THE CHALLENGE OF SALVATION
ACTS 4:1-11
INTRODUCTION:
ONE SUNDAY MORNING A PREACHER WAS MAKING THE POINT THAT DEATH IS A NATURAL PART OF THE LIFE CYCLE. HE QUOTED GENESIS 3:19 SAYING THAT WE CAME FROM DUST AND TO DUST WE WILL RETURN.
AFTER THE SERVICE A FIVE YEAR OLD BOY CAME RUNNING UP TO THE PREACHER. ALL OUT OF BREATH WITH EXCITEMENT HE ASKED, “IS IT REALLY TRUE THAT WE CAME FROM DUST AND RETURN TO DUST.”
THE PREACHER SAID, “THAT’S RIGHT, MY BOY. THAT’S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS.”
THE BOY REPLIED, “THEN YOU’D BETTER GET OVER TO THE HOUSE RIGHT QUICK AND LOOK UNDER MY BED BECAUSE SOMEONE’S EITHER COMING OR GOING.”
TODAY WE LOOK AT A VERY INTERESTING CHALLENGE, BUT ALSO A FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGE TO OUR FAITH. TODAY WE GET TO WHERE THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD AS FAR AS OUR FAITH IS CONCERNED, AND WE ASK THE QUESTION, “IS IT OR ISN’T IT TRUE?” IF WE SAY IT ISN’T TRUE THEN WHY DO WE GO THROUGH ALL THIS, BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT WE LIVE AND WE DIE AND THAT IS ALL THERE IS TO IT.
IF WE SAY IT IS TRUE, AND I’M HOPING THAT YOU WILL SEE THIS TODAY, THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO AGREE ON THE TRUTH OF MANY OTHER ISSUES IN CHRISTIANITY. THESE ISSUES COULD BE DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH, BECAUSE THEY COULD INVOLVE DEAR FRIENDS, AND VERY LOVED FAMILY MEMBERS, BUT THEY ARE NONE THE LESS TRUE.
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND:
LET ME GIVE YOU SOME OF THE BIBLICAL BACKGROUND FOR THIS PASSAGE. EVER SINCE THE DAY OF PENTECOST IN ACTS CHAPTER TWO, GREAT THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCH. PETER’S PREACHING HAS TAKEN OFF WITH AN INTENSITY AND DEDICATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN KNOWN UP TO THIS POINT. PEOPLE ARE BEING BAPTIZED BY THE THOUSANDS AND THIS NEW GROUP THAT WILL LATER BE KNOWN AS CHRISTIANS HAD TAKEN A FIRM FOOTHOLD IN SOCIETY.
THE LEADERS OF THE DAY THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD DIE OUT WITH THE DEATH OF THEIR LEADER. WHAT THEY DIDN’T RECKON ON WAS THE RESURRECTION. THE RESURRECTION WAS THE PROOF THAT JESUS WAS WHO HE SAID HE WAS, AND JUST AS HE WAS TRANSFORMED BEFORE THEIR EYES AS HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, SO TOO WERE THE APOSTLES TRANSFORMED IN THEIR DETERMINATION AND COMMITMENT TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS OF SSALVATION IN CHRIST.
NOW IN CHAPTER THREE WE ARE TOLD THAT PETER AND JOHN WERE GOING UP TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY WHEN THEY ENCOUNTERED A MAN WHO WAS CRIPPLED FROM BIRTH. NOW TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, THIS MAN WAS HEALED BY THEM IN THE POWER OF GOD, AND PETER USED THE EXCITEMENT THAT THIS CREATED AS A REASON TO PREACH TO THE PEOPLE.
CHAPTER FOUR TELLS US THAT THE CAPTAIN OF THE TEMPLE GUARD, THE SADUCEES, AND THE PRIESTS WERE VERY DISTURBED BY THE SUCCESS OF PETER’S PREACHING. VERSE 4 TELLS US THAT THE NUMBER OF MEN GREW TO ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND, AND THEY DON’T RECORD THE WOMEN OR CHILDREN WHO BELIEVED. THIS FIVE THOUSAND COULD POSSIBLY COME FROM THE THREE THOUSAND ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST, AS THE TIME FRAME FOR THIS ACCOUNT WOULD BE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO PENTECOST.
THE RESULT IS THAT PETER AND JOHN ARE ARRESTED AND BROUGHT BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN. MANY NOTABLES ARE THERE. ANNAS WAS THE HIGH PRIEST, CAIAPHAS WAS ALSO THERE. THERE WERE THE ONES THAT FOUND JESUS GUILTY ONLY A SHORT TIME BEFORE THIS.
