chapter of the book of Acts. Now, we don't put any religious
significance to the day of Christmas, but I am very thankful for that
day that our Lord was born. Wonderful to think of. He became
flesh and dwelt among us. And I'm thankful. You know, some
people like to get on a crusade against what Christmas is not
Christian. Well, the issue is Christ crucified. That's the only issue. And I
don't want to make an issue of anything but that. Acts chapter
five. I've had this message on my mind
for several weeks. Somebody read this passage of
scripture back in the back and it's just hit me and I've been
thinking about it for several weeks. Let's read verse 28 together. Verse 27, 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 you
should not teach in this name? And behold, you filled Jerusalem
with your doctrine and intent, here's what your intent is, to
bring this man's blood upon us. I've entitled this message, filling
Jerusalem with your doctrine. Jerusalem was a big city with no internet, with no TV
or radio, Without the aid of a printing press, with no mass
media whatsoever, they filled Jerusalem with their doctrine. Now, would to God that he would
use us in the same manner to fill Lexington with our doctrine,
our personal testimony, to the truth, not doctrines. You know, every time you read
the word doctrine in the plural doctrines, it's always bad, not
doctrines, but doctrine, the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now notice that verse 28, they
had been commanded not to teach in this name. the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Let's look at what led to this. We're going to be briefly going
over pretty much everything that happened in the book of Acts
to lead us to this point. Look at Acts chapter 2. Verse
23. Him being delivered by the determinant counsel and
foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by wicked hands have
crucified and slain whom God raised up, having loose the pains
of death, because it was not possible that he should be holding
of it. Look down in verse 36. Therefore, Let all the house of Israel,
now before I go on reading, remember the accusation, you intend to
bring this man's blood upon us. You're saying we're at fault
here. Now let's keep that in mind as we look at these scriptures
that led up to this statement. Verse 36, therefore, let all
the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made this same
Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Chapter 3, with that environment,
the day of Pentecost, Peter's great sermon on Pentecost,
with that environment where in one sermon, 3,000 people were
added to the church. One sermon, 3,000 people. I don't know that any message
has ever been blessed like that. as far as that many people believing.
With that environment, that environment of excitement, we read about
this event that took place in chapter three. Now, Peter and
John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer,
being the ninth hour, and a certain man lame from his mother's womb
was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which
is called beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the
temple. Who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple,
asked in alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes
upon him with John, said, look on us. And he gave heed unto
them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, silver
and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee in the
name. Remember, this is the name they
commanded him not to preach in. in the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right
hand and lifted him up. And immediately his feet and
ankle bones received strength. He wasn't just limping around.
He got up leaping and he stood and walked, entering with him
in the temple, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the
people saw him walking and praising God. And they knew it was he
which for alms, set for alms at the beautiful gate of the
temple. And they were filled with wonder and amazement in that which had
happened. And as the lame man which was healed hailed Peter
and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch
that's called Solomon, greatly wondering. And when Peter saw,
he answered unto the people, ye men of Israel, why marvel
ye at this? Or why look ye so earnestly on
us, as though by our own power or holiness we made this man
to walk? The God of Abraham. and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the
God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son, Jesus, whom you delivered
up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined
to let him go. But you denied the Holy One and the just, and
desired a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince
of life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are
witnesses in his name, through faith in his name. hath made
this man strong, whom you see and know, yea, the faith which
is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence
of you all." So we see it was the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
that made this man whole. Now look in chapter four. And
as they spake unto the people, the priests and the captain of
the temple and the Sadducees came upon them being grieved
that they taught the people and preached through Jesus that name,
the resurrection of the dead. Now look in verse seven of chapter four. And when they had set them in
the midst, they asked by what power or by what name, by what
authority or by what name have you done this? 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 this impotent man by
what means he's made whole be it known unto you all and to
all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth whom you crucified whom God raised from the dead even
by him Doth this man stand here before you whole? This is the
stone which was set at naught of you builders, which has become
the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in
any other, for there is none other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved." Now look down in verse
23, the same chapter. And being let go, They had been arrested, they
were let go, they went to their own company and reported all
that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them. And
when they heard that, they lifted up their voice. This is the early
church. And with one accord, they said, Lord, thou art God,
which has made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them
is, who by the mouth of thy servant David has said, why did the heathen
rage? And the people imagined vain things. The kings of the
earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against
the Lord and against his Christ, for of a truth against thy holy
child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate
with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together
for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before
to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings
and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak
thy word by stretching forth thine hand to heal and that signs
and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child, Jesus. Now, look in chapter five, verse
17. Another rest has taken place. Then the high priest rose up
and all they that were with him, which is the sect of the Sadducees.
