ananias, Sapphira, And Awe

SPEAKER_02 1:38

Uh I see that there are two moves going on at the same time. Yeah. There is indeed a great falling away because there are so many people who Christianity for them is a culturalism. It's not a commitment. They're really not steeped in the word. They're not concerned about following God. They want to say, I'm a Christian, I'm a good person, I treat people okay. But I'm gonna live the way I want to live instead of the way Jesus calls us to live. Then at the same time, there's something wonderful going on. There's a great ingathering of new souls, and there's a great awakening in much of the church, uh, realizing that Jesus is coming soon. Yeah. And so we're trying to get ready. I think that when we look at today's church, um, if you look at those churches in the book of Revelation, there are seven different personalities going on in God's church. Right. And so I think that's happening for us, but I do believe, in my spirit, I feel like the earth is literally rotating in the right direction for Jesus to come back. Absolutely. Absolutely. With all that's going on in the world and all the talk about uh uh what God is doing in Israel is great, it's interesting, and I enjoy it. But what's more important is what is God doing in our hearts?

SPEAKER_01 3:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:14

Because we're not all in Israel. Right. We're not over there, right? We're over here. So uh while we want God to save and to heal everywhere around the world, um, and we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, I think it's more imperative that we pray for understanding ourselves. And let's learn to hear the voice of God and follow it.

SPEAKER_00 3:43

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. All right, um, I and I couldn't agree more. I just think that, you know, people are really not paying attention to what's going on over there, and it's so heavy right now. It's very heavy. So if you're not watching, uh just getting some of the world news that what's going on, and I mean, Ezekiel 37, 38 is just written all over the place. So um, so anyway, we're gonna go ahead and start. Um, and then you're gonna give us a kind of preview of what we've gone through so far as we're um in chapter five of the book of Acts. Um, so go ahead and give us a little synopsis and let's go into the lesson.

SPEAKER_02 4:19

All right, so our last lesson opened in Acts chapter 5, verse 1, with a couple by the name of Ananias and Sapphira. It seems they observe the Spirit moving in the area of generosity. And if you look in Romans chapter 12, the first eight verses, you can see that giving is a gift of the Spirit. Uh we'll show Paul teaching the Roman church there about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, citing one of those gifts to be giving. We see that uh this giving became a provision for disciples in need. Uh it was a spontaneous move of God's Spirit. It was not an apostolic doctrine. None of the apostles taught it. The church followed. The rank and file church felt the leading of the Spirit and followed it and did so wonderfully. We learned that that gift of giving is also powerfully manifested in the life of a man uh named Joseph, who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas. He was given that nickname, that he himself had sold a piece of property, very expensive property. It was in Cyprus, considered to be a very, very wealthy province at the time, and he brought all of that and laid it at the apostles' feet. And he had made a name for himself, although it doesn't seem like he was trying to. They named him the son of consolation, because of the words that he spoke in the ministry that came forth from his life. So enter this famous couple, infamous couple, Ananias and Sapphira. They also wanted to give, but it looks like they were trying to make a name for themselves with their giving, rather than giving with a grateful heart, giving out of love. They were giving with a devious purpose. We need to be careful. Uh listen. In their conversation with the Apostle Peter, both of them fell down dead, one after the other. You know, we hate to think of that as apostolic ministry, but guess what? It says great fear and r came upon the church at that time. So there came a great reverence, respect, awe, and many souls came into the church, and many signs and wonders were done by the apostles. This thing caused everybody to draw closer to the Lord. Believers were the more added to the church. Isn't that a conundrum? There came a great ingathering of souls to the place where folks from around small communities and towns around Jerusalem brought their friends and loved ones that were sick and made beds and couches for them, put them on the street, hoping that the shadow of the Apostle Peter would pass over them and that they would be healed. Whatever gave rise to their feeling that the shadow of somebody could heal them, something very powerful was going on as a result of what followed the death of Ananias and Sapphira. And the scripture says that no one decided they wanted to join themselves after that directly to the apostles. Well, I guess not. Who wants to be friends with someone when you get through talking to them, you fall over dead?

