News at 7
Series: Acts
Chuck Sligh
October 5, 2014
(NOTE: There is a PowerPoint presentation for this sermon available upon request by emailing me at chucksligh@hotmail.com.)
TEXT: Please turn in your Bibles to Acts 4
INTRODUCTION
Peter and John wouldn’t have gone over too well with modern news networks, would they? In Acts 3, Jesus healed a lame man, who got so excited, he began to walk and leap in the air and give glory to God. Today, this would have drawn the news networks like a magnet. As they’re setting up their cameras, Peter sees an open invitation to preach to the crowd that had gathered to see this marvelous miracle—and starts preaching.
Listen to what he said in Acts 3:13-14 – “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. 14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.”
Can you imagine what the CBS reporters would say about that? The commentators would say Peter was being too judgmental and harsh. MSNBC would be mocking them for their meanness.
Peter’s sermon in chapter 3 resulted in 5,000 men believing in Jesus, according to chapter 4, verse 4, women and children not included in this count because the numbers by this time were just becoming too large to track them all. It’s safe to say that close to 10,000 people were converted that day, meaning Jerusalem was rapidly being Christianized at a rapid rate. Wow!—What a news story that would make!
Verses 1-3 say that this remarkable growth distressed the Jewish leaders, who acted quickly to have Peter and John arrested and appear for a hearing the next day—another perfect story for the news outlets.You can just picture them outside the jail awaiting their hearing, hoping to get some newsworthy quotes from Peter and John as they go to court.
• “Peter, is it true that you made some pretty heavy charges against the Jews in Jerusalem and their religious leaders yesterday?”
• “John, are you Christians planning to back down from preaching about Jesus?”
Verses 5-7 describe this hearing, with the first question in the inquisition found in verse 7: “…By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?”
It’s then that, if this happened today, the news outlets would literally go apoplectic. Let’s see why:
I. ABC NEWSFLASH: “REPORTS SAY PETER RESPONDS TO SANHEDRIN WITH INTOLERANT AND EXCLUSIVE MESSAGE.” JOIN US AT 7 FOR THE DETAILS – Acts 4:8-12 – “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Peter’s message would get today’s media intellectuals hot under the collar. Peter didn’t mince words, and He didn’t varnish the truth so as not to offend.
We won’t look at all he said, but his theme was this: Jesus is the only way to be saved: – Acts 4:12 – “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Oh man!—Can you imagine the headlines on that one if this happened today? All the networks would have had TV specials giving the scoop on this self-righteous, exclusive message of these preachers. They’d interview Sanhedrin members, pointing out how REASONABLE they were. How small-minded to think that this Jesus fellow is the only way to be saved!
Here Peter clearly taught something that is increasingly unwelcome in our post-modern, pluralistic, relativistic society: that is, the EXCLUSIVITY of the Gospel message. Peter isn’t vague or ambiguous here. He categorically states there’s only ONE WAY to salvation—through Jesus.
Jesus said the same thing in John 14:6 where He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the father but by me.” Consider the implications of Jesus’s claim:
1) First, He says that there is no other WAY to be saved
There’s no other way to God—not works, religion, baptism, or being good. JESUS—a PERSON—is the only way to God, no matter what society says.
2) Second, there’s no other TRUTH by which we can be saved.
• Truth is not relative, even if this rankles the college professors of our day.
• There’s not one truth for you and a different truth for me.
• There’s not a Buddhist truth and a Hindu truth and a Christian truth.
• There’s not a Western truth and an Eastern truth.
This is illogical. Two opposite truth claims cannot possibly both be true. They could both be false, but they cannot both be true.
If I tell Susan I took out all the trash today and she says I did NOT take the trash out today—BOTH of these opposite statements cannot be true at the same time. We’ll see how it works out if we have that argument again: “Well Honey, that may be YOUR truth but my truth is that I DID take it out.”
No one could live this way; it’s utter nonsense. We all know that in reality, there is only truth or untruth—truth or error. And Jesus is saying something that is thought to be intolerant and bigoted today—that He is THE truth.
3) Third, there’s no other way to spiritual LIFE.
He is the source of life—for He is very God Himself, regardless what the entertainment industry tells us.
Jesus said in John 10:10 – “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have LIFE, and that they might have it MORE ABUNDANTLY.”
A lot of people are trying to find a meaningful life in people, things, pleasure, religion, education; but the truth is that it is only in JESUS that we find eternal life in heaven, and also life at its best on this earth!
Peter doesn’t sugar-coat the truth or make it palatable to his listeners, nor is he rude or unnecessarily confrontational. He just tells the TRUTH. He boldly preaches “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
MSNBC Chris Matthews’ would mock Peter on his show, Hardball. But brethren, today this message may not be popular or politically correct, but if we fail to warn the lost that JESUS is the way to the Father, we do an unforgivable disservice. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life: NO ONE comes to the Father but through Him.
II. CBS NEWS BULLETIN: “SANHEDRIN ASTONISHED AT BOLDNESS OF UNDEDUCATED REPORTED MIRACLE WORKERS.” – Acts 4:13-14 – “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.”
A.
B. Reporters inside the courtroom would dash out to report the reaction of the Jewish leaders.
1. They thought their learning and authority and power would intimidate Peter and John, who were simple, common blue-collar fishermen.
