Acts 4:1-33 A Transforming Message: What it takes to impact your world

I. A transforming message: Resisted by religion

A. Trouble with a resurrected Jesus v 1-3

(ESV) Acts 4 1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed (disturbed) because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

1. Greatly disturbed

2. Religion allows human control

3. Means changing one’s ideas

4. Means admitting one is wrong about Jesus

5. Means living in light of eternity

6. He establishes the rules

B. Attempt to force to submit to religion v 5-7

(ESV) Acts 4 5 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?”

1. An attempt to intimidate

2. All the leaders gathered

3. Put them in the midst

C. Reject in the face of certainty v 15-18

(ESV) Acts 4 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 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.

1. Never really an honest rejection – bias against – would mean they were wrong

17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn (severely threaten) them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

2. But tried to stop them – a mark of conviction

D. Unable to overcome the truth v 21-22

(ESV) Acts 4 21 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. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

1. Threatening them didn’t stop the truth

2. Later whipping them didn’t stop the truth

3. Killing them didn’t stop the truth

II. A transforming message: Produces real change

A. Transforming the broken v 8-10, 14

(ESV) Acts 4 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,

1. Note: Peter filled with the spirit – witnessed boldly

2. Stood before them for doing good – not protesting or doing wrong

10 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. … But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

3. A life was changed.

4. No answer when Christ changes lives

B. Giving bold confidence to believers v 13

(ESV) Acts 4 13 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.

1. Spirit filled witnessing is beyond one’s ability / background / education ---- They are like Jesus in that God was at work

C. Providing the only means of salvation v 11-12

(ESV) Acts 4 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 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.”

1. There is no other hope / no other way / salvation only in Him / the reason to witness

III. A transforming message: Impacts all that are involved

A. Some were compelled to speak v 19-20

(ESV) Acts 4 19 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, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

1. In spite of what others think

2. Must declare one’s personal experience with God

3. This is really truth / this really is the solution

B. As a result God was glorified by all v 23-26

(ESV) Acts 4 23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 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

1. Pointed to the Lord alone

25 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? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

2. The world rages in futility – no answers – He will win regardless of how the rage against Him

3. Marvelous to experience this in our lives

C. Others were then encouraged to speak v 29-33

(ESV) Acts 4 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

(ESV) Acts 4 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.

1. Their witness encouraged others to witness

2. Their prayer was not to avoid opposition but to keep faithfully witnessing in spite of it

3. To trust in God to witness / His power / His boldness

(ESV) Acts 4 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

4. Through the power of the resurrected / living Jesus to speak boldly

5. And grace was on them – a gift from God / undeserved

D. Many were saved when they spoke v 4

(ESV) Acts 4 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

1. People were saved