SPEAKER_00 7:55

Doesn't give you a chance to be a friend.

Miracles Stir Jerusalem And Opposition

SPEAKER_02 7:57

Yeah, it cuts things short, you know. So, but nonetheless, there was great miracles, there was great healing, multitudes again from the surrounding cities were bringing sick people in, demon-possessed people, and Jerusalem was filled with healing and deliverance. Now, this of course led to involvement from the high priest along with the Sadducees. Why? Because they were the ones who lied about the resurrection of Jesus, and they couldn't stand the truth of the resurrection to be known. And it seems to me that they lied, they love their own lies so much they began to believe it. Now, they come on the scene and all the apostles are arrested now and are put in the common prison. In my imagination, this is like a city jail or a county jail. But in Acts 5, 19 and 20, an angel shows up in the prison and delivers them all. You get this, they've all been thrown in jail for preaching the gospel and for the manifestation of faith in healing and deliverance. And the angel says, I come to set you free. And then he says, and I want you to go right back to where you got arrested and keep doing the same thing. Go back there and and preach all the words of this life. So an interesting scripture for you to write down here and go back and check that out. John 6 and 63. Now we're ready to begin reading with verse 21 and to carry on with the lesson. Are we good to go now?

unknown 9:58

Yes. All right, buddy.

Angelic Release And A Return To Preach

Confrontation: Obey God Rather Than Men

Gamaliel’s Counsel: Let God Prove It

Beatings, Joy, And Unstoppable Teaching

Persecution Foretold And Endurance

House-To-House Faith And Today’s Culture

Unity Beyond Politics And Closing Thanks

SPEAKER_02 10:01

Here we go. Beginning with Acts 5 and 21. And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together and all the synod of the children of Israel, and sent to prison to have them brought. Okay. But when the officers came and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, saying, The prison truly found we shut up with all safety, and the keeper standing without before the doors. And when we had opened, we found no man within. Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priest heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Then went the captain with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. And when they had brought them they set them before the council, and the high priest asked them, saying, Did we not straightly command you that you should not teach in this name? And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree. Him God hath exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins, and we are his witnesses of these things, as so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart and took counsel to slay them. Then stood there up in the council a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space, and said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up Pheudus, boasting himself to be somebody to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves, who was slain, and all as many as obeyed him were scattered and brought to naught. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him, and he also perished, and all even as many as obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say unto you, refrain from these men, and let them alone. For if this council, or if this work be of men, it will come to naught. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. And to him they agreed. And when they had called the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And when they had departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. So let's talk about the latter half of this chapter, and let's see where that takes us. The first verses that we read, 21 through 24, uh go back and a rereading of them before I give you the commentary. And when they had heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest came and they were with him, they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the Senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors. But when we had opened, we found no man within. Next morning, the apostles are back in the temple, because after they were delivered, we read in verses 19 and 20, the angel charged him, go right back where you were arrested at for declaring the name of Jesus in healing and deliverance. Well, as they're following that, at the very same time, the high priest convenes a council again, including his family members of the priesthood and the Senate of the nation of Israel. Talk about Roman influence. Israel developed its own Senate. They sent for the prisoners, the apostles, to appear before this governing body. Imagine their surprise, their suspiciousness, their frustration when they learned that the prisoners were nowhere to be found. Now, this is the second time. The first time they had something like this, they buried Jesus and he rose from the dead. Now they've locked up the apostles, and all the guards are there, and everybody's there, and the door is still locked, and they go to get them, they open it up, and the guards are all on duty, but the prisoners had vanished into thin air. All right, I'm gonna read verses 24 to 25. Now, when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. Then came one and told them, Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. How frustrating