The First Public Temple Tour: Acts 3:1-4:22
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 12 viewsIn this sermon, Pastor Jesse walks through Acts 3–4, highlighting how Peter and John’s faithfulness to Jesus is evidenced through Spirit-empowered works, Scripture-rooted preaching, and bold witness under pressure.
Notes
Transcript
When reading this passage, it needs to be noted that this passage is long in nature and can be split up into 2 large portions or 4 smaller portions. In the use of two portions, part 1 has Peter and John healing a beggar and preaching. In the second part, Peter and John are arrested and preach. If we were to divide the story further up: Part 1, Peter heals a beggar. Part 2, Peter preaches. Part 3, Peter and John are arrested. Part 4, Peter preaches and then they are released.
As I was reading this excerpt, I couldn't help but notice a few things that were happening. First, we see a scene unfolding that seems like an ordinary mundane course of life. A man who is lame is placed at his usual spot, and we know it's his usual spot because everyone knows this is the man who usually sits at the temple gate called “Beautiful,” and as per usual he is asking for alms. He happens to ask John and Peter for alms.
We could pause for a moment and appreciate that here are two men who have been friends since before Jesus called them out of their fishing boats. They have been friends all the while discipling under Jesus's direction here on earth, and they are still seen together as friends, presumably heading to the temple to pray with each other as good friends do at the ninth hour in the morning. And then they are interrupted on their way in to pray.
“Alms,” they hear.
And Peter, instead of doing the usual — brushing the guy off if he has no alms, or putting the smallest amount of money into the beggar’s hat to satisfy his insistent cries — looks at the beggar and says, “Look at us!”
A couple things are happening here. First, I think we can take away the fact that Peter is a pretty straightforward guy. He could be saying, “Do you think we have money? Look at us!” But one of the things we find is that the same greek verbiage used by Peter when he says “look at us” is used to describe how the disciples were looking at Jesus ascend into heaven. They were looking because something amazing was happening. Maybe Peter used that particular verbiage to imply to the beggar that something just as amazing was going to happen.
This next part goes to supporting my original thought that Peter was pointing to the state of him and John. Maybe they didn't look too financially endowed, and Peter says in Acts 3:6, “Silver and gold have I none.” Normally this is where one would stop: “I don't have anything.” Maybe you would finish with an “I'm sorry” (maybe), but of course those of us who are old enough remember a song, and we know there is more to be said. How does the song go? “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee.”
The story isn't finished. There is more to be said. They are saying to the beggar, with the same verbiage of looking in amazement, “Watch this!”
“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
And Peter seized the man by the right hand, which is a very culturally important thing to do, and raised him up. And we know the rest: “He went walking and leaping and praising God. Walking and leaping and praising God. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
There are a few things we need to realize and consider. First, Jesus Christ even recognized the responsibility for God’s messengers to have His teaching accredited by His works. Jesus said of His own ministry,
"...the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.
and,
“If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”
Jesus even challenged Philip by saying:
“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.
The works that Jesus did corroborated the words that He said.
Nicodemus recognized that when he said,
“Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
One of the key “credentials” to look for in someone who claims to have the Holy Spirit living within them is that their life will be marked by a genuine compulsion to do good works that glorify God the Father rather than themselves.
Sometimes we see people taking offense to these works because where they fail, they must attempt to tear down the people who are doing the work God has assigned all of us to do through Jesus Christ and at the guidance and direction given by the Holy Spirit. We see a similar pattern in the story of David and Goliath: Goliath mocked him, the Philistines ridiculed him, and even David’s own people—those who should have had faith and trusted God—responded with doubt and scorn toward his obedience.
Similarly, in this story with Peter and John, we will again see men who should have known better belittling, trying to use their stature to intimidate, and threatening men who showed up to do what they themselves were unwilling to do.
There needs to be a few things that we note about this, however. Many today claim to possess or have access to these “gifts” and “works,” but are operating abusively only for their own gain. Some healings happen due to a person’s strong belief and trust in an authority figure. They trust the person so much that their emotional state temporarily overrides their physical symptoms. These so-called “miracles” are short-lived.
It needs to be noted that Satan and his demonic hosts produce things counterfeit to God’s design, and in these counterfeits are so-called healings. They counterfeit these healings not only in false religions, but by falsely representing Christianity as well.
In Mark 13:22 Jesus warns that:
...false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
Paul echoes those words in 2 Thessalonians 2:9.
Jesus further warns in Matthew 7:22-23,
...many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
The reality is these wolves in sheep's clothing will use their miracles to then lead people astray with their teachings.
This is where we must search the Scriptures to prove true everything that is spoken, and here is one more point: if we can’t use Scripture to also prove true those who are supposed to be guiding us, what does that say? A little further on in Acts 17 :11, we find the example of the Bereans, where it says this about them:
Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
Through all of this, we see that “accreditation”—or rather, trustworthiness—is demonstrated in our words, our actions, and whether or not we hold up under the scrutiny and examination of the Scriptures.
