My dear friends, it is such a joy and privilege to gather with you all this morning, as we open God’s precious Word and prayerfully listen for Him to speak to our hearts. What a comfort it is to consider a powerful truth that promises to transform our lives and lift our spirits: God’s magnificent plan of redemption is absolutely unstoppable, which means that you and I can truly live with an unshakable faith and deep confidence in Him, no matter what comes our way. This profound message, beautifully illustrated through the experiences of the early church in Acts chapter 5, offers immense encouragement for every challenge and uncertainty we might face in our own lives today.

We were called to worship this morning with a powerful reading from Romans 8. This scripture tenderly sets the stage for our core message of divine invincibility, gently reminding us that if God is for us, who can possibly be against us, and that absolutely nothing can separate us from the boundless love of God that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord. What a comforting truth to hold onto!

God’s Unstoppable Plan in Action: A Story of Comfort and Courage

The Book of Acts paints such a vivid picture of God’s unstoppable plan unfolding. Just imagine, the apostles had already been arrested for bravely sharing about Jesus. Despite being questioned, intimidated, and even threatened not to teach about Jesus anymore, what did they do? They immediately resumed healing and preaching upon their release. Their growing influence, a beautiful testament to God’s work, deeply “enraged the high priest, who was filled with jealousy”. So, what was his response? He had them arrested again, throwing them into jail for a second time.

But here, my friends, is where we see the very first, breathtaking evidence that God’s plan simply “can’t be stopped”. That very night, an angel of the Lord miraculously set them free, tenderly instructing them to return to the temple and continue preaching about the new life Jesus so graciously offers. And demonstrating incredible boldness, rooted in their certainty of God, the apostles walked right back into the temple at daybreak to teach again. When guards later went to retrieve them, they found the cell closed and locked but empty, baffling everyone. Soon, someone reported that the apostles were back in the temple.

When confronted by the authorities, Peter and the other apostles famously declared, “We must obey God rather than people”. Their certainty and confidence, their unshakable peace, stemmed from knowing deep in their souls that God’s plan of redemption simply “can’t be stopped”. They boldly yet lovingly preached that the authorities had crucified Jesus, but God raised Him from the dead, and Jesus now rules from God’s right hand, offering salvation to all who repent and trust in Him.

This declaration, though filled with divine truth, provoked “murderous rage” from the religious authorities, who wanted to kill the apostles on the spot. But then, a Pharisee named Gamaliel (referred to as Galeio in our text) intervened. He advised caution, citing historical examples of human movements that ultimately failed, like Theudas and Judas the Galilean. Gamaliel’s crucial insight was this, and it’s a truth that should fill us with comfort: “for if this plan or this work is of human origin it will fail but if it is of God you will not be able to overthrow them you may even be found fighting against God”. Friends, though Gamaliel may not have come to faith, he unwittingly articulated the central, comforting truth: if a movement is from God, it is absolutely unstoppable.

This truth truly extends throughout the entire Bible. From Cain’s jealous opposition to Abel, to Joseph being hated and thrown into a pit by his envious brothers, to the religious authorities crucifying Jesus out of envy for His work—God’s plan consistently triumphs over all opposition, even the deepest human malice. The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate proof: they gave God “their worst,” crucifying Him, but God raised Him from the dead, powerfully demonstrating that His plan, “full of life,” cannot be stopped. Even in the Old Testament, Pharaoh’s cruel oppression of Israel only led to their multiplication and spread, beautifully foreshadowing how persecution would only cause the church to “pop up somewhere else” because God’s plan is unstoppable. The gospel, despite facing “every possible form of persecution” for 2,000 years, continues to advance. This is not a fragile movement; it is God’s own unstoppable work.

The Heart of Redemption: Jesus’ Sacrifice and Resurrection, Our Deepest Hope

At the very core of this unstoppable plan is our beloved Jesus Christ. Peter’s description of Jesus being “hung on a tree” is profoundly significant because, in Deuteronomy, being hung on a tree meant being “cursed by God for breaking his law”. Jesus, though completely sinless, lovingly bore this curse in our place, becoming “a curse for us” to redeem us from the law’s curse. His perfect life and sacrificial death paid the “full debt for our sins”. This is the incredible, comforting grace of God for us.

