I invite you to turn in your Bibles this morning to the book of Acts chapter 4, Acts chapter 4, as we continue our study in the book of Acts. Tonight we come back to Revelation and we are considering Revelation 18 and 19, tonight part of 19, but this morning we're in the book of Acts. And if you're looking for that, if you're a visitor, you'll find that on page 911. Or is that the right Bible? No, that's not the right Bible. You can find it. If you don't know, look to your neighbor next to you. They'll be glad to help you. Acts chapter 4, and I'm going to read this morning through the first 22 verses. This is the word of the Lord. And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about 5,000. 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 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 chief 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 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 can't 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 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard 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 for the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than 40 years old there is the reading of god's word this is one of those passages this morning that maybe we've read and really don't feel the the full thrust of it or really what's happening if we can set it in our um our own culture and own time it helps a little bit to understand what this would be like. I don't think anyone here this morning would disagree that in the course of your lives, things have been so good living here that we really haven't faced much opposition for the faith at all. Really. Really. We, of course, have heard about Christians for a long time. We've read the books. We've heard the stories. We know in many other countries that Christians are tortured and they're killed for their faith. We sort of recoil in horror at the thought of that. We wonder, of course, where it's all going for us. The times are a-changing. We know that. I wonder how soon it will be when preaching Jesus will be called, exclusively will be called, a hate speech and hate crime. Do you fear the future that way? Do you fear the future? Do you fear where it's going? You wonder where it's going. Of course we do. We think about these things a lot. We look at the little ones running around and think, what are they going to have to face? Well, I can say this, in light of all of this church history, that church has always flourished. God's people have always flourished and they've always grown under this testing and persecution. It's really a remarkable thing. But it's not always flourished when everything has been Christianized. when we slap Christian on everything, not always flourish. What has been the consequence of the church in the United States of not having to face opposition and persecution for the faith? Well, it has created, in the most simple way to say it, it has created a situation in which we are no longer willing to say anything is wrong. Or we're caught on the other end of the spectrum fighting all the wrong things, fighting over all the wrong things, and all of our priorities are all mixed up and all bad. We just don't really connect with the Bible of what it means. And you know this, we don't really connect with the Bible of what it means to contend earnestly for the faith, or wage the good warfare, or put on the armor of God. All kind of foreign concepts to us to some degree, isn't it? A little bit