was this? The priest, the high priest, the council, everybody heard this, the Senate heard it. Now what? How much more is this movement gonna grow? Do you understand what this means? They know they lied about the resurrection of Jesus, and now the apostles have been set free and they cannot figure out how to effectively lie about this invisible, undenial, unseen prison break of the 12 apostles. They can't deny it. Why? They're in the temple preaching. And when they go to check on them, the guard comes back and says, Look, nobody left. Everybody was on duty all night. The prison's locked up. Everybody was there. All the guards are in place. And we opened the doors. They hadn't been open all night, but they're not there. They vanished into thin air as far as they're consumed. Then comes the good news. The messenger comes into the meeting and declares, the men you put in prison are standing in the temple. They have returned to the original scene of the crime. And once again, they're teaching and preaching the people. What are they teaching? Well, there's a lot of different scriptures that are quoted here, and I can't go to every one of them. So I just thought I would list them for you. I hope that you're prepared to take some notes, but scriptures you would want to look at as to what are they teaching the people. Acts chapter 2, verses 14 through 40 is Peter preaching that Jesus rose from the dead by the prophecies of David, and that the Holy Ghost being poured out is according to the prophecy of Joel. And then you read in Acts and 38, he tells them once they believe what they need to do. The same principles are repeated in Acts 3, 12 through 26. Again, you check out verse 19 as a key verse as you read through there. Acts 4, 8, and 12. We'll look at Acts 4. Because I want you to see how important this is. Acts chapter 4. Reading verses 8 through 12. This is when their first Peter and John are first arrested. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole, be it known unto you and to all the peoples of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand before you whole. Listen, they're having to deny miracles that they have witnessed. They're having to do that in order to hold on to the lie. Verse 11. This is the stone. What is? Jesus Christ. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Verse 12, neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. The name of Jesus must be pronounced in the process of salvation. The name of Jesus must be declared, must be elevated. Now, as you go back, we look at this very quickly. They're teaching the people. What are they teaching about? What were they teaching before? The power that is in the name of Jesus. As you look at the other scriptures that I'm going to list for you now, I hope you have time to write them down. Matthew 28, 18 through 20. Mark 16, 15 through 20. If you've been following us, you've gone over these scriptures many times. Luke 24, 44 through 53, paying close attention to 47 through 49. The Gospel of St. John chapter 1 verses 1 through 14. The Gospel of St. John chapter 3, 1 through 21. And verses 14 and 18. The Gospel of St. John chapter 20 19 through 23 and keying on verse 21. I'm wanting you to go back and look at these things because it's not enough for me to read these scriptures and make these statements. You and Jesus must be experiencing faith between you. Communication. We must be listening for the Lord, for his voice. All right, so we're going to start reading again 26, 27, and 28. Then went the captain with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the high priest asked them, saying, Did not we straightly command you that ye should not teach in this name? That was the command. And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. All right, so let's look at that. So the captain of the guard goes straight to the temple once again, arrests the apostles. But because of the size of the crowd and evidently the excitement of the crowd that were gathered to hear the word, the arrest is carried out very carefully and very peacefully. Why? Because it's part of Jewish culture. If you've messed up bad enough, they'll stone you to death. So this crowd has to be a great size in order for the temple guard and the soldiers to say, Let's don't take these people off. We won't make it out alive. There's so much emotion in the air, we're likely to be stoned. This was an emotionally charged event as well as spiritually charged. So uh if we're not careful, we won't make it out alive. So the high priest now speaks. He speaks to the disciples and says, The last time, at least two of you were here. Didn't we tell you not to teach and preach? This is so important. In the name of Jesus. This is why we lay hands on the sick in the name of Jesus. This is why we prophesy in the name of Jesus. This is why we teach scripture in the name of Jesus. This is why we call people to repentance and water baptism in the name of Jesus. This is why we lay hands on them in the name of Jesus to receive the Holy Ghost. Because the name of Jesus is legal power in the spiritual realm. It'd be like us going into another country and walking into them amongst their rulers and saying, I'm here in the name of President Donald Trump, because he happens to be the president now. Why does everyone pay attention? Because my name is Ernie? No, they may have never met me before. But President Trump has a reputation. It was the same, we like to think for every president