Made to Make a Difference: Acts 4
Scott Bayles, pastor
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 7/10/2011
This series is inspired by and portions adapted from Max Lucado’s Out Live Your Life.
The early church didn’t have any of the advantages that some ministries boast and depend on today. They didn’t have big budgets provided by wealthy donors. Their pastors lacked any credentials from accredited universities and none of them had written any best-selling books (well, at least not yet). Most of their preaching ministers had arrest records and would probably have a hard time joining our churches today, let alone leading them.
I’m not the first one to notice this by the way. In out text today, Peter and John stand before the Jewish high council to defend themselves and their preaching, and the Bible says, “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures” (Acts 4:13 NLT). Despite their lack of training or expertise, Peter and John led the early church on a history-making, globe-changing mission. And the truth is—throughout history, God has often used farmers, merchants, and simple folks to build his church and change the world.
As we continue our journey through the book of Acts, chapter 4 brings with it more insights into the passions, principles and priorities that governed the early church. It also offers three powerful examples that, if we follow today, I believe will help us live our lives in such a way that the world will be better for it.
Now the first three chapters of Acts have been happy days. Thus far the early church has enjoyed smooth sailing. The Pentecost miracle harvested three thousand followers. The church gave birth to acts of kindness, compassion, and fellowship. Their good deeds authenticated their good news and the number of their followers grew. When last we left, Peter and John had performed a miracle of compassion in the name of Jesus and used that miracle as a springboard to share a message about Jesus. But as we enter into chapter 4, the church will get its first taste of trouble and we will find our first example worth following—the apostle’s were fearless in the face of persecution.
• FEARLESS WITH PERSECUTION
When Peter and John healed the beggar by the Beautiful Gate, they attracted more than a little attention. A crowd formed. Peter preached. And that’s when the religious elite showed up along with the temple guard. The Bible says, “While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees. These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead. They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning” (Acts 4:1-3 NLT).
The next day as Peter and John stood before the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, Peter summed up the situation well with this question: “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man?” (Acts 4:8-9 NLT).
This little inquisition was only the beginning. During the infancy of the church, apostate Jews aligned themselves with Rome in an attempt to completely wipe out the Jesus movement. Under the authority of emperors like Nero and Domitian, Christians were hunted, killed by the sword, thrown to the lions, crucified, and even burned alive to give light to Roman parties. Modern-day martyrdom is no less frequent. Around the world, there are more Christian martyrs today than there were in 100 AD, during the days of the Roman Empire.
Not all forms of persecution end in martyrdom, however.
Just recently Brittney Kaye Settle of Dixon, TN was given the same assignment everyone in her freshmen high-school English class received—to write a research paper. The students were told they could write about whatever they wanted to write about, but they had to use at least four sources. Given that latitude, a lot of students chose to write about spiritual topics. One student wrote about reincarnation, one wrote about the occult, another wrote about spiritualism, but Brittney Kaye Settle chose to write about the life and times of Jesus Christ. Because of her choice in subject matter, her paper was awarded a zero and that grade was upheld all the way to the Supreme Court.
Consider another Federal Court case—Jane Doe vs. Santa Fe Independent School District. This case dealt with prayer in school, specifically prayer at a high school graduation. Here’s what the court decided: “This court will allow prayer if it’s a typical non-denominational prayer. The prayer can refer to God or the Almighty, but the prayer must not refer to Jesus. And make no mistake; this court will have a United States Marshal in attendance at graduation. If any student offends this court and mentions Jesus in the prayer, that student will be summarily arrested and face six months incarceration. Anyone who violates these orders will wish that he or she had died as a child when this court gets through with him.”
Don’t you just love free speech? Is it any wonder that Paul wrote, “Yes, anyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 NLT)?
Even in the land of the free and the home of the brave, speaking in the name of Jesus can land you in prison just like Peter and John. But, do you know how Peter responded when he had his day in court? He said, “Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead” (Acts 4:10 NLT).
If you are a committed follower of Jesus and you have never encountered some form of persecution, you will. It’s not a matter of if, but when. But like Peter, we need to be fearless in the face of persecution. If we back down, we will never make a difference. If we’re going to change the world, we have to stand strong in the face opposition and continue to lift up the name of Jesus. Now, the next example the apostles set for us in Acts 4 is to be faithful with prayer.
