Whom Shall We Obey?

[00:00:00] I want to invite you again this evening to me with me, the throne of grace that God made, be with us and bless us this evening. Let us pray.

[00:00:16] Again, dear Father, as we come to thee now this evening, we pray to your Father that you draw near to your people and bless us and help us Lord God to be strengthened to know that you are close to us.

[00:00:36] Dear God, I pray that you would bless now with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Angels to be here in such great power that God we might be whole Jesus.

[00:00:45] And dear Lord, I pray that you bless us, we study thy word and help us to understand, dear Father, where we need to stand in these last moments. So bless now we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

[00:01:10] The title of my message this evening is, the whom shall we obey and friends I hope that we can answer that question to not when we are through. Just a whom we are going to obey. No one acts chapter 11 in verse 26.

[00:01:35] There it is recorded that for the first time God's people were called Christians and you remember the place that they were called Christians? There it Antion. And Antion was the very first place where God's people received the name Christians.

[00:01:52] It's interesting that the run of the reasons they received that name, plus friends because they were so Christ. God's people were as it were reflecting God's characters so completely that the people actually thought what they remind is so much of Jesus.

[00:02:16] Why they are Christ like, they are Christians. So Antion becomes a place of moral as it were. Reminder of God's people that was the very place where they were first called Christians. But who can tell me or in their own minds really answer this question?

[00:02:44] Where was the first place where God's people were labeled with the name Protestants? I'm not when you heard this sermon so you're excluded from Antion. You can't answer it. But did you get your mind, friends? Thank you to your mind.

[00:03:06] It's the very first place where God's people actually received the name it was stamped upon them as the body. Protestants or Protestantism. Of course it was in Germany. But Germany is kind of big. You can kind of narrow down, let me help you out.

[00:03:26] Some have brought, you know, think well Luther the dying of words there in the 1521. That's the first time they received the name. Protest well. Not that that did not enhance in that, but that's not really the first place.

[00:03:45] That wasn't there and so usually somebody was just left in the air. But do you know the very first place where God's people actually received the name Protestants? Why it was in the diet of a Spires in 1529?

[00:04:03] That famous diet gave to God's people the very name of Protestants. Since this team is you find in the great controversy in the chapter of the protest of the Princess, there the Servant Lord makes the very first clue statement is where the name Protestants were given.

[00:04:26] That diet, the diet of Spires. You know it's amazing that we as God's people know so much about Luther's nailing of the 95th thesis. And we understand about the diet of words, but very few people are familiar about the diet of Spires.

[00:04:51] And it was there as I said before that we're God's people had received that that name. It was a very important diet at that time. They were faced with a great confrontation. Trolls the Emperor the 5th and laid down an ultimatum to the Princess of Germany.

[00:05:26] They were to implicitly submit to the Roman faith. But some of the German princes found this to be difficult because in 1526 the first diet is bars. They were given freedom at least temporary freedom. And they so much enjoyed the blessings that they had received since 1526.

[00:06:02] They didn't want to go back under the people's supremacy anymore. So the German princes assembled themselves together as a group. It's a body of believers. They told Charles the 5th simply, we are not going to submit.

[00:06:27] And friends when they made that stand that bold stand, they were given the name Protestants. Because never had there been a time when an movement, a collective body of believers, had gathered together and made a protest against the Roman Church.

[00:06:52] Openly and defiantly against the laws of the land. Now we know about the World End scenes and the other Genes, the Yuggenops, and the Paulians, the Piccards, and many others who have stood faithful for God for so long.

[00:07:06] But when you look at the time of John Wycliffe and the Husband Jerome, these men stood alone. They faced opposition alone. And when Luther first came on the Siegfried, he stood alone.

[00:07:21] Now there was a movement, a body of believers who had collected themselves together, and they made a protest. So the white and the great converse of page 302 makes a comment about this protest. And she tells us what it really was all about.