Here we need to note four things that accredited Peter and John; in other words, we need to note these four things that gave credit to Peter and John's ministry in this situation. First, this miracle was unexpected—it caught everyone’s attention. Second, this miracle was done in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene. Third, this miracle was instantaneous. And fourth, this miracle was complete.
So when Peter began to speak, he not only spoke with the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but he also spoke with the authority that was accredited to him through his actions while being faithful to Jesus Christ.
Peter’s sermon isn’t the most gentle, but it is direct. Peter starts with some of the oldest Scripture, encouraging the others to test him according to Scripture. In Acts 3:13 he says,
“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.
Peter convicts the people around him for murdering the “Prince of life,” but he doesn’t stop there. He proclaims that this miracle—the first part of the accreditation—was done “on the basis of faith in Jesus’s name. It is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.”
That is the first accreditation.
The second accreditation comes when Peter challenges the people around him to dive into Scripture. He very boldly proclaims in verse 18,
“But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
Immediately in verse 19 -21 Peter says to the people,
“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you.
But Peter doesn’t stop there. Encouraging people to look into the Scriptures, he gives them the “receipts” or rather Peter brough them the proof that they need. He reminds them what Moses said in verse 22:
“Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; to Him you shall give heed to everything He says to you.
In verses 24–25, Peter points to more references for the people to consider, saying:
Acts 3:24-25
“And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days.
“It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’
One of the things that has become abundantly clear to me is that when someone begins to show true accreditation or ordination through the Holy Spirit, it becomes evident in at least three ways. First, it is revealed through the work they naturally begin to do under the direction of the Holy Spirit—work that ultimately glorifies God the Father rather than themselves. Second, a faithful servant of Christ will continually encourage people to search the Scriptures plainly for the truth found within their pages, testing everything against the Word of God. Third, when someone is truly being faithful to God the Father, submitted to Jesus Christ as Savior, and walking in obedience to the Holy Spirit, opposition often follows, as the devil sends his footmen to silence, discourage, or discredit them.
Interestingly, throughout the New Testament, the most brazen footmen are among the most educated people around. Just look who shows up in Acts Chapter 4 to shut Peter and James up.
Acts 4:1 says the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to them. Acts4: 2–3 say they were greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. They laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.
Acts4:4, however, tells us that a great victory had already been won: the people saw the credentials of Peter and John, and many who heard that message believed. The number of the men (just men, not counting women or children) came to about five thousand. That is amazing.
Peter’s and John’s credentials are on full display. Five thousand men turned their hearts to Jesus because Peter’s and John’s actions were done in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, and their words exalted Him while encouraging people to look back upon the Scriptures to prove true what they had to say.
So the next day in Acts 4:5–6, when they were brought before the rulers, elders, scribes, Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent, Peter and John’s credentials were on full display before these highly educated men.
Thus, as described in Acts4:8, Peter, being filled with the Holy Spirit, begins to preach to them. This is the second sermon. Peter points to the first miracle that gives credit to what they have done in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene. In Acts 4:9-10, Peter delivers a painful verbal blow to these men by saying,
if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well,
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.
But here is the thing: Peter doesn’t just deliver this sermon using current events. He again encourages these highly educated men to look back into Scripture and examine it for themselves. He reminds them of what the psalmist wrote in Psalm 118 by saying in Acts 4:11
“He (Jesus) is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.
This is huge because time and time again the most educated tried to shut Jesus down because Jesus claimed to be the only way to salvation. Jesus claimed to be the “I Am,” which is the name God gave to Moses at the burning bush. And here they are being scolded by the disciples who followed Jesus, and they can’t do anything about it because of the people who have seen the accreditation given to these men by the Holy Spirit.
Just to give us context, let’s look at what Jesus said to the most educated men who used their education to confuse the masses rather than enable the masses. Matthew 23, my Bible titles it “Pharisaism Exposed.” I am only going to pick a few verses for the sake of time, but I would encourage you to read the whole chapter.
In Matthew 23:13, Jesus begins His direct address to the scribes and Pharisees by saying,
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
Imagine being a scribe or Pharisee during this time, and Jesus is confronting their authority and education, telling people that because of them—who should know better—people are not entering the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is saying that these educated men, through their myriad of “things to do” to become saved, or “religious enough,” or to reach a respected place of understanding, are placing too many burdens in the way. It shouldn’t be as hard as the Pharisees and scribes are making it.
Look at Matthew23:15:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
Do you hear it? Jesus is saying that following the teachings of these extremely educated men—educated to be wise by their own measure—can lead someone toward destruction. What does that say about us today, especially when we begin to follow the teachings of this world, or when those teachings begin to seep into our churches?
Jesus continues with His woes in Matthew23:23:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
Jesus is pointing out how the hypocrites are faithful in tithing things that benefit them and are visible to those closest to the temple, but they ignore the corruption in the temple itself, the unfaithful teaching, and the bad leadership.
In Matthew23:25 Jesus says,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.
He is pointing to how they make the outside look clean and righteous to those looking in, while inwardly there is corruption—like a cup that looks clean but is not fit to drink from.
