hearts on fire:week 4

Peter and John

Acts 4:1–4 ESV

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

PRAY/BE STILL

There are times that we will face opposition from the world when we speak the boldness of Christ. The message of the gospel is offensive, therefore we will see those that have rejected the truth come to hate us and what we believe. Because this changes everything. This faith that we profess and the way that we live contradicts the worldly views and morals.

Peter and John have just healed a beggar in the entrance of the temple. Afterwards, he boldly preaches to the people the message of Christ to the people and many people are repenting and turning to Jesus.

Acts 4:1–4 ESV

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

TRUTH BRINGS HOSTILITY

Galatians 4:16 ESV

Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Paul when he wrote this to the church in Galatia, they at first were receptive to the message of Jesus. Eventually, ask he preached the truth to them, they began to despise that which Paul preached.

When we begin to preach the truth by the way we live or what Scripture says, it brings out worldly hostility.

Acts 4:7 ESV

And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”

Acts 4:8 ESV

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,

SPIRIT FILLED PEOPLE LIVE IN TRUTH

John 16:13 ESV

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Truth does not come from us, it comes from God. As truth comes from the Father, it is given to the Holy Spirit, then communicated to us and then spoken.

Acts 4:13 ESV

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.

THOSE CONFIDENT IN THE LORD ARE EASY TO RECOGNIZE.

It does not matter how old you are, how educated you are, where you come from or where you are at in your journey with Christ, as you live in holiness, you are given what you need.

Acts 4:18 ESV

So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Acts 4:19–20 ESV

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, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

CHOOSE TRUTH OVER COMPROMISE

DON’T FEAR THE WORLD

SPEAK IN CONFIDENCE