DEFENDING YOUR FAITH
Acts 4:5-19
If you live for Christ there will come a time when you will be required to defend you faith in Him. Therefore it is important that you are ready, willing, and able to defend your faith. Peter said in - 1 Peter 3:13-15 “who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled."15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
When the Apostle Peter wrote these words, he was writing from personal experience. There were many times throughout his life when he was required to defend his faith. One such occasion is recorded in our selected text. God had used Peter to proclaim the Gospel to a crowd that was gathered at Solomon’s Colonnade. As a result of his faithful preaching, some 2,000 men came to faith in Jesus Christ. Though this was an exciting time for the early church, Peter’s preaching served as the spark that ignited the first persecution of the Christian church.
Acts 4:1 “as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
When the members of the Sanhedrin convened the following morning, Peter and John were summoned to appear before them. What follows is a lesson for us concerning how we should defend our faith in Christ Jesus. I would like to walk through this passage and consider the thought “Defending Your Faith”.
Before we consider how the Apostles defended their faith, we must first examine what they were up against. Notice - v5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, v6 as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
The Sanhedrin was comprised of certain “rulers, elders, and scribes”. There were 70 elders on the council and the high priest was the presiding officer. The majority of those on the court were Sadducees and then there was a minority made up of Pharisees. This religious council convened for the sole purpose of putting an end to the ministry and influence of the Apostles.
It is important to note that this was the very same religious body that had condemned Jesus to death. On the morning of the crucifixion, it was the Sanhedrin that questioned Jesus and eventually delivered Him into the hands of the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate. Those Jewish religious leaders and the Roman government leaders saw to it that Jesus was put to death.
After Jesus was arrested, tried and crucified (and even for a time after His resurrection), His Disciples hid in fear of the Jews. They knew that their lives were in danger because of their relationship with Jesus. By this time, Jesus has commissioned them to be His witnesses and He has ascended to Heaven. The Apostles have received the gift of the Holy Spirit and were empowered to carry out the task that had been assigned to them.
Now, these once fearful followers of Jesus are called to stand before the very rulers that they had been hiding from. But now things are different; they are no longer hiding behind closed doors, they have been boldly preaching Christ at the Temple of God, and now God has opened the door for them to share the Gospel in front of the Sanhedrin. Amazingly, these men did not compromise their message, They boldly stood and made their defense and proclaimed the life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Verse 6 names some of the men who were present on this occasion:
v6 Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
By this time Annas was no longer the High-Priest; That honor now belonged to his son-in-law Caiaphas. However, it seems that Annas retained the title of High-Priest and still possessed great influence among the Jewish people. We do not know much about John & Alexander, but some believe that John may refer to Johnathan (Annas’ son) who succeeded Caiaphas as High Priest somewhere around AD 36 or 37. Verse 6 also states that “all the members of the high-priestly family” were also among this assembly. Annas and Caiaphas were certainly not pleased to hear that the Disciples were preaching that the one they had crucified was alive and well and working miracle es among the people. They knew that they must do whatever was necessary to put an end to the ministry of the Apostles. Therefore, they summoned Peter and John and began to question them.
v7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?"
This question opened the door for the Apostles to defend their faith and in the process, share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Peter’s defense shows us that there is a right way and a wrong way to defend your faith in Christ. Too often, certain Christians are more concerned with proving their point than they are pointing their accusers to Christ.
This was not the case for Peter & John. Their response reveals one specific element that is absolutely vital in properly defending your faith. I am referring to the fact that when we are in a position where we must defend our faith, we MUST be Spirit led! Notice:
v8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
Once again, Peter seized the opportunity to preach Christ in Jerusalem. This time, he was able to make his defense before the very rulers of Israel. Peter must have known that death was a very real possibility. But this man who had once denied even knowing Christ because of fear was now fearless in his proclamation of the Gospel. The Holy Spirit empowered Peter and enabled him to speak boldly before the Sanhedrin. Though Peter was the one on trial and the rulers were expecting him to mount a defense, he went on the offense and began to prosecute the authorities.
