Sermon Tone Analysis

“Curves, Crosses, and Compassion” (Acts 5:1-16)

illustration: Crosses on the Roadside, Dead Man’s Curve

Dead Man's Curve is an American nickname for a curve in a road that has claimed lives because of numerous crashes.[1][2]

A curve on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles memorialized in the hit song "Dead Man's Curve" by Jan and Dean.

The song's lyrics clearly place the location of the "Dead Man's Curve" accident at the curve on westbound Sunset Boulevard just west of Doheny Drive in West Hollywood.

Voice actor Mel Blanc was severely injured while driving here in 1961, and later sued the City of Los Angeles, prompting a reconstruction of the road.

A sharp turn on eastbound Interstate 70 just west of exit 259 near Morrison, Colorado that is preceded by a 7-mile (11 km) stretch of a 6.5% grade downslope, which has been the site of numerous fatal runaway truck accidents.[3]

In Marquette Township in Marquette County, Michigan, Dead Man's Curve referred to a curve on County Road 492, where the first state highway center line in the United States was painted when the road was part of State Highway M-15.[4][5]

Between Albuquerque and Tijeras, State Road 333 (previously known as U.S. Route 66) makes a sudden curve near the I-40 overpass.

This stretch of highway has earned its name because of the rocky cliffs on the south side of the highway, and frequent deer traffic contributes to its hazardousness.[6]

📷Union Square, Manhattan had a long history of traffic congestion extending back to the 1890s, when trolley lines were first installed.

Two parallel trolley lines made a double curve at the southwest corner of Broadway and Fourteenth Street.

In spite of traffic wardens on duty, the trolleys regularly struck pedestrians crossing the tracks in the busy shopping district around the park.

[7] By 1930, the Fourteenth Street Association, a retail business association headed by its president, H. Prescott Beach, had successfully lobbied the New York transit authority to remove the above-ground rails, and move routes underground.

[8]

The nearly 90º turn on Interstate 90 near downtown Cleveland, officially called the "Innerbelt Curve", where the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway connects to the Innerbelt Freeway at a modified trumpet interchange just south of Burke Lakefront Airport.[9]

Location: 41.5173°N 81.6754°W

A dangerous curve on South Carolina Highway 9 about 10 miles west of Chester, South Carolina, is responsible for several fatal crashes.[10]

A curve on Schuylkill Expressway, a section of Interstate 76, near Conshohocken known as the Conshohocken Curve by many people, is responsible for several fatal and nonfatal crashes.

[11]

The Warning About Mt Sinai

Phineas’ Spear

With Belly’s Full of Meat

Killed Herod (Acts 12:1-3, 21-23)

Killed Uzzah (1 Chron 13:9-12)

Discipline by God (sickness and death) for the attitude toward Communion (1 Cor

I. Danger, Curve Ahead

A. There are Many “Dead Man’s Curves” in the Bible

B. Everyone Hates Hypocrisy

What is Hypocrisy?

Why is this Hypocrisy?

C. The Worst, Lying to God in Front of Man (Acts

The Warning About Mt Sinai

Phineas’ Spear

With Belly’s Full of Meat

Killed Herod (Acts 12:1-3, 21-23)

Killed Uzzah (1 Chron 13:9-12)

Discipline by God (sickness and death) for the attitude toward Communion

II.

Reflecting Upon Crosses on the Roadside

Ezekiel 18:23 (ESV) 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?

A. Peter’s Interrogation (

These are meant for us to look upon and reflect

Why has Satan...? (allows for confession

Points out that there was no compulsion, nor communistic command

B. The Greater Question of Satan’s Involvement (In the Church?)

Can Satan influence people within the Church?

Part of the Question implies: Why would you allow Satan to do this?

The other part: Why has Satan done this?

to destroy the pure and powerful display of unity, generosity, vision, and God-honoring/man-loving sacrifice

C. What If God allowed this behavior to continue?

If you go back and study many of the deaths (mentioned earlier) that were brought about by God were not a knee-jerk reaction but a patient protection of things that are sacred to Him. (If the movies are true, even certain native tribes would kill for passing through sacred burial grounds).

God desires to be honored for His gracious sacrifice and He loves to honor those who emulate it in smaller ways.

To honor

Medal of Honor: For valor beyond the call of duty

III.

The Compassion of God

Acts 5:12–16 (ESV) Many Signs and Wonders Done 12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles.

And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.

13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.

14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

A. Wouldn’t dare join the apostles yet esteemed them

This is dangerous if it remains this way

Paul wants Timothy’s progress to be seen (Transparency)

Paul presents himself as frail, paternal, humble, transparent

Peter warns against a “lording over” and himself remembers that the Lord commanded him to care for people with the tender heart of a shepherd

B. What Does God do?

adds to the church (new believers who do not em[hasis this killing)

Peter’s shadow!

C. Purity and Compassion must be a consistent emphasis in our hearts

What Shouldn’t Surprise Us

That God would be patient with impurities but impatient with the pretentious

That God would give opportunity to confess before bringing discipline

That after having brought a quick and ready sword of discipline

That Satan would influence such behavior

What Surprised Peter

That someone would not only lie to God and the Holy Spirit but also

Cross References:

Exodus 19:10–13 (ESV) 10 the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments 11 and be ready for the third day.

For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

12 And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it.

Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.

13 No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’

When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”

1 Cor 11:27–32 (ESV) 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.

28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.

32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

Ezekiel 18:23 (ESV) 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?

Acts 12:1–3 (ESV) James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church.

2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.

This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

Acts 12:21–23 (ESV) 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them.

22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

1 Chronicles 13:9–12 (NKJV) 9 And when they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled.

10 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.

11 And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzza; therefore that place is called Perez Uzza to this day.

12 David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?”