[00:07:51] She says, the principles contained in this celebrated protest constitute the very essence of Protestantism. Now if I were to ask you what Protestants is really, I would hope that we would get it right. But I'm almost afraid I don't know if I would ask.

[00:08:12] But, freely, for example, what is Protestantism? We claim to be Protestants, don't we? We're not Roman Catholics, at least I hope we're not. We claim to be Protestants. But what is a Protestant?

[00:08:33] Well, that's pretty good, but let's go on a little bit and I want to clarify some points here. Really, what is Protestantism? What is it all about? I believe in Christians, it's true.

[00:08:55] Let me read to you the statement from the Pan of Inspiration, so we can get it official. This is page 203 and 204, she goes on to make this statement. She said now this protest opposes the two abuses of man and matters of faith.

[00:09:13] Now, she says this celebrated protest which meaning the diaspora is 1529 is the very essence of Protestantism. Now she goes on to say there are two areas that they protest against. Now here is what Protestants is in this.

[00:09:34] She said the first is the intrusion of a civil magistrate, meaning the state. The second, the arbitrary authority of the church. So in other words, in 1529, the German princes were protesting against these two things.

[00:09:56] Juan, they were protesting against the idea that the church could enthrone itself into religious matters. So they protest against it. You see the Protestant princes and reformers believed in a fundamental principle known as religious liberty.

[00:10:22] They believe that the conscience of an individual is totally free, not to be interfered by anyone except the Lord. They believe that an individual had the right to believe. Juan, he wanted to believe as the Lord revealed to him in his God's word through the Holy Spirit.

[00:10:41] They believed in the freedom of the conscience that no man had the right to coerce on another man's will. To believe something that he did not want to believe. And so the German princes, a protest that against the fact that the state had any right to interfere.

[00:11:02] They didn't believe in that simply for as they believed in the separation of church and state. Goes on to say the second was the obituary authority of the church. They were protesting against really the abuse of authority and the church. That was the second.

[00:11:27] She says instead of these abuses, Protestantism sets the power of the conscience above the magistrates in another word as a state. So now she's telling what Protestantism is. She says that Protestants sets the conscience above in other words beyond the reach of the state.

[00:11:51] Simply teaching the fact that there's their friends, Protestants and believes in separation of church and state as I said before. The fundamental principle of religious liberty. You see, that's why we have the protest when Sunday laws come to effect against the conscience of an image.

[00:12:18] We have to protest because we do not believe in the concept that the state has the right to interfere with the conscience of another individual. Now do you know what friends?

[00:12:30] I'm going to say this to you. Do you know that we would have to protest even if the church or even if the state institutes south of norms? Did you know that? I want to repeat that again.

[00:12:45] We would have to protest against the state even if it legislated by law to keep the Sabbath home. Do you know that? Why would we have to protest against that? Exactly. And it reviles the conscience of another image.

[00:13:06] We don't have any right to legislate any religious law through the state. And Protestantism believes in this principle. It is, as the servant of the Lord said, one of the very essence of Protestantism.

[00:13:28] She goes on to say that Protestantism sets the power of conscience above the magistrate to state, and the authority of the Word of God above the visible church. So there's point number two.

[00:13:50] Protestantism sets the authority of God's holy word equal to the authority that church above the authority of the church. Now, friends, that's Protestantism. You know what Roland Catholicism is? They're very opposite.

[00:14:21] Why Roman Catholicism says that there should be a state church and they say it should be theirs. They think that the laws of the church should be implemented by the state. They're very opposite of Protestant. You see that up to leave in religious liberty.

[00:14:38] Why Pope had made declarations and it actually stated they hate with a pension. That law or that principle of religious liberty that conscience is free, they hate that. And of course, Roman Catholicism teaches that the authority of the church is above the authority of God's Word.

[00:15:06] He goes on to say that in the first place Protestantism rejects the civil power and divine things and says with the prophets and apostles, we must obey God rather than men.