preceding him, that when someone would go to another country and say, I'm here in the name of the president, what president? Once it was, they knew it was the president of the USA by identifying him by name, they they set up and took notice. We don't want you to teach in this name. Furthermore, he says, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine. Here is something that is so scary. People who are saying, don't teach doctrine. I'm gonna come to church, but I don't want to hear doctrine. Tell me a good story. Tell me I'm a good person. Let me give an offering. Let me give some money, but don't teach me doctrine. But good sound doctrine. Paul told Timothy, teach sound doctrine. In so doing, you will save both him that hear you and yourself. Doctrine just means teaching, it means solid instruction in the word. And so they're confessing that the doctrine that is being spread by the apostles is turning the town inside out. Because that doctrine has to do with the power that is in the name of Jesus, and it's making them understand you crucified an innocent person. You're guilty of the blood of Jesus. You're trying to bring that on us. Every time you invoke the name of Jesus, you're trying to make us guilty of his blood. Not trying to make you. You're already there. You've been trying to avoid it. You didn't want to admit it. So let's read now from verses 29 to 32. Then Peter and the other apostles answered, gonna answer the accusation. We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom he hanged on a tree. You slew him. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a savior. For to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. The apostles gave the same answer now that Peter and John gave in Acts 4 and 20. We ought to obey God rather than to obey men. I I remember when our pastor, Brother Johnson, came and uh took the church where Mama and I uh we had much of our early life in Christ in Almogordo, New Mexico on Life Tabernacle. And uh Pastor Freddie Johnson was our pastor. And uh after church one day, he was shaking hands with me, and he was a real uh East Texas country boy. I mean the real deal with corn husk behind his ears, as it were. But he was terrific. He was so awesome in making you feel that God paid attention to you and that God cared about you. He stopped me in the foyer. He said, Son, how you doing? I said, I'm doing good, Pappy. Praise the Lord. Did you enjoy the service? Yes, Pappy, it was a great service. He said, You know, a fella asked me, he said, Pastor, you've been preaching repentance, the same message, for the last six weeks. When are you gonna give us a new message? I told him, soon as you repent. He was just bringing that constant doctrine that without repentance, where is your faith? If faith is not pushing you to repentance, what is it that you've believed in? So the apostles are teaching a faith that provokes repentance and a change of life and a recognition that there is power in the name of Jesus. And they again say we ought to obey God rather than men. And then reiterate: the God of our fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, raised up Jesus from the grave after you murdered him in a kangaroo court. That's that's my simple interpretation. Jesus has been established as our Savior and has gifted Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins for Acts 2 38. Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus. Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for 319. Turn to God so that your sins be blotted out and the times of refreshing come, which is the same message of Acts 2.38. And you can see it in Mark 16, 15 through 20. Go, preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and the sign shall follow them that believe. We've gone back to this over and over again because we're seeing this prophecy of Jesus Christ being fulfilled over and over again in the lives of the apostles in the establishing of the church. And you know what? It needs to be fulfilled over and over again in our lives because we are seeking to be this church. Now say amen. So the high priest is really upset with them. We just can't get rid of you. What is the deal? All right, Acts chapter 5. I'm going to uh start reading with verse 33. And I'm just going to cover that one for a moment. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, You heard me say it, we ought to obey God rather than men. I pause there. We ought to obey God rather than men. We ought to obey God rather than men. It sounds a broken record. We ought to obey God rather than men. Verse 33. And when they heard that, they were cut to the heart. You'll see that same Spirit caused the same response in Acts chapter 2, verse 37, after Peter was through preaching. Luke writes, now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart. They were cut to the heart. And listen to what they said in verse 37. Men and brethren, what shall we do? We get it. We get, we believe, who Jesus is, who you say he was. What do we do now that we have been cut to the heart by the Holy Ghost? You repent. But in here in 33 it says when they were cut to the heart and took counsel to slay them. Same spirit, same power, but the reaction is dependent upon the human heart. We choose how we react to God. So many times you hear people say God made me this way. No, you chose to be that way. You chose to be that way. Somewhere in your life you decided this is what I want. And here the Spirit of God had touched their