The first persecution
Notes
Transcript
Handout
1 Now 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 agitated 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 Now it happened that 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 And when they had placed them in their midst, 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 being examined today for a good deed done to a sick man, as to how this man has been saved from his sickness,
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.”
Introduction:
Introduction:
The healing of the lame man by the beautiful gate created quite a stir among the people. Multitudes gathered to learn what had happened. Peter boldly preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ and called the people to repent and believe the Gospel.
We will see a mixed reaction to Peter’s sermon here in chapter 4.
Many will believe the Gospel, but we also see the first real persecution of the church since Christ’s resurrection.
Peter’s response to the persecution set the pattern we should follow if we find ourselves in a similar situation.
First, let’s set the scene.
1. The religious elite were greatly agitated by Peter’s sermon.
1. The religious elite were greatly agitated by Peter’s sermon.
1 Now 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 agitated because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
The Priests- who are no longer necessary!
37 And Jesus, uttering a loud cry, breathed His last.
38 And the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
39 And when the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,
12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy places once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
The captain of the temple guard- A militaristic assistant/enforcer to the High Priest.
These are the same officers who helped arrest Jesus.
4 And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them.
The Sadducees- The liberal agnostics of that day.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
Jesus Himself faced off with these religious hypocrites.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
The reason for their agitation? (Verse 2)
They taught the people (Without permission)
They proclaimed the resurrection of the dead.
2 being greatly agitated because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
2. The Disciples spent the night in jail.
2. The Disciples spent the night in jail.
3 And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.
The healing of the lame man took place at 3pm. By the time the crowd had gathered, and heard Peter preach, the day is almost over.
The governing authorities abused their power to hold them over night to stand trial.
Technically, this was legal. But it was truly an attempt to silence their message.
3. Many people believed the message!
3. Many people believed the message!
4 But many of those who had heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
This is the new total number of the church. 120 in the upper room in Acts, plus 3,000 at Pentecost, plus those who believed Peter’s message in Acts 3, to bring us to a total of 5,000 in the church.
The church is growing in great leaps! Records are being kept and these new believers are publically professing their faith in Jesus!
It is safe to assume that the other church leaders, not Peter and John who are in jail, baptized these new believers and kept this record.
This may have taken place over several days as the chaos of Peter and John’s arrest could have scattered the crowd.
We simply don’t know every detail.
What we know is that the Church grew in spite of the persecution!
4. There was an alliance among the religious and political leaders.
4. There was an alliance among the religious and political leaders.
5 Now it happened that 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.
These religious leaders had morphed into political positions as they tried to co-exist with the Roman occupation.
They had to bend their knee to Caesar to maintain their position of authority.
(Baker encyclopedia of the Bible) Annas. Jewish high priest from ad 7 to ad 15. Appointed by Quirinius, Roman governor of Syria, Annas was put out of office by Valerius Gratus, procurator of Judea. Annas was succeeded by three minor figures before the post was assumed by his son-in-law Caiaphas (Jn 18:13, 24). The tenure of Caiaphas extended from ad 18 to ad 36; thus he was high priest at the time of Jesus’ public ministry.
Caiaphas. High priest during the life and ministry of Jesus. As official head of the Jewish state Caiaphas presided over the council, or Sanhedrin, its highest court. Next to the Roman governor he was the most powerful man in Judea and was responsible to the Romans for the conduct of the nation. Caiaphas was, therefore, especially concerned about the popular enthusiasm and political unrest centering around the ministry of Jesus and about its implications for the revolutionary sentiment of the time. The activities of the Zealots were increasing and were destined to break out soon into open revolt.
Conclusion:
1. The Name of Jesus Christ is our Authority!
Conclusion:
1. The Name of Jesus Christ is our Authority!
Jesus taught His Disciples how to respond to persecution:
Matthew 10:16-20
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
17 “But beware of men, for they will deliver you over to the courts and flog you in their synagogues;
18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 “But when they deliver you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given to you in that hour what you are to say.
20 “For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
7 And when they had placed them in their midst, 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 being examined today for a good deed done to a sick man, as to how this man has been saved from his sickness,
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.
Peter’s defense:
The filling of the Holy Spirit (Verse 8)
He gave evidence of good works. (verse 9)
He boldly used of the Name of Jesus! (Verse 10)
He preached repentance! (Verse 10)
He gave witness of the resurrection! (Verse 10)
2. The Scripture is our foundation!
2. The Scripture is our foundation!
11 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.
Peter is quoting the Old Testament!
22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.
The foundation of everything we do must be the Word of God!
3. The Gospel is our only offensive weapon!
3. The Gospel is our only offensive weapon!
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.”
Peter preached an offensive, exclusive, matter of fact message:
Outside of Jesus Christ, there is no Salvation!
Peter’s example shows us what to do in our spiritual war.
We see this same pattern in Ephesians 6.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all, having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one,
17 also receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
18 praying at all times with all prayer and petition in the Spirit, and to this end, being on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
19 as well as on my behalf, that words may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel—
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains—so that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
