Brothers and sisters, there is no stopping Jesus. That is what we see proven in the resurrection once and for all, don't we? And that is, of course, we know, that is why we gather every Lord's Day, the first day of the week, we remember, we rejoice in our risen Savior, triumphant over death and hell, and sin. There is no stopping Jesus. Really, stopping Jesus has never even been a possibility. That's the theme of the whole Bible. From cover to cover is a knot. Since man's fall in the garden and that first ancient promise that Jesus, the seed of the woman, would crush the head of the serpent. Yes, from that ancient promise to the end of the age, when King Jesus returns and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ, there is no stopping Jesus. We need to be reminded of this all the time. and perhaps especially in this day. That's really the theme we see throughout the whole of the gospel accounts, isn't it? There we see the Son of God becoming a man to redeem his people, demons running for cover, disease and sicknesses eradicated, deformities done away, the dead raised, men brought to faith in Christ changed forever, and yes, The gospel writers finish their accounts, telling of death itself defeated in our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no stopping Jesus. Praise God for this. Now we see the same truth, of course, prominently displayed in the Book of Acts. Luke begins writing the Book of Acts. As he does so, he refers back to his gospel account in this way. He writes, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach. until the day he was taken up. And after he had given commands to the apostles whom he had chosen. So in his writing of the book of Acts, Luke then relates, we understand all that Jesus continued to do. Raised from the dead, exalted to the right hand of God, Jesus began to build his church and he continued to do, and he continues to do this to this day, And there is nothing, really nothing, that Satan or the powers of darkness can do to stop him. Do you believe that? There really is nothing they can do. They can throw a lot of dust into the air, but that's really all they can do. We say the risen, exalted Jesus is always building his church, and that is what we see in the book of Acts. There's no stopping Jesus, and that's the wonderful truth we see in the text we just read. We see, I think, two questions answered here, and these will be our main points this morning as we preach. First of all, this question, can the Church of Jesus Christ be crushed? Answer, no. Now, you already know the answer to that, don't you? But we need to be reminded of it. Can the church of Jesus Christ be crushed? No, and never. And secondly this, who is in control? Really, who is in control? And you know the answer to that as well, but we need to be reminded of it, don't we? So first of all, this question we see answered. Can the church of Jesus be crushed? And the answer we say is no. Just a bit of important backgrounds that come up to chapter five in the book of Acts. We see here in these chapters the church spreading like wildfire. Jesus is building his church, and there's nothing that Satan can do to stop it. Having ascended to the right hand of the Father, Jesus, on the day of Pentecost, pours forth his spirit upon his church, and that really determines everything going forward. He pours out his spirit upon his church, and the purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ can never be thwarted. It can never be stopped. It can never be defeated. He pours forth his spirit upon his church. Large crowd gathers. Peter preaches in the power of the Spirit. The Jews gather there. And we know that there are 3,000 added to the church, praise God. And the church continues to increase. Luke writes that the Lord added daily to those who were being saved. Daily increase. Can Jesus really be stopped? We know the answer to this question. He cannot be stopped. When the gospel is preached and he does his work in the heart, there's no stopping him. It doesn't matter what the opposition is. There's no stopping Jesus. Acts 3 and 4. Don't you love these accounts in the early Acts here? Acts 3 and 4. Peter and John enter the temple. The lame man is healed in the power of Jesus. What a spectacle. All the people run to Solomon's portico to see what's going on. You kids, if you were there, you would have been in on this too. What excitement! This man is healed. Peter preaches. Many believe. Peter and John are arrested. At this point, the number of the saints has reached 5,000. There's no stopping Jesus. Peter and John are released. The church prays. Great signs and wonders are done through the apostles and the power of Jesus, and great power is evidenced in the preaching. Next, chapter five. Many signs and wonders done through the apostles authenticating their unique office in preaching. Luke writes that none of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. The apostles could not be rivaled in the power that Jesus displayed through them or in the power of their preaching. There's a sense in which everybody just had to stand back because Jesus, the living Christ, the risen, exalted Savior who's with his church to the end of the world, Jesus was at work. Luke writes, more than ever, believers were added to the Lord. Multitudes of both men and women, many from Jerusalem and from the surrounding region were healed. So, 3,000. 