hearts. Verse 33 when they heard that they were cut to the heart. But instead of saying men and brethren what shall we do how do we they said we got to kill these people. Why? Because they were under such deep conviction I wonder if they didn't tell themselves over and over again we got to preserve the lie we cannot lose our place in society our place of affluence and influence. We have political clout with the Romans. We can't lose it starting with verse 34 now and I'm going to read through verse 39. Then stood there up one in the council a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law had in reputation among all the people and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space and said unto them, ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men for before these days rose up Pheudus, boasting himself to be somebody, and to whom a number of men about four hundred joined themselves, who was also slain and all as many as obeyed him were scattered and brought to naught. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing and then drew away much people after him he also perished and all even as many as obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say unto you, refrain from these men and let them alone for if this counsel or work be of men it will come to naught but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. You know what I think I think Gamaliel was wise enough a doctor of the law we might call that a doctor of divinity now that he looked at prophets that had been stoned and killed and said you ought to leave these folk alone you don't like this message. But if this is of God how are you going to stop it? Instead of saying it's not of God he at least was moved by the Spirit and responded in his heart I need to contemplate this. You need to contemplate this you need to think about this. Listen if if the word of God is like water off a duck's back for you you'll never come under conviction for any reason. You'll never desire to be more like Jesus you'll never desire to know what is repentance for or why should I be baptized and what about the name of Jesus you won't desire those things if the word of God is like water off a duck's back for you. That word salah in the Psalms it means pause and meditate. Think about it. You got to think about the word of God reason stands among them and wisdom speaks the man who took the floor Gamaliel and you will see the apostle Paul in his life quoting that Gamaliel was his personal teacher and that he was the greatest teacher of the day of Israel. This man appears to be a doctor of the law a man of great reputation especially in Jerusalem especially among the priesthood especially among the Pharisees Gamaliel speaks with reason and logic and he commands the apostles take them out of the room remove them from the courtroom then he advises the council hey just think this over think about those in recent history of self-appointed leaders and messiahs two of them are mentioned Theudus and Judas both men were slain and so exposed as self-appointed but failed deliverers subsequently their followings soon dissipated. Gamaliel's counsel is leave him alone why you ever heard that saying you give a fellow enough rope he'll hang himself leave him alone you don't need to try to stop them if God does not support them they will fade into history I I don't want to say to you who told me when I came to Christ and was delivered delivered from my addiction you on LSD right now because you're saying that you're still tripping you are on LSD right now why why did you stop doing drugs? Because I found out Jesus is real. God is real and the voice said to me boy you on LSD right now talking to me like that but I'm still here and I'm still stoned cold sober and grateful every day that I'm not stoned I'm not out of my mind I'm not drunk. I'm not high yes every sober day is still a great day hallelujah now Gamaliel had given them this advice but if you're wrong he says you could find yourselves in opposition to God listen all Israel and Judah rose up against the prophet Jeremiah what good did it do them they were found fighting against God Jeremiah told them you go with Nebuchadnezzar don't fight you go you go the cities there and you pray for the cities where you go and you pray for my blessing on them. This is my judgment you accept it you walk in it and I'll bless you where you're at if you can find the place of obedience but they could not and so just a very small remnant of them actually went into captivity. The rest were slaughtered they were slaughtered because the word of God was like water off a duck's back for them all right starting with verse 40 and reading to uh verse 42 and to him they agreed and when they had called the apostles and beaten them they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus I'm telling you I've got to baptize in the name of Jesus I just threw that in. I know that's not in the scripture right there. That's in other scriptures that you should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name and daily in the temple and in every house they cease not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Gamaliel's wisdom somewhat prevails somewhat prevails because they don't execute him. The apostles are released from custody but not without the high priest exacting retribution upon them. Retribution for what the apostles committed no violence against the Jews, the temple or the Roman law yet they were not released