A Picture of a DOER
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Acts 4
11-14-2021
A Picture of a DOER
Ok so we have finished the giving series and we all survived
I pray you learned something because I sure did
As I began to think about this sermon, I was lost
Next week Mike and Tisha will share about Colombia and then in a few weeks we have the Children’s Christmas Program and before you know it we are at Christmas Eve Service and then we are in to 2022
So I began to think and pray and God said Acts 4
I love Acts 4 because we get to see something very special
What it looks like to be obedient in sharing your faith
Acts 4:13-22
13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. 15 But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 “But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.” 18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; 22 for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
This is where we will camp out this morning
Most of you have probably read this so you are familiar with it
I absolutely love it because this is the same Peter some few months earlier had denied Jesus in public and in public wanted nothing to do with Him
And now Peter has just publicly preached and saw people come to know Christ personally in salvation
So lets begin this morning
13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.
As people observed Peter and John speak and carry themselves, and their actions
They observed that something was different
The educated people of that time were the religious people, they were the priest, and scribes, and Pharisees
They saw that they Peter and John spoke with confidence about God and healing
With having no training or education
Church they observed that these men were different and determined that they were different because they had been with Jesus
They understood that they were different because of their relationship with Jesus
Because that is what happens
A relationship with Jesus changes you
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Because of a relationship with Jesus you should be different so says the Truth of Gods word
So lets get down to it
Are you different
Do people recognize you as being different because of your relationship with Jesus
As you go about your daily lives do people recognize you as having spent time with Jesus
Peter and John sounded different, looked different, acted different and were different because they had spent time with Jesus and had a personal relationship with Jesus
The same should be said for those of us who have a personal relationship with Jesus
You should sound different, you should speak with confidence of what Jesus has done in your life to people, you should look different, you should act different
And people should recognize that
You should be different
Acts 4:14-17
14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. 15 But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 “But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.”
See the religious people of that time were concerned because Peter and John had produced fruit
They were concerned that this would spread and grow and produce other fruit
Fruit is designed to produce more fruit
Remember since Peter and John had spent time with Jesus they were fruit of Jesus
They were designed to produce more fruit, and then that fruit is designed to produce more fruit
That is why the Pharisees were concerned because this would change the world and take away their power
They were concerned that if this news got around it would change everything
John 15:8
8 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
Couldn’t have said it any better
Peter and John were producing fruit
You and I as disciples of Jesus Christ
As Children of the most high God should be producing fruit
Remember apple trees do not produce oranges
Christians can only produce Christians
So let me ask you are you producing fruit
What kind of fruit are you producing
Acts 4:17-18
17 “But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.” 18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Peter and John faced real persecution
I am not convinced that we have seen much if any persecution here in America
Peter and John faced prison, being beaten, ostracized and being outcast by their community
We Americans like to make ourselves feel better by thinking we have faced persecution
What if any we have faced is nothing compared to facing death because you say you believe in Christ
These men were so convicted because they had experienced God that they let it direct their entire life
There relationship with Jesus changed their entire lives so much so that they were willing to do whatever it took to share the Good News that Jesus saves
They were willing to face prison time, beating, being an outcast in their community or even death over their relationship with Jesus
So when you start to think of persecution please do not get your relationship with Jesus confused with your earthly citizenship laws and rights confused
They faced persecution because of their relationship with Jesus, because of their heavenly citizenship
Luke 9:23
23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
If you want to follow Jesus you and I need to die to ourselves
Our own desires, and dreams, and wants, and passions will need to die so that we can run after Jesus
This is what it is to run after Jesus
They were willing to face all the persecution to follow after Jesus
You and I are to die to ourselves if we want to run after Jesus
So what needs to die in your life so that you can run after Jesus
Acts 4:18-22
18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; 22 for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
Because they had spent time with Jesus and a personal relationship with Jesus people understood and knew they were different
They produced fruit, they made disciples
They were willing to face persecution to share the Gospel of Jesus
In facing persecution this was their response
They were willing to die to themselves so they could run after Jesus
They had been so changed because of Jesus they could not stop talking about what Jesus had done
They had experienced Jesus in such a way they could not stop talking about what they had experienced
They were released
And notice what they did
They went away glorifying God
They went out continuing to share the Gospel with the lost world
They continued to do what had got them in front of the high priest
They stood firm in their faith
Peter and John continue to stand firm in their faith
1 Corinthians 15:58
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
Let me encourage you children of God to remain faithful
To stand firm in your faith
To seek the Lord
To die to yourself each and every morning
This is what we are supposed to be doing
Not to waiver in your faith
Some questions to ask yourself....
Am I different because I spent time with Jesus?
Do other people recognize that?
Am I producing fruit?
What kind of fruit am I producing?
Am I sharing my faith with others?
What in my own life needs to die so I can follow after Christ?
Be encouraged because you are walking with Jesus!!!
We will move into a time of invitation
As the band comes up
I would invite you to the front this morning if you do not know Jesus personally
You can talk with someone and they can show you through scripture the way to know Jesus personally is to repent of your sin and trust in him
Or maybe because of the sermon this morning you need to do business with Jesus
The altar is open