The Overlooked Promise (Acts 4:1-32)

Where: College Baptist Church

When: May 27, 2001

Why: To show that though persecution is inevitable when one leads a godly life, the Holy Spirit provides the resources to spiritually flourish under persecution and bring glory to the name of Christ.

Text: Acts 4:1-32

Introduction

The experience of the church in Acts 2 was explosive and expulsive. The joy, the fellowship, the sharing, the love, the worship, the prayer were realities of the Spirit-filled church that catapulted them into the needy world. Acts 2 yields to Acts 3 as the church is propelled into the public eye when the lame man is healed at great Beautiful Gate in the temple courts. And the power and the healing of Acts 3 gives way to the reality of Acts 4-the first persecution of the Spirit-filled church.

It was inevitable actually. In fact, I believe that it is an overlooked promise that the Spirit-filled church must be prepared to embrace. We have just heard read that Jesus said persecution in His name was a blessing (Matthew 5:11, 12). We heard His promise that if they persecuted him, they would persecute us also. "No servant is greater than his master" (John 15:20). We heard Paul remind his "true son in the faith" (1 Timothy 1:2) that "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12). We heard James affirm that trials are to be joyfully embraced as God's provision for growth opportunity (James 1:2-4).

As we continue to study Acts, we see that God marvelously used persecution as the means to launch His church into the farthest reaches of the known world. The power that the church experienced in and through tribulation fueled the purposes of God in sending His Spirit-we would be His witnesses to the ends of the earth, to the end of the age.

Transition

This morning as we walk with the first Spirit-filled church through this fulfilled promise, we will see that though persecution is inevitable when one leads a godly life, the Holy Spirit provides the resources to spiritually flourish under persecution and bring glory to the name of Christ.

Let's discover this truth as we consider four movements in this narrative: (1) the arrest, (2) Peter's defense, (3) the court's decision, and (4) the church's prayer.

The arrest 4:1-7

Peter and John are in Solomon's Colonnade, the long, pillared porch area with columns that ran the length of the east side of the temple area. This was the area in which the church was in the habit of gathering.

The lame man had been healed. A great commotion of dancing, jumping and praise had caused hundreds of people to come running. Peter was again preaching with great authority under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

4:1-2. The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. ² They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

The commotion got the attention of the rulers of the temple area. The Romans gave the Jews considerable freedom allowing them full jurisdiction over the temple area. The only authority they did not have was to pass the death sentence except in the case of a Gentile entering the Court of Women, the beginning of the inner area of the temple.

The priests who arrived were the Levites who were doing their annual priestly service in the temple. The captain of the temple guard was the chief of police for the temple. He was second in authority only to the high priest. The Sadducees also arrived. They were the predominant ruling group in the Sanhedrin, the supreme court of the Judaism. It was the very same Sanhedrin who had condemned Jesus to death.

The Sadduccees "were the materialistic rationalists of their day-denying the supernatural, denying evil spirits, denying angels (see Acts 23:8). Above all, they denied the Resurrection (see Mark 12:18), which the apostles boldly preached. To the Sadducees, the Messiah was simply an ideal and the messianic age a process." [ Hughes, R. Kent, Preaching the Word: Acts-The Church Afire, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books) 1998, c1996.]

In addition to their theological misgivings about the supernatural and the resurrection, they had strong political motivations for keeping the church under control. They were the social and economic elite of Jerusalem. And they were collaborators. As long as they kept things quiet in Jerusalem, the Romans let them remain in their positions of power. The disturbances that the Spirit-filled Christians were causing had very much the appearance of political uprisings that had been know to pop up every now and then. This was one concern that they had with Jesus as well. All that kingdom talk really made some people nervous. Don't rock the boat. Don't change the status quo. We like it this way.

So these religious, social, and economic elite were disturbed that these country bumpkins were teaching the people-lots of people-and that, oh yes, they were teaching about the resurrection. And not just about the resurrection, but about the very resurrection of one perceived trouble-maker and insurrectionist of whom they had only recently disposed.

Peter and John (and possibly the "evidence"-since he is mentioned as being there in 4:14) were arrested and put in jail since it was to late in the day to convene the Council of the Sanhedrin. It must have been a tense moment. The number of believing men was now 5,000 (4:4) and we know that the Spirit-filled believers were popular with the people (2:47). There must have been heckling as they were taken away, perhaps even adding to the misplaced concerns of the authorities.

The next morning the full Sanhedrin was present. The Sanhedrin was made up of 71 members, mostly priests who were Sadduccess. Also "there were scribes, who were the experts in the traditional law. There were Pharisees, who were fanatics for the law. There were elders, who were respected men in the community." [ Barclay, William, Daily Study Bible Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Revised Edition), (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press) 2000, c1976.] Specifically mentioned, are the former high priest Annas, the present high priest Caiaphas, a John and Alexander (whom we know nothing of except that when Luke wrote this account for Theophilus they must have been known), and various other members of the high priests family. For the most part, this was a group wanting to maintain the status quo in order to assure their power would not be threatened in any way.

