4:1-31
“Boldness to speak Your Word”
I.) Intro.
II.) Vs. 1-6 Captive for Christ
III.) Vs. 7-22 Uneducated & untrained men
IV.) Vs. 23-31 A prayer for more of the same
Intro.
Last week we saw Peter’s second preaching opportunity, which came about as John & he, were involved with the Lord healing the lame man. Jesus had told them that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit to be witnesses (1:8). That had produced opportunities immediately to speak of the person & work of Jesus. The Lord added to the Church based upon the practices of the early Church.
It appears that there was a pattern in the early church of “signs & wonders” creating an opportunity for the apostles to teach. Often time these teaching times led to many receiving Jesus. As a student of the word as well as a teacher of the word, the teaching of Peter & others in the Bible fascinates me. There is a “depth” to it that as a student I marvel at how these “untrained & uneducated” men were able to accomplish with out any of the study helps that I now posses. Yet as a teacher there is a “simplicity” to the content that all can comprehend. With those dynamics at work through the power of the Holy Spirit it was an incredible instrument in the hearts of men. Why didn’t this combination sweep over all the hearts of man kind? Well we have an enemy! The book of Acts not only records for us the continual work of Jesus in the world through those called by His name. It also records for us the work of satan & his attempt to derail God’s work. That is what we have recorded for us today the first of five chapters in Acts record one of satan’s tactics, “persecution”. Now this may have slowed the work of God but in fact in never weakened it. Instead it made it stronger! In the fifth chapter of Acts we shall see what is the most effective weapon the enemy has to derail God’s work.
Vs. 1-6 Captive for Christ
Vs. 1 With the now healed lame man cling to them Peter is proclaiming the person & continual work of Jesus. It is to this scene as thousands have gathered that the Jewish leadership shows up. The ordained priests, who had been conducting the evening sacrifices, the chief of police for the temple as well as the Sadducees, which were like the supreme court, came rushing to Solomon’s porch. The normally quite time of evening prayer had been severely disrupted by this man “walking, leaping & praising God” & Peter’s explanation of what just taken place.
Vs. 2-3 The Sadducees were the theological liberals of their day. They were made up of mainly wealthy landowners who to protect their holdings opposed any opposition to Rome. Their religion was largely a social practice, they did not believe in the resurrection, angels or any miracles. They believed that man was the master of his own destiny. According to them the Messianic period had already came during the Maccabean revolt so they were not looking for a Messiah.
So we are told that they were “greatly disturbed” & we are told two reasons for annoyance based upon their question of verse 7 “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
- They taught the people: (POWER) That is they were upset at who it was that was teaching (verse 13) untrained & uneducated men. They were ticked at the fact that Peter & John were teaching people period. No one had given them permission; they had not credentials further more they had not even had any experience as teachers had. For all practical purposes these guys were not even lay leaders. Further more not only were they teaching they were doing so in the temple, which was reserved for the “professionals”. Now I find it interesting that the first thing that bugged the professionals was the person doing the message not the message. So? Well that tells you that jealousy was what took them at first. Peter & John were from Galilee & they had a huge crowd of people waiting on every word. Now as Calvary Chapel’s go we are not “professionally” trained either. I don’t have a degree from a seminary in fact most Calvary Pastor’s don’t. Yet, I think that most of the guy’s I now are some of the best teachers I’ve ever listened to. In fact the Pastor’s I’ve come into contact with who have done four years at seminary are woefully lacking in Bible. The reason for this is that most of them don’t study the Bible they study other things.
- Preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. (AUTHORITY) The Jewish leadership had executed Jesus as a blasphemer, & now these guys were proclaiming Him as the resurrected Messiah. They wanted to know in whose authority or name had they done & said what they did. You see they were into this authority trip they liked keeping people dependent upon them. Peter was proclaiming in Jesus His lordship over lives not mans. The leaders saw this as a threat to them as people would no longer need them. Folks, religion is always threatened by a relationship in Jesus.
You know what a relationship with Jesus offends people does it not? I mean when we come into a relationship with Jesus we are saying that all of man’s best effort, intelligence, good looks is not enough. All that people every where do is not going to get you any thing. And further more what you can have in Christ is in spit of you not because of you. That offends because there is nothing that we can boast of. “Well, who do you think you are telling me that my good works are not enough.” “Who died & made you the teachers of truth?” Ugh, Jesus!