Matthew 23:27 continues:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.
Matthew 23:28, I think, sums it up:
“So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Imagine now you are the Pharisees and scribes, and here you are thinking the whole Jesus thing was behind you, but Peter and John show up and they are preaching the same “woe to you’s.” There is no question of who they are, but one thing is amazing—the Pharisees and scribes are dumbfounded. The most educated men in all of Jerusalem are gathered together, and not one of them has a response.
Acts 4:13 actually points out something interesting to me. It says that these highly educated men
...observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
Normally, a highly pretentious educated man or woman would relish an intellectual debate with someone who could be easily described as uneducated and untrained. But here we see Peter and John’s accreditation still on full display. In Acts4:14, the Bible says,
And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.
To be able to even speak, they actually ordered Peter and John to leave the council. But even then, they were confused about what to do with Peter and John, and they had to recognize their accreditation. They said, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.”
Here we see that these highly educated men are making the same mistake many people make when they get an idea in their head and refuse to listen to all the applicable facts. They acknowledge that a “noteworthy miracle has taken place through Peter and John,” however this is a categorical mistake. Peter and John repeatedly proclaim that the miracle is done through “Jesus Christ the Nazarene.” Peter first commands the beggar to walk in Acts 3:6, then proclaims it to the masses in Acts 3:16, and finally declares it before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:10.
But despite the clear proclamation that this miracle was performed through and by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, these educated men refuse to recognize the legitimacy of Jesus—even in the face of the miracle itself. Even after being pointed back to the Scriptures by these uneducated and untrained men, the most educated men in Jerusalem summon Peter and John back and say to them in verses 17–18 that they commanded them (Peter and John) not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
You know how these uneducated and untrained men responded to the most educated men in Jerusalem? We find their response in Acts4:19 where they say:
“Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;
Their response continues into Acts4:20:
for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
At this, the most educated men—and by all accounts powerful men in Jerusalem—could only respond as described in Acts 4:21:
When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened;
Did you catch that? The only reason Peter and John were not punished, as the most educated men in Jerusalem likely wanted to do, was because of the people. The people had seen a miracle performed, as described in verse 22—on a man who was more than forty years old.
This story is always amazing to me. It shows us several important things. It shows us how to identify someone who is legitimately a follower of Jesus and not a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It shows us that a true follower of Jesus will exalt Christ in both action and word. Their works will point people toward God the Father, and their teaching will continually direct people back to the Scriptures.
Here is something you and I need to take away from this passage: everything that is said or preached by someone claiming to proclaim the Scriptures should be able to be tested by even the “uneducated and untrained” reading of the Bible. This is made abundantly clear in these passages. “Uneducated and untrained” does not mean incapable of understanding truth; rather, it means that ordinary people should be able to open the Scriptures for themselves, examine what is being taught, and seek to find whether those things are truly there.
If what you hear consistently brings confusion to the Scriptures themselves rather than clarity, caution should be taken. God is not the author of confusion, and Scripture does not contradict itself. There is one revealed Word of God, and no new revelation that overturns or rewrites what God has already spoken. True teaching will withstand examination and will continually point people back to Jesus Christ as revealed through the Scriptures.
Do not hear me say that education is not good. Rather, education is a good thing. But one thing we have to be wary of, as I think the Bible points out, is that education that goes unchecked by the Bible itself—and brings confusion to the Bible rather than understanding—is often brought intentionally or unintentionally by the hand of Satan himself, he loves a divided house, and what better to divide the body of Christ but confuse the education of Christians from the top down.
Jesus, for this reason, says in Matthew 16:11,
"...Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
And the disciples, after some reasoning, understood Jesus as saying in Matthew16:12 to beware of the
...teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
In Romans 1:22 Paul warns that those who fall away from Christ “profess to be wise in their own estimation, but become fools.”
Even one of the wisest men in the world after Jesus, of course, says in Ecclesiastes 12:12,
But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 continues:
The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.
In Acts 3–4, Peter and John show us that faithfulness to the Scriptures, and above all else, faithfulness to Jesus Christ, is far more important than all the education and training in the world when it comes to true obedience to God. Education can be a gift, and training can be valuable, but neither can replace humble submission to Christ, dependence upon the Holy Spirit, and a willingness to stand firmly upon the truth of Scripture.
The religious leaders in Acts 4 possessed influence, status, and education, yet they could not stand against the clear evidence of God working through ordinary men who had been faithful to Jesus. Peter and John were not accredited by worldly systems, but by Christ-exalting works, Scripture-rooted preaching, and courageous obedience under pressure.
And if that reality bothers us, then perhaps we should ask ourselves: how would we have felt standing in that council chamber on that day described in Acts 4? Would we have stood with the educated men protecting their authority, or with the uneducated and untrained men who simply refused to stop speaking about what they had seen?
With all of that being said, it is my prayer that we would be people who—whether educated or uneducated, trained or untrained—are known above all else as men and women who have been with Jesus as Peter and John were described in Acts 4:13.
Lets Pray