STANDING BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN, WHO HAD THE POWER TO HAVE THESE MEN PUT TO DEATH, AS WE WITNESSED IN JESUS’ LIFE, PETER, FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, MAKES A VERY BOLD CLAIM.
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO EXAMINE THAT CLAIM AND SEE IF PLACED IN THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES AS PETER AND JOHN WERE, WHAT OUR RESPONSE WOULD BE.
POINT ONE: WHAT WAS PETER’S RESPONSE TO THE SANHEDRIN?
PETER AND JOHN WERE ASKED BY THE SANHEDRIN “BY WHAT POWER OR WHAT NAME DID YOU DO THIS?” THIS IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION. THE SANHEDRIN WAS TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW IT WAS THAT PETER AND JOHN HEALED THIS MAN AND BY WHAT POWER THEY WERE PREACHING.
NOW IF YOU HEAR A POLICEMAN SAY “STOP IN THE NAME OF THE LAW”, WE KNOW THAT HE SPEAKS WITH THE AUTHORITY OF THE LAW. JOSHUA IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WHEN HE SAID ‘AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD,” SPOKE WITH THE AUTHORITY OF BEING THE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD. JESUS SPOKE WITH A GREATER AUTHORITY THAN THAT OF THE LAW.
MATTHEW 7:28-29:
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
NOW THE AUTHORITY THAT JESUS HAD WHEN HE SPOKE TO THE PEOPLE IN MATTHEW, IS THE SAME AUTHORITY THAT HE GAVE TO THE DISCIPLES IN THE GREAT COMMISSION. LOOK AT HOW MARK DESCRIBES THE AUTHORITY GIVEN BY CHRIST.
MARK 16:15-18:
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
IT WAS THIS AUTHORITY THAT PETER WAS MINISTERING UNDER WHEN THEY HEALED THE CRIPPLED MAN, WHEN HE PREACHED TO THE PEOPLE, AND WHEN HE DEFENDED HIMSELF WHILE STANDING BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN. IT IS THIS AUTHORITY THAT WE CAN CALL ON AS WE MINISTER TO OTHERS IN THE WORLD AROUND US.
IT IS UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST THAT PETER MAKES THE BOLD STATEMENT OF VERSE 12. IT IS ALSO WHERE THE FIRST CHALLENGE OF SALVATION COMES FROM. THE CHALLENGE IS THIS, DO WE BELIEVE WHAT PETER SAYS HERE, AND IF SO HOW DO WE RESPOND TO IT?
THE FIRST CHALLENGE THEN IS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, ARE YOU SAVED? DO YOU KNOW IF YOU WERE TO DIE THIS VERY MOMENT, THAT YOU WOULD LEAVE THIS WORLD AND GO IMMEDIATELY INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN HEAVEN? YOU CANNOT DEAL WITH ANY OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT SALVATION BRINGS WITHOUT DEALING WITH THIS ONE FIRST.
THE SCRIPTURES ARE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS. JESUS HAD A VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION WITH NICODEMUS IN JOHN CHAPTER THREE ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE. HERE ARE SOME OF THE RESPONSES JESUS USED TO NICODEMUS’ QUESTIONS.
JOHN 3:3-7:
In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” 4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
HERE THEN IS THE PROGRESSION. JESUS IS TEACHING ABOUT SALVATION TO NICODEMUS, AND HE SPEAKS WITH AN AUTHORITY THAT THE PRIESTS DON’T HAVE (MATTHEW 7). IN THAT AUTHORITY HE TELLS NICODEMUS THAT HE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. THIS TELLS US THREE THINGS: FIRST, ANY THEOLOGY THAT DOES NOT TEACH THE BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE IS NOT A BIBLICAL THEOLOGY. WE’LL DEAL WITH THAT SHORTLY. SECOND, IT TELLS US ON THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST, THAT THE BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE THAT JESUS IS DESCRIBING TO NICODEMUS IS ESSENTIAL TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY. THIRD, THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BORN AGAIN IS OPEN TO EVERYONE. HERE AGAIN WHAT JESUS SAYS TO NICODEMUS.
JOHN 3:14-18:
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
THE FIRST CHALLENGE OF SALVATION THEN IS TO BELIEVE THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE SAVED, AND THAT WE MUST RESPOND TO THIS BY ACCEPTING CHRIST AS OUR PERSONAL SAVIOR AND LORD.
