使徒行传5:29-42
愿恩惠、怜悯、平安从父神和救主耶稣基督归于你们信靠基督死里复活的人。阿们。
基督复活了，他真的复活了，哈利路亚！
上周我们讲主耶稣在墓地扭转了整个人类的历史轨迹。他掀开了坟墓，颠覆了整个世界，没有人预料到这件事——那怕他多次预言给门徒们听自己死里复活的事。但是因着主耶稣的复活，门徒们得了真正的信心和勇气，他们放胆传讲耶稣基督的名。其实，罪和死亡早已经让这个世界成为一座超大的坟墓，而所有人都是活死人，而门徒们传道就是继续掀开这座坟墓，让主耶稣的大光照射进来，让死人能够活过来，让会朽坏的能够变成不会朽坏的。
主耶稣死里复活之前，门徒们是满心惧怕，到处躲藏，那怕聚在一起，也是紧紧地关锁门窗，生怕有风声漏出去，因为面临被捕、被杀的危险。而如今，他们在光天化日之下，不顾个人安危、竭尽所能地传讲耶稣基督和他的伟大救恩。当祭司和其他宗教领袖禁止他们说话传道的时候，他们回答说：“顺从神，不顺从人，是应当的。”（徒5:29）
基督复活了，他真的复活了，哈利路亚！
弟兄姐妹们，我们是不是仍然常常害怕人异样的眼光、人的情面、人的抵挡甚至逼迫，在为主作见证上畏畏缩缩，只将基督信仰当成自己个人的事情，个人的喜好，个人的宗教选择？如果是这样，我们信的还是不明白，不清楚，也不知道神从死里复活和圣灵的大能，也不明白神在耶稣基督对所有世人的美善旨意。
门徒们面对反对和逼迫，不仅为自己正在做的传道事情辩护——他们说传道乃是出于神的旨意，而且他们继续硬着脸皮传讲信息。有时候传福音为主耶稣作见证，脸皮薄了还真不行。主耶稣常常是硬着脸传道。先知以赛亚论到受膏者说，“主耶和华必帮助我，所以我不抱愧。我硬着脸面好像坚石；我也知道我必不致羞愧。”（赛50:7）当先知以西结面对悖逆心硬的以色列人灰心丧胆的时候，神鼓励他说，“看哪，我使你的脸硬过他们的脸。”（结3:9）感谢主，我们因着耶稣，虽然心柔软了，但“脸面”硬实起来了。
神吩咐我们勇敢坚定地传扬福音，远不是简单盲目地顺从神，而是为了让世人得救，出黑暗入光明，脱离死亡和朽坏，得着永恒的复活生命。我们是怎么做到呢？就是既传扬律法，又传扬福音，缺一不可：律法带领人为罪悔改，福音带领人信靠主的赦罪和应许。我们可以从彼得简短的讲道中学习这一点。彼得的讲道如下：
“你们挂在木头上杀害的耶稣，我们祖宗的神已经叫他复活。”这第一句，直接把听众跟耶稣被杀害联系起来。“你们”杀害了耶稣。虽然彼得在耶路撒冷圣城的听众并不都直接参与了耶稣的受审和定罪以及后面钉十字架，但彼得说，“你们”杀害了耶稣。是不是这样？我们今天所有人不都要为耶稣的十字架负责吗？因为他作为上帝的儿子，被交在人手中，死在罪人手中，被罪人污蔑和唾弃的。那位挂在木头上被咒诅的耶稣，是背负了我们的罪，甚至整个世人的罪，担当了我们本该受的刑罚。
其实，大祭司之所以禁止门徒们传道，不就是出于不信，不想与耶稣的血有份吗？第18节说，“我们不是严严地禁止你们，不可奉这名教训人吗？你们倒把你们的道理充满了耶路撒冷，想要叫这人的血归到我们身上！”今天的人之所以抵挡福音，不也是为着同样的理由吗？如果他们承认教会所宣扬的道，钉十字架的耶稣基督，那么首先需要承认自己手上“沾了耶稣的血”，与彼拉多以及其他所有在场审判、行刑的兵丁一样，是有罪的。没有人会愿意接受这个事实，因为所有人都自认为自己是好人，是无辜的，怎么会杀害一个无辜者呢？尤其是这样一位受迫害的耶稣竟然死里复活了，那岂不是所有参与的人、沾了他血的人的末日？他的死里复活并不能给我们带来安慰，而是咒诅和定罪，是恐惧战兢，是绝望。
但彼得的讲道信息没有停留在这里，如果是这样，我们只是在耶稣的十字架上有愧、自责，只是懊悔、流泪，这些都没有用。彼得要把福音，就是好消息给他们。你们不要怕，他死里复活是为了你们好。“神且用右手将他高举，叫他作君王，作救主，将悔改的心和赦罪的恩赐给以色列人。”（31节）哦，这些大家明白了，神藉着圣灵的大能，让耶稣死里复活，是作我们的救主，并且赐给我们悔改、赦免和信心。这是人想不明白的地方。我们的手上若不沾耶稣的血，就与他无份就得不到赦罪的恩赐，也没有悔改的能力，因为悔改也是藉着死里复活的主耶稣赐给我们的，是圣灵在听道的人心中所做的美善工作。你们看到没有，凭着信心，我们可以说，"是的，是的，是我的罪让耶稣流血死在十字架上的，但是我也因此领受了自己罪得赦免。感谢上帝这奇妙的拯救方法。” 就像一位牧师说的，信不信你都跟耶稣有关系，脱不了干系；然而信心让我们得到耶稣流血的益处，而不是定罪——不信的必定定罪。