[00:15:18] In the presence of the crowd of Charles of the Fifth, it uplift the crowd of Jesus Christ, but it goes farther. It lays down the principle of all. It lays down the principle that all human teaching should be subordinate to the oracles of God.

[00:15:35] In other words, placing the Word of God above everything else. Everything else is to submit to the authority of the Word. Not that the Word of God is to submit to any other authority.

[00:15:44] The protesters had more over a firm they're right to utter freely their convictions of truth. They would not only believe in obey but teach what the Word of God presents and they denied the right of the priest meeting the church or the magistrate the state to interfere.

[00:16:13] The protesters spires with the solid witness against religious intolerance and an assertion that the right of all men to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. The Declaration had been made. It was written in the memory of thousands and registered in the books of Heaven,

[00:16:42] where no effort of man could erase. You see the great struggle that the protesters, the princes there and the diet as far as what they were standing forward to fundamental principles of the Protestant faith. These two principles friends make us what we are.

[00:17:00] To deny these two principles to deny the very essence of Protestantism. And by the way my friends, if you deny these two principles you are no longer a Protestant, you cannot be.

[00:17:22] My friends I tell you that that time, the world was hanging in the balance to see what the decision was going to be of what the princes were going to make. By praise God that God had been to stand for the right and face great opposition.

[00:17:48] My friends I want to tell you that because of these men, because of your forefathers of your country, we are indebted to them greatly. Because of them we have the freedom to do what we are doing to deny.

[00:18:08] Because I tell you this friends had out a white cliff or the lawlet and many other great reformists stood up friends. We all be Roman Catholics, or we would be with the death. It's amazing how many people have forgotten really their heritage.

[00:18:32] And I'm sad to say that friends Adventists are coming to the point that they no longer know who and the world they are anymore. Forgotten identity, no longer know who our mother is anymore that we are.

[00:18:56] We forgot in our past somehow my friends we think that now we can discover ourselves by simply going along and communicated and being evolved with the ecumenical movement and how they churches of the world. My friends I tell you, you will never find your identity with battle.

[00:19:18] This great struggle that the German princes were involved in my friends I want you to know is not new. This was not some new thing that came upon God's people in the 16th century.

[00:19:41] The very principles upon which they were fighting for I want you to know my friends the prophets fought for. The apostles fought for Jesus Christ fought for it. In Acts chapter 4 we find in familiar story how that the apostles were faced with the very same issue.

[00:20:12] Matter of fact I'm going to read a statement from you from the kind of inspiration where she actually gives reference to. Acts the fourth chapter. There in chapter 3 John and Peter heal a lame man would been lame for 40 plus years.

[00:20:43] And the people were amazed at what had taken place all of Jerusalem was now being a stir again. And of course the disciples had learned the lesson of Jesus that to take advantage of opportunities when they come.

[00:21:02] So here they found a lot of people now gathering around and what do you think they did for it? Why they began to tell the story of Jesus that they got to preach? You see an opportunity I presented itself and they simply took advantage of it.

[00:21:18] They began to preach. And they started to talk about the one who was resurrected from the dead who gave life to all men if they was so Jews.

[00:21:30] Well in Acts chapter 4 in verse 1 it says and as they speak unto the people the priests and the captain of the temple of the sadgis who came upon it. And being grieved that they taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

[00:21:51] And they the sadgis who used in the priests and they laid their hands on them and put them to disciples in hold upon the next day. For was now even time.

[00:22:06] The verse 5 it came to pass on the moral that the rules and elders describes an anus, the high priest and chypus, the janna and Alexander and many of the same kindred of the high priest were gathered together and Jerusalem.

[00:22:29] So here we have a story of two disciples going forth to preach in the name of Jesus. They have done anything wrong, they are simply preaching the truth, the stride or the sadgis sees and the priests of the temple gathered in the together and had them arrested.