The Sanhedrin were arranged in their formal concentric layered circles. Peter and John are brought in and the trial begins. It is important to note that the Spirit-filled church was asked essentially the same question that Jesus had been asked by the chief priest and elders after He had cleansed the temple declaring that His house was to be a "house of prayer" (Matthew 21:13, 23)-"By what authority do you do these things?" That is one of the most important questions anyone will ever answer. Though we probably aren't aware of it, it is the question upon which we base all our actions every day of our lives.

Hughes: "Do you get the picture? Peter, John, and the healed beggar in their coveralls; the Sadducee-dominated Sanhedrin assembled for judgment. 'By what power or what name did you do this?' The question was a subtle, deadly trap, because if the apostles' accusers could get them to attribute the healing to any power other than Jehovah, even though it was a bona fide miracle they could sentence them to death (see Deuteronomy 13:1–5)." [ Hughes, R. Kent, Preaching the Word: Acts-The Church Afire, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books) 1998, c1996.]

Peter's defense 4:8-12

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! ⁹ If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, ¹⁰ then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. ¹¹ He is 'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' ¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Luke reminds us that Peter is speaking under the fullness of the Holy Spirit. We must keep in my mind the role of the Holy Spirit during this time of persecution. The Spirit of Christ makes all the difference.

Was it an act of kindness for which they were being judged? No. It was authority.

And Peter goes right to the heart of all the issues at hand. The authority is that of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. You crucified Him. But He is alive. I'm sorry, your theology is selfishly misguided-the resurrection is relevant and life-changing. And there is absolutely no other way to be saved except through Him.

The court's decision 4:13-22

¹³ When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. ¹⁵ So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. ¹⁶ "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name." ¹⁸ Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. ²⁰ For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

What was the reaction of the Sanhedrin? Were they upset over the in-your-face pronouncements of guilt that Peter had made on them? They may have been, but all the text tells us is they were astonished at the authority with which Peter spoke.

Why is this? Where did the authority, the boldness, the power come from? The Holy Spirit! And since they also had Exhibit A-the healed beggar-standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. They had the three withdraw so they could confer in private.

At this point, the best they felt they could do was give them a slap on the wrist and warn them not to talk about Jesus anymore. They may have thought since they were country boys from Galilee they would be impressed and overwhelmed by the vestiges of authority of the high court. They may have thought that the young church would have reasoned that God had put these leaders in place so they should be obeyed. They may have thought these things, but they were blind to the fact that there was a higher authority to which these fishermen appealed. They didn't realize that in their rejecting Christ they had lost the authority they once had.

Now tell me: is it right to obey man or to obey God? Judge for yourselves. In the heat of persecution, ridicule, criticism . . . is it right to obey our impulses to protect ourselves, our reputations, the feelings of those in opposition, or to obey God?

For Peter and John-Spirit-filled Christians-there was no question. They knew where there authority lie. "I'm sorry. We don't care who you think you are or what you think you can do to us. We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

The church's prayer 4:23-31

²³ On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. ²⁵ You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? ²⁶ The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' ²⁷ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. ²⁸ They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. ²⁹ Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." ³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

I'm certain that the church had been praying all night for Peter and John. They knew what had happened the last time the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court, had met regarding these things. There had been a crucifixion.

But there also had been a resurrection. And with the resurrection the authority of Jesus Christ was forever proclaimed. Jesus Himself had said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20).

Peter and John went back and reported to the brethren everything that had happened and the threats that had been made against them. What did the believers do? The prayed.

In the midst of persecution, what did the church pray about? Authority. They confessed sovereignty of God over all things. They confessed His authority as the Creator of all things. They confessed the authority of the Holy Spirit inspired Scriptures. They confessed God's sovereignty and authority over Herod and Pilate and all the things that had happened leading to the crucifixion and resurrection.

On the basis of this authority, what did they pray? Did they pray for protection for persecution? Did they pray that the Sanhedrin would change their minds and that there would be a government policy changes toward them? No. They were a part of a different Kingdom, living under a higher authority. "Lord, knowing that these things are true about your sovereignty and authority, give us boldness to proclaim your name. Give us power to perform more miracles. Let us live and act in the name of Jesus, to your glory!"

And the building shook. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit. And they spoke the word of God boldly.

Wrapping it up

The overlooked promise. Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). "No servant is greater than his master." If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also (John 15:20).

Though persecution is promised to the Spirit-filled church, under persecution we flourish. It is the authority. We live for no one else. We follow no other standard than that of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as we serve Him even in the midst of persecution, He works wonderfully, powerfully on our behalf. We flourish under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The authority of Christ and the Holy Spirit is key. We may tremble at the thought of difficulties. Our stomachs may get tight at the thought of moving against the current of culture. Our hands may perspire as we think of criticisms we may receive when we speak out for Christ. But our authority is the Lord Jesus Christ. His Kingdom and reign is a higher authority in our lives than any other.

Let me ask you today: By what authority? By what authority do you live? We live by the authority we obey.

Let us join the early church. Having heard of the trial, the threats, the persecution they prayed for "great boldness." They did not pray for deliverance. They prayed, Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. Let us proclaim the sovereignty of our Lord Jesus Christ over our lives and actions and all things.

And our lives will shake under the power of the Holy Spirit. And we will speak with boldness the word of God.

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