Vs. 3-4 Jewish law did not permit a trial of a mans life to happen at night, (a law they broke in the case of Jesus), so they place Peter & John in jail over night. But the silencing of the messengers could not stop the effect of the Word of God in human hearts as 2,000 men were added to the Church. Now how did Luke know that the church was now 5,000 men besides women & children? Well these were the people who identified themselves as believers. Man, people under adverse conditions were ready to go against popular opinion & follow Jesus all the while the two the brought the message were placed in prison. Seven times in the book of Acts we are told the Church grew but only twice are we told a number. I pray that we too will grow in reaching our world for Jesus but that we won’t keep tract on the number. The bottom line is that the Word of God is powerful & matter what you do with those that proclaim it the hears will be effected by it.
Vs. 5-6 Peter & John make no fuss at their arrest but are humble. The Rulers represented the 24 priestly orders & the Elders represented the heads of the different tribes. The Scribes were the experts in the law most of them being Pharisees. All of them together made up what was called the Sanhedrin, which was 71 members including the High Priest, with the responsibility of ruling the nation as well as being the final authority on all legal matters.
Luke tells us the names of who some of this court was. Annas was not the current High Priest, (although he had served for nine years) but he was the real power behind the scenes. He still had the name like our ex-presidents carry the name past their tenure. The Romans had put His son in-law in his place (Caiaphas) & he would reign 18 years. Annas managed to have five of his sons, one son in-law & one grandson placed in this position through out his life. All of them were Sadducees & the ruling of the people was being passed on from one generation to another without any regard to the Word of God. It is thought that the two other names here, (John, and Alexander), were further sons who Theophilus might have heard of.
The point of listing them is to reveal that Peter & John are essentially before the same group that had not that many months earlier sentenced Jesus to die on the cross. In fact according to verse 13 they recognized Peter & John as being disciples of Jesus. So? Well let’s get the picture shall we? Peter & John have been arrested & are about to be tried by the same kangaroo court with the same leaders who illegally sentenced Jesus, whom they had just had proclaimed was alive & the Messiah, (which many of them did not believe would come). All of this is before the leaders of the nation who have the power to put you to death. So they are put into jail at night & the next day they are brought in alone before 71 folks who want nothing better then to see you dead. What do you think our two fishermen need the most? Now don’t you dare say a lawyer.
Vs. 7-22 Uneducated & untrained men
Vs. 7 They ask Peter & John one question with two parts in it. What power & what authority did they have to heal the lame man & proclaim Jesus. Now Deut. 13:1-5 speaks about what to do with a person who says something or does something that comes to pass & they proclaims that it is a different god that has done this they are to be put to death. So this question is designed to get Peter & John to incriminate themselves. It was also a put down, “Where did you ignorant folks get the power & authority to do & say anything especially in my temple?”
Vs. 8 So what is it that Peter & John need the most? Well we are told right here, “filled with the Holy Spirit”. Jesus had told them in Luke 12:11-12 that “when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” So Peter was again filled & you know what inverse 31 he is going to again be filled with the Holy Spirit. Is that not great? I mean there is a never ending supply of the presence & power of the Lord whenever we need Him. I man did Peter & John ever need Him now.
Vs. 9-12 Interestingly enough Peter does not defend his action, He questions their action by saying, “This work of God healing a lame man is not a crime it’s a good deed to a helpless man!” “You have arrested us for being used to change a life from lame to whole, is that the charge because I just want to get it right!” What’s lacking in all of Peter’s words is:
- SILENCE
- COMPROMISE
- PERSONAL DEFENCE
“Further more you want to know where the power & authority came from to make this lame man whole & to proclaim Who healed him? Well, Ill tell you Who, it’s Jesus who you rejected.” Look at these words of Peter before the ruling powers of the day, the ones who had the power over his & John’s life & ask yourself who is on trial.
Now what would you do if you were in this same situation with Peter & John? Think of it a moment you’re a new Christian & you have just been arrested with Peter & John. Your in a trial for your life & Peter says, “Hey bro don’t worry about it I’ll take care of your defense it’s going to be ok.” Then Peter starts out with the words, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:” & you think good touch here Peter nice & polite. Then Peter continues as you look at the faces in a half circle around you, “You have arrested us for being used to change a life from lame to whole, is that the charge because I just want to get it right!” Then before you stop him he says. “You want to know what power, what authority we were used of to make a lame life whole? Well it’s Jesus the one you all killed, the One that God raised from the dead, for those of you here today who don’t believe in either the Messiah, the resurrection or miracles.” Then before you can get a word out of your mouth to ask for a new lawyer Peter continues. “Hey fellows you all know the Bible well Psalm 118 speaks about you in saying the stone that the builders, (ah that’s you guy’s) rejected is the most important stone for the building.” Finally, just before you pass out as your life is passing before you Peter says one more sentence. “Leaders of Israel, there is only one way in which a person can be saved & it’s by trusting in Jesus, in fact there is no other name.” Just before you lose consciousness you hear Peter say, “What did I tell you, it will be ok!” Now I’ve perhaps made fun of this scene a bit but I think a good amount of us would have reacted just like this. But not Peter & John. No, they think of the opportunity to speak to the highest authority in the land about Jesus & they are not concerned with their lives. Why? Because they realize that it is not their lives, for they are not longer there own but were bought at a price.