[00:22:57] Put him in jail the next day to see what they could do. Then there was a conference behind priest all the official leaders and come together and Jerusalem. So here was an official Jerusalem council. Highs authority in the church at that time.

[00:23:24] Then in verse 7 it says when they had set them in other words of the disciples and the myths, they asked them by what power or by what name have you done this? It simply asks them to listen. What authority or by who is authority?

[00:23:49] Have you carried out this act? Really they were simply asking a very simple question. They were simply saying, who gave you the authority to do this by what authority? Who is power? Peter went on. He's filled with the Holy Ghosts and said to them,

[00:24:19] He wrote the people and elders of Israel. If we this day be examined, the good deed done unto the important man by what means he is made whole, be it known unto all you. And to all the people of Israel, by the name of Jesus and that.

[00:24:34] Who he crucified and who he got a grace from the dead. Even by him that this man stand here before you hold. They go on to talk about how that Jesus was the stone that the builders had rejected. Verse 12 was the classic text.

[00:24:53] Neither is their salvation in the other. For there is none other name under heaven given among men where body must be saved. Now when they, the leaders of the church saw the boldest of Peter or John, they first see that they were unlearned in the ignorant man.

[00:25:08] They marveled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus. And behold, in the man which was healed standing within, they could not say anything against it. How could they find any accusation against a man who would, Where everybody knew and drew them?

[00:25:30] That was cripple. How could they possibly find any accusation against that? Now he's healed. Why to condemn that would seem rather ridiculous with them. And everyone would be very obvious to them that something wrong. So they could find no condemnation in what they had done.

[00:25:48] Then it goes on to say this. Verse 15, but when they had commanded them to go outside of the council, they conferred among themselves. So here they were. They had to be stopped before the exit by what power authority are you doing this? That's what we want to know.

[00:26:10] So they couldn't find the against them. So they simply sent them out. Now they began to counsel amongst themselves. What are we going to do with these dollars? What do we do? What do we do? That's what exactly they say there in verse 16.

[00:26:27] What shall we do to these men for that, Indeed a notable miracle have been done by them is manifest to all of them that dwell in the end of the day. And we cannot deny it. But that is your spread no further among the people.

[00:26:40] Let us straightly threaten them that they should speak henceforth from this time for no man in this name. So here was an official, official position of the church. In council by the leaders of the church they said we're going to tell them they have

[00:27:01] built in either right preachers. We're going to tell them they can't go around and speak. That's what it says. So then they say this in verse 18. And they called them and command, notice they didn't ask them they commanded that pretty strong word.

[00:27:23] Really the context of the way it's being used. They didn't ask them and they didn't ask them say would you please? No, it is said that they simply said no, he will. I give you command. That's pretty strong. When you understand the implications of what's being done here.

[00:27:42] They called them and commanded them not to speak at all. No to teach in the name of Jesus. Notice they couldn't speak at all. Unless they had their proof. They couldn't teach in the name of Jesus unless they were given permission.

[00:28:03] Now here is the classic position that Peter John 5 themselves in. Now I'll add an answer to a question at this point. At the point of this story in Acts chapter 4, was this story before the 70 weeks or after the 70 weeks? Before you're wrong.

[00:28:38] Now what evidence can we find to establish this was before? When at the end of the 70 weeks, what happened? Stephen was stunned. Remember that? That we found an Acts chapter 7 and 8. Francis X4. This is before there was ever any decals.

[00:29:09] So this place is you before God had officially rejected the nation of Israel, totally completely as their people. So this was the official, and I put this in court, they's the official church. This was an official conference meeting held by all the leaders of the church.

[00:29:46] And they decreed that no one could preach. Unless they had their authority. Now what was the response of John and Peter? Verse 19. Peter and John answered and said to them, whether it be right to the side of God to hear it into you more than God, judge it.

[00:30:18] Or if we cannot speak the things which we have seen and heard. Notice how they made their statement. They actually threw it back on the stripes and feversies. They said whether it be right to hear him into you or God, what did you tell us?