And they were filled with indignation and they lay their hands on the
apostles and put them in the common prison. They were arrested
once again for preaching the gospel, but the angel of the
Lord by night opened the prison doors and brought them forth
and said, go stand and speak in the temple to the people,
all the words of this life. Now, pick up verse 24. Now, when
the high priest and the captain to the temple and the chief priest
heard these things, they doubted of him where into 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 as they should
be stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before
the council and the high priest and asked them saying, did we
not straightly command you that you should not teach in this
name and behold, you filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and you intend
to bring this man's blood upon us. Now we don't have to guess
what this doctrine was that he's speaking of. There's no room
for speculation. Here's the chief priests accusing
them of doing this. You're filling Jerusalem with
your doctrine and you're declaring in your doctrine, you intend
to bring this man's blood upon us. You're saying that we're
responsible for this. You're saying that we're the
ones guilty of this crime. Now, the Lord Jesus Christ, the
one who claimed equality with the Father. And the only way
you can be equal with God is to be God. The uncreated, eternal Son of
God, the Messiah, the great I Am, who lived a perfect life. None
could convince Him of sin. He never sinned. He was nailed
to a cross. And I'll not say he was brutally
murdered, because he said, no man takes my life from me. I
have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up. This
commandment have I received of my father. He wasn't murdered.
You see, he was in control of that situation. When the Roman
soldiers nailed the nails in his hands and feet, he was the
one giving the strength at that very time to do it. He was in
control of this situation. But he's nailed to that cross. When Pilate said, don't you know
that I have power to crucify you and I have power to release
you? He replied, thou couldst have no power at all over me,
except it be given thee from above. Therefore, he that delivered
me to thee hath the greater sin. Now, the Son of God, here's what
they said. They said, you're accusing us
of killing him. You're saying we're responsible
for this. The murder, if you want to call it that, the brutal
putting to death of the Son of God, you're saying we're responsible
for this. Well, they were. It's amazing
how men can lie to themselves. They were the very fellows that
were crying for his blood. They said, give us Barabbas.
Let him be put to death. These same people who are standing
there saying, why are you accusing of this? They did it. Let me
show you this in the scripture. We'll look at Acts chapter 4
verse 6. Who's speaking? And Annas, the high priest, and
Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred
of the high priest were gathered together in Jerusalem. Now, these
are the same fellows that said crucify. Let me show you that
in scripture. Remember those names. John chapter 18. Verse 12, then the band and the
captains and the officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound
him and led him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law
to Caiaphas, which was the high prince the same year. Now Caiaphas
was he which gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient
that one man should die for the people. So we see these are the
very people that the Lord was brought to and they tried him
and found him guilty. Look in verse 19 of the same
chapter. The high priest then asked Jesus
of his disciples, and his doctrine. Look in verse 24. Now Annas had
sinned and him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. Verse 28. Then
they led Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment. You
see all this is what Caiaphas and the high priest, I mean they
were literally, actually guilty of calling on for the death of
the Lord Jesus Christ. They hated him. They wanted him
to be put to death. They didn't want to have anything
to do with him. Let me show you one other scripture on this.
