Relentless: Persecution

Context

Peter and John were on their way to the temple for a traditional gathering where the religious elite would be discussing the OT.

The Lame beggar healed.

Acts 4:5–12 ESV

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.”

Acts 4:

Teaching Point 1

Our Message must be clear

what can we learn from this moment of persecution that the early disciples faced? It is very clear from Peter’s response what his source of power was. Peter did not seek to be politically correct. Instead, he steps up to the microphone and just says it with no fear of the consequences.

Salvation is not in religion, tradition, or even human performance, but instead is a gift bestowed upon us by a God that desires to be in relationship with us.

Ephesians 2 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

This is more than intellectual awareness of who Christ is. This if Faith. This is Belief.

Teaching Point 2

Our lives must be marked by the cross

acts

Acts 4:13–19 ESV

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,

Peter and John are being challenged not only because of their message, but also because the way in which they delivered it.

Being a Christ-follower is costly. Receiving salvation is relatively easy for us though it cost Christ immensely. However, living an authentic, relentless faith will cost you. To obediently follow Jesus with our lives will cause us to brush against the grain of society, thus causing friction. How you handle these moments of persecution reveals a lot of your view of God. If you think God is out to make you suffer, then you view God as a tyrant. I want to challenge you not to view difficulties, challenges, and persecution as God not loving you. Quite the opposite is true. God love you so much that He gave you Jesus. To be despised or rejected means that we’re carrying on the work of Jesus. Don’t think for a moment that Christianity is for the faint of heart.

Teaching Point 3

we must be motivated by conviction

Acts 4:20 ESV

for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”