POINT TWO: JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN
AGAIN IN VERSE 12 PETER UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY SPRIT, MAKES THE BOLD CLAIM THAT SALVATION IS FOUND IN NONE OTHER THAN CHRIST. NOTE WHAT HE SAYS: for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
NEXT TO GOD’S GRACE, THIS STATEMENT MAKES CHRISTIANITY STAND ALONE, APRAT FROM THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD. IT IS A STATEMENT THAT IS VERY CONTROVERSIAL. PEOPLE HAVE NO PROBLEM BELIEVING THAT THERE IS A GOD, OF SOME SORT, THEY HAVE LITTLE PROBLEM BELIEVING IN JESUS, AS A HISTORICAL FIGURE, AND THAT HE IS GOD’S SON, ALTHOUGH THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. THEY BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT BELIEVE IT ACTUALLY CAME FROM GOD. THEY WILL ON OCCASION GO TO CHURCH. BUT ONE THING THEY WILL NOT DO WITHOUT EXCEPTION IS SAY THAT SALVATION IS FOUND IN JESUS ALONE.
BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES.
JOHN 14:6: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
THIS SEPARATES CHRISTIANITY FROM ALL OTHER RELIGIONS. MOHAMMAD CAN’T DO IT, BUDDA CAN’T DO IT. JEHOVAH WITNESSES NOT MORMONS TEACH THIS. IN FACT MANY CHRISTIANS DO NOT BELIEVE THIS. THEY KNOW THAT IF THEY DO, THEN IT MEANS THAT SOME OF THEIR DEAREST FRIENDS, ALTHOUGH THEY LIVE GREAT LIVES, ARE NOT SAVED AND BOUND FOR HEAVEN.
THUS THE SECOND CHALLENGE OF OUR SALVATION, IS TO NAME JESUS CHRIST AS THE ONE AND ONLY WAY BY WHICH A PERSON MAY BE SAVED AND PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
POINT THREE: THE COURAGE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE
ACCEPTING THE FIRST TWO POINTS THAT WE’VE TALKED ABOUT, BRINGS US TO THE THIRD AND ARGUABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE WE FACE, AND THAT CHALLENGE IS TO STAND FOR OUR FAITH.
OUR WORLD TODAY IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN PETER’S WAS AT THIS TIME. HE WASN’T ASKED TO DEFEND HIS FAITH HERE, HE WAS FORCED TO, AND YOU AND I CAN BE SURE THAT WE WILL BE PLACED IN POSITIONS WHERE WE TOO WILL HAVE TO TAKE OUR STAND FOR THE LORD. WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM PETER IN REFERENCE TO THIS?
1. LET US NOT BE ASHAMED OF OUR STAND FOR THE LORD:
ROMANS 1:16: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
WE HAVE NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF FOR OUR MESSAGE IS A MESSAGE OF HOPE TO THE HOPELESS, LIFE TO THE LIFELESS, COMFORT TO THE BEREAVED, AND STRENGTH FOR THE WEAK.
2. LET US BE CALM IN OUR STAND FOR THE LORD. PETER WAS AN EXCITABLE DISCIPLE AS WE HAVE WITNESSED IN THE PAST, YET HIS DEFENCE OF HIS FAITH HERE IS CALM COOL AND CALCULATED. OUR STAND CAN BE CALM, BECAUSE IT IS BASED ON TRUTH. WHAT WAS TRUE YESTERDAY IS TRUE TODAY, AND WILL BE TRUE TOMORROW.
3. LET US BE CONFIDENT IN OUR STAND FOR THE LORD. WE CAN BE CONFIDENT NOT ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE TRUTH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE OF THE TRUTH. WE HAVE THE EMPTY GRAVE. THIS VALIDATED THE MINISTRY OF JESUS AND EVERY CLAIM HE EVER MADE. WE SPEAK WITH THE AUTHORITY OF NOT ONLY THE KING OF KINGS, BUT THE LORD OF THE LORDS.
4. LAST, LET US BE COMPASSIONATE IN OUR STAND FOR THE LORD. WHEN JESUS TALKED TO NICODEMUS HE WAS COMPASSIONATE. WHEN HE TALKED TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL HE WAS COMPASSIONATE. COMPASSION DOES NOT MEAN WE DON’T STAND FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE, BUT THAT WE MAKE OUR STAND IN THE REALIZATION THAT JESUS COULD USE OUR STAND TO DRAW PEOPLE UNTO HIMSELF. IN OUR COMPASSION IS OUR HUMILITY WHEN WE REALIZE THAT THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO I.
CONCLUSION:
THE CHALLENGE OF SALVATION FORCES US TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT JESUS. HE IS THE ONLY WAY THAT A PERSON MAY BE SAVED. HE IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN GAIN STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO STAND FOR HIM. HIS WORD IS THE ONLY AUTHORITATIVE TEACHING BECAUSE IT WAS INSPIRED BY GOD. AS CHRISTIANS LET US LIVE OUR SALVATION TO STAND FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN. LET US DO SO UNASHAMED, CALMLY, CONFIDENTLY, AND COMPASSIONATELY, MAKING OUR STAND FOR THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