[00:30:47] You judge, what should we do? Should we obey you or God? That's what they were asked you. Do you realize that? That's what they were actually making the statement.

[00:30:57] They said whether it be right to the side of God to hear it into you or God, why don't you tell me? But because we cannot do but what we speak by things we have seen in her. So please tell me what I should do.

[00:31:13] You know, said after this there's no response by the scribes or fairs. You know what? Because they found themselves in a position that Jesus had so often put him in. We call it stuck between a rock and a hard place. Either way you go your entrumple.

[00:31:35] You see, have they responded and said why? You're supposed to obey God? The disciples said well then why are you by the means? Where did God lost the hope? It would have condemned the fairs. But they didn't say that.

[00:31:57] But if they were to say why you're supposed to obey us, my friends, the people of Israel, would have stoned the religious leaders. You remember when Jesus said that he said I am that I am and he said I, you know,

[00:32:18] Jesus went on to actually say he was God. And this offended the leaders. Why they took up stones and they were ready to stone and we said why are you starting? Where did it start? For what good work do you start with in the scribes?

[00:32:32] Well, no good work. We don't study for good works but that'll be in a man, make a style of God. That's why we're going to stone because you speak black. Now friends, Jesus was God and so there was no blasphemy committed by Christ.

[00:32:45] But any man who takes upon himself the paravatives or a attributes of deity is actually placing himself in the place of God therefore he's committing blasphemy. And they would have stoned him for that. And so that's why they didn't answer.

[00:33:05] Because either way they would have responded, they would have been in trouble. Goes on to say in verse 21. They had further threatened them, they let them go. Finding nothing how they might punish them because of the people.

[00:33:23] And it says for all men glorified God for which what was done. Do you know that in the acts of the apostles in the spirit of prophecy? They're servant of the Lord. Spends about almost two pages referencing on the story that I just gave.

[00:33:51] Primarily on two Bible texts acts for verses 19 and 20. And I want you to pay close attention as to where she references you to. But that is, acts of the apostles in the sixth year.

[00:34:13] She said the principle for which the disciples stood so fearlessly when in answer to the command not to speak anymore in the name of Jesus. They declared whether it be right in the sight of God to heart and unto you more than God.

[00:34:26] Judging is the same that the adherence of the gospel struggle to maintain in the days of the Reformation. So where did she put you real quickly that the struggle that the disciples were going on with? Why was the same when? Same in the Reformation.

[00:34:40] Why there wasn't any difference? Was it? Was the same struggle? Same struggle. Now notice where she refers you to. When in 1529 the German prince of the Semento de D'Aides spines. There was presented the Empress decree, restricting religious liberty and prohibity any further dissemination of the reformed doctrines.

[00:35:07] You see they prohibit and portrayals of the Fifth prohibit any further preaching that the gospel. They said no. They can't do that anymore. If seeing that the whole with the world was about to be crossed down, where the prince accepted decree,

[00:35:24] should the light of the gospel be shut out from the multitude still in darkness? Mighty issues for the world were at stake. Those who had accepted the reformed faith met together and their unannemist decision was,

[00:35:36] let us reject this decree in matters of conscience the majority has no power. Then she goes on to make this statement. This principle, this principle we in our day are to firmly maintain.

[00:35:58] In other words the very same principle that the disciples found themselves to hold onto and they're very same principle that the reformers found themselves to hold onto. We in our day are to firmly maintain.

[00:36:20] She says the banner of truth and religious liberty held aloft by the founders of the gospel church, meaning the apostles. And by God's witnesses doing this during the centuries, the reformers that have passed since then has in this last conflict been committed into our hands.

[00:36:41] What was given to the disciples passed down to the reformers and what it was given to the reformers has now passed down into our hands. The responsibility for this great gift, notice she calls it a gift.

