Acts - 11

Acts - 11

Acts 4:23-31

Introduction

The number one most often-made statement we have made as parents over the last twenty years is this question: who is the parent? That is a great question because it establishes authority. It shows clearly who is in charge. Who is the parent? Who is in charge?

This is the issue that the followers of Jesus have to face in Acts 4. For the last several weeks we have been following this single narrative that began in Acts 3. Today is the final text to close out that story. Let’s review: at the beginning of Acts 3, the Apostles Peter and John are going into the Temple in Jerusalem when they encounter a beggar. He has been lame from birth and has been begging here for over forty years. Peter locks eyes with him and says in Acts 3:6 - I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk! And he does!

Peter reaches down and helps this man up, as the Lord miraculous heals him. This lame beggar now runs, jumps, leaping around praising God. This draws a crowd for obvious reasons. These people in the Temple have passed by this guy every single day for over forty years. They know him well. Yet, here he stands. Here he runs. Here he is leaping and praising God. They don’t know how to respond. Acts 3:10 - They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

When Peter sees the crowd, he leverages the opportunity to preach to them about Jesus. He preaches a Christ-exalting sermon on who Jesus is and what Jesus has done…and how these people had rejected Him and crucified Him. He calls them to repent and trust in Christ. Well, the Jewish powers that be don’t like this at all. At the beginning of Acts 4, the religious leaders interrupt the sermon and arrest Peter and John. The next day they gather the who’s who of Jewish society leadership and hold an inquisition.

Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to preach in the name of this Jesus? Peter responds by doing what Peter does…he preaches again, and he does not flinch in the face of their questions. His boldness grows. Acts 4:8-12 - 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Once again, the religious leaders do not know how to respond. Their threats have not worked. Their illegal arrest and holding of Peter and John did not work. Every time they give these guys an opportunity to speak, they preach about Jesus. They don’t quite know how to respond. Acts 4:13 - 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

What a statement to be made about these followers of Jesus! They are uneducated…true. They are common. The Greek word for that is idiotes. They are just normal idiot guys, by comparison to the educated elite. But two characteristics set them apart…they have been with Jesus. Ultimately that is all that matters. Jesus has transformed them. They might be uneducated idiots in the world’s eyes, but Jesus has made all the difference. And because they have been with Jesus, they are bold. These men shouldn’t be bold. They should cower in fear to the governing authorities. They should bow to the power and authority of this group. But they don’t.

This council doesn’t know what to do. They can’t deny what has happened. The lame beggar is leaping around still praising God, so they can’t really dismiss it all. So they decide to threaten. They decide to shut this Jesus-stuff down. Acts 4:18 - 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Official persecution against the church has begun. We don’t like what you are saying, so you are not allowed to say it any more. But here is the problem with governing authorities trying to play power games with the Church…it doesn’t work. Why? Because the Church does not answer to the governing authorities. Who is the parent? Who is in charge? Not them. Acts 4:19-20 - 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Johnny did such a great job handling this text last Sunday. Peter and John rebel…but they do so respectfully. Listen, if you are really telling us to obey you rather than God, well…that is something you are going to have to deal with. That’s a you problem. But for us…we are going to keep preaching Jesus.

Johnny brought out a brilliant tension that exists with verses like this. Peter, who says this here and openly defies the governing authorities, is the same Peter who writes later in 1 Peter 2:13-17 - 13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

So which is it? Do we comply with the governing authorities and submit to them, or do we rebel and defy them? This is a question that has huge implications. But thankfully the answer to this tension, to this dilemma is actually quite simple. The normal default position for the Christian is going to be 1 Peter 2. We will lovingly and humbly submit to governing authorities. According to Romans 13, those authorities have been placed there by God. So we gratefully defer to them, even when we disagree with some of their policies. I don’t like the tax laws, but I pay my taxes. Those are not the things we rebel against.