Luke 23. Verse 24, and Pilate gave sentence that
it should be as they required. Annas and Caiaphas and the high
priest and all these fellows, this is what they required. And
he released them unto them, him that for sedition and murder
was cast into prison, whom they had desired. But he delivered
Jesus to what? To their will. Now, this is what
these men wanted. They wanted the death of the
Lord Jesus Christ. They were envious of him. They
hated him. They wanted him to be put to death and they hated
him freely. Now, here's my question. Do you believe that you are any
different than these men? Now I want you to cook on that
for a moment. Do you believe that you are any
different than these men who murdered the Lord Jesus Christ? Now here is the truth regarding
you and I. And this was Peter's intention. Remember they said, you intend
to bring this man's blood on us? Yes. He does. This is where I want every one
of us to be brought to this place where we see that we really are
guilty of the precise same thing these fellows were. That we with
wicked hands have crucified and slain them. This is what you
and I are guilty of. Now here's the truth regarding
you and I. We're so evil that if God took away the restraints
And let us do what we really wanted to do. We would nail his
son to a cross because in our hearts, we hate him and we hate
him freely. They hated me. Our Lord said
without a cause. Somebody says I've never hated
Christ. I've never hated Jesus Christ. Well, you've not hated
that idol that you concocted and that you can control and
call him Jesus. No, you've not hated him, but
we've hated the Christ of scripture. Every one of us have been guilty
of that. You know, you never really know how bad a man is
until he hears the gospel. That's when you find out what
he's really like. He may seem like a real nice guy. Let him hear
the gospel, the gospel of God, the gospel of the scriptures,
the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel of grace, free grace. Let him hear that. And then you'll
find out what's really in his heart. Now, do you love the Jesus
who is God? Do you love the Jesus who is
sovereign? We just read, we just heard that
song, he's my sovereign savior. You know what it means if he's
sovereign? If he's sovereign, that means you are in his hands
and your eternal destiny is utterly up to him and you have absolutely
no control. Do you love that Jesus? The one
who, if he's pleased, he can save you. Or if he's pleased,
he can pass you by and let you go to hell, and it would glorify
his justice. It would bring glory to his name
in sending somebody like you to hell. Do you love that, Jesus? Do you love the Jesus Christ
who came for his people? That's why I call his name Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins. And he did save
his people from their sins. Do you love that, Jesus? The
One who when He said, it is finished, that meant the salvation of everybody
that He represented was accomplished, signed, sealed, and delivered. Do you love that Jesus? To not love this Jesus is to
hate Him. Now do you understand that? To
not love this Jesus is to hate this Jesus. Now here's God's
charge against us, murderers and haters of His Son. Now here's
my question. What's your plea? When God looks into your heart,
does He find somebody who says, guilty as charged? Or does he see someone who just
lets this go over their head? Or someone who really doesn't
believe that they're that bad? Or do you say before God, guilty
as charged? What's your plea? Come on now.
Have you ever stood guilty? Guilty before God. Let every mouth be stopped and
all the world stand guilty. guilty as charged. Now, Peter wanted them to come
to that conclusion, didn't he? And you know, in my preaching,
I'm doing the same thing Peter's doing by the grace of God. Here's
where I want me and you to be brought to the fact that we really
are what the Bible says we are. I'm not asking you to see, look
within your own heart to see how bad you are because you'll
never get the truth. I'm asking you to see what God's word says
concerning you and I. And this is the fact of the matter.
You and I, I'm talking about me, I'm talking about you. If
God left me to myself, I'd put he who is altogether lovely,
I'd put him to death. Is it really that bad? Yes, it
is. Yes, it is. And this was Peter's intention.
He wanted these people to be brought to this place. And, oh,
I pray, God, that everybody in this room will see that this
is exactly what they're guilty of. How do you believe? This is not theory. This is not
theology. This is the truth regarding me
and regarding you. But I have no doubt that this
was not Peter's only intent, just to get them to plead guilty.
That wasn't his only intent at all. Turn with me for a moment
to Matthew chapter 27. Now, remember they said, you
intend to bring this man's blood on us. This is what you're trying
to do. Look at Matthew chapter 27. Verse
20. But the chief priests and the
elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas
and destroy Jesus. The governor asked and said unto
them, whether of the flame will ye that I release unto you? They
said, Barabbas. Pilate said unto them, what shall
I do with him? Then with Jesus, which is called Christ. And they
all say unto him, let him be crucified. And the governor said,
why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more,
saying, let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could
prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water,
and he washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I'm innocent
of the blood of this just person. See ye to it. Then answered all
the people and said, his blood be on us and on our children. We want to be held guilty. We
don't, it doesn't bother us a bit. Let his blood be upon us. Let
us be charged with the guilt of it and let it be in our children.
We want them to be charged with it. That's how much they hated
the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's flip this around. If you believe that you're guilty, here's what your prayer is. Let
His blood be upon us and upon our children. Oh, may His blood
wash away that awful guilt. Let His blood be upon me. Let His blood make me clean. It's the same thing that the
publican prayed. He was in the temple and he cried out God be
merciful. And the word is literally propitious.
God be propitious. Let your blood remove the reason
for your wrath. That was his prayer. And I, listen
to me, I believe that I'm guilty of exactly, I'm ashamed that
it's true. I'm guilty of this. And the only
plea I have is let your blood be on me. Let your blood be upon
my children. I wouldn't dare come any other
way. Now, everybody who believes they're guilty, This prayer is
their prayer. You can pray this from the very
depths of your heart. Lord, let your blood be upon
me. Now, this was Peter's intention.
