The Persecution Of The Church Series

Introduction

Open Doors is an organization that monitors the persecution of Christians around the world.

According to their 2024 World Watch List, “more than 365 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith” (see https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/persecution/countries/).

Open Doors has the following statistics for this past year on their website:

• 1 in 7 Christians was persecuted,

• 4,998 Christians were murdered,

• 14,766 churches and Christian properties were attacked, and

• 4,125 Christians were detained (for being Christian).

The persecution of Christians began very early in the book of Acts.

Sometime after the Day of Pentecost, Peter and John went up to the temple to pray. On their way in they saw a man who was lame from birth.

The lame man asked them for alms. Peter said to the man, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6). Astonishingly, the man got up immediately and walked.

A great crowd of people gathered in the temple precincts at the portico called Solomon’s. Peter took the opportunity to share with the people that this man had been healed by Jesus.

While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were arrested and thrown into jail.

And so began the first persecution of the church recorded in the book of Acts.

Scripture

Let’s read Acts 4:1-22:

1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

Lesson

Acts 4:1-22 shows us how the church handles persecution.

Let’s use the following outline:

1. Expect Opposition (4:1-7)

2. Be Filled with the Holy Spirit (4:8a)

3. Share the Gospel at Every Opportunity (4:8b-13)

4. Obey God at All Costs (4:14-22)

I. Expect Opposition (4:1-7)

First, expect opposition.

Peter had been telling the vast crowd at Solomon’s colonnade how the lame man had been healed. Peter insisted that it was Jesus who had healed the lame man.