Acts 4:23-31

Introduction

The last two days have been quite a journey for Peter and John.

They went to the Temple to pray

Instead of making it to the temple to pray, they healed a man

The healing of the man created the platform for preaching.

The preaching done on temple grounds led thousands to be converted to Jesus.

The preaching did not build them up but destroyed what confidence they had in themselves and their system.

It is not until you see a desperate need for Jesus as a result of your sinful condition that the Gospel makes any sense.

After about three hours of preaching and teaching the Temple guards, along with the Sadduccees and Priests arrested Peter and John.

The next day Peter and John stood before Israel’s version of the supreme court and preached the Gospel and preached the Gospel - Acts 4:10-12 “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

The conclusion of the proceeding was they could not preach in the name of Jesus anymore

A W Tozar wrote: To be right with God often meant to be in trouble with man.

Peter’s response - Acts 4:19-20 “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

The Sermon this morning focuses on what happened after they were released.

They went to their own company - Acts 4:23

Their own company was the church at Jerusalem - Ivor Powell - It is thrilling to recognize that, even in the earliest days of the history of the church, the desirability of church fellowship was uppermost in the mind of every Christian. Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Why would this be their first stop?

They shared the same passion.

“one accord” appears in Acts 1 and 2, and will appear in this sermon.

Church business

Evangelism

Discipleship

They were committed to this family of believers - Acts 2:42 “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

Apostles doctrine

Fellowship

Breaking of bread

praying

Accountable relationship that existed within the church family.

Chief priests - official and unofficial.

Reported - their reporting was honest.

Corporate praying - Acts 4:24-30

Their initial response to the threatening news was to pray.

The effect of the persecution was to bind the members of the church together so that there was a common desire to pray.

They lifted up

Speaks of their attitude in their relationship with God.

Superiority of God.

They are asking of God for something that they cannot achieve on their own.

One accord - Sharing the same passion.

Coming together - The more we come together, the more likely that we will share the same passion.

The sharing of the same passion was their understanding of God and their request.

Their understanding of God

Who He is

The Lord - Despot

Two words for the Lord int he NT

The more prominent word is the Greek Old Testament is the word translated for Jehovah.

Despot - A master over slaves - Possess undisputed ownership and absolute, unrestricted authority whose power was beyond challenge.

Despotes - The Sanhedrin might utter warnings, threats and prohibitions, and try to silence the church, but their authority was subject to a higher authority still, and the edits of men cannot overturn the decrees of God.

God - All-powerful

Roman and Greek culture there would have been many gods. But their God is the only God.

Even the Jews, thou art the God that the Jews have rejected.

What He’s done

His plan - Their prayer was saturated with scripture. They viewed God’s word as talking to them.

He created everything

His creation sinned - by the mouth of thy servant

Psalms 2:1-3 “Why do the heathen rage, And the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, And cast away their cords from us.”

The heathen rage

People imagine a vain thing

The kings and ruler take counsel together against the Lord

How did this passage speak to them?

Herod and Pontius Pilate - The rulers

Gentiles - Heathen

Israelites - The people

They did not view the opposition or rejection to the Gospel message as personal attacks but attacks on God.

All this happened within the plan of God. The reason God foresaw this happening was it was part of His plan! Men can and do scheme against God but their scheming is bringing about God’s plan and glory.

God is the supreme historian who wrote all of history before it began. Having done their worst, they merely succeeded in fulfilling God’s eternal plan.

There are many dispensationalist - possibly hyper- that insist that Jesus death was not a forgone conclusion. awful.

They believed they were within the plan of God.

Within this prayer they highlighted God’s omnipotence and omniscience - They highlighted the God of creation, revelation and history.

This is how the early church viewed God.

The verbs

Hast made

Hast spoken

Hast determined

Request - Acts 4:29-30 “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.”

And now - sense of urgency but not fear

They did not request a stop of threats but boldness and courage to continue

Their request would lead to more opposition not less

They prayed for signs and wonders - This was a request of mercy, unlike James and John wanting fire to come down from Heaven.

The phraseology suggests they believed the Lord was present in their praying

God Answered their prayer - Acts 4:31

Acts 4:31 KJV 1900

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Early on , I had mention how that the Book of Acts is less doctrinal and more historical. Therefore, some of the events that happened in the Book of Acts may not be normative. The way to determine what is or is not normative is a two step process.

It has to be normative in Acts

It has to be normative in the epistles.

With verse 31 what is not normative is the place being shaken where they were.

Chrysostom said when the room was shaken, they became less shaken.

What are normatives

God answering their prayer

The company of believers being filled with the Holy Ghost

Speaking the word of God with boldness.

Conclusion

How did the church at Jerusalem handle their first adversity?

Gathering together

sharing the same passion in praying

praying for boldness

They have witnessed God saving 5000 men, not counting women.

Being empowered by God to speak with boldness.