Acts Ch. 4
The Early Church started out strong. Things were exciting and thousands of people were following Jesus. There were mighty signs, wonders, healing, etc.… going on all the time. The Church was experiencing phenomenal growth; but all of a sudden, things began to change dramatically. The “Honeymoon” phase was over and opposition to the Church began to grow.
I want us to realize and know that it is not if, but
when opposition from the enemy will come.
One of the greatest comedy teams in early American movies were two men who couldn't have been more opposite; Englishman slender man, Stan Laurel and American thick man, Oliver Hardy - "Laurel and Hardy". For almost 30 years these two paired up to provide some of the best slapstick comedy around the world. Together, they stared in over 100 films and their work greatly influenced other great comedians that followed them like Jerry Lewis, Peter Sellers and Dick Van Dyke.
One of Laurel and Hardy's great lines that they used over and over again throughout their performances was this simple line said by Ollie towards Stanley - " Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into "
As we read our passage this morning, we can imagine John looking at the Apostle Peter and saying those same words - "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into."
Peter and John had just been both praised by some and accused by others of healing the lame man. While others thought it was an act of God, the authorities in the Temple were not sure and so they had Peter and John arrested. I guess that is what you do when you think someone has done a miracle that you might consider unorthodox - you have them arrested. Since it was nearing the evening hours, they decided that it would be best to allow the two men to cool their heels in the local prison for a night. They would decide what to do about them the next morning when the whole Sanhedrin would be able to convene.
Verse 2 says “(they were) greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming IN Jesus the RESURRECTION from the dead.” (PAUSE) So… what’s wrong with that? Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead? So, do I. But the problem was... the Sadducees didn’t believe that. And they got pretty ticked off at those who did believe it!!
“The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead and so they were very SAD U SEE” (I worked on that one all week).
let’s pray.
ILL: There’s the true story of a southern church that had been stressing the importance of witnessing to people. One particularly slow young man named Jimmy in the congregation took the idea to heart, but he wasn’t quite sure how to do it. Then, that Sunday, a skeptic visited the church, and the boy approached him and asked if he wanted to become a Christian. The man looked coldly at him and said "NO! I have no intention of becoming a Christian." The young man was quiet for a moment, then responded: “Well, then you can go to hell” … and he turned and walked away.
The starkness of the boy's sincerity and bluntness shook the man and ultimately, he turned his life over to Jesus. (PAUSE) You can go to hell!
Do you suppose that young man was trying to insult the visitor? Me neither. I think that what that young man was telling the skeptic was the truth: If the man refused to turn to Jesus… he’d go to hell.
NOW, HOLD THAT THOUGHT. As we go thru today message….
A quick review the background of our story this morning. In Acts 3 we read about Peter and John going to the Temple to pray... but on the way they met a lame man and they healed him. This man was so excited about being healed that he began walking and leaping and praising God… and he also begins to draw a crowd… because everybody there KNEW him, and they were shocked to see that he could now walk.
Peter never one to let a good crowd go to waste, begins to preach. He tells the people that there was a reason this man could walk… and that reason was Jesus. This was Jesus, the Messiah that Israel had waited so long for… and then THEY KILLED HIM. Which bring us to Acts ch.4
1)The Court was Corrupt. Acts 4:5-7 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
As God moves, we should…Expect resistance to the Gospel. We cannot just wait for resistance to the Gospel, we need to prepare for it.
?The group of people that arrested them were powerful. The “captain of the temple guard” was a priest 2nd only in power to the High Priest.
?The Sadducees were a powerful group of leaders who interpreted and enforced Jerusalem’s religious laws. (Mixed with a little touch of god’s laws)
?The Jewish religious system had become so corrupt that the offices were passed from one relative to another without regard for the Gods calling.
This was an official meeting of the Sanhedrin, the same council that a few months before had condemned Jesus to die. They interrupted Peter’s sermon because they had seen and heard enough. Their specific complaint was the proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Wanted them to stop teaching resurrection, they did not believe it. (they would lose power)
ILL: When Hugh Latimer was preaching one day in the presence of King Henry VIII, he reports that he said to himself, “Latimer! Latimer! Remember that the king is here; be careful what you say.” Then he said to himself, “Latimer! Latimer! Remember that the King of kings is here; be careful what you do not say.” For unflinching faithfulness Latimer was eventually burned at the stake. He feared failing God more than he feared offending men.