2. But they were wrong!
C.
D. Do you know why most Christians are not bold to stand for Christ?—FEAR OF MAN!
1. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”
2.
3. As long as you are afraid of what your peers think; as long as you will not boldly declare your allegiance to Jesus Christ because you’re afraid your friends will make fun of you; as long as you weigh your actions on the basis of what others think—you will be ensnared and emasculated; weak and cowering.
4. You’ll be a coward; fearful, instead of bold and courageous for Christ.
5. That’s no way for you courageous Army soldiers and spouses to live.
6.
7. Is this you? (SHOW VIDEO CLIP: “Where Does Your Boldness End?” available at Sermonspice.com.)
E.
F. Now why were Peter and John so bold?
1.
1) First, they were FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT – Verse 8 says, “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them,… ”
When the Holy Spirit filled Peter anew, he just, “let her rip.” When you’re constantly filled with the Holy Spirit; when you’re walking in the Spirit, listening to Him, sensitively following His leading, times will come when you’ll be tempted to be silent when God opens a door to testify for Jesus, and you’ll have the confidence to speak the words God wants you to say.
2) The second source of their boldness !s that THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS – Look again at verse 13 – “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”
They saw Peter’s and John’s boldness and said, “These men have been with Jesus.” They saw that these men did not cower in fear when they threatened them and they said, “These men are not like others. There’s something different about them. They’ve been with JESUS!” I’ll guarantee you that if you spend no time in Jesus’s presence by being God’s Word and prayer, you’ll not have anything to share with others about Him.
III. MSNBC SPECIAL REPORT: “JAILED PREACHERS SAY THEY CAN’T AND WON’T BE SILENCED” – Acts 4:17-20 – “But that it spread no further among the people, let us straightly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. 18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
Peter and John couldn’t help it!—They HAD to speak and share what they had experienced.
With today’s political correctness, the mandate of the news media, the TV industry, Hollywood, and the music industry is that the Christian voice must be shut out. The world has one voice—ANYTHING is okay EXCEPT the voice of Christianity. You can be a Scientologist, a New Ager, an atheist, a Buddhist, even a Muslim while they’re beheading people right and left…but you can’t be a Christian.
You can’t speak of Christ as the only way; your voice must be silenced.
Well, folks, I’ve got news for you: This didn’t start ] in the 21st century. It started in the very earliest days of the church. But Christianity keeps moving forward; keeps advancing; keeps finding new places to flourish and grow. If it languishes in Europe, it bubbles up in Africa in new and dynamic manifestations. If it becomes weak and worldly in the U.S., a more vibrant form pops up in China under the purifying fires of persecution.
Why?— Christianity grows most rapidly and is most intense where God’s people cannot hush from speaking of Jesus; where they will not be silenced; where they say, with Peter, “You can decide for your own selves whether you think we should speak of Jesus or not, but we cannot help but speak the things we have seen and heard! We cannot and we will not be silenced.”
Paul exhibits this same compulsion to witness in 1 Corinthians 9:16 when he says, “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”
When I read that, I’m reminded of Jeremiah—the preacher who tried to quit the ministry: Jeremiah had been faithfully preaching God’s message of impending judgment of Israel if they did not repent of their waywardness and return to God. He received great opposition from both the religious establishment and the people. They opposed, plotted against and mocked him. The chief priest even had him put in stocks and publicly whipped!
Finally, in Jeremiah 20:9, Jeremiah tried to quit – “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name.…” I mean he said, “That’s it. I’m not taking it anymore! I’m gonna’ shut my mouth and not preach another word.”
BUT HE COULDN’T! –verse 9 says, “But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”
You see, when you’re surrendering to the Holy Spirit, and you’re spending time with Jesus, you just HAVE to speak up for Jesus.
CONCLUSION
Now let me wrap up this message this morning. We have observed three important things in this passage of Scripture:
• First was PETER’S UNCOMPROMISING MESSAGE.
It was a message we need to hear today, even if the world rejects it—that Jesus is the only answer to the question of your eternal destiny.
Have you come to Jesus for salvation—the only WAY to God, the only TRUTH that leads to God, and the only source of spiritual LIFE? If not, I beg of you to turn to God and put your trust in Jesus Christ, for “there is no other name given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
• The second thing we saw was PETER’S UNDAUNTED BOLDNESS.
Christian, are you a coward regarding your faith; or bold and courageous to stand with Christ when given the opportunity? There are some keys to learning to be bold: seek to be continually surrendered to the Holy Spirit and by spend time daily with Jesus in Bible study and prayer? Are you doing that, Christian? If not, why don’t you recommit yourself to these “boldness builders.”
Lastly, we saw PETER’S UNRELENTING COMPULSION to tell people about Jesus.
The church spread with incredible speed because it’s first adherents could not be and would not allow themselves to be silenced. Do you take the opportunities God gives you to share the Gospel with your loved ones, your friends, your co-workers and your neighbors?
God help us to do it, because if we don’t, no one will. CNN, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, the pop music industry, Hollywood, academia—none of them will do it. It’s left to you and me. May God help us to boldly declare salvation through Jesus Christ!
