Acts 4:1-22

V 1-4

Peter and John have been preaching about the power of Christ and how under his authority they wer able to heal this lame man

Peter in the rest of Acts 3 gives a sermon in which he shares the gospel of Christ and what it looks like

The Sanhedrin is convened and Peter and John are brought before them

These religious leaders when they had crucified jesus were convinced that they had dealt with the problem

Their religion was safe from whatever messianic figure this Jesus character had been after he was crucified

Yet here, 2 months later, with a following of 5000 peter and a man who was notably lame in the Jewish community being healed, they had a problem that was on their hands

They are arrested and put into custody in order to shake them up

Think about Peter and what happened last time this council was convened

He denies Jesus 3 times in the courtyard

V 5-12

This council had everyone in it. Make no mistake, they knew on some level the threat to their way of life that was at stake here

These men are the ones who killed their leader and they had all authority to do the exact same thing to them

“By what name do you do this?”

Give an opportunity to step back or to submit to the Jewish custom that the council would approve of

Peter.. Preaches the gospel

Peter looks them dead in the eyes and says “ Well if you want to know by who’s power and authority we do this by, it is the very same man you killed and crucified

Peter stands before the council that has the authority to condemn him to death and says “We heal by the power of Christ alone”

They don’t mince words either, Peter claims that if you want to go to heaven, then there is but one exclusive way by which you are able to do so

Jesus

John 14:6

When we look at the gospel we can see that there is but one exclusive way to heaven. It is not that all roads lead to the same destination, but rather that one road leads to heaven alone and that is through the blood of Christ

Peter, who denied the very same Jesus a few months ago, now stands before the same council with the same intent yet now he is able to with all authority claim Christ

V 13-22

Now the Council has a big problem on their hands

A man is healed

the men who healed them are not educated or trained men, but fishermen

They are claiming that Christ alone is what healed him

They confer and they realize their hands are tied. No wrong has been done, but there is this growing problem that they thought they had buried with Christ

Think about how hard their hearts had to have been

Seen Jesus die and rise again

Seen people be healed and the miracles that Jesus performed

Now his apostles are healing others and performing miracles through the power in the name of Christ

Yet their ambition was only out of self interest

Peter and John are told “don’t speak of Jesus”

Politely respond that with all due respect, that’s not really up to them

They will do what God says to as that is ultimately who they answer to

The council looks at the men, threatens them if they continue but lets them go because the crowd can see what the council cannot: there’s something to this Jesus guy

Application: Even if we have been blind to the joy of Christ and what it means to follow him, he can use us to do extraordinary things for his good