Crucially, Jesus “didn’t stay dead”. God raised Him up, showing His complete acceptance of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice. The empty tomb and Jesus’ resurrection are what beautifully set Christianity apart from every other religion; “our savior isn’t buried somewhere he is alive”. He is now “seated at the right hand of God” and offers forgiveness to everyone who repents from sin and trusts in Him.

For those of you who do not yet follow Jesus, the call is clear, and it comes with such love and longing from God’s heart: “come to Jesus lay down your sins put your trust in him and receive the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God that comes only through Jesus Christ”. There is no neutral ground with Jesus; “whoever is not with me is against me”. God’s plan will succeed, and the question for each of us is whether we will “participate in it” and “step into the only kingdom that cannot be shaken”. What an invitation to join His victorious, unshakable kingdom!

Unshakable Faith in a Hostile World: Our Comfort and Courage

For us, as believers, the profound knowledge that God’s plan is unstoppable enables us to live with “unshakable faith” and “unshakable confidence in God’s purposes”. Jesus promised His followers in John 15, “If they persecuted me they’re going to persecute you too,” and this promise, though sometimes challenging, continues to play out, even today. We may not face physical imprisonment in places like Middle Tennessee, and for that, we can certainly praise God. But opposition still exists, and it is still real. This can manifest in ways such as:

• Cultural pressure to compromise: Where our faith in Jesus is deemed acceptable only if it’s polite and private, with particular contention often arising when we speak the name of Jesus.
• Social exclusion: Losing friends or being labeled for openly identifying with Jesus.
• Moral marginalization: Being labeled “hateful, judgmental, or dangerous” for gently holding biblical beliefs on sex, marriage, gender, or truth itself.
• Institutional hostility: Workplace policies, corporate training, or classroom environments that risk our status, reputation, or even our jobs for faithfulness to Jesus.

These forms of opposition, though not always involving chains and jail cells, are “still real” pressures that can weigh on our hearts. In such moments, dear friends, God reminds us through Acts 5 that we

do not have to “shrink back,” “cave,” “run,” or “be afraid”. The apostles exemplified unshakable obedience, choosing God over men, even at the cost of their lives. Think of Peter, who was once a “scaredy-cat”. He became bold, not by his own strength, but because the Spirit came into him, and he was absolutely certain of God’s unstoppable plan.

This same confidence, this same peace, is available to each of us, including our precious teens who face immense pressure to “fit in,” “go with the flow,” and “not stand out” in group chats, at lunch, or during hangouts. God tenderly shows them that they can have “unshakable confidence and faith” to say no to what God calls wrong, even if it means losing friends. For all believers, obedience to Christ will sometimes be “costly,” potentially leading to loss of business, influence, or relationships.

Even when flogged 39 times, the apostles “left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name”. They believed Jesus’ promises: that a great reward awaits in heaven for those persecuted for righteousness’ sake, that He would be with them, and that nothing—not suffering, loss, persecution, or death—can “separate us from the love of God in Christ” because God’s plan of redemption is unstoppable. This is our anchor in every storm.

Furthermore, this truth extends beyond persecution to all forms of suffering we may encounter. Whether facing “chronic illness,” a “ravaged body,” the pain of job loss, or crumbling relationships, we need to be reminded, with gentle yet firm conviction, that God’s plan “can’t be stopped”. He who began a good work in you “will carry it on to completion”. Like Polycarp, who served Christ for 86 years and faced death fearlessly, our certainty should be rooted in knowing that “Caesar didn’t have the final word Jesus did”.

Therefore, we can live with unshakable faith, confidence, and courage. While we may not be dragged into an arena, we will face pressure to “cave,” “shrink back,” or “doubt”. But when those times come, we can respond with unshakable faith, knowing, with every fiber of our being, that God’s plan of redemption cannot be stopped.

As we go forward from this place, let us “be steadfast be immovable be always excelling in the Lord’s work because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain”. Stand unshakably in the comforting confidence that God’s plan of redemption can’t be stopped, and with joy and boldness, tell others about what Jesus is doing in this world. Amen.