Don’t miss the fact that Peter was “filled with the Holy Spirit”. This is important, because if he had attempted to handle this situation on his own, Peter would have surely failed. In this instance, Peter was obeying specific instructions that he had received from Jesus.
In Matthew 10 Jesus warned His Disciples that they would encounter persecution as they served Him. - Matthew 10:16-20 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts and flog you in their synagogues. You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour, because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you. - Jesus makes it clear that they should depend on the Spirit of God to speak in instances identical to the one that Peter is currently in.
The Holy Spirit was the source of Peter’s boldness in this encounter. He respectfully addresses the council as "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel. He goes on to say “If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well… (v9)
Remember that this issue began with the healing of the lame man. There was a multitude of people who were witnesses of this amazing transformation and they were astonished by what had taken place. However, the members of the Sanhedrin were not one bit concerned with the welfare of the lame man. They could care less about this “good deed done to a helpless man” or the fact that “he had been made well”. They were concerned with themselves; they were furious that the Apostles were threatening their position, power and influence among the people.
The Apostles had been proclaiming to the people that God has raised Jesus from the dead and it was “by His power” and “faith in His name” that this miracle had been performed. This was the exact same message that the Apostles would deliver to the Sanhedrin.
v10 let it be known to you all, 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 stands here before you whole.
It was one thing for Peter to indict the Jewish people at Pentecost and at Solomon’s portico, but now he is standing before the High court, and he boldly declares to the Sanhedrin that they were guilty of the death of Christ. He went on to say that Jesus was:
v11 the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'
The “cornerstone” is an essential stone in the building of a structure. The cornerstone unites the two walls at the corner of a building and holds it together. Jesus was the stone that was rejected by the builders, but now it is apparent that He has become the “Chief cornerstone”. Peter is pointing out the fact that when the people rejected Jesus Christ, they rejected the One who completed God’s plan of salvation for mankind.
Like a cornerstone in a building, Jesus is essential to the process of salvation. Peter goes on to say that there is no hope of salvation without Him.
v12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
It was faith in Jesus’ name that brought the physical deliverance into the life of the lame man, and through faith in Jesus name, Peter’s listeners had the opportunity to receive spiritual deliverance resulting in eternal life. In the same way, we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and in Him alone. It is only by placing our faith in Jesus; believing that He came, lived, died, was resurrected and ascended can we be saved.
Just as Peter had pleaded with the crowd in Acts 3:19 to repent and be converted, He is pleading with the Sanhedrin to come to the realization that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus being the only way to Heaven was not a concept that originated with Peter; he was merely echoing the words of his Savior. Jesus himself had declared that He was the only source of salvation. In John 14:6, Jesus told Thomas "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”. It was God who designated Jesus to be the Savior of the World, and no one can thwart or improve upon that plan.
It is important for you to understand that there is no way for you to be saved other than faith in Jesus Christ. Your only hope of redemption and a personal relationship with God is to submit to the Lordship of His Son, Jesus.
This message of salvation in Christ alone was not what the Sanhedrin wanted to hear, but they could not deny the boldness of the Apostles or the miracle that had happened concerning the lame man.
A quote has been attributed to C.H Spurgeon that says “the world does not read the Bible, the world reads Christians!” It was apparent to the enemies of Christ that Peter had been with Jesus. In the same way, it should be apparent to the people that we encounter on a daily basis that we have been with Jesus.
Look with me to - v13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
Peter and John were uneducated and untrained fishermen from Galilee. “Uneducated” and “untrained” does not mean that they were ignorant or that their enemies perceived them to be unintelligent men. It speaks to the fact that they had not gone through advanced training under the instruction of a Rabbi. Peter and John were able to be so bold and courageous because they were eyewitnesses of the Risen Savior.
