Last Week: Miracles continue...
Peter and John healed a man born a leaper on the way into the temple.
The people noticed this; Peter presented the Gospel.
So far, the disciples have had 3 years of ups and downs with Christ, culmninating with his recent crucifixion.
But then he was raised from the dead - since that point, everything has gone pretty much right.
- they received the holy spirit
- thousands have become christians
- miracles were following (2:43 "many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles)
this week is the first negative/bad piece that hits.
1. As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,
2. being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3. And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.
4. But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
5. On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem;
6. and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent.
7. When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, "By what power, or in what name, have you done this?"
8. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people,
9. if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well,
10. let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you
crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by this name this man stands here before you in good health.
11. "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone.
12. "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
13. Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were
amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
14. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.
15. But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another,
16. saying, "What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent
to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
17. "But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name."
18. And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19. But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;
20. for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."
21. When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because
they were all glorifying God for what had happened;
22. for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
(story summary)
1. peter healed a guy who couldn't walk and was forced to beg; pretty much everyone in the temple saw it.
2. peter then delivered a sermon, calling on the people to repent of their sins and turn to jesus
3. the jewish authorities had peter/john arrested and tossed in the clink for a night.
4. the next day they asked pedro and juan, "by what power did you heal the lame dude?"
5. peter said, "by jesus christ, who you crucified - he has been raised from the dead and is messiah, the only salvation"
6. the jewish peeps then conferred, decided that they couldn't deny the miracle, and instead ordered pedro/juan to shut it regarding christ, or else.
7. peter replies, "nuh uh. we're way more afraid of god than you."
8. the jewish leaders then said, "oh yeah?" and made some threats, then let them go.
A. This Is The First Resistance from the Saducees/Priests/Scribes
1. These people aren't all in agreement with one another...but they all know they don't like Jesus.
1. As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,
2. being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3. And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.
TODO
- remember that it wasn't long ago that christ was dragged before this crowd (and peter ran away)
2. They demand that Peter and John stop speaking about Christ
- they keep them in jail for a night
- then they tell them to "speak no momre to any man in this name [jesus]" (v18)
Peter and John are in trouble for proclaiming a man they just had executed.
'Jesus' is not a new topic; it's pretty confrontational in this setting.
1. They spend the night in jail.
nobody likes a night in jail
remember that Christ was just killed by these people - they had excellent cause to fear.
2. They confidently and directly refuse the order to not speak about Christ.
a. they got up in the morning...
- no shower
- no shave
- no clean clothes
- no breakfast
- no kind treatment from the guards
b. they were placed in front of an imposing group...
- the powerful people of their nation were all there
- they were already hostile to them...(no encouragement, no respect)
c. they were asked, "by what power, or in what name, have you done this?" (v7)
note the association of name/power...
d. they answered respectfully but confidently - "in the name of jesus, whom you crucified but whom god raised"
"they observed the confidence of peter and john, and understood thaht they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling" (v13)
3. They refuse to shut up about Christ.
a. after the jewish leaders realize they can't deny the miracle, they order peter/john to be quiet about it.
v18 "they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of jesus"
b. peter says, "no."
v19,20
A. Expect a bit of hostility
1.why were the apostles persecuted?
- it wasn't for healing the lame man
- it was for condemnation.
the gospel is condemning - it accuses men of sin and rebellions, and demands that they do something about it.
people (even me) don't like to be told we are sinful/rebellious/unforgiving jerks.
- it was for attacking the system in which some had found success
in this case, the jewish leaders had a system they had success within.
it is harder to walk away from success than failure.
2. have any of these conditions changed?
christianity is quite black/white, quite condemning
we believe that people are sinful.
we believe in the reality of hell, and believe that people will end up there without christ.
that's awful - unpleasant, etc...(it doesn't say we have to like it though).
we proclaim that god is opposed to every other system.
god does not seem to be pluralistic - we are messengers, not makers.
but the message differs with a lot of other human systems...
3.if the gospels and what we have so far in acts means anything, then some hostility should be expected.
christ was crucified; the apostles persecuted.
4. if we dont receive any hostility, than great.
make sure it's not because we're afraid of hostility though.
1. don't be a jerk, don't misrepresent christ
non-christians whine about christians.
that's fine...they may do so out of poor motives, we want to make sure they don't with good motives.
- be kind, compassionate, patient, longsuffering
- look at peter/john. they were respectful but honest. the message was not confused in any way.
- remember christ's example...
1. if trouble comes, remember that it doesn't mean it's because of sin.
remove any association between sin and trouble.
job's friends told him that, and it wasn't true.
2. trouble has been the story of humanity since sin entered.
trouble can be directly because of christainity - i.e. persecution.
if you are persecuted for christ's sake, be honored.
make sure it's not your stupidity, and then be proud of your place.
trouble can be just the result of sin.
god does not remove us from it.
god's people have shared in the curses of sin from the start.
in this case, the negative result of the sin of the jewish leaders was shared by peter/john.
other readings on this for those inclined...1 cor 4:1-4
1. you are not responsible to men
peter and john tell the leaders that they fear God more than men, and that as such they will obey god.
insecure? remember that all people are equal before god.
money, status, a higher spot on the org chart, and firmer abs don't put anyone "in charge" of you; not really...
2. fear god.
fear does involve some fright.
matt 10:28 "do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to
destroy both soul and body in hell"
worry about god, not man.
- worried about your peaceful life? your happiness? the esteem of others? your prosperity?
- worry about being right with god first.