Acts 4:1-31 Gospel Witnesses in a Hostile World
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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.
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.”
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. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 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.
Introduction
Introduction
We have heard about the call to witness
the need to witness,
the urgency to witness
yet still many won’t
why?
2 main reasons:
Fear of persecution
desiring to be people pleasers
The Hostile Opposition
The Hostile Opposition
v1-2
“And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
continuing from last chapter
The authorities of the day: priests, captain of the temple guard, Sadducees
Priests = activities of the temple
Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection
Captains = maintain order in the temple
Sadducees = ruling class, enjoyed freedom to rule Israel under Roman Law
eager to maintain healthy relationships with Roman authorities.
v2
they were “greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Wanted to stop their teaching the resurrection for 2 reasons - a theological one and a political one:
Theologically: they didn’t believe in the resurrection and taught that there was no life after death
all this talk about Jesus being raised from the dead undermines their teaching
Politically: they were afraid of the threat these Christians posed to their sensitive relations with Rome
The Christians were calling someone other than Caesar, Lord and king.
The Jewish leaders were willing to compromise and call Caesar king
They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”
They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”
They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”
But the Christians were being bold in declaring someone other than Caesar Lord and King - and worse, it was Jesus who they had crucified just a few weeks earlier
(disagreed, threatened relations with Rome) - verse 2 “greatly annoyed”
That is why verse 2 says they were “greatly annoyed”
And it was made even more threatening by the fact that thousands of people were now joining them in proclaiming Jesus daily in the temple
This was bad for the religious rulers of Israel, because it threatened their own freedom under Rome
That is why verse 2 says they were “greatly annoyed”
v3
Impose silence by imprisonment. First of many occasions they will be arrested
The cakes issue
Silencing Christianity in the schools
v4
In spite of the hostility of the rulers, and the suffering of the apostles, the Lord continues to build his church
5000 men (excluding women and children)
An astonishing growth of the church in a short period of time, in a culture hostile to the gospel
miraculous
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
v5
The Sanhedrin gather
v6
Annas & Caiaphas - , involved in the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus
v7
set them in their midst
71 men in a semi circle. High priest in the centre, 35 to left and right. Apostles in the middle
By what power or name did you do this?
Irony: the religious leaders of the people have no idea what God is doing
accusatory: by what power did YOU do thus - belittling
THIS -
Total disregard for what God has done - only concerned with their personal well being
This is the attitude of the unbelieving world today
It is aggressive and intimidating
Agree with us, or we will silence you
The unbelieving world is not for the most part neutral or unmoved by the gospel message - it is greatly annoyed by it
Because it threatens their status quo
It threatens their freedom to rule themselves and to do as they please
They like the
The Courageous Witnesses
The Courageous Witnesses
v8
Verse 5-7 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Imagine the stress, threat, pressure, fear
This is an aggressive confrontation, designed to intimidate
But Peter “filled with the Holy Spirit”, answers with courage and confidence
“Rulers of the people and elders” - he maintains his composure and replies with due respect of their position of authority
You see, the message we have about Jesus is offensive to an unbelieving world, but that doesn’t give us the right to be offensive in our behaviour
It should never be our behaviour or treatment of people that causes the offense
v9
“If we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man....” - lets call THIS what it is
So what are we on trial for? For the healing of this man? Is that a crime?
v10
His answer is both courageous and wise.
What we are seeing is the precise fulfillment of what Jesus told them would happen in
“And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
English Standard Version Chapter 12
And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Now we are seeing the fulfillment of that.
for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Having been brought before the rulers and authorities, they are filled with the Holy Spirit, and their response to the rulers silences them.
You want to know who did this?
“Let it be known to all of you… Jesus… whom YOU crucified, whom God raised from the dead - by him this man is standing before you well”
Jesus - whom YOU crucified - did this (using the same tone they did but turning the tables)
The apostles preaching doesn’t have the WE feature of modern style of non-confrontational preaching. YOU did this
Preaching is the proclaiming of God’s Word. The preacher speaks as a prophet of God. He declares “This says the Lord”
When the preacher proclaims the Word of God, you are to respond as responding to God’s command
The apostles don’t coddle the rulers or try to win their favour by pragmatic or diplomatic means
They confront them courageously
This same Jesus that YOU crucified, God raised from the dead and glorified.