But here is where we switch from 1 Peter 2 to Acts 4. Whenever the governing authorities command us to violate God’s commands…we respectfully defy and rebel. Who is the parent? Who’s in charge? Not them. When I am forced to choose between obeying God and obeying anyone/anything else, God always wins that debate. In fact, it’s not even a debate. We obey God and everyone else will just have to deal with it. There may be, there will be consequences of that, but we welcome those consequences.

Acts 4:21 - 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go…Further threats. Trying to punish them. They’ve already been arrested. And they keep threatening them with further punishment. So now we come to our text for today. What do the Christians do in response to all this? They have been arrested. They have been threatened with further punishments. How do they respond?

Acts 4:23-31 - 23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,     and the peoples plot in vain?

26 The kings of the earth set themselves,     and the rulers were gathered together,     against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

This is an incredible response, don’t you think?!! They’ve been arrested for their boldness. They’ve been threatened for their boldness. And in response they pray and ask God for even more boldness! They double-down.

There is no indication that they even considered the threats. They didn’t fret. They didn’t hold an emergency strategy session. They didn’t run a risk analysis. Who is the parent? They already know. The issue was already decided before it even came up. They will obey God. They will fearlessly preach Jesus. In response to being attacked for being bold, they resolve to become even more bold.

TS - let’s take a minute and break down the text. In response to the arrest and threats, they aren’t angry. They aren’t surprised. They aren’t scared. They don’t focus on any of those things. Instead, they focus on 2 Truths:

THE POWER OF GOD (V. 23-24, 28-30)

Once Peter and John head back to headquarters and report on what has happened and what the council has said, they pray. That is their response. And who is it that they are praying to? v. 24 - Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them…Who is the parent? Who is in charge? God the creator! Sovereign Lord is a translation of a Greek word that we have adopted into English today. It is despot. In our world, a despot is a cruel dictator. Someone we try to depose. Someone we try to take out to implement a democracy. We want the people in charge. But a despot, well, a despot is always in charge. God is not a cruel dictator in our sense of the word. But the idea behind it is unchallengeable ruler. God has unchallengeable authority. He is the only one with the power.

It comes up again in v. 28 - to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. All that has gone down (specifically regarding Jesus) is all by God’s predestined plan. Meaning, God has set this up since before time began. He has been orchestrating His eternal plan from the very beginning. He is Sovereign Lord. And as they pray, that is how they deal with these threats from the council. v. 29 - And now, Lord, look upon their threats…God, we’ve been threatened. They have told us to stop. So God, consider that. Do something about that. You’re the one in charge. In the meantime while you are dealing with that, just give us more boldness. End of v. 29 - grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness. Nothing changes. Threats or no threats. Jail or free. In favor or out of favor with the world. Who is the parent? Who is in charge? It has never been up for debate.

THE FUTILITY OF REBELLION (V. 25-26)

If God really is Sovereign Lord, then rebellion against Him is utterly futile. That is the point of v. 25-26 - 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,     and the peoples plot in vain?

26 The kings of the earth set themselves,     and the rulers were gathered together,     against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

This is a quote from Psalm 2. Psalm 2, along with Psalm 1, are purposely set at the beginning of the Psalms to serve as an introduction to the entire book. Psalm 1 is all about the blessing that comes from anchoring in Scripture as the foundation of your life. Psalm 2 is all about the reality of the nations rebelling against the Lord and why that is foolish. Let’s look at the whole Psalm:

Psalm 2:1-12 - Why do the nations rage     and the peoples plot in vain?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves,     and the rulers take counsel together,     against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,

3 “Let us burst their bonds apart     and cast away their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;     the Lord holds them in derision.

5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,     and terrify them in his fury, saying,

6 “As for me, I have set my King     on Zion, my holy hill.”

7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;     today I have begotten you.

8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,     and the ends of the earth your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron     and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;     be warned, O rulers of the earth.

