"We must obey God rather than men"

Part Four in a Study of Biblical Statements of Great Faith

by Paul Lytle

The New Testament, obviously, is split into books. We also split it into a few larger sections of books. First, we have the Gospel accounts. The Book of Acts is our early church history. Then we get into the epistles, and finally prophecy. The book divisions and section divisions are very helpful, but there is a danger that we begin to separate the Bible according to these divisions when it should not be. Sadly, I fall into that trap sometimes, looking at a book or section as a complete whole rather than a part of something larger.

In these times, I forget that it is worthwhile to read in the Book of Acts how the Corinthian church was founded as I'm studying 1 Corinthians. I forget that the Gospel of John and the epistles of John are actually very connected, and it is worthwhile to read them together. Finally, I forget that the Book of Acts is written as a sequel to the Gospel of Luke, and with all sequels, you're supposed to be familiar with the original before jumping into the next part.

The reason it is important to see the connection between Luke and Acts is because of how connected they really are. Acts begins in the same place that Luke ended — at the ascension. But when Luke ended there, with Jesus ascending to Heaven, the story of the Acts of the Apostles has just begun. Now we are left with these eleven men, none of whom have exactly acted like saints consistently in the last three years, and they will start a movement that will encompass the world.

I have a tendency to think of Acts as happening later. Not like, "I had dinner and later went to bed," but more like, "I started the first grade and then later graduated high school."

But it wasn't years. It wasn't months. It wasn't even weeks. It was about one week between the end of Luke and Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and caused them to preach in the streets of Jerusalem.

That was the day of Pentecost, which is fifty days after Passover, and it was around Passover when Jesus was crucified. After the resurrection (itself three days after the crucifixion), Christ remained on earth forty days, leaving just about a week before Pentecost.

Why is this important? Seriously, why does it matter if it was a week or a month or a year? It matters a great deal because of what happens in the Book of Acts.

You see, if we think of Acts as happening after Luke, then we are not surprised to see Peter leading revival on the streets. Sure, he was an immature and wavering guy in the gospels, but surely he's grown up, right? When he risks death to preach in front of thousands, it's only because his faith has grown and matured, right?

Wrong.

Wrong. It's only been about fifty days since Peter denied Christ three times while his master was being tortured to death. It's been less than two months since Peter was hiding behind locked doors for fear that he would be found out as a follower of Jesus. And now he is suddenly willing to die for his faith.

It is critical that we understand this timeline so we do not believe that Peter, over time, matured and gradually became more reliable. We must not think that, as though Peter did something of his own will to make himself stronger. We must realize that this is something that changed him quite abruptly and completely. This is not something Peter could have done on his own.

That which changed Peter so dramatically has brought him to the place where, when his life is threatened, he can say this:

But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."

-Acts 5:29-32

And it's not just Peter, of course. The brothers of Jesus mocked Him before the crucifixion, but soon after wrote books in the Bible. One of them, James, became the leader of the Jerusalem church. Saul of Tarsus persecuted Christians before having an encounter with the risen Christ. Afterward, He spread the Gospel to a large chunk of Asia and Europe and died for his faith. John once argued that he should hold the greatest place of prominence amongst the apostles, and later wrote passionately about loving each other and sacrificing for one another. Except for John, early church history tells us, all of the apostles were martyred. And they tried to kill John, they just didn't succeed miraculously. These were the men who hid after the death of Jesus.

So what is going on? What causes this sudden change? Peter himself tells us in Acts 2:

But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: "Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

'AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says,
THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND;
AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,
AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS,
AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;
EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,
I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT
And they shall prophesy.
AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE
AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,
BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.
THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS
AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.
AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE

-Acts 2:14-21

God has poured out His Spirit. That is what happened. These men had a little faith, and that faith was ignited into an inferno by the Holy Spirit.
When I write here about people with great faith, I boast in them, but I am really boasting in the God that changed them. I speak of them so you may see the power and glory that guides them, directs them, strengthens them, and teaches them. It is ultimately not man I celebrate, but the risen Christ. When I speak of these people, it is my hope and desire that you see God's part in these stories, because it is only God that has the strength to do these things. Peter could not have changed so suddenly and dramatically on his own. The Eleven could not have been so convinced that each one willingly died rather than recant (except for John, though they tried to kill him; he just didn't die) on their own. These things do not happen with people.
Except . . .
Jesus tells us this about the Holy Spirit:
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