v11
This Jesus is the stone that YOU rejected, but He has become the cornerstone
You discarded him like an unwanted building block, but the Architect has chosen Him as the cornerstone - the centerpiece, the one the whole building is based upon
Peter is again using the Scriptures to confront the rulers and convict them of the truth
He is quoting from “Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
v12
v12
There is salvation in no one else, no other name
This is not just controversial - it is offensive to an unbelieving world
Offensive to the Sanhedrin - they see themselves, the temple, the sacrifices, their authority, their power as the “cornerstone”
They see it as nobody can get to God other than through them
And the people believed that too, which is why they held so much power
The same today - still offensive
Muslims, Buddhists, the atheist who believes he is good enough
If we changed our message by one small word, and changed a 3 letter word to a 1 letter word, we would remove the offense
If we would just change it to saying that Jesus is a way instead of the way, the world would embrace us
Yet without this declaration of JESUS ALONE, you don’t have Christianity
Without declaring “There is no other name...” you have not proclaimed the gospel
You cannot proclaim the gospel in this hostile world without offending or inviting hostility
We cannot be friends with the world and remain faithful to the gospel at the same time
There is massive pressure being put on the church - both from outside AND inside, to be more compromising with the world
To water down our message to make it more palatable so that the unbelievers will like us and be pleased with us
To remove any potential offence from our message
To make our message completely non-threatening
To make our message more worldly positive and worldly appealing - so let’s give them a gospel that says God wants you to just be happy, and wealthy and healthy
To remove any talk at all about sin, or hell
To avoid any talk of repentance whatsoever - people don’t like to hear that they are wrong and need forgiveneness
To avoid any convicting talk about specific sins, like homosexuality and other sexual sin, abortion, gambling,
men neglecting their responsibilities to their wives and children, women disrespecting their husbands
Confronting gossiping among church members, spiritual apathy, lack of spiritual discipline,
No no no, confronting these things are offensive and will not please the people.
We must win them over by showing them that we are just like them
So we must dress like them, talk like them
Play whatever music they like, do whatever they like to do
We want them to like us!
Its funny - I had a dream about this on Friday night...
We must be prepared to stand up for the gospel we believe - if we truly believe it, we will
We must be prepared to pay the cost
“Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”
Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
Being a follower of Christ is costly
Has it cost you?
What has it cost you?
Have you asked yourself, if it has not cost you much, then why is that?
And yet, we don’t face the hostility on our own.
v13
“When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, perceiving that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished.
The arrest, the whole court system and the way they sat in a circle and placed them in the center for questioning, and the way they questioned, was all designed to intimidate
The way things are today, it is still intimidating to hold to a Christian worldview
It is intimidating to stand firm against abortion, and same-sex marriage.
Because we can know for certain that the world is going to call us biggots and intolerant
Most professing Christians won’t share the gospel because they are afraid of this kind of thing
They have a fear of persecution
They want to be as inoffensive as possible so that they can avoid trouble - they are not prepared to pay any cost
They want to be people pleasers, and fear disappointing man more than they fear disappointing their heavenly Father
They have no courage, no boldness
And yet what is it that astonishes the Sanhedrin?
It was “when they saw their boldness...”
This is a mark of the indwelling Holy Spirit - and every born again believer can be assured that he has it
The Holy Spirit gives to us boldness to be Jesus’ witnesses
Boldness, and wisdom
The Sanhedrin were astonished that the apostles were not only bold, but that although they were uneducated - that is, theologically...
yet… they were able to interpret the OT Scriptures in this amazing way
This is the power of the Holy Spirit in them, giving them both boldness to proclaim the gospel to a hostile world, and the words to say when met with opposition
That is why they can answer the Sanhedrin like they do in verse 19
The Sanhedrin couldn’t say anything
They even huddled together and discussed what they could do, because the teaching of the apostles is backed up by the man who is clearly standing there healed
What’s more - the people are praising God because of it.
If they arrest the apostles now, the people will turn against them
THE IRONY - The Sanhedrin intimidate the apostles but they refuse to be people pleasers more than God pleasers
Now, the Sanhedrin themselves have become the people pleasers
The common, uneducated, intimidated, poor apostles stand courageously before men and stand firm in their faith
But the powerful, authority wielding Sanhedrin now cowers in desperation to please man rather than please God
They have no courage. They only do what will save their skin, and their precious social standing.
This is what all Christians are intimidated into being today
But the Holy Spirit empowers us to be like the courageous apostles, who when the Sanhedrin tell them to go but to stop teaching in the name of Jesus, respond:
v 19
“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Confident Church
The Confident Church
v23
Since the Sanhedrin couldn’t charge them with anything, they let them go with a warning
and the apostles return to their own people.
Now we get a look into the attitude of the Church in the center of the hostility that was around them
verse 23 “When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God...”