[00:37:04] The responsibility for this great gift, rest with those who got his blessed with a knowledge of his word, a French who'd you think she's making the application to. The advent of people. She says we are to receive this word God's Bible she's referring to as supreme authority.

[00:37:38] She says we are to recognize human governments as an order of the vineaport and teach obedience to it as a sacred duty. Then she adds this phrase with in its legitimate sphere. So there is a sphere placed around authority, government authority or church authority doesn't matter.

[00:38:16] There's a sphere. And you and I are to teach one another to be obedient to that authority within its legitimate sphere. And we should do that. We should do that. But when it's claims, conflict with the claims of God, then what must we do?

[00:38:47] She says we must obey God rather than men. God's word must be recognized above all human legislation. And I love this next phrase. A thus-safe of Lord is not to be set aside for thus-safe the church, for thus-safe the state.

[00:39:14] I French out of Muhammad simply you can get it from the pen of inspiration. To me I'll be very out of the Bible's clear and simple already. And this period of prophecy makes it even more on every so simpler.

[00:39:30] And to not the comprehend what is written in this period of prophecy, what has ever so clearly stated, Friends, I don't know what else to tell you. Actually Apostles page 68 and 69. She says the crown of Christ is to be lifted above the diadms of early potentates.

[00:40:03] She goes on to say we are not required of the five authorities. Right? Isn't that true? To go around and instigate rebellion against the authorities just because they have authority? You see, that's the problem with the social structure of the day.

[00:40:17] The young people just simply rebel against any kind of authority. My friends, that's totally wrong. We are not required to defy authorities. We are to teach obedience to it within its legitimate sphere.

[00:40:36] We are not required of the five authorities, our words where the spoken are written should be carefully considered. Less, we place ourselves on record as uttering that which would make us appear antagonistic to law and order.

[00:40:50] You realize even the words we speak, the things we write down to others who are carefully considered. Less with may appear to be that we are being antagonistic to law and order. Because what do you think the devil is going to do later?

[00:41:08] If you write something, that seems a little hostile. You can better believe friends that when you go to court, that paper is going to appear somehow. You think now where in the world of death they never come from. But you better believe the devil knows where it's all.

[00:41:22] And he's going to bring it back. And it's going to be a witness against you. And so the words you speak and you write, you better be very, very careful and considerate what you do.

[00:41:35] We are not to say or to do anything that would unnecessarily close up our way. We are to go forward in Christ's name, advocating the truth committed to us. If we are forbidden by men to do this work, then we may say as did the apostles,

[00:41:59] whether it be right to the side of God, to hear more than God, judge, we cannot speak the things which we have seen. By the servant of the Lord said, we are to be very careful what we say.

[00:42:10] And in our words, in our writings, we are not required of the five artisans. We are to teach obedience to it within its legitimate sphere. We are to go forward and Christ's name advocated to the truth that we're committed to us.

[00:42:25] But if we are forbidden by men to do this, the servant of the Lord then says, we have the right to say, you tell us who I ought to obey.

[00:42:38] God or man, or in Christ's name, advocating the truth, no one has the right to interfere in the proclamation of the gospel that God has given to us.

[00:42:55] I wish that the scribes and Pharisees had learned this lesson, but you find that at an Acts chapter five that's not the case. It seems as though that they again hold for another council. Here they found again the fact that Peter and the other disciples were preaching again.

[00:43:31] And in verse 16, it says, there came also a multitude out of the cities. Round about Jerusalem, bringing their sick folks and then which were vexed with unclean spurs and they were healed everyone.

[00:43:48] Then the high priest rose up and all they did were with him, which being the second of the sadgis sees were filled with indignation. And they made their hands on the apostles and put them in common prison. Now here again we find a repeating of Acts 4.

[00:44:09] They didn't like and appreciate what was being done by the disciples, so simply they had them arrested once more thrown into prison. They were forbidden by the authorities of the church to preach. Now listen very carefully, what it take place.