5,000 multitudes. And how many do you think have already been saved today? Today. Of course, the Lord's Day has been going on for a while this morning already, right? Across the earth. How many today, May 9th? 3,000? 5,000? 10,000? Certainly. And more. We don't ever want to lose sight of this. I mean, just because we're sort of tucked away in Wheaton here, and we do see the Lord doing things, we see professions of faith this morning, but across the earth on this day alone, how many are being saved today? Thousands, undoubtedly, even as we speak, we know the word of God's being preached. Thousands being saved. Yes, Jesus makes it very clear, and in this section that we read, he was making it very clear that he was very much alive. The apostles are preaching. People are being saved. He was building his church. Now we come to our text. Was that introduction too long? Pastor said I have about a half hour, all right. Well, the church. Is it about to be crushed? Now it could appear that way. The anti-resurrectionists, the Sadducees, are in a rage. Scripture says the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy, they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. So the high priest and the Sadducees take action. They've had enough. Scripture says they're seething with jealousy. Now we call the Sadducees the anti-resurrectionists. Now, you kids, you probably know already, an easy way to remember the name Sadducees is they don't believe in the resurrection. That's why they're Sadducee. They were the modernists of the day, denying the existence of spirits, the resurrection, yes, denying that, the immortality of the soul. Well, they're really in a tough spot now, aren't they? Jesus had been raised from the dead. And they knew all about the empty tomb. The report of the Roman guard. And the proofs of Jesus' resurrection just keep rolling in. Jesus, though not bodily present, was quite alive and powerful. And really there's nothing that they could do about it. And the Sadducees, Seething with jealousy, the scripture says, they wanted Jesus dead. They had wanted Jesus dead and they still wanted him dead. But big problem for them, he's not dead. And a lot of people still want Jesus dead. Big problem for them. He's not dead. And if they do not bend the knee in faith, they will stand before him as their judge. They ask the nation's rage. Kings of earth take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed. He who sits in the heavens laughs. He mocks them. A lot of people still want Jesus dead. Big problem for them, we say, because he's not dead. But oh, yes, we hasten to add a big mercy for them. He's not dead. He's merciful. And he's mighty to save. Well, the Sadducees hated these apostles. These apostles who preached that Jesus was crucified for sins and raised from the dead. These apostles who showed forth the same power, really, that Jesus had exhibited. These apostles who preached faith in Jesus for salvation. They were gaining a following of multitudes of Jews, and there's nothing that anyone on earth could do about it. Well, the preaching had to stop. That was the position of the Sadducees. This preaching had to stop. They had killed Jesus, and they would seek to have these apostles put to death. So the high priests and Sadducees take action. We say the apostles are arrested, jailed, held for trial, presumably to be sentenced to death. It's very important to be reminded of the reality of this. We know how the story goes, right? Well, humanly speaking, the expectation would be that these men would be put to death. Things then are very bleak. The apostles, the leaders of the church, are arrested. And if they're put to death, this would threaten to put an end to the whole movement. Can the Church of Jesus Christ be crushed? And who's really in control? Well, we say things look very bleak, humanly speaking, but Jesus is alive. Jesus is alive. And from his throne, he watches his church. And he made very clear that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to him. So we see here the simple divine solution to the problem, to the immediate problem. So, so very simple, so easily executed. What does it teach us? Wonderful account, wonderful story here. What does it teach us? It teaches us that Jesus can deliver his people at any time he chooses to do so, and when it serves his glory. But what do we see? Jesus' angel is dispatched. Verse 19, during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, go and stand at the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life. So what do we see? Deliverance. The angel opens the prison doors. He brings the apostles past the guards. Maybe the angel renders them frozen in place and oblivious. No problem. And the angel gives a command, go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life. We see the apostles' quick obedience. When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to preach. Wow. There's no stopping Jesus. So yes, now to our second question. I think I already said it actually. It's already been answered. But we see it answered more fully here with an exclamation point, don't we? Who's in control, really? Who's in control? The living God makes it very clear here that he's the one in control. We see Jesus' enemies' plans entirely foiled here. Verse 21, when the high priest came and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the sons of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside. Surprise, an empty jail cell. Isn't this beautiful? Doors still locked, guards still stationed outside. Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priest heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. Well, they didn't have to wait long. Double surprise, the escapees are preaching in the temple. Isn't this beautiful? Someone came and told them, look, the men that we put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Wow, well, the captain and the officers, they're now more careful In conducting the apostles back to the council, the captain and officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. Who's in control? Who's really in control here? The officer and the guards, they go. Now they're more careful, right? Will you please come with us? Meet with the senate. Would you like a glass of water? The bathrooms are over there, right? They're more care, who's in control really? We desperately need to be reminded of this. Now we understand there's not a guarantee here that the Lord's people will never be physically harmed, we understand that. But we say again, Jesus can deliver his people whenever he chooses to do so, so long as it serves his glory. It is not a difficult thing for him, easy. And though Jesus' enemies are gathered to bring charges to pass sentence of death, we presume, they hoped. As it turns out, brothers and sisters, isn't this marvelous? Think of the mercy of God here. Jesus has arranged for them to hear a sermon. Isn't that beautiful? He's arranged for them to hear a sermon. Who's in control? Our Savior is in control. The high priest brings charges, he interrogates. We strictly charge you not to teach in this name, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us. That's pretty hypocritical, isn't it? They're the ones who cried out for Jesus' death. They're the ones who incited the crowd. You intend to bring this man's blood upon us. But they disobeyed the council's order. Serious offense. I mean, think of this. Basically, they're standing before the Supreme Court, and it's the Chief Justice who's interrogating them. We do notice the high priest steadfastly avoids using the name of Jesus. Yes, he says, you would charge us with this man's death. What is the apostles' testimony? What is the church's testimony? Peter and the apostles answered, we must obey God rather than man. Now clearly, we must not lose sight of this. Clearly, there is the threat of death here. But the apostles are as bold as lions. How do you explain that? They knew their Master and Savior had been put to death, but of course they knew their Master and Savior is alive, exalted to the right hand of God. They're as bold as a lion And this is the work of our Savior. Not only for apostles, but for all of his people. Who's really in control? Jesus is in control. The Sanhedrin had forbidden the apostles to preach in the name of Jesus. Who were they to obey, God or man? Jesus had commanded them to preach the message of salvation, to preach Him, to preach Christ. Men commanded them to stop. Whom are they to obey? The choice is very clear. Isn't it encouraging as we think of members received this morning, professing faith in Christ? By the grace of God, by the power of Christ, being able to stand in a dark day. There's no stopping Jesus Christ. Well, here we see the heart of the church's gospel. That's really what we have here. We say it's a sermon that Peter preaches. God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Basic elements of the gospel here, aren't they? First point, you're guilty. Think about this. Sanhedrin can pass sentence of death here. What does Peter say? You're guilty. You killed Jesus. God raised him from the dead. You rejected Jesus. God has exalted him to his right hand. So second part, Jesus is the king. Jesus is the Prince and Savior, the true leader of his people, the only Savior of his people. Third point, very good news. This exalted, risen Savior alone saves. Jesus has been exalted to God's right hand for this very purpose, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. The repentance and forgiveness, the gift of God, it's all of grace and conveyed by the power of Jesus. In other words, Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth to bring about his saving purposes and he will have his way. Psalm 2 again, right? Ask of me, the father said, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance. Jesus will have his way. His church by the power of the spirit will make disciples of all the nations and beginning in Jerusalem where Jesus had been put to death. So a new program, the gospel is going global and it begins in Jerusalem and that's really again what we see in the history of Acts, isn't it? Jesus pours forth his spirit upon his church and there's no stopping Jesus. We see very clearly here that indeed this church's testimony is a spirit empowered testimony. Peter says, we are witnesses to these things and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him. Of course, Peter means here not merely that this band of apostles have witnessed themselves these things, but he