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Today we will be studying Acts 3 and 4, where Peter and John share the gospel with the crowds at the temple after a lame man is healed.
If you notice, your Bible likely has a heading: “Peter Heals a Lame Beggar”.
This is an unfortunate heading choice.
Why?
Well, let’s study and find out.
And, while we do, consider what heading you might use to label this passage.
First, let’s get the background and the setting.
Acts 1 - Mission and Method
In Acts 1, we saw the Mission and the first part of the Method
Mission - Be martyrs
Acts 1:14 (NIV)
They all joined together constantly in prayer...
Method - Corporate Prayer
Acts 2 - Means and Method
In Acts 2, Keith covered very well last week.
Here we saw the means, which was told to the disciples in Acts 1.
Means - Holy Spirit
Means - The Church
Method - Proclamation
By Means of the Holy Spirit and the Church, we fulfill the Mission to be martyrs by Corporate Prayer and Proclamation.
That is all the Background for Acts 3 & 4. Notice that the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved.
The apostles and members of the church were not doing this.
They were using the means and methods.
When they did this, the Lord was adding to their number.
Luke gives us another illustration of this in Acts 3 & 4.
The Setting
The 1st Proclamation
The Explanation
The Call to Repentance
The Persecution
The 1st Response
Setting Day 2 - The Trial
The Trap
The trap is Deuteronomy 13.
The 2nd Proclamation
Notice the respect Peter gives to these rulers, even though they are spiritually dead, and wrong in what they are doing.
It was from this same Psalm that they worshipped when Christ came to Jerusalem, approximately 3 months before this.
Let’s look at this Psalm, because I think this is what the Spirit used, not just for this single quote from Peter, but for the whole response which Peter and John gave to the rulers.
Now let’s go back and finish Peter and John’s Proclamation to the religious rulers while keeping this Psalm in mind.
The Response
The Proclamation Continues
Do you see their confidence in the Lord?
Do you see the link back to the Psalm, Psalm 118?
The Conclusion
The Methods and Means
The Prayer
They were united in prayer.
(Division in the church hinders prayer.)
They prayed recognizing God’s authority.
They prayed with urgency.
They prayed using scripture.
(Scripture is God speaking to us, and telling us what He desires.
Prayer is us making ourselves available to accomplish what He desires.
Prayer is not us telling God what to do, but asking God to do His will through us and in us.)
They did not pray:
for a change in their circumstances
for the removal of the rulers
for escape
for protection
They did pray:
recognizing God’s authority (Sovereign Lord, Creator, His will is accomplished even by evil men and rulers).
for boldness to do what God commanded.
for Christ’s glory!
It is when God’s people get out of balance and overemphasize either sovereignty or responsibility that the church loses power.
Augustine’s wise words, “Pray as though everything depends on God, and work as though everything depended on you.”
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