Synod Sermon by Rev David Campbell
Acts 5:12-14. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
Ananias and Sapphira were here exposed in a most solemn and remarkable manner in their deceit and hypocrisy. What a loud voice it was at the very beginning of the New Testament! The portion found in the parenthesis in verses 12 to 14 seems to explain the condition of the Church at this juncture. We have a picture of the Church of God in its apostolic purity, which is to be a model and a pattern to every generation that follows.
We would like to consider three features of the apostolic Church and then draw some practical lessons: (1.) Its unity. (2.) Its influence upon the conscience of the people. (3.) Its fruitfulness. (4.) Some practical uses. We have here the holy, fruitful unity of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. The unity of the apostolic Church. We have them here “with one accord in Solomon’s porch”. This was their unity. It is something which is found again and again throughout these first few chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. In chapter 1, verse 14, we read, “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren”. We have it again after the Day of Pentecost: “They, continuing daily with one accord in the temple . . .” (Acts 2:46-47). We have it again in chapter 4, where, after Peter and John had been before the Council, “being let go, they went to their own company . . . they lifted up their voice to God with one accord” (Acts 4:23-24). We have it later on: “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul” (Acts 4:32). Paul writing to the Corinthians, enjoined them about the same truth: “Now I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement” (1 Cor 1:10).
They were in Solomon’s porch, which was a covered area with marble columns on the east side of the temple mount, outside the main temple building. Under this, the people assembled in different groups, some for commerce, others for schools and teaching. Here the Gentiles, who were not permitted into the temple, were allowed to gather. The multitude gathered
1Preached in Inverness by the retiring Moderator at the opening of the Synod in May 2013.
there after Peter and John had performed the miracle of healing outside the beautiful gate. The Saviour had walked in Solomon’s porch. As their Master had done, so they did now. When He was examined before Pilate, the Saviour said that He had spoken openly to the world and in secret had said nothing. That is the example they followed. They were gathered to preach to the people and to worship God. They had a divine commission to do so.
The unity which they had was a precious gift from Christ to His Church, and it is a pattern. We might identify three areas of their unity as it is here brought out in the context.
(1.) They had unity in doctrine. From the beginning, they continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine. The gospel they had received was from Christ, not from men. He promised before He left them that, when the Spirit of truth would come, He would lead them into all truth. He would take the things of Christ and reveal these to them. The Spirit would cause them to remember all things that He said unto them. The Apostles were also inspired by the Holy Spirit to write those things which He taught them. That was according to the promise that was made in the Old Testament: “My spirit that is upon thee, and My words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth . . . from henceforth and for ever” (Is 59:21).
Paul exhorted Timothy to remember from whom he had heard the gospel: “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine . . .” (2 Tim 3:14-17). The Apostles had the word from Christ, not from men, and they were commanded to preach it to the people. They all did this with one accord.
What was the doctrine they taught? The angel who opened the prison doors said to them: “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20). The message Christ had sent them to declare to those in the region and the shadow of death was the words of this life. Peter was challenged regarding his preaching: “Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? And, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine” (Acts 5:28). Defending his preaching, he explained: “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost” (Acts 5:30-32). These were “the words of this life” which Peter was to preach.
He was sent to preach that salvation was of God’s free and sovereign grace,
through the Son of God: “Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour”. Peter was ever to draw attention to His person and His finished work and declare that in Him there was salvation to the uttermost. What a poor sinner needed, He alone was able to give: repentance and forgiveness of sins. The life of justification and the life of sanctification are both from Christ. He alone would give the Holy Spirit. Salvation is the work of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.
The Apostles were united in preaching Christ. Paul said, “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). That is what the Church of God has for poor sinners wherever the Word of God comes. Maybe you have come to the meeting of Synod tonight because it is your custom to do so. Maybe you are here in nature’s darkness, without God and without hope. Well, the words of this life are sent to you. You are on your way to meet the God of heaven, and He has commanded us to preach the gospel to every creature. As He commanded these Apostles, so He commands every minister of the gospel to invite, call and urge sinners to come to this glorious One whom God “hath exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins”. Is that not the life your own soul needs, if you are out of Christ tonight? Is that not what your soul needs on your way to eternity?
(2.) They were united in their worship. That was a beautiful unity in the apostolic Church. They had unity in their prayers, their praises, their reading of the Word, and in the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. They were of one accord in their fellowship.
What confusion has entered into the professing Church of Christ with false worship! It is will worship that teaches for doctrines the commandments of men. In these early days of the apostolic Church there was a unity, for they followed the pattern of Christ Himself. They did nothing but what Christ had instructed them. And we have that pattern for God’s worship: in our praises, our prayers, our reading, and in our teaching and dispensing the sacraments. “For I have received of the Lord”, Paul said, “that which also I delivered unto you” (1 Cor 11:23). The regulative principle of worship is grounded in the Second Commandment. We are to worship God in no other way but as He has positively commanded. That was the command from the beginning. God may not be worshipped in any way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures. Anything in God’s worship outside His law is idolatry and superstition, and breaks the unity of the Church of Christ. The Apostles had purity of worship and were of one accord in it.