[00:44:29] Verse 19, but the angel of the Lord, not friends who is going to come, angel of the Lord. But the angel, the Lord, by night open the prison doors and brought them forth and sad. Friends listen please, this is an angel from heaven.

[00:44:59] And notice what the angel of heaven says to God's people, go and stand and speak in the temple. Notice where he told the speak, how like that goes speaking the church. To the people all the words of this life. And ask to the apostles, page 79 and 80.

[00:45:49] Ellen White has a clear one paragraph clear statement made and referred to this account that I just read. Before I read this statement I want to give you a little background again.

[00:46:03] The disciples were going forth preaching to God's name, advocating the truth that have been committed to them. That Jesus himself said, go either for it all nations. Teach every nation. Remember that? Jesus himself gave them that command.

[00:46:16] Religious leaders of the day, so no, we don't want you to do that. We have an official council and we have decreed that this cannot take place under our authority. So we forbid you by decree. We command you that you can no longer do this.

[00:46:33] They are arrested the second time, throw them in prison. This time the angel of God sends an angel down and the angel is given the message to them. Go out there and you go in the temple and you preach. How friends? Here they were.

[00:46:52] The official church, telling them they couldn't. Angel Lord says you better get out there and preach and you got to stop the disciples. Talk in the middle. And I want you to listen to what Albert White says.

[00:47:07] And really, this is when I came across this it's pretty powerful because I want you to listen to the one word as I read this that actual word she uses. And the youth is acts of the apostles, pays 79 in 80.

[00:47:24] She says the God of Heaven, the mighty ruler of the universe. Look, the matter of the imprisonment of the disciples into his own hands. You imagine that? You're God of Him. Watching His disciples twice His church arrested. Gus is that's enough. Stand aside.

[00:47:47] I'm taking this thing in my own hands. That's pretty powerful. You think about that. You imagine that you know it's it always reminds me, you know, I'm the youngest and I have five brothers.

[00:48:00] And sometimes you know it almost reminds me the fact that it's somehow getting a little bit of trouble. You know, the younger kids are and the older brothers had to stand up and kind of defend young.

[00:48:09] You know, as it says, look step aside, I'm going to take care of this situation. You know, the kind of reminds me of that sense that the here to the disciples had been brought into a situation that was brought upon them unjustly and cruelly.

[00:48:25] And so God says that we're said to the whole universe step aside. I'm taking this thing in my own hands. A God of heaven, the mighty ruler of the universe, the matter of the imprisonment of the disciples into his own hands. For men were worrying against His work.

[00:48:48] Men were worrying against His. Who were the men that were worrying against God's work? Was the leadership of the church at that day? Who are worrying against God? God said, yet enough. I'm taking things in my own hands now.

[00:49:28] By night the angel Lord had opened the prison doors and said to the disciples, go and stand and speak in the temple to all the people towards this life. This command was directly contrary to the order given by the Jewish ones.

[00:49:48] What the angel said was a command totally contrary to the command given by the Jewish rulers. You had the church say, one thing you had the angel say the other? And they were diametrically opposed to each other. And you had the disciples of God in the middle.

[00:50:12] Listen very carefully. But then did these apostles say, why we cannot do this until we had a consultative magistrate and received permission from them? Then did the apostles say to the angel, why we can't go out there and preach? We don't have a permission from the church.

[00:50:44] We haven't consulted with him. Is that what they said? She says, no. God had said, go and they'll be. They entered into the temple early in the morning and taught. I love that. That one person. That thing is super.

[00:51:13] You don't be quiet because I like the fact that she actually used the word a consult and permission. God had said to his disciples, go forth and preach this message. The church said, no, you can't do it. You don't have the authority.

[00:51:35] And their disciples were stuck on a minute. And did they tell the angel, we be permissioned first. Once we have a letter, then we can go. Once we have permission to go forth and proclaim this message, then we can go.

