This Is Church Week 10: Don’t Get it Twisted

Intro Thoughts

No Midweek This Week

Last Young Couples Connect Group for this semester

One service on July 6

Opening Illustration

Let me tell y’all about a vegetable that almost got canceled before it ever got started...

In the 1700s, Europeans believed tomatoes were deadly.

They actually called them the “poison apple.”

People thought eating one would give you leprosy, hallucinations—or worse, instant death.

Why? Because wealthy people ate them off pewter plates, and the acid from the tomato would draw out lead. So yeah, people were dying... but it wasn’t the tomato—it was the silverware!

Fast forward to 1820.

A bold man named Robert Gibbon Johnson decided it was time to clear the tomato’s name. So what does he do?

He shows up to the Salem, New Jersey courthouse, stands on the steps with a basket full of tomatoes… …and just starts eating them in front of everybody.

People were freaking out.

Women screamed.

Someone supposedly passed out.

Folks were just waiting for him to drop dead on the spot…

But he didn’t. He just stood there—chewing. Smiling. Vibe checked the whole town.

And that was the day the tomato made a comeback.

Robert didn’t change the tomato,

he just changed how people saw it.

The tomato…the same in its ontological make up as that of the 1700’s European deaths was hazardous or healthy depending on how it was served…

How are we sharing our hard times?

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Context & Introduction

Acts 4 opens on the heels of a miraculous healing. Peter and John had just been used by God to bring undeniable proof of His power to a crippled man.

This should have been a celebration moment. But, as is sometimes the case, the glory of God attracts haters as well as helpers.

Acts 4:1 NLT

1 While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees.

We often talk about the fact that if we could just see the miraculous we would see revival…

I believe that to be true but I believe it is worth noting that throughout scripture we see a duplicity to this point.

Miracles attract both revival and resistance.

When God starts moving…don’t be surprised by the enemies counter.

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Adversity from unexpected places

Interestingly, the pushback isn't from witches, warlocks, or those we’d traditionally label as enemies of faith. The resistance is rooted deeply in three unexpected groups:

The Religious: Comfortable in their tradition, offended by disruption.

The Intellectuals (Sadducees): Rejecting anything supernatural, limited by logic.

The Government (Temple Guard): Motivated by control and maintaining order.

When God begins to move…it is surprising who doesn’t like to see it happen.

Some of you have been shocked by the reaction of friends or family to the fact that your going to church.

Sometimes people don’t like when things begin to grow because it minimizes the reach of their voice.

In my experience…people are all about a move of God until they realize it’s something they can’t control.

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WHY WERE THEY SO UPSET?

Acts 4:2 NLT

2 These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead.

The primary thing that was upsetting to this triune adversary was something that you wouldn’t expect…IT WAS HOPE.

Why would hope be upsetting?

Because hopelessness provides job security for religion.

Religion thrives on cycles of self-effort and performance.

Peter and John preached hope—

not through the system of religion, government, or human striving—

but solely through Jesus.

Sticky Statement:

Be careful of those who find profit from your hopelessness…

Religion profits from our hopelessness…Jesus ends it.

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THE ATTACK DOESN’T CANCEL THE IMPACT

Acts 4:3–4 NLT

3 They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning. 4 But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000.

Peter and John end up in jail—not exactly how you'd celebrate a miracle.

We have to understand the context of this moment.

They perform the miracle…people gather…they preach…they’re arrested.

THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW IF WHAT THEY DID WAS EFFECTIVE.

Their knowledge of their effect had no bearing on the reality of their effect.

When we face a setback…we tend to believe that nullifies what God is doing in and through our lives.

Adversity doesn’t eliminate effectiveness.

"Your prison can’t prevent God’s purpose."

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POWER IN WHOSE NAME?

Acts 4:5–7 NLT

5 The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. 7 They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”

They weren't angry about the miracle itself; they were upset it wasn't done under their authority or benefiting their system.

Kingdom people celebrate even when it doesn't benefit them.

Check your heart: If it has to bless you to bless God, you're building your own kingdom.

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HOLY, NOT A DOORMAT

Acts 4:8–9 NLT

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, 9 are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed?

Being Spirit-filled isn’t synonymous with passivity.

Sometimes you wait quietly,

other times you confront boldly.

Spirit-filled doesn’t mean spineless.

You can be holy and still speak truth to power.

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UNFILTERED GOSPEL BOLDNESS

Acts 4:10–12 NLT

10 Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. 11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ 12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Peter boldly proclaims the exclusive name of Jesus. No watering down, no compromise.

Peter boldly proclaims the exclusive name of Jesus. No watering down, no compromise.

"Bold obedience shines a spotlight on Jesus."

We can’t dim our message to make it digestible."

"If you water down truth, you dilute transformation."

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UNQUALIFIED, BUT ANOINTED

Acts 4:13 NLT

13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.

Their boldness didn't highlight their ability

It highlighted God's anointing despite their inability.

The pursuit of becoming good enough is a pointless pursuit.

God uses those who are incapable far more often than he uses those who are.

Our lack of qualification is our greatest qualification in God’s hand.

My weakness is God's favorite workplace.

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WHEN OBEDIENCE BRINGS OPPOSITION

Acts 4:15–18 NLT

15 So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves. 16 “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17 But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18 So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

If this were a Disney movie…they’d take this stand and everything is good…

but they take this stand…and they get put in jail.

You can make every move right and still have circumstances get worse.

We can be in the center of God’s will and still in the middle of a storm.

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CHOOSE FAITH OVER FEELINGS

Acts 4:19–20 NLT

19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

Their conviction was stronger than their conditions.

Their confidence was in what they knew, not what they felt.

This is why it is so necessary to have a Word from God…because without a word from God the persuasion of men can do a lot of damage.

When given the choice between making people happy or being true to what God told me to do…It’s not even a choice.

We must be careful to not allow our circumstances to have more authority than our convictions.

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TURNING STRUGGLE INTO REVIVAL

Acts 4:23–24 NLT

23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—

Their trial sparked prayer, unity, and revival in the church.

The outcome of the trial and the positive impact it had…had a lot to do with the way they shared their story.

Negative telling rarely has positive impact.

YOU CAN TELL A NEGATIVE STORY IN A POSITIVE WAY!

Our struggle has revival potential.

How we share our struggle determines whether we build faith or break spirits.

Our trial can either poison the church or provoke revival—choose wisely.

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HARD TIMES, HOLY OUTCOMES

Acts 4:31–32 NLT

31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. 32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.

"...the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit... united in heart and mind."

Adversity didn't nullify God’s power—it magnified it.

Hard seasons produce holy fruit."

You can be broken and still have breakthrough.

Being under attack doesn’t mean you're not anointed.

Hard times don't have to divide—they can unite.

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CLOSING

A LOT HAPPENS IN Acts 4—miracles met with resistance, hope treated like heresy, and bold obedience that doesn’t come with easy outcomes. But through it all, one thing is clear:

Adversity doesn’t cancel anointing. Resistance doesn’t revoke revival. And hardship doesn’t mean you're out of God's will—it might be the clearest proof that you're in it.

You may be misunderstood. You may be mistreated. But if your life is anchored in Jesus, 

you can be arrested and still be advancing the Kingdom.

You can be ordinary and still be anointed.

You can be under attack and still full of the Holy Spirit.

So here’s the choice we all face:

Will I let hard times harden my heart? Or will I let them fuel a move of God?

💡 Big Idea:

What breaks others can build us—if we stay bold, stay unified, and stay filled with the Spirit.

Let trying moments shake us, not scatter us. Let our stories stir revival, not self-pity. Let our faith speak louder than our fear.