11 Serve the Lord with fear,     and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son,     lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,     for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

In response to God’s Sovereign rule, what do the nations do? They rage. It's the word used to describe a raging sea. Tumultuous. Constant swelling and movement against the Lord. They rage. They plot. The world is constantly plotting its insurrection against God. The rulers of the Earth are united over only one thing…overthrowing the despot. We want the people to be in charge! Why? They think God is a cruel Master. He shackles us. We want to to what we want to do! And how does God respond to this rebellion against Him? Psalm 2:4 - He who sits in the heavens laughs. As opposed to the kings of the Earth, God sits enthroned in Heaven. He is above. He is over. Who is the parent? End of 2:4 - the Lord holds them in derision. That word means to ‘treat with contempt verbally.’ It is translated elsewhere as jeer or scorn. God is laughing, not at how funny human rebellion is against Him. He is laughing at how ridiculous it is!

John Phillips - As though man, who has successfully orbited some hardware in space, using material God has supplied, and who has put a feeble footprint on the moon - as though man can compete with a God who has orbited a hundred million galaxies! As though man, who has solved some of the subtleties of the atom, and managed to scare himself half to death in the process, can compete with a God who stokes the nuclear fires of a billion stars! No wonder He that sits in the heavens simply laughs. Man - for all his technology and talents, for all his science and skill, for all his inventions - is still man - mere mortal man. And God is God - eternal, uncreated, self-existent, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, infinite, infallible, holy, high, and lifted up, worshiped by countless angel throngs. God laughs at men for being such fools.

And God’s amusement quickly turns to anger. Psalm 2:5 - Then He will speak to them in His wrath. Wrath is the word for nose or nostril. It literally translates as flaring nostril. It was used to refer to a mighty stallion huffing. It is God’s dismissal of the rebellious.

But what is the point of Psalm 2? It comes in 2:6 - I have set my King in Zion. Psalm 2 is a Messianic royal Psalm. God is in charge, and to show that, He has installed His rule through His Son. Why is rebellion against God so utterly foolish and laughable? Because Jesus sits enthroned over the world.

So take all of that and dump it into Acts 4. How do the followers of Jesus view what is happening to them? You cannot speak anymore in the name of Jesus. We will shut you down. We don’t like this Jesus stuff. They dismiss it all. Because that is what God does. Their persecution is nothing more than a sign that Psalm 2 is true. The nations rage against God and rebel against His anointed Son. Oh well! Their allegiance is to the King. Their hearts are loyal to the Jesus who has been rejected. Who is the parent?

Conclusion

This prayer in Acts 4 has echoes of another prayer. In Isaiah 36, King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah and attacks all the fortified cities. His messengers come into the cities and invite the people to surrender. We have defeated every other nation we have attacked. This one will be no different. You may say that the Lord will protect you. But we have burned all the other gods of the other nations in the fires. I’ll do the same with your god. Come out now and make peace with me. We are going to win. You are going to lose. So unite with us now.

Word gets back to Hezekiah, the long-term king of Israel. What does the King do in response? Does he summon his armies? Does he call his military advisors in to draw up battle plans? Nope. He prays.

Isaiah 37:16-20 - 16 “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 17 Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. 18 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, 19 and have cast their gods into the fire. For they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. 20 So now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.”

God responds. The angel of the Lord goes into the Assyrian camp and kills 185,000 troops. Sennacherib wakes up the next morning, sees all the dead bodies, and runs like the little school girl back home to his capital city of Nineveh. And as he is worshiping in the pagan temple of his false god, two of his sons come in and kill him there.

The nations rage. The Lord who sits in Heaven laughs. What do you do when the world turns its attention on you? What do you do when you are told to drop all this Jesus stuff? Remind yourself that two statements are true: 1) God is in charge. 2) the Living God does not lose. Let the world rebel. But as for you, you do what the Lord has commanded you to do, regardless of any consequence. Who is the parent? Who is in charge?