• FAITHFUL WITH PRAYER
I guarantee that Peter and John never would have allowed a Federal Court Judge to tell them when and where they could pray in the name of Jesus. The greatest concentration of power in Jerusalem that day was in the prayer meeting that followed the trial. As the story continues, the Bible says, “As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God” (Acts 4:23 NLT).
When asked to explain the secret of his remarkable ministry, the noted British preacher Charles Spurgeon replied, “My people pray for me.” Likewise, one of the secrets of the early church’s success was faithful prayer. This particular payer is one of the truly great prayers recorded in the Bible, and it’s a good example for us to follow today. I won’t read the entire prayer, though I would encourage you to go home today, open you Bible and let each words penetrate your heart. This power prayer of praise opens with these words: “Sovereign Lord, you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them” (Acts 4:24 NIV).
This prayer was born out of witness and service. There was a sense of urgency and danger. It was a united prayer as they lifted their voices together to God. It was rooted in God’s Word as they proceed to quote Scripture to the Author of it. God’s Word and prayer should always go together. In his Word, God speaks to us. In prayer, we speak to him. True prayer isn’t about telling God what to do, but asking God to accomplish his will through us.
Listen to the last few lines of this prayer: “And now, Lord, listen to their threats. Lord, help us, your servants, to speak your word without fear. Show us your power to heal. Give proofs and make miracles happen by the power of Jesus, your holy servant” (Acts 4:29-30 NCV).
They didn’t ask God to change their circumstances. They asked God to empower them to make the best use of their circumstances. They didn’t ask for escape, but enablement. They didn’t ask for protection, they asked for power. Phillips Brooks once wrote, “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men and women. Do not pray for tasks equal to your power. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.” That’s how the early church prayed and that’s how God’s people should pray today.
There’s one last example set by the early church here in Acts 4. They were fearless with persecution, faithful with prayer, and finally they were free with possessions.
• FREE WITH POSSESSIONS
Satan had completely failed in his attempted to silence the witness of the church. They prayed together and God’s Spirit had filled them with renewed power. So Luke concludes this chapter in the life of the church with these words:
“All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had… There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need” (Acts 4:32-34 NLT).
The one subject that Jesus spoke about the most is the one subject most preachers preach about the least—money. Believe it or not, Jesus actually talked about handling your money more than he talked about heaven, hell, or even loving your neighbor. Jesus taught the early church to be generous with their time, talent and treasure. And because they listened to him, lives were being changed. There were no needy people. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could say that?
The solution that no one talks about is tithing. The average church-goer gives about 3.5% of their income. Can you imagine difference we could make if every Christian actually gave 10%? On his radio show, Dave Ramsey once talked about how different America would be if every Christian tithed. He said, “There would be no more welfare in North America. In 90 days there would be no existing church or hospital debts. In the next 90 days, the entire world could be evangelized. There would be prayer in schools, because churches would own all the schools.”
In his 13 week course, Financial Peace University, Dave says, “Because we are designed in God’s image, we are happiest and most fulfilled when serving and giving.”
Generous giving makes a difference. It changes hearts and lives, especially for the one who gives. In stories of survivors of the Nazi death camps, an attitude of generous giving was one of the things that separated the survivors from those who perished. If a prisoner was on the verge of starvation, but he was still willing to share his crust of bread or scrap of potato with his suffering comrade, he was psychologically and spiritually capable of survival. A survivor of Treblinka described it this way: “In our group we shared everything, and the moment one of the group ate something without sharing it, we knew it was the beginning of the end for him.”
Jesus simply put it this way: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Generous giving—being free with our possessions and paychecks—really does make a difference in our own lives and in the lives of others.
Conclusion:
Because they were fearless with persecution, faithful with prayer, and free with possessions, the early church made a difference for time and for eternity. Like them, you and I were made to make a difference. Let’s follow in their footsteps and imitate their example. Let’s be difference-makers.
Something interesting about the priests and elders who had Peter and John arrested—they recognized that Peter and John had been with Jesus. Do you think that may have had something to do with their boldness and bravery? Do you think it could do the same for you?
Invitation:
I want to invite you to be with Jesus. Be in his Word. Be with his people. Be in his presence. Then who knows? When persecution comes, maybe people will realize that you, like Peter and John, have been with Jesus.