Vs. 13-18 Now it is the leadership who are in the horns of a dilemma. They saw Peter & John yet the zeal, passion & power that they spoke with concerning Jesus. They heard them speak these were not trained clergy, not they were country bumpkins. Yet there was something different about these fellows, it kind of reminded them, no it did remind them of. Yes, it was like Jesus who spoke as One having authority & these two they had spent time with Him. Why, Jesus had rubbed off on them. We’ve got to nip this in the bud. But wait what are we going to do with the artist formerly know as the lame man?
Is that not amazing? I mean it is the educated folks who don’t have any defense concerning what to do about Jesus, the healed lame man is right there & all. Well why did they not just bring out the dead body of Jesus? I mean since Jesus did not really die why not just bring Him forward? Right? Do you see this? These guys, unwittingly prove to us that the resurrection really happened. Hey, you can be pretty darn confident when you’re greatest opponents by their silence prove the your point in court!” If this was a cartoon it would be right here that the villain would say, “Foiled again!”
I know lets threaten them & tell them never again use the name of Jesus again. Now what ever possessed them to come up with this idea I will never know, because if it did not work when they were in trial for their lives it won’t work in the future. Further more by admitting that a miracle was done in the name of Jesus & that what Peter preached concerning Him was true, don’t they see that they are opposing God? Pride is a incredible slippery slope isn’t it?
Vs. 19-22 After bring Peter & John back in, threatening & commanding them not to speak about Jesus any longer I would of loved to have seen the expression of those two fishers of men. I can only say that I know what my reaction is to this I just start to smile. Peter & John after rolling on the floor, (my opinion) answer, “You guys, I need to get your advise, is it better for us to obey God or what you say?” “Because we can not help ourselves but to talk about the things which we have seen & heard.”
So they threaten them some more but they got to let them go as public opinion was in Peter & John’s favor. All were praising God, not Peter or John but God. Them of coarse there was that man formally know as the lame man. Wow, what a story!
Vs. 23-31 A prayer for more of the same
Vs. 23-28 I love this where did they go after such a great victory? No, not Disneyland, but to there own companions! They could not wait to share God’s victory with God’s people. Ten what do they do? Well they have a worship & prayer service. I love the unity as it is centered around the person & work of God. They declare these truths about Him:
- Vs. 24 Lord, You are God: Nothing else is worthy of being worshiped but You. Further more we are standing before You not because of Peter’s brilliant defense but because of Who you are.
- Vs. 24 You are the creator: You created Everything & everyone. Simply put you are in control.
- Vs.25-28 You are sovereign: How foolish for anyone to try to out think God & even when the world succeeds at there plans all they do is fulfill Your will.
Vs. 29-30 It is based upon this worship that they prayed these two verses. Now what would you have prayed if you had just been a jam this big? “Hey, God that was a real close one, so next time why not just keep us out of all this legal stuff.” “I just want to live a peaceful, quite life some place where I can stay with in my comfort zone, amen!” Nope, now get this, they ask God for more of what they just had. Oh, to God we would be so possessed of His Spirit. That we would ask nothing of ourselves & only ask that He would fill us with His Spirit, so that we would still be used to touch the lives of a lame world & proclaim the name in whose power we had touched it with. What is the key to this prayer? Two things:
- Well they see themselves as servants. (Verse 29)
- They are Just following His example. (Your Holy Servant, verses 27, 30)
Vs. 31 Look at what God did in answer to this prayer. They were not shaken but the world in which they were was! And they were again filled with the Holy Spirit & spoke the Word of God with Boldness. Now as we close there is a lot of talk today about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives but here we see what it was He did in the lives of these believers. He gave them boldness to speak the Word of God. May we to have a earth shaking time as we ask the Lord to give us more of Himself!