The only way
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
The first persecution
The first persecution
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.”
Sadducees were ‘modernists’, denied the supernatural, didn’t believe in the resurrection (that’s why they’re “Sad u See”!). Orientated towards ethics rather than the theology, despised the Pharisee’s. The most monied and powerful Jewish sect.
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.
And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,
Sadducees were ‘modernists’, denied the supernatural, didn’t believe in the resurrection (that’s why they’re “Sad u See”!). Orientated towards ethics rather than the theology, despised the Pharisee’s. The most monied and powerful Jewish sect.
Sadducees were ‘modernists’, denied the supernatural, didn’t believe in the resurrection (that’s why they’re “Sad u See”!). Orientated towards ethics rather than the theology, despised the Pharisee’s. The most monied and powerful Jewish sect.
Sadducees were ‘modernists’, denied the supernatural, didn’t believe in the resurrection (that’s why they’re “Sad u See”!), they hailed largely from the Jewish aristocracy and saw the economic and political benefit of peaceful co-existance with the Roman establishment. In contrast the Pharisees were dedicated the Mosaic Law and largely hailed from the Jewish middle classes. Though most Jews believed in resurrection, the Pharisees were very much in the minority in the Sanhedrin (the Jewish high court), mostly making up the scribes (lawyers) of the court. Whereas the Priests were mostly Sadducees and by this time the High Priest was always a Sadducee.
Sadducees were ‘modernists’, denied the supernatural, didn’t believe in the resurrection (that’s why they’re “Sad u See”!). Orientated towards ethics rather than the theology, despised the Pharisee’s. The most monied and powerful Jewish sect.
The Pharisee, were the first to line up against Jesus because of his teachings, however, the preaching of the resurrection angered them and was a threat to their beliefs
God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
The Pharisee, ritualists.
;
and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
The numbers were growing, from 120 in
In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,
to 3,000 in
So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
to 5,000 (probably only counting men too)! Considering Peter had healed the lame man at around 3PM (9th hour), and at this point was preaching at Solomon’s Portico/Colonnade, that’s a lot to add in a few hours! So they were thrown into jail to await the next morning, when the Sanhedrin would meet. This is the first recorded persecution of the new church!
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing
It’s easy to miss but Jesus also preached at the same location:
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
How does Jesus’ words relate to what we see happening with Peter & John?
Notice the parallels:
the talk of eternal life
the prophecy that the sheep will follow him (as we now see happening)
Jesus shows them good works and they attempt to stone him and arrest him - just like Peter & John and the lame man.
As we’ve seen before, following Jesus will lead to persecution.
The Hearing
The Hearing
Acts 4:5-
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?”
Annas was the first high priest, who questioned Jesus, Caiaphas was the current high priest, and Annas’ son-in-law. John was probably Jonathan, who succeeded Caiaphas as High Priest. These were the most powerful Jews in the world at that time.
Peter and John and the healed cripple (see ) were brought before them.
What do you notice about the first question?
They don’t query a miracle was done, they already accept that. Something powerful has happened and they need to understand why.
Of course Peter has already answered in
And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
But now he gets his chance to answer the Sanhedrin itself
The Defense
The Defense
First, it’s important to note that Jesus had already predicted this and left instructions:
But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.
Remember, Jesus has the answer!
Peter puts this in practice, he is filled with the Holy Spirit - the helper sent by Christ
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.
Peter does not mince his words here, just as he did in he accuses the Sanhedrin of killing Jesus (which of course they played a key role) and then shows them how their own scriptures predicted it using words that would be very familiar to the Sanhedrin members:
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.”
Notice they ascribe glory to Jesus
Who is in the dock with Peter and John?
Quite literally, the healed cripple is there (see also )
There is but one way. Peter does not mince his words here, just as he did in he accuses the Sanhedrin of killing Jesus (which of course they played a key role) and then shows them how their own scriptures predicted it using words that would be very familiar to the Sanhedrin members:
Jesus!
They go on:
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
There is but one way. Peter does not mince his words here, just as he did in he accuses the Sanhedrin of killing Jesus (which of course they played a key role) and then shows them how their own scriptures predicted it using words that would be very familiar to the Sanhedrin members:
Peter does not mince his words here, just as he did in he accuses the Sanhedrin of killing Jesus (which of course they played a key role) and then shows them how their own scriptures predicted it using words that would be very familiar to the Sanhedrin members:
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
I
therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
In doing so, he echoes Jesus’ own attribution:
But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
Luek 20:17
What does it mean that Jesus is a stumbling stone?
You can’t bypass Jesus, he can’t be ignored he is either accepted or rejected
One Way
Which leads to the most important proclamation:
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.”
What does this say about salvation?
There is but one way, choose Jesus.