He wanted everybody there to cry out, let your blood be upon
us. Let that be the cleansing of
our souls washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. You
see, there's something about his blood that makes a murderer
of Christ not guilty. And they can pray with such emphasis,
let your blood be upon me. Let me show you what the blood
of Christ does. Turn with me to Romans chapter 5. Verse 9. Much more than being now justified. Justified by His blood. Now, that's better than forgiven. That's a lot better than forgiven.
And here's why it's better than forgiven. I know that if you do me wrong,
I'll forgive you. But it would be impossible for
me to forget it. I'll still think about it. I
shouldn't. I understand that. I shouldn't. But you do me wrong,
I'm going to remember. And you will too. Particularly
you women. But Christ makes it to where there's nothing there
to remember. I'm justified before God. The reason he doesn't remember
my sins is because there's nothing there to remember. That's what
his blood does. His blood justifies. Isn't that glorious? Makes me clean and pure. There's
nothing there for God to remember against me. Now this takes somebody
who's actually guilty. of the murder of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Somebody that's that bad. You
know, the Lord said they hated me without a cause. You want
to talk about somebody that's evil. Somebody who through pure maliciousness
and wickedness would hate Christ as he is. And you and I have
been guilty of that. And yet his blood makes everybody
who trusts him justified before God. Look in verse 10. For if when we were enemies,
We were reconciled. Now, do you hear that? Reconciled.
No reason for anger. That's what reconciliation is.
The problem's removed. For if when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more
being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. So Lord, let
your blood be on me. Let your blood be on my children.
That's my prayer. Look in Colossians chapter one. Here's what His blood does, verse
20, and having made peace through the blood of His cross by Him
to reconcile all things unto Himself by Him, I say, whether
they be things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were
sometimes or before times alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked
works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through
death the shedding of His blood to present you holy and unblameable
and unreprovable in his sight. Lord, let your blood be upon
me. Let your blood be upon my children.
Now, that was Peter's doctrine. That was Peter's intent, his
doctrine. This is the doctrine of every
believer. It really is very simple. Men are so bad. then left to
themselves, they'll kill the Lord Jesus Christ, guilty of
hating Him freely. And everybody who sees their
guilt in this thing, they're going to cry out, let His blood
be upon us and upon our children. Do you cry that out? Now this
was his intent. He wanted people to hear those
two things. You're guilty, I'm guilty of the body and blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ. You with wicked hands have crucified
and slain. Believe this because God says
it. I'm not asking you to feel it, believe it. And believe that
his blood actually cleanses us from all sin. Now that is the
doctrine we want to spread. Everywhere now, let's look back
at Acts chapter 5 Acts chapter 5 verse 28 Did not we straightly command
you that you should not teach in this name and behold you filled
Jerusalem with your doctrine and and intend to bring this
man's blood upon us? Now let's look at Peter's response. Then Peter and the other apostles
answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than man. Isn't
that a self-evident truth? We ought to obey God rather than
man. So he repeats his accusation,
the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged
on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his
right hand to be a prince and a savior." That word prince is
to be an author, to be the captain, to be the ruler. It's another
way of saying a sovereign and a savior. Him hath God exalted
to be a sovereign and a Savior. Now what that means is, if you're
gonna be saved, you're gonna have to go to Him. The only one
who can do anything for you is Him, the Prince, the sovereign
Savior. That's who God has exalted with
His right hand, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be a Prince, a Captain,
a Ruler, the absolute sovereign of the universe and a Savior. Boy, I love those two words together,
sovereign Savior. Leper understood something about
that when he said, Lord, if you will, if you will, you can make
me clean. Now, look what it says next.
Him hath God exalted with his right hand. To be a prince and
a savior. And here's his work as a prince
and a savior for to give repentance to Israel. That's his work in
you. and the forgiveness of sins.
That's his work for you. That represents his work in you. To give repentance. Repentance
to Israel. A change of mind. A change of
mind principally regarding the forgiveness of sins. A change
of mind regarding the remission of sins. That word forgiveness
is quite often translated remission. Remission. Well, I'm interested
in having my sins forgiven and remitted, aren't you? Now, he
gives repentance. Now, a couple of things I want
to say about repentance. First, repentance is the gift of God. You cannot repent unless God
gives you the grace to repent. That's just so. And you won't
be saved and I won't be saved if we don't repent. Now, God
commands all men everywhere to repent. There's your responsibility.
You're responsible to repent. God commands everybody to repent.