A faithful Christian value his soul much more than he values his body and will gladly sacrifice that which is only physical and corruptible for the sake of that which is spiritual and incorruptible. ?Were Peter and John surprised? Of course not. They had seen resistance before and expected it.
?We have an enemy, and he is in control of those who are spiritually dead. If people resisted and rejected Jesus, they will resist and reject us.
?Peter and John healed a man and then explained the Gospel to a group of people eager to hear; that got them in trouble.
?They stood up to the corruption of the court.
? Do we, today, stand up to the corruption that is in this world? How about standing up to those who have the power and want to silence us?
Peter’s sermon was not well-received by those in power. Peter and John found themselves behind bars. Now I’m pretty sure that was not the plan when they went to the Temple that morning. The next day they were dragged before the Sanhedrin and they’re asked, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” which brings us to point #2
2) The Case is the Cornerstone. Acts 4:8-14 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
Side note: I love the part where they could not say anything…because the healed man, was right there, they could not argue that. lol
?To have healing and preached in His Name, (which meant it was by His authority); was a direct challenge to the Sanhedrin decision to kill Him. Notice that Peter did not defend himself or his rights. He did not debate the priests. Instead, he simply proclaimed the very Gospel that got him thrown in jail. He told them what matters; “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” he used the opportunity to witness and left the results to the Holy Spirit. We cannot win a debate with the World, but we can give them the gospel, and leave the Holy Spirit to do the rest. AMEN
ILL: Some years ago, I was invited to an Interfaith event where I was asked to pray the opening prayer when I finished, I thought I had prayed a great prayer little did I know afterwards that I had offended some. The reason why I offended them was because I ended my prayer with " in the name of Jesus". I have never lived in a time where I thought that mentioning the name of Jesus in a public place would bring such resistance. All I was doing was Identifying with the one in whom i gave my life to. I have found out that even today as I stand before you...... People still have a problem with the fact that you IDENTIFY with a SAVIOR who Died and Rose again 3 Days later!
?If we were honest, what we fight over, talk about, complain about, feelings hurt by, worried about, all boils down to the cornerstone, Jesus. When you take out the cornerstone the whole building fall. When Christians are not doing what they know is right, Satan is pulling on our cornerstone of our lives. When we allow the Sanhedrin of this world to control us our life become unstable. But when we put our full faith in Jesus, the cornerstone, our house will stand. What’s happening today, it really is all about Jesus.
3) The Council Conclusion. Acts 4:15-20 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
?It was typical of the Jewish court system to treat ordinary people gently because it was assumed that they were ignorant. They were usually let off the 1st time with a warning. The Sanhedrin had a closed meeting and came up with a solution to the problem. The solution was that they could continue to teach, but they could not do it in the name of Jesus Christ.
Basically, they didn’t care what they did as long as they didn’t follow Christ’s command to be His witnesses.
?Peter and John had a choice to make: They could be politically correct and stay out of trouble or they could hold their ground.
?This is a serious problem in the Church of the 21st Century. Many have “watered down” the Message of Jesus Christ in order to not offend people, hurt church attendance, hurt church finances, we either need to preach the truth of Jesus Christ or shut up. Remember the story of Jimmy… people who don’t believe “can Go to Hell” what’s your conviction?... it’s all about Jesus and spreading the gospel. That’s everyone calling… so
ILL: I read a story about a Christian who prayed: "Lord, if you want me to witness to someone today, please give me a sign to show me who it is." That very day he found himself on a nearly empty bus when a big, burly man sat next to him. The timid believer anxiously waited for his stop so he could exit the bus. However, before he could get off, the big burly guy next to him burst into tears and began to weep. This big but contrite man then cried out with a loud voice, "I’m a lost sinner and I need the Lord. Won’t somebody tell me how to be saved?" He turned to this Christian gentleman and pleaded, "Can you show me how to find the Lord?"
The believer immediately bowed his head and prayed, "Lord, is this a sign?"
The question before us this morning is, when was the last time you told someone about Jesus? Has the Sanhedrin of this world keep you from telling others about Jesus? The all evil that goes on in this world is all about the cornerstone Jesus. The powers of evil is always trying to find a way to remove that cornerstone, which will cause the whole house to fall.
11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the
cornerstone.12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
“It’s ALL about Jesus”
Let’s pray