[00:51:50] No, that was not the response of the disciples. They simply were given the command and they obeyed. And they went forth preaching the gospel. And my friend, Sister White, makes it clear that the same struggle that the apostles were faced was the same struggle

[00:52:09] that the reformers found themselves in in 1529 of the Daedas fires. And she says this was the very essence of Protestantism. My friend's Protestantism denies the right of anyone.

[00:52:23] The church or the state to interfere to tell us that we cannot preach or we cannot proclaim the gospel to the world. We deny that right to any individual because they don't have the right. God has never given it to any man.

[00:52:37] That right belongs only to God and have a man to interfere with that right. He is actually taking upon himself the very attributes of deity. He is blasphemy in against God. She says, they are warring against the God of heaven.

[00:52:54] My friends, I want you to know, sadly to say, and I say this in those kind of way I can't honest, I want to be very sincere about this. I'm sorry to say, I'm sorry to say that we, the advent people are committing the very same cry.

[00:53:31] They religious leaders in Jesus' day and they apostles day and in the reformers day were committing. I'm sorry to tell you friends, but this church is warring against the God of heaven.

[00:53:51] But my friend's God has given to us command to go forth and preach this gospel to every nation, children, and tongue, and people. And my friends, you're going to have to make a decision. Who are you going to obey?

[00:54:04] You're going to have to decide who you really are. You say you are Protestant, but do you believe and live the very principles of process. In the died of words, Luther was threatened to repent his position.

[00:54:38] And I tell you, I would have loved to see that event take place. I've been to the Wittonburg, where Luther nailed the 95 thesis and where Luther burned the people bull, where he taught in the University of Wittonburg was a joy to my heart, believe me.

[00:55:02] And I love to see the reformers places, the more it is. But here the died of words, Luther stood as a young man all by himself, you know, imagine. Unbelievable pressure. That must have been upon that man.

[00:55:22] And he was threatened by the people leaders in the, and Charles the 50 said, you will recant your position or you will burn. I love the statement that Luther gave. Great controversy page 160. Mr. Lord comments on Luther's response. The reformer answered, since your most serene majesty in your high,

[00:56:05] mightiness requires for me a clear simple and precise answer. I will give you one. And this is this. I cannot submit my faith either to the Pope or the councils because it is clear as the day they have frequently aired

[00:56:23] and contradict each other unless therefore I am convinced from the testimony of Scripture. By the clears reasoning, unless I am persuaded by the means of passages I have quoted, and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the word of God, I cannot,

[00:56:44] and I will not recant for his unsafe or a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me. Friends, where do you stand today? Who? Who do you? What are you going to do?

[00:57:24] May our prayer be the testimony of Luther. God here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me. Amen. Let us pray.

[00:57:45] Dear Father and Heaven, again as we come to thee, we pray to Father that you would help us to have the moral courage to stand. God made the testimony of Luther be ours. All Father helped us, please, to understand where we stand in these last days.

[00:58:06] God forgive me. Oh God forgive us all. Please, dear Father, I pray that you would help us to be loving, loving Christians. Help us, dear God, please, reflect Jesus fully completely.

[00:58:22] In God, please, I pray, give us a deep desire and yearning for the saving of those who are lost. I pray for each precious soul. Bless Father, I pray to Gaze, leave be the work that they are doing.

[00:58:40] I pray, God, that they will go forth and continue to carry the better high. God bless the work around the work. Lord, we know that you will raise standard bears to give the trumpet a certain sound.

[00:58:54] I pray, do, God, that if you are call someone here tonight, they will hear your voice, they will not harm it. But they shall go forward in your name to proclaim these truths.

[00:59:06] If they are forbidden by men to do this, I pray that they are just the money might be quite a bit right aside. God, to hear and do more than God, judge you. But we cannot speak the things which you have seen in earth.

[00:59:18] But we ought to obey God rather than that. Is our prayer in Jesus name?