The first thing the church does when they are confronted with hostility, is pray
They let the Lord fight their battles for them.
This is a lesson for us that when we are faced with hostility because of the message we are proclaiming, the appropriate response is not like for like retaliation
Even the apostle Peter, when confronted so disrespectfully by the high priest, responded with the due respect for his position
So when the church hears of how unfairly and aggressively the brothers were treated by the Sanhedrin, their first response is not a strongly-worded email, but prayer
They run to the Lord for help.
Let’s look at their prayer
They remind themselves of the Lord’s sovereignty
He is the sovereign Lord who made heaven and earth
Sovereign meaning that He alone is Lord
There is no higher authority and no power that can undo His plans or thwart His will
Everything that the Lord desires to do, He will do
“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”
Whereas to some, thinking of the Lord as sovereign and doing all that he pleases, is an offensive thought in the midst of persecution and suffering
The church here sees it as a comforting truth that gives them confidence in the midst of the hostility - because they have great confidence that the God who loves them is working all things together for good
It is in His control
Can there be a more comforting truth than that?
Once again, a common theme in Acts, they turn to the Scriptures
They quote from - ‘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’—
Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple!
Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
Ps
When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,
Acts
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’—
And then they continue in verse 27
“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.”
So why are they quoting , and why is this comforting?
Firstly, because it is a reminder that the hostility that is being shown against them - and therefore to the Lord - is in vain
continues to say in verse 4, “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.”
It is comforting for the church to know, in the middle of all the hostility, that although the world is against God and his church, their plots are in vain and the Lord is laughing in the heavens - He ultimately holds them and their plans in his hands
Secondly, they are quoting because of its immediate relevance to their situation.
Look at it again: verse 25-26 quote :
“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’—
And then they contextualize it to their situation in verse 27 and 28
“for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed (He is the Lord’s annointed)...
both Herod (he is a king)....
and Pontius Pilate (he is a ruler)....
, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, ....
and what are these kings and rulers and Gentiles and peoples all ultimately going to do?
They are going “to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.”
They recognize that they are surrounded by hostility, but they also recognize that God is sovereign over that hostility and that even the hostility is part of God’s wider ordained plan
And that gives them comfort and confidence to endure the hostility, knowing that God will ultimately do what is good
Isn’t that what we believe?
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
While we are bearing witness to Jesus in a world hostile to Jesus and to the exclusivity of the gospel, we can be certain that that hostility will be aimed at us.
How should we respond?
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.
In fear?
No - the Holy Spirit gives us boldness and courage to proclaim the pure, unwatered down gospel of Jesus as the only way of salvation to the very people who are hostile to Him
In
Acts 4:27
In hostile retaliation?
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’—
No - Peter addressed the hostile Sanhedrin with respect, and so should we also respond with humility and respect to those hostile to us
They were not offended by Peter and John, but by the message
Acts 4:
It is the gospel message of salvation through Jesus alone that causes the offense - not our behaviour
How should we respond?
We respond as the Holy Spirit guides us, using the wisdom and sword of the Scriptures, and in prayer, focusing on the sovereignty of the Lord.
Does that mean that we should pray for the hostility to stop?
Yes - and no.
Not in the way that we would want it to stop.
You see, most would pray that the hostility would stop so that you can be comfortable and not have to suffer for the sake of the gospel
That is a selfish prayer and a self-preserving prayer - a prayer that reveals a heart that still desires to be pleasing to men more than God
How did the church pray?
Verse 29-30 “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.”
The church didn’t simply pray “make it stop”
They prayed: “Sovereign Lord, look at their threats and hostility, and give us boldness to continue proclaiming the gospel in spite of it.”
And as we proclaim, Lord, stretch out your hand.
perform the miraculous: save sinners, build your church.
Verse 31: “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.”
God instantly answers their prayer.
They are filled with the Holy Spirit, which immediately gives them the courage and boldness to continue proclaiming the gospel and being a witness for Jesus
Is that how you are praying?
Are you praying for boldness to be Jesus’ witness?
The unbelieving world would love nothing better than to silence us.
They are just like the Sanhedrin, who tried to impose silence on the apostles.
But Jesus’ witnesses cannot be silenced and the spread of the gospel cannot be stopped.
They tried to silence Peter and John, but by verse 31, God is laughing in the heavens, the place where the church is shaken, and the whole church is filled with the Holy Spirit and boldness to proclaim Jesus.
We have confidence that in spite of the world’s best efforts to silence us or halt the spread of the gospel, they will never succeed, because the Lord is sovereign and he does all that he pleases.
And may the Lord
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.
Acts
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.
Acts 4:29