(3.) They had unity in discipline. What a solemn event it was that the Lord in His providence had brought upon His Church in its infancy. It fulfilled
exactly what the prophet had said would take place: that the Lord whom they sought would suddenly come to His temple. “But who may abide the day of His coming? . . . for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver” (Mal 3:2-3). Hypocrisy and deceit were evils in the Old Testament Church which the Lord hated. He condemned their worship because of it. “Forasmuch as this people draw near to Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me” (Is 29:13). Of them Christ said, “In vain do they worship Me” (Mt 15:9). He laid His chastening rod on His Church in Old Testament times for deceit, and here again the floor was being purged.
Now this was an extraordinary exercise of discipline; but the Church of God has been given a responsibility to exercise ordinary discipline. They are to purge out the old leaven, that they might be a new lump. They were to keep the feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Cor 5:7,8). That was to be done, in connection with the Lord’s Supper, in Corinth. They were to put away from among themselves “that wicked person”. They were to examine themselves and judge themselves, so that they would not be judged (1 Cor 11:28,31). They were chastened of the Lord, so that they would not be condemned with the world. There was to be an exercise of holy, solemn discipline. Here, at the beginning, the Lord executed discipline most solemnly before all and they unitedly acquiesced. The discipline of the Church is a precious gift from Christ. Here it brought the Church into public view in a remarkable manner. Attention is drawn to that in the next verse: “And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them”.
2. The influence of the apostolic Church on the conscience of the people.
The Church was set apart from the world by this solemn event. It was identified by “the rest” who were observing it. In the context this seems to refer to the multitudes who were gathering in Solomon’s porch but who were not yet joined to the Church of God. They had heard of this solemn judgement. We are told in verse 11 that “great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things”.
The Church gathered together with one accord for God’s worship and the rest were taking note of what was going on; yet they did not dare join. That was their response to the holy unity and discipline in the Church. They were conscious of the eye of God observing men. God was acting in a way of solemn justice among them, and they were afraid to join. No doubt they heard the preaching and perhaps joined the worship in some respects. But
they could see that hypocrisy was being detected and they were afraid. We read that the people “magnified them”; that is, they were in awe of them. They recognised the difference between these disciples gathered in Solomon’s porch and other people. The world saw the difference.
We are given a view of the Church of Christ here. Such was its influence on the conscience of the multitudes that it made this distinction clear.
(1.) The Church was to be separate from the world. This is a notable feature of the apostolic Church and one that could not be missed. The Apostles taught it as a duty, and it was the effect of their preaching, of their worship and of the unity which they had in that worship. Here the effect of their discipline was separation. “What communion hath light with darkness? . . . Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters” (2 Cor 6:14-18). The Church of God in the world is to be a separate people. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (Jn 17:16). That marked the Church in apostolic times. How different we are! How unlike the people of God in these times of blessing and purity and holiness!
(2.) They were to be salt and light in the world. The Saviour had said plainly to His disciples: “Ye are the salt of the earth”, and, “Ye are the light of the world” (Mt 5:13-14). Salt is used to preserve from corruption, and light to bring brightness into the darkness. The world is a dark and corrupt place. A dark day has come over our land,2 even this week; what a fearful cloud of darkness is over our poor nation! The Church is to be light and salt, a preservative from corruption and light in a dark and evil generation. Paul called the Philippians to “be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil 2:14-15). That is the pattern for the Church, as it is to be united in doctrine, worship and discipline.
(3.) They were to adorn the gospel. Their words and deeds were to be consistent with the doctrine they professed. It was evil in Ananias and Sapphira to say one thing but to be something else in their hearts. In giving to the Church, they lied to God and tempted the Holy Ghost. That was where hypocrisy was detected. But is it not the same when men profess that they believe the truth and teach error, or when men profess to follow Christ in their worship and introduce will worship? The Church is called to adorn the gospel it professes. There is to be harmony between words and actions.
The church in Sardis had a name that they lived, but they were dead (Rev
2The Church of Scotland General Assembly voted in favour of practising homosexuals being appointed as ministers.
3:1). That is the essence of hypocrisy. What a fearful picture it is! How quickly the church there corrupted. But here in its purity they were adorning the gospel, and people observing them took note. Paul would have Titus to “exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters . . . that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:9-12). That applies to every generation and to every follower of Christ. What a pattern it is, what a high calling to be separate from the world in which we live!
(4.) They were to be a reproof to the world. Paul said “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph 5:11). This event was a solemn warning to the world, and the world noticed. The Church is to be a reproof against sin, as the Apostles were: “of the rest durst no man join himself to them”. They were reproved by the integrity, honesty and uprightness of the Church and they could not join.