我们知道，有些人信了这大好的信息。这段经文的前面部分有说，“信而归主的人越发增添，连男带女很多。”（传5:14）但也有许多不信的，而且他们的心越发刚硬。“公会的人听见就极其恼怒，想要杀他们。”（传5:33）为什么世界上那么多地方逼迫基督教会，基督徒，尤其是逼迫牧师、传道人？就是因为世人不信，也不愿意沾耶稣的血。他们不想听到这样的信息，想要让传讲这样信息的人消失掉，这信息实在是太具有威胁力了，给他们的生活造成很多的不便。不是这样吗？
世人不信主，不是因为死里复活这件事不可能，而是因为如果真的有死里复活，那么自己实在需要悔改，离弃一切的偶像崇拜。毕竟，有谁愿意听劝，不要贪婪金钱，不要淫乱、要圣洁、要信靠和爱上帝高于一切呢？人人不都以为自己的路是一条正路吗？其实人以为正的，却是通向死亡和绝望的道路。大祭司和公会的人起来反对，满心忌恨和恼怒，因为他们自以为靠自己可以通往天国，能够去到神面前，因为他们认为自己足够圣洁，不需要一位救主为自己流血赎罪，因为他们不认为人败坏到这样一个地步，需要上帝亲自成为人来为世人的罪钉死在十字架上。十字架实在是羞耻的事情，而不是荣耀和恩典。
在今天的经文中，路加还为我们特别记述了一位重要的人物和他的反应，就是迦玛列。迦玛列是位法利赛人，看起来对基督徒和耶稣有一些同情心。他虽然没有极力反对，表现的比较温和，但自己也是不信。就像今天大多数人一样，无所谓的态度，教会生存死亡都跟自己没关系。“教会不过是一个组织机构，让他们该聚聚，该散散吧，人的宗教不就是这会儿事嘛！”迦玛列还举了一个例子，从前一位假先知杜达兴起作乱，迷惑了多人，后来自己灭亡，跟随的人也都四散了。他将耶稣和传道的门徒跟这样的假先知类比，可见他并不相信。他还说，“现在我劝你们，不要管这些人，任凭他们吧！他们所谋的、所行的，若是出于人，必要败坏；若是出于神，你们就不能败坏他们，恐怕你们倒是攻击神了。”（徒5:38-39）这就好像一种信仰的投机主义：任凭他们吧，反正不就是嘴皮子上的功夫，都是一些说教而已。我们身边好多人不就是这样的态度吗？“如果基督是神呢？不如在每一个庙堂都押注一下吧，反正也没有害，教会也是一样。多信一个神也无妨，将来谁说得清呢？”这种不可知论其实是出于不信，也是对真神独一上帝的亵渎。我们怎么不想：“如果使徒所传的，圣经所说的是真的，那我得认认真真考察下，多听听教会牧师传道人、其他基督徒怎么说的吧。”而不是模棱两可，随意押注，或者无所谓。又有多少人把基督教会当做引诱人入教、辖制人、骗人钱财的呢？又或者我们已经是信徒的，仍然对教会存在多大的戒备心理、站得远远地不愿过多参与教会的事工呢？“奉献，一点点表示一下就行了，听道，偶尔去一下教会就行了，其他事工，让其他人操心吧，我自己有很多事情处理不完呢。”
求主怜悯我们，基督复活了，他真的复活了，哈利路亚！让基督在十字架上所流的血倾倒我们身上，遮盖我们的罪。让基督死里复活的大能和圣灵的工作永远引领我们，激励我们，扶持我们。也求主赦免我们时常软弱、羞愧传扬主名的罪，对其他罪人得救冷漠、不管不顾的罪。使我们效法使徒，勇敢地传扬主的名，因为“在天下人间，神没有赐下别的名可以让人藉着得救”，唯有耶稣基督，除他以外，别无拯救。使徒们被打了，离开公会，“心里欢喜，因被算是配为这名受辱。”能够与基督一同背负十字架，这是我们的荣耀；如果主耶稣被世人唾弃，我们跟随他的，又能期待什么呢？无论如何，这道是禁闭不住的，因为坟墓已经被掀开，死亡已经被暴露在大光之下，这光要赐生命给信靠他的人。“他们就每日在殿里、在家里不住地教训人，传耶稣基督。”（徒5:42）奉主的名。阿们。
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ be upon you who trust in Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Amen.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!