means, of course, they bear witness of these things. And this is very encouraging, as they bear witness in their preaching, The spirit of God bears witness. Now this is how we probably think about the means of grace, isn't it? This is an extraordinary gathering, we understand. When the gospel is preached, hearts are quickened from death to life, when the gospel is preached. And the world looks on, you know, what we're doing today, right? And they think, oh boy, they're getting together again. They get together every Sunday. Do you have to do this? Get together every Sunday and you listen to your preacher say the same thing Sunday after Sunday? Yes. And it's the power of God unto salvation, whatever the world may think about it, until such a time as the Spirit of God brings that word to their hearts and they're transformed. They're forever changed. Amen. Amen. The church's testimony is a spirit empowered testimony. And we want to see this morning that, of course, that application, not just for apostles, but for all of us, because we understand a unique place of the preaching. We understand this. And the ordained man stands, he preaches. That's unique. But Jesus Christ empowers all of his people in their testimony, in their living, in their loving of their neighbors. There's great opportunity for that today. And that opens doors. That opens doors. But who's in control here? Jesus is in control. He's providing His people all that they need, power to live for Him, power to bear witness for Him even in the face of death, power to rejoice in Him even as they suffer. We see that here when they called the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. What do we see? The church continues to thrive. They're beaten. Charged not to preach in Jesus' name. Scripture says they left the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. How do you explain this? How do we explain it? And we know the answer, don't we? It's the power of our Savior at work. Jesus' power is exhilarating. Jesus' power enables his people to see what's really at issue. Jesus' power enables his people to see eternal realities, what is permanent and what is not, and what a privilege it is to serve the King. What a privilege. Our section closes, we read, Every day in the temple and from house to house they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Can the church of Jesus be crushed? No. Never. And who is in control here really? It is our King, Jesus. Who's in control here this morning? In Wheaton? In Springfield? About Washington, D.C.? Who's really in control? Brothers and sisters, we must pray for the power of Jesus to be displayed in this day in these very unique times. Our culture is increasingly against Jesus Christ and increasingly antagonistic to the gospel. We understand this. And the present limitations of the health crisis would seem to severely limit the going forth of the gospel. Well, apparently not. But they would seem to. And social unrest all around us would seem to severely hinder the going forth of the gospel, the growing cultural resistance to the gospel. But is Jesus really hindered by any of the present limitations? Of course not. There's no stopping Jesus. An order to jail his preachers cannot stop him. Even putting his preachers to death cannot stop him. A virus cannot stop him. A governor's order cannot stop him. Social distancing cannot stop him. Racial unrest cannot stop him. Political protests cannot stop him. Cultural rejection of all things pertaining to Christianity cannot stop him. The LGBTQ agenda cannot stop him. I wonder what's going on in China today. Perhaps great revival. Probably revival from things we hear. Of course, you won't hear that reported either by the Chinese government or by our own Christ-hating media. Doesn't matter, though. Doesn't matter if the world will not report it. The witness of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit cannot be suppressed. There's no stopping Jesus. The Communist Party cannot stop Jesus. Brothers and sisters, pray for the power of our testimony in these days. Are you feeling weak? I understand. In a certain respect, we very much need to feel how weak we are. In fact, we don't know our spiritual weakness apart from Jesus. It's a part of his work in us to know our true spiritual weakness. We can pray for his power. power of the Holy Spirit, that in all our life and words we might bear witness to the saving power of Jesus. We are weak. And that has always been the case. And yet Jesus poured out his spirit upon us, upon his church, and we have his spirit at work in us. The enemy really hates what you're doing here at Wheaton. He really hates your devotion to the means of grace. He really hates you gathering together Lord's Day by Lord's Day. He really hates it when you love your neighbors in the power of the Spirit. He really hates it when your pastor stands to preach or your pastors stand to preach. He really hates it. Why? Because there's nothing he can do to stop it. The only thing he fears is the preaching of the Word of God, in the power of the Spirit of God, and the administration of the sacraments, and the people of God praying. Those are the only things he fears, because he can do nothing about it. Praise God. Let's pray together. Our Father, we give you praise for our Lord Jesus Christ.