Threats Determined by Thy Counsel
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
9/27/2015 PM
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Text:
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Acts 4:27,28
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Psalters: |
265, 299, 3, 289 |
- The prayer.
- Notice what the company of believers did NOT do.
- Instead, taking the threats seriously, they turned to the Lord with the confidence that He would sustain them and protect them.
- They began their prayer by reminding themselves of Who God is by their address.
- And He is the One Who has revealed Himself in Scripture (25).
- They prayerfully reminded themselves that God is in control of also these threats.
- There is terrible and frightening opposition to God and His holy servant Jesus.
- And if against Christ (the anointed of Jehovah), then certainly against His disciples.
- Note that the opposition was and is against God’s “child” (and children) who are “holy.”
- The quote from Psalm 2:1,2 explains the opposition being faced by the Christians.
- The opponents were consciously and willingly full of hatred of God’s Anointed.
- Even the worst opposition to Christ will in the end serve the purpose of God.
- Conclusions.
- First, God’s absolute sovereignty does not remove human responsibility.
- The Lord answers immediately: they were “filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness” (31).
- This remains God’s promise for Christians today. He calls us to holy boldness and He equips us for holy boldness.
- This boldness frees us from the fear of men and all that they can do because we know that God is in control.
- Above all we know that Jesus comes to judge the living and the dead (II Tim. 1:12).