“The Head Of The Corner”
Acts 4:5-11
Just imagine Peter, John and now this healed man all detained.
The reason; A man was healed without the permission of the leaders of the Temple.
They spent the night in jail and I can only imagine what is going through their minds.
Since we have no statements of what they were thinking or feeling we must be careful to not put words or thoughts in the text.
Vs. 5 “And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,”
And it came to pass - 396 times this phrase is used in the Bible.
It simply is a phrase that gives a reader the information that time had passed.
It started when Cain killed his brother.
Cain was warned by God that his offering was not accepted and no doubt that his brothers offering of a “firstling” was.
Cain and Able later were in the field together that Cain killed Able.
In the time from when God spoke to Cain and the killing of his brother Able we do not know but time did pass. “And it came to pass”
In our text we know that it was an overnight event because we are told that “on the morrow” or the next day.
Interesting that we see them returning to the Biblical instruction and not holding a trial in the night like they did with Jesus.
Just and observation: It is never right to twist the rules to fit your wants and desires.
Right is right and wrong is wrong!
Notice the attendance: rulers, and elders, and scribes,
But we can know that the morning arrived and they were now standing in front of those who would judge them. Vs.6
A list of just a few of those present
Vs. 6 “And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.”
Annas the high priest - from 6 AD then passed on Simon until Caiaphas, Still he was a great influence in the Temple.
Caiaphas, - Now the new High Priest from 18 AD till 36 AD (Son-In-Law of Annas)
John - a member of the Sanhedrin
Alexander - the kindred of the high priest,
The kindred of the high priest - many individuals of the same nature, kind, sort
In short the court was stacked against these three (3) men.
I. The Questioned Asked:
Vs. 7 “And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?”
“Who told you could do such a thing?”
A similar question was put to Christ in the temple,
Mat. 21:23 “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?”
II. The Question Answered: VSS. 8-10
8 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.
Filled with the Holy Ghost -
Matthew 10:19 “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.”
I cannot say for others but when I am called to stand before others and to be questioned about something, I think about this verse.
Mind you, Peter was with Jesus for three (3) years and his preparation included that time.
He walked with Jesus
He prayed with Jesus
He slept alongside Jesus and the others.
He watched miracle upon miracle being preformed.
He watched Jesus being taken away to be crucified
And he spent time with Jesus after His resurrection.
This and so much more gave Peter and the others great courage to declare with boldness that Jesus was who He declared Himself to be, The Very Son Of God; God In The Flesh!
We do not have that in our bag of knowledge but we do have the Bible.
I submit that when we are ready to answer, like Peter, that the Holy Spirit will fill our minds with the information that we have studied and read.
You cannot be unprepared and then ask the Lord to fill you with knowledge that you have not studied.
2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
III. A Declaration Made:
11 “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.”
Jesus of Nazareth, by whose name the lame man was made whole, is that stone spoken of in Psalm 118:22 by whom is meant the true Messiah
Psalm 118:22 “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.”
Head of the corner - or the chief corner stone, that adorns, strengthens, knits, and keeps together, the whole building; in which Jews and Gentiles, saints in all ages and places, are united together;
Matthew 21:42 “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?”
What is a corner stone?
“A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.”
Jesus is our Head of the corner that was and is rejected by many as insignificant or un-important.
Yet without Christ there is NO salvation
Without Christ there is No New Testament Church
Without Christ there is NO hope of a heavenly home
Without Christ there is NO hope.
Conclusion:
When someone asks you; “What gives you the right or authority to speak to others”
The Answer is always: “The Word Of God and the example of our Saviour, Jesus.”
Do you know Jesus but better yet does Jesus know you?