Last week, we spoke about how the Lord Jesus reversed the trajectory of all human history in the graveyard. He threw open the grave and turned the entire world upside down. No one expected this—even though He had predicted His death and resurrection to His disciples many times. But because of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the disciples gained true faith and courage, and they spoke the name of Jesus Christ boldly. In fact, sin and death had already turned this world into a massive tomb, and all people were the walking dead. The preaching of the disciples was a continuation of throwing open this tomb, letting the great light of the Lord Jesus shine in, so that the dead might live and the perishable might become imperishable.
Before the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, the disciples were filled with fear, hiding everywhere. Even when they gathered, they locked the doors and windows tightly, fearing any word might leak out, because they faced the danger of arrest and death. But now, in broad daylight, regardless of their personal safety, they do everything in their power to preach Jesus Christ and His great salvation. When the priests and other religious leaders forbade them from speaking and preaching, they answered: “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!
Brothers and sisters, do we still often fear the strange looks of others, their favor, their opposition, or even persecution? Do we shrink back from witnessing for the Lord, treating the Christian faith only as a private matter, a personal hobby, or a personal religious choice? If so, we still do not understand our faith clearly; we do not know the power of God’s resurrection and the Holy Spirit, nor do we understand God’s good will in Jesus Christ for all the people of the world.
Faced with opposition and persecution, the disciples not only defended the preaching they were doing—saying that preaching is according to the will of God—but they also continued to preach the message with a "hard face." Sometimes, in preaching the Gospel and witnessing for the Lord Jesus, having "thin face" (being easily embarrassed) simply won't do. The Lord Jesus often preached with a set face. Regarding the Anointed One, the prophet Isaiah says, “But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame” (Isaiah 50:7). When the prophet Ezekiel was discouraged by the rebellious and hard-hearted Israelites, God encouraged him, saying, “Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces” (Ezekiel 3:9). Thanks be to the Lord that because of Jesus, though our hearts have become soft, our "faces" have become firm.
God commands us to preach the Gospel bravely and firmly, not out of simple, blind obedience, but so that the world might be saved, moving from darkness into light, escaping death and corruption, and receiving eternal resurrection life. How do we do this? By preaching both the Law and the Gospel; neither can be missing. The Law leads people to repent of their sins, and the Gospel leads people to trust in the Lord’s forgiveness and promises. We can learn this from Peter’s short sermon:
“The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.” This first sentence directly connects the listeners to the killing of Jesus. “You” killed Jesus. Although Peter’s listeners in the holy city of Jerusalem did not all participate directly in the trial, condemnation, and subsequent crucifixion of Jesus, Peter says, “You” killed Jesus. Is this not true? Must we not all today take responsibility for the cross of Jesus? For He, as the Son of God, was delivered into the hands of men, died in the hands of sinners, and was slandered and rejected by sinners. That Jesus, who hung on a tree and was cursed, bore our sins—even the sins of the whole world—and took upon Himself the punishment we deserved.
In fact, did the high priest not forbid the disciples from preaching precisely out of unbelief, not wanting to share in the blood of Jesus? Verse 28 says, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” Do people today not resist the Gospel for the same reason? If they admit the Word proclaimed by the church—Jesus Christ crucified—then they must first admit that their own hands are "stained with the blood of Jesus," and that they are guilty, just like Pilate and all the other soldiers present at the trial and execution. No one wants to accept this fact, because everyone considers themselves a good person, an innocent person. How could they kill an innocent man? Especially since this persecuted Jesus actually rose from the dead—would that not be the end for everyone who participated and was stained with His blood? His resurrection would not bring us comfort, but rather a curse, condemnation, terror, and despair.