until after they had been beaten and that was not a pretty sight and after the beating the apostles were commanded not to speak what? In the name of Jesus I'm telling you we're going to preach in the name of Jesus prophesy in the name of Jesus pray in the name of Jesus lay hands on the sick in the name of Jesus water baptize in the name of Jesus pray in the name of Jesus go forth to be a witness for Jesus in the power and in the might of the name of Jesus if you don't believe there's power in the name of Jesus don't utter it because it'll be just like so much woofy dust. If you don't have a relationship with Jesus you you'd be like this the like the people that uh called later in the book you'll read about in the seven sons of Skeva who tried to cast the devil out of a man in the name of Jesus that Paul preached. But because they didn't know Jesus the devil rose up and spoke out of the demon possessed man and said Paul I know and Jesus I know but I don't know you and he beat the living daylights out of them beat the clothing off their bodies and they ran off naked and embarrassed bleeding bruised battered. I'm telling you the name of Jesus is no joke and it won't work for you if you don't love him and you're not committed to him it'll be just another name plenty of people had that name Yeshua transliterate Jehoshua or Joshua there were lots of them but none of them fulfilled the name in their lives meaning Jehovah's become salvation the name of Jesus only has power according to your relationship with Jesus now how did the apostles react they rejoiced not in the pain of beating you're not going to get me to rejoice that you hit me but in the fulfillment of the words of Jesus in their lives and quickly turn to Matthew chapter 10 we're going to look at Matthew chapter 10 we're just going to read one verse here verse 17 Jesus telling his disciples but beware of men for they will deliver you up to counsels and they will scourge you in their synagogues they're rejoicing that they were worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus because Jesus prophesied this is how they're going to treat you some will receive you some will hate you Matthew chapter 24 let's look at this verse 9 Jesus said concerning the end of time then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake what did they tell them we're going to beat you make you stop teaching and preaching in the name of Jesus look at Luke 21 okay Luke chapter 21 and verse 12 but before all these they shall lay their hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the synagogues and to the prisons and being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake I'm going to tell you right now if you go someplace to church and you're worshiping away and you say well let's pray in the name of Jesus let's baptize in the name of Jesus let's lay hands on the sick in the name of Jesus and they tell you we're not doing that here I'm not sure you need to go back. Does God love them? Of course he does Jesus was nailed to the cross for them but don't you go back without God confirming that you need to because you can say to yourself I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus when you might have been punched in the mouth for being stupid and for being hardheaded if they'll receive your word you want to take it you want to go there but if they start defaming the name of Jesus what did Jesus tell the uh the apostles in the 70 if they don't receive you in that city leave the city and shake the very dust off your feet there's only been a couple of times I've done that and it it made a chill go down my spine because what we're saying is I've given up hope for you not for Jesus but for you responding to him if you've never done that bless the Lord I hope you never have to I hope the Spirit of the Lord never moves on you to do that but if he does you are honor bound duty bound to respond in faith and obedience this is hard. Look at it wasn't easy for the apostle Peter to watch Ananias and Safire fall over dead Christianity is not for the faint of heart look at the gospel Saint John chapter 15 verse 20 remember Jesus is telling them this is the night of the Last Supper remember the word that I said unto you the servant is not greater than his Lord if they have persecuted me they will also persecute you if they have kept my saying they will keep yours also. Listen to me they were having a great ingathering of souls in the book of Acts but at the same time there was a great persecution coming there was great persecution upon the apostles and the believers who testified about Jesus Paul told Timothy all who live godly shall suffer persecution some other scriptures you could read are John 16 and 2 and 2 Timothy 3 and 12 Revelation 2 and 10. The suffering of the righteous is not something we like to teach but the scriptures filled with it that doesn't mean you want to beat yourself or cut yourself or kill yourself. That means the spirit of the world and the spirit of the devil hate you and will rebel against you and since they can't hurt God they'll hurt you in his place then verse 42 they continue to hurt daily in two places in the temple and in every house and they cease not to teach and preach Jesus Christ that name was still there listen to me it's great to have a place to go worship but if it's not going in every house are we really doing it justice look the other day I I was praying praying over tarot and people that I'm witnessing to in tarot praying over