This is the same reason that we can (and should) evangelize with great boldness. While it is true that we have yet to see Jesus physically, we have seen Him with eyes of faith. We have experienced Him in a way that is just as real as what Peter & John experienced. We have seen Jesus through faith and we are assured that one day our faith will become sight. The Apostle John declares that “we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2) - Until that day, we are to be bold witnesses of the Savior everywhere we go!
The Sanhedrin was struck by the boldness of Peter and John. They would like to have brushed them aside as uneducated and ignorant fishermen from Galilee. But there was something about their self-control, their empowered lives, and their fearlessness that made them think of Jesus when he was on trial. They attributed the boldness of the apostles to the fact that they had been with Jesus in the past, but the real explanation was that they were filled with the Holy Spirit now. And He is indispensable. (Source:MacDonald, William. Believer's Bible Commentary:Thomas Nelson Publishers)
The Sanhedrin did not like these men and they did not believe what they were saying, but they could not deny that a miracle had taken place. Furthermore, they knew that these men “been with Jesus”. Though they had not attended any rabbinic school, the Apostles had spent three years in intimate fellowship with the Messiah, the very Son of God. They had walked with Him and talked with Him. They had heard Him pray in public and behind the scenes. They had listened to Him teach great multitudes and they had received personal instruction when the crowds dispersed. They had a personal relationship with Jesus, and they had learned more from Him than any elder, priest or scribe could teach them.
As it was for the Disciples, people can tell when we have been with Jesus. When you walk in close fellowship with the Lord, it will be obvious to others. However, just because they can see something is different about you; there is no guarantee that they will accept your testimony. The power and boldness of Peter and John was not enough for them to believe the message of the Gospel.
Rather than believing the testimony of the Apostles, the Sanhedrin sought to suppress their message. They threatened them and tried to convince them to cease preaching in Jesus name.
- Let’s look for a moment at how they arrived at this decision:
v15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, "What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
The members of the council sent Peter and John outside so that they could confer among themselves. The leaders knew that the crowds would have been very displeased if Peter & John had been punished without cause. However, if they did not put an end to the works and preaching of Peter & John, their own positions would be put in jeopardy.
Many people had already begun to believe in Jesus and if things continued, many more would follow. The Sanhedrin decided to threaten Peter & John and to forbid them to continue preaching Jesus. They especially wanted them to cease spreading the news that they had been guilty of executing the promised Messiah.
v17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name."
These men were not concerned with the transformation of the lame man, nor were they interested in glorifying God; They were only focused on the fact that they might lose power, influence, and financial gain as a result of the ministry of the Lord’s Apostles. They summoned the Apostles back inside and then told them of their decision.
- Verse 18 says that, ”they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.”
The Apostles were not looking for a fight, they were not seeking to cause trouble, they weren’t even trying to start a revolution. They were simply being obedient to Jesus’ command to be His witnesses. Furthermore, they were motivated by a sincere desire to see their fellow Israelites come to faith in Christ. When they were commanded to cease preaching in Jesus name, Peter and John respectfully declined.
v19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.
The Apostles made it clear that their loyalty was to God. The Sanhedrin possessed great authority, but these men answered to the ultimate authority, and they did not have a choice. They had to listen to God rather than man. These men were eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ; they knew the things that they were preaching were true. Furthermore, they were indwelt by the power of the Holy Spirit and they had been tasked with the responsibility of reaching Jerusalem with the Gospel.
There is much that we can learn from the actions and attitudes of Peter and John in this passage. They show us that we should live in such a way that defending our faith will be necessary. We must be ready and willing to defend our faith when necessary. We also see that it is essential for us to be filled with and walking in the Spirit when defending our faith. When we defend our faith it should be apparent that we have been with Jesus. Our desire in defending our faith should not be to win an argument, but rather to see others come to know Jesus Christ. Finally, the actions of the Apostles in this passage show us that we should be faithful to defend our faith, but we also leave the result up to God.
There is some great information for modern day Christians in this passage. I hope and pray that we will learn from it, be emboldened by it and that each of us would be willing and prepared to Defend Our Faith.
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