But Peter’s sermon does not stop there. If it did, we would only have guilt and self-condemnation at the cross of Jesus; we would only have remorse and tears, which are of no use. Peter wants to give them the Gospel, the Good News. Do not be afraid; His resurrection is for your good. “God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (verse 31). Oh, now everyone understands! Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God raised Jesus from the dead to be our Savior and to grant us repentance, forgiveness, and faith. This is what man cannot fathom. If our hands were not stained with the blood of Jesus, we would have no part in Him, and we would not receive the gift of forgiveness or the ability to repent—for repentance is also given to us through the risen Lord Jesus; it is the good work the Holy Spirit performs in the hearts of those who hear the Word. Do you see? By faith, we can say, "Yes, yes, it was my sin that caused Jesus to bleed and die on the cross, but because of this, I have also received the forgiveness of my sins. Thank God for this wonderful way of salvation." As one pastor said, whether you believe or not, you are connected to Jesus; you cannot escape it. However, faith allows us to receive the benefits of Jesus’ bloodshed rather than condemnation—those who do not believe will surely be condemned.
We know that some people believed this great news. The earlier part of this passage says, “And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5:14). But there were also many who did not believe, and their hearts grew even harder. “When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them” (Acts 5:33). Why is the Christian church and Christians persecuted in so many places in the world, especially pastors and preachers? It is because the world does not believe and is unwilling to be stained with the blood of Jesus. They do not want to hear this message; they want to make the people who preach it disappear. This message is truly too threatening and causes much inconvenience to their lives. Is it not so?
The world does not disbelieve in the Lord, not because the resurrection is impossible, but because if the resurrection is true, then they truly need to repent and forsake all idolatry. After all, who is willing to listen to the advice to not be greedy for money, to not be immoral, but to be holy, and to trust and love God above all else? Does everyone not think their own way is the right way? In truth, what man thinks is right is the road leading to death and despair. The high priest and the members of the Council rose in opposition, filled with jealousy and rage, because they thought they could reach the kingdom of heaven and come before God on their own. They believed they were holy enough and did not need a Savior to bleed and atone for them, because they did not think humanity was so corrupt that God Himself had to become man to be crucified for the sins of the world. The cross is truly a matter of shame to them, not glory and grace.
In today’s scripture, Luke also records for us a specific important person and his reaction: Gamaliel. Gamaliel was a Pharisee who seemed to have some sympathy for Christians and Jesus. Although he did not oppose them vehemently and acted quite moderately, he himself did not believe. Just like most people today, he had an attitude of indifference; whether the church lived or died had nothing to do with him. "The church is just an organization; let them gather and let them scatter; isn't man's religion just like that?" Gamaliel also gave an example: a false prophet named Theudas rose up and misled many, but later he perished and his followers were scattered. He compared Jesus and the preaching disciples to such false prophets, showing that he did not believe. He also said, “So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” (Acts 5:38-39). This is like a kind of religious opportunism: "let them be, it’s just talk and preaching anyway." Do many people around us not have this same attitude? "What if Christ is a god? Better to place a bet in every temple; it won't hurt anyway, and the church is the same. It doesn't hurt to believe in one more god; who can say for sure in the future?" This agnosticism actually stems from unbelief and is a blasphemy against the true and only God. Why do we not think: "If what the apostles preach and what the Bible says is true, then I must seriously investigate it and listen more to what the church pastors, preachers, and other Christians say"? Instead of being ambiguous, placing random bets, or being indifferent. How many people treat the Christian church as something that lures people into a cult, controls them, or cheats them for money? Or, if we are already believers, do we still maintain a great deal of defensiveness toward the church, standing far off and unwilling to participate much in the ministry? "Offerings—just a little gesture is enough; listening to sermons—occasionally going to church is enough; other ministries—let others worry about them, I have many things of my own that I can't finish."
May the Lord have mercy on us. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah! Let the blood shed by Christ on the cross be poured out upon us to cover our sins. Let the power of Christ’s resurrection and the work of the Holy Spirit lead us, inspire us, and support us forever. Also, may the Lord forgive us for our frequent weakness, the sin of being ashamed to proclaim the Lord’s name, and the sin of being cold and indifferent toward the salvation of other sinners. Enable us to follow the example of the apostles and bravely proclaim the Lord’s name, for “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” There is no salvation except in Jesus Christ. After the apostles were beaten and left the Council, they were “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” To be able to bear the cross with Christ is our glory; if the Lord Jesus was rejected by the world, what can we who follow Him expect? In any case, this Word cannot be imprisoned, because the tomb has been thrown open and death has been exposed in the great light. This light will give life to those who trust in Him. “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” (Acts 5:42). In the name of the Lord. Amen.