tarot and in my mind I I wasn't sure was this my imagination or was this a vision I'm still pondering but I saw like 60 homes I I told mama about it I saw 60 homes where each home was you know like two three four families in there worshiping God. You know if the government ever cracks down and says there'll be no churches here we got people right now that are socialists running for mayor and we've had one that's been in Congress for years. We got a whole society that does not understand that the USA is a constitutional republic to protect our individual rights. And they're constantly clamoring for a democracy and if we had a pure democracy there would have never been a successful civil war. There would have never been an emancipation proclamation and they wouldn't dare have had a civil rights movement and women would have never voted. Now I'm not saying that constitutional republic equals the kingdom of God because it doesn't it's human government. But what I'm saying is we swallow so many things hook line and sinker without seeking God we can't afford to do that church we must pray and ask for guidance and you can't be sold on well I need to be a libertarian I need to be a Democrat I need to be an independent I need to be a Republican look you vote the best you can but our allegiance as much as I love the USA our allegiance is to the kingdom of God first we are citizens of the kingdom of God and you know one of the good things about the saints in the book of Acts they didn't have any of these things to fool with it seems like only the Pharisees and the Sadducees the Sanhedrin Israeli Synod but the believers didn't seem to have to align themselves with any political faction they had to align themselves with Jesus I bet they wish they had a voice with the Rome. Oh they yeah they no doubt they wish they had a voice in Rome but only Roman citizens did. Only Roman citizens had a voice that's why you know it's when you read the book of Acts you'll notice as you read through it reads to me that Barnabas Paul and Silas were all Roman citizens that's one of the things that kept them able to move with the gospel like they did. Why are you here those of you in the USA the Lord has saved you right here in the USA so that you can impact the USA use your citizenship for Jesus don't use it for the Democrats or the libertarians or the Republicans for that matter. Use it for Jesus and however you vote I won't judge you but I'll tell you this you need to pray and follow the Lord and don't let that divisive spirit into the church it doesn't belong in the church house preach righteousness preach Jesus Christ and him crucified buried and resurrected preach repentance water baptism in the name of Jesus infilling of the Holy Ghost and you're going to have to name sin sooner or later don't be afraid to do it but you're not naming it because you're a particular political party you're naming it because you belong to Jesus I I didn't mean to get in that bag I hope I did I hope I I hope I didn't tear up anything but I was just just coming from my heart because I I have brothers and sisters uh people I love who vote libertarian democrat and republican independent you know what I want them all to love God. I want them all to do that but we can't let those divisions cause us to look at one another with a bigoted point of view. Yeah but I'm I'm afraid I'm I'm guilty of that I probably every one of us at one point or another I I had a friend that I worked with it was a uh he he was a Democrat I don't know where he is now I'm pretty sure he still is one day we were talking about why we voted the way we voted and I said I do that because of my conscience toward God and he looked at me and said that's why I'm a Democrat and so I said to myself if we're going to pray together I'm just gonna have to forget he said that yeah I can't I can't focus on that.

SPEAKER_00 55:14

Yeah that's but it's so hard.

SPEAKER_02 55:15

It's so hard well be especially in a culture that is so fiercely divided that way the church though we need to see that everybody's sins were nailed to the same cross that has the same hope and the same savior.

SPEAKER_00 55:34

And even their boat sin so they could go a whole lot different you're gonna you're gonna have to repent yeah I'll pray for them I'll pray for them all right so what we should do we should pray for them we're not we're not so perfect ourselves all right so thank you so much for wonderful wonderful study um on chapter five we're gonna be going into chapter six um and so um can we just give God thanks that we have the opportunity to vote how many people don't like I said I bet the disciples wish they could have had a say but but unfortunately they they didn't have much say so um but anyway um I just want to thank all of y'all for listening thank you guys for uh you know we're growing our platform's growing and I want you to like and share and follow this podcast and and video and send it out and and share with other people you know um spread it around you know um and we do appreciate it and we thank those people who do give so that we can pay for this and and continue to to do the work of the Lord. Thank you for this for your time. Thank everybody around the table say hey so go show some love show some compassion give go be STU family if you have enjoyed this podcast today would you please like follow and share our podcast link and we would love to hear your feedback if your podcast topic suggestions website www