-John 14:26

The Spirit is part of God that comes to us as a guide and source of power. The Holy Spirit is something that works on us on the inside, in a supernatural way, to make us more like Christ.
You know, I've heard a lot of people say that the Apostles stole Jesus' body to pretend He had risen. Here's the problem with that. The gospels tell us of Apostles who were so afraid that they were incapable of even leaving the house. The Book of Acts tells us of Apostles that were so fervent in their beliefs that they gave up everything and were killed of them. Neither description is one of a grave robber. In the first, they would be too afraid to go that near to Roman soldiers who were guarding the grave. In the second place, no one martyrs himself for something he knows to be false. No, they believed. They believed with all their hearts, strength, soul, and mind.
BEING CHANGED
When you look at the lives of the Apostles, you see a change in them, and a similar change is going on in Christians every day. Maybe not so suddenly, and maybe not in the same manner, but the change is there. In these last days, Joel's prophecy is coming true in us. How are we being changed? Paul gives us a list of the things the Spirit gives to us:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

-Galatians 5:22-23

You see, the Spirit does not only inspire us to stand up and speak about Christ, but He changes us to the very core. It's not just as a witness we change, but we change in love, in kindness. We become more good and controlled. We become glad in Him, and we are made to be at peace.
A lot of people say the Christian life is dull. Well, I can only respond that I have lived as the world lives, seeking pleasure and happiness and attaining neither. In Christ, I am not doing the same thing, but joy abounds.
I recently heard John Piper say that perfect freedom is when you can do whatever you want because everything you want is good. Christianity is not about fighting off baser instincts, but turning those instincts around toward Christ. And so when the Spirit finishes His work in you, you can have everything you desire without guilt, because everything you desire is out of love and honor.
I cannot imagine going back to the world's ways, where you act and then worry about the action, where you do something for pleasure and the pleasure is short-lived and the consequences long. The Spirit has turned my desires upward, so I can have my desires and enjoy them.
What a wonderful gift is this Spirit!
THE SPIRIT AWAITS
The story of Peter gives us another wonderful insight into the way the Spirit works. If you know about him from the gospels, he is a rash young man, thrown by his passions this way and that. At one moment he seems very insightful, and the next oblivious to everything. He draws a sword to fight against those who came from Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and then denies Christ a few hours later.
Jesus called Peter "the rock," but it is an ironic nickname, because Peter was not a rock in the least! He seems like an okay guy, probably fun to be around, but he is not one who really earned the Holy Spirit. He didn't do anything to make himself worthy of this honor.
But that was rather the point of Jesus' thirty-three year mission trip to earth. If anyone could earn their way to God, then there would have been no reason for Jesus to die, because we could have made it on our own.
But there is a little Peter in all of us. We are not always a rock for goodness. Sometimes we become prideful. Sometimes we are cowards. Sometimes we are greedy. Sometimes we are hateful.
We are not, by nature, godly people.
And so Jesus had to come in order to save us from that. We cannot earn back His sacrifice. That is as futile as trying to earn our way to heaven in the first place. No, Jesus gave us this as a gift.
The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and Jesus, having no sin Himself, died on our behalf. And then He sent His Spirit to help us so we don't have to sin anymore.
Do not be so stubborn as to pass up this gift. As with any gift, it cannot be fully given until it is accepted. God will not force it on you. If you want to continue to try to earn your way to His good graces, then you may. But deep down you know that you have already failed. Surrender that to Him. Confess that you are a sinner and need help. Ask Him for His mercy and Spirit.
He is loving and faithful, and He will respond to any contrite heart. And once He imparts His Spirit, do not then turn around and wrestle against Him! For a while, His desires and yours will run contrary, because they have been contrary so long. But let the Spirit turn your desires for the good so that you may have them all without guilt, but with great joy.

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