The Trials of Testifying
Notes
Transcript
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.
We are continuing our study of the book of Acts. Chapter one shared how Jesus instructed his followers to go and wait for the Holy Spirit to baptize them and empower them to share the gospel and make disciples throughout the earth.
Chapter two gave us the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit showed up in a mighty way, transforming this group of blue collar workers into a powerful team of ministers who led 3000 souls to Christ in one sermon.
Last week, we read chapter three, where Peter and John healed a paralytic. That act was a catalyst for another 2000 souls coming to Christ. In the process, however, Peter and John were arrested by the priests and religious leaders for teaching about Jesus.
On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,
with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.
And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,
if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,
let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
The religious leaders want to know how these guys did a miracle. Why? Well, not to rejoice in how God helped a paralytic walk. They want to know if these men will challenge their authority as God’s voice to the people. It’s the exact same situation as when Jesus was on earth. They just witnessed God moving, and instead all they see is a threat to their way of doing things.
When we come face-to-face with the gospel, one of two things will happen. Hopefully, we recognize the truth of our sinfulness and repent, but many times we stay willfully blind. I have encountered people who knew God’s word is true, that they were living in sin, but refused to repent because they loved the world too much. Even after we come to Christ, each of us is still plagued by blind spots, characteristics about ourselves that we just can’t see or are unwilling to acknowledge as sinful. God speaks to us, maybe through a person or a situation, and we get uncomfortable. Instead of responding to Godly conviction, we put up defenses. We even do like these religious leaders and attack the people God has sent to minister to us.
That’s just what these religious leaders are doing. Their questions are more than questions—they are loaded with accusation and threats.
Now, keep in mind that these are the same religious leaders who fought with Jesus. They are the ones who had him arrested and killed just about 2 months prior. Peter and John had witnessed Jesus’ interaction with these pharisees. They had asked Jesus the exact same questions. So they knew where this was leading.
But, just as they are the same pharisees who opposed Jesus, this is the same Peter who, only a few days ago, had boldly preached the gospel and led 3000 people to Christ. This is also the same Peter who had, only a few months prior, stood in the high priest’s courtyard and denied knowing Jesus. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Peter was determined never to deny Jesus again.
There are moments in our lives that define us. Peter’s denial in the high priest’s courtyard was a defining moment. When he heard the rooster crow and remembered how Jesus had prophesied his denial, Peter was overcome with grief. In his own way, he had betrayed Jesus just as much as Judas had. He was going to live with that forever. He watched Jesus die, knowing what he had done.
But even though there are moments that define us, HOW they define us is another matter. Because when Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, gets involved, the story can be rewritten. What used to be our weakness turns into our strength. Our trial becomes our testimony. However we have been defined in the past, Jesus redefines us. He is the only one who gets to tell us who we are.
Peter, who had once been so intimidated outside the high priest’s house, is not intimidated at in the presence of the high priest and his entourage. He makes it very clear in whose name and authority he and John healed the paralytic.
You wanna know by what name we healed this guy? It’s in the name of Jesus—the same Jesus you recently killed, but whom you also know rose again from the dead. Oh, and by the way, Jesus is the only way we can be saved from our sin.
How bold is that! Don’t you wish you could be that bold talking about Jesus with others? You can be. You just have to put your trust in Jesus and in the Holy Spirit. Jesus commissioned you to share. The Holy Spirit baptized and empowered you to share. You have everything you need to share the gospel!
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.
But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.
But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another,
saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.”
So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
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.”
And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.
For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
Those hard-hearted pharisees! They hear the gospel, and they see the sign of God’s work in the life of this 40-year-old man. And what is their response? Threaten Peter and John to not tell what God did here.
But what is Peter and John’s response? You decide whether it is better to obey men or obey God. God invited these men to be his witnesses, so they have no choice but to tell everyone what they have seen.
Just like Peter and John, we each have a purpose. We are called to share our story with others. We are also called to back up our our story with our testimony. God never promised us it is easy, but he did say that he would empower us to take the gospel around the world.
Peter boldly shares his message, but the religious leaders, who are stuck in preservation mode, cannot allow themselves to receive it. They try to bully and threaten Peter and John into staying silent, but it’s no use. Peter tells them that he has no choice but follow Christ and make disciples.
who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold
and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,
sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
John and Peter were eventually released and sent home with a warning not to preach the gospel. But they are not intimidated; they know that God has promised to be with them as they fulfill his word. They went back to the fellowship of other Christians. Those people began to praise God, and the whole building shook under the power of the Holy Spirit!
I want the presence of the Holy Spirit to shake this building, like he did for those in that house. Like what he did for Paul and Silas in prison. I don’t just want him to shake the building, I want him to shake us up, to bring new life into us. I want to be bold in my witness.
What happens next in our text? The church continues to grow!
We have a sacred duty to tell others about Jesus. The gospel is inconvenient, because it forces people to come face-to-face with their sin. If we are faithful to share the entire gospel message—warts and all—God promises he will bless us and that we will see our church grow.
But the choice is yours. God has promised to empower you to boldly share his message. He said he would lead you to those who are ready to hear. But we have to let him lead!
When God speaks, we need to listen! It could be a voice you hear urging you to go to the altar when you have never even asked Jesus into your life yet. He could be pointing out flaws in you that prevent you from reaching your potential.
When God speaks, LISTEN and OBEY. When he moves, even when you can’t see him, rejoice in his blessings. There is power in gratitude.
COMMUNION
COMMUNION
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