Very often reproof hardens men against truth. The pride of man’s heart turns him against the one who reproveth him. It is fearful when men harden their neck against reproof. “He that hateth reproof shall die” (Prov 15:10). You can see an example of this hardness in the chief priests and Sadducees: “Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? And, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” Their conscience troubled them and therefore they hardened their necks against the Apostles and persecuted them.
But when the Lord blesses reproof, how different it is! That effect was to be found here among the people. Their separation from the world was used of the Lord and was blessed by the Holy Spirit, as earlier: “When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). There was a sanctifying and softening effect rather than a hardening effect. The Church had an influence upon the conscience of the multitudes.
We are living in a day when the Church has sunk so low that it cannot be detected in the world. The world does not ordinarily know where the Church of God is. Multitudes are taking the name of Christ on in a profession; yet they live as the world does. There is consequently no influence upon the conscience. The world easily detects hypocrisy; the Lord blesses purity and consistency in the Church.
3. The fruitfulness of the apostolic Church. Here the Church was in its purity and the Lord blessed it. That is brought out clearly in verse 14: “And
believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women”. It does not just say that believers were added; that was true – the Lord added to the Church such as should be saved. But they were the more added. There is a connection between enlargement and the purity of the people of God; a connection between fruitfulness and their unity in doctrine, worship and discipline. The Lord blessed the testimony of His worshipping people and, rather than diminishing their number, the Lord added to them. Believers were not just added to the assembly; they were added to the Lord, by a living faith in Christ. It was the Lord who gave the increase; He blessed the witness of His Church. He blessed it by gathering in others.
The fruit that followed their testimony in Jerusalem was abundant. Now that is a blessing that they desired, and that the people of God still desire. It is the longing of ministers and elders in every part of the Church of Christ to see fruit. The Saviour sent His disciples forth to labour in the harvest. He has set them the example which they are to follow: to desire fruit. “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Mt 9:36). There was compassion in the heart of Christ when He saw the multitudes. That is what the Church in Jerusalem had; they had compassion for the multitudes. That is what brought Peter and John into the temple to preach. Compassion for the souls of the lost is what induced all the Apostles to go forth everywhere preaching.
The Church has been set up in this world to gather a people to Christ from north, south, east and west. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” “Look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together” (Jn 4:36). The Apostles had a duty to speak: “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20) – whether men would hear or not. But the Lord accompanied the Word with signs following and multitudes were added to the Church. It was a fruitful harvest that the Apostles gathered in. They preached publicly and from house to house and they lived soberly, righteously and godly, and the Lord’s blessing followed. The blessing followed their labours, their testimony, and the sanctity of their lives in their holy worship of His name.
4. Uses to be made of this example. (1.) Admonition. We are to follow the pattern of the apostolic Church here. How unlike them we are in separation from the world! How unlike them in piety and faithfulness! Ought we not to be admonished by this solemn example? It is a day of blasphemy and rebuke, and we are to take to ourselves the warnings suggested here. When the Lord
speaks in His providence, as surely He does to the Church in our day, it is for His people to take heed to His warnings. If we are to look for fruit, we must begin to examine why there is so little fruit. If the Lord is withdrawing His blessing from the preaching of His word, must we not ask, “Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?” (2 Chr 28:10). The Church of God was here brought to consider most solemnly the fact that holiness becomes His house for ever.
(2.) Thankfulness. We are to be thankful for the unity we have as a Church. We are in a Church that is reformed in doctrine, worship and discipline. This is a great privilege. The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland is 120 years old this year and has been preserved in an evil generation. This is something to be very thankful for, however weak and small we have become. By God’s grace, the Church has been kept faithful to the gospel. It is united under the banner which the Lord has given to be displayed because of the truth. We have the same doctrines, the same worship and the same discipline as the Apostles had. “To render thanks unto the Lord, it is a comely thing.” But our great need is to cry to Him to send the blessing.
(3.) Encouragement. The apostolic Church in its holy unity was abundantly fruitful. This should be an encouragement to us. Ought we not to desire this holy unity? We must take their example, follow it and plead that He who alone commands the blessing would bless us still. Our prayer ought to be that believers would be the more added to the Lord in our generation, multitudes both of men and women.
The Lord will not cast off His people who are faithful to Him. A patient, humble and obedient people who separate themselves from the world and who heed His warnings will never be forsaken. We are to ask that the harvest, which is plenteous, would be supplied with labourers. There are few labourers in our generation and there are multitudes in need of the gospel. We are encouraged to pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into His harvest. The Lord used these men who had been with Christ and who were separate from the world – though unlearned and ignorant in the eyes of the world. It would not take many such men today, if the Lord was to send His Holy Spirit with them, to fill Scotland with this doctrine.
The Lord can raise up labourers for the harvest today. They are to be men set apart by God; united in doctrine, worship and discipline; faithful to the testimony which God has given to His Church to preserve. Their testimony is to be a reproof to the world and their lives a reproof to the conscience. With such men, the Lord will give the increase. Rather than the Apostolic Church being reduced in number, its faithfulness was honoured. Even when persecution came, the Lord added to the Church such as should be saved.