And we will not repent unless he gives us this repentance. And it's principally a change
of mind regarding the remission or the forgiveness of sins. And
here's what I mean by that. Here's what we naturally believe.
If I do this, if I quit that, if I start this, I'll have the
forgiveness of sins. And the Bible blows that out
of the water. Salvation doesn't end with the forgiveness of sins.
Beloved, it begins with the forgiveness, the full, frank, free forgiveness
of sins. And when the Lord gives you faith,
you don't find out you will be forgiven. You find out you've
been forgiven. You've been forgiven of all your
sins. A repentant change of mind regarding the remission of sins. I used to believe that I would
be forgiven if I... I used to believe that. I've
changed my mind. I've repented. And I'm repenting
right now. I'm always having to repent of
that kind of thinking. A change of mind regarding the
full free remission of sins. He's a Exalted as a prince and
a savior for to give repentance and to forgive and to give the
remission of sins turn with me for a moment to Mark chapter
2 Mark chapter 2 And again, he entered into Capernaum
after some days, and it was noise that he was in the house. And
straightway, many were gathered together in so much that there
was no room to receive them, not so much as about the door.
And he preached the word unto them." Well, wouldn't you like
to hear that sermon? We're getting to hear a little
bit of it. He preached the word unto them. Boy, I want to hear
the word preached, don't you? And they come unto him, bringing
one sick of the palsy, which was born of four. And when they
couldn't come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the
roof. They got up on the roof. They
knocked a hole in the ceiling. They uncovered the roof where
it was. And when they'd broken it up, they let down the bed
wherein the sick of the palsy was laid. Now, wouldn't that
be interesting to see here? I'm preaching. All of a sudden,
a hole comes in. That'd be something. I'm sure people were thinking,
what in the world's going on here? When Jesus saw their faith. Now,
what was their faith? Their faith was they knew that
the only hope this fella had was if they'd get him to him.
That's it. When Jesus saw their faith, he
said into the sick of palsy, son, thy sins be forgiven thee. How'd you like to have the Lord
say that to you? You know, he's the only one who can do it. What
if I said your sins are forgiven? Wouldn't do you any good? How
do you know? You don't have the ability to confer that. I know
I don't. Only one who can say this, God, thy sins be forgiven
thee. But there were certain of the
scribes sitting there reasoning in their hearts. Why did this
man speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God
only? That's right, isn't it? Only
God can forgive sins. And immediately when Jesus perceived
in his spirit that they so reasoned with themselves, he said unto
them, why reason ye these things in your heart? Whether is it
easier to say to the sick of palsy, thy sins be forgiven thee,
or to say, arise, take up your bed and walk? Now what's easier
to say? Thy sins be forgiven thee? or
get up and walk. It's easier to say your sins
are forgiven because it might be if I say, rise, get up and
walk. You can't do it. I'm proved to
failure. You see what he's saying? It's
easier to say thy sins forgive thee. Now let's look what it
says next. But that ye may know. that the
son of man hath power, hath authority on earth to forgive sins. He
saith to the sick of Paul, the eye saying to thee, arise, take
up your bed and go your way to your house. And immediately he
arose and took up his bed and went forth before them all in
so much that they were all amazed and glorified God saying, we
never saw it in such a fashion. Now, our Lord says, I have the
authority to say, get up and walk and you walk. And with the
same authority, I say, your sins are forgiven and they're forgiven. Now he's a Prince and a Savior,
a sovereign Savior. And he has the authority to give
repentance. And he has the authority to give
the remission of sins. Now let's close back to our text,
Acts chapter five. Verse 32, and we are his witnesses of these
things. And so is also the Holy ghost whom God has given to them
that obey him. We're witnesses of these things
that we're guilty of the body and blood of Christ. We're witnesses
of that in Christ. There's forgiveness. There's
cleansing their salvation. Now, verse 33, here's the response
when they heard. They were cut. Notice to the
heart is in italics. If they were truly cut to the
heart, they would be like those fellows in Acts chapter two,
who, when they were pricked in their heart, cried out, men and
brethren, what shall we do? They were cut to anger. Now,
when you hear this, what's your response? This is a summary of
our doctrine. And this is what we're called
upon to spread Lexington and everywhere we can with this doctrine
that men are guilty of the body and blood of Christ, guilty of
murdering the Son of God. That's my problem. And my only plea is His blood. Let His blood be upon us. That
covers everything we preach. What's your response? Well, I'll
tell you what mine is. Lord, let your blood be upon
me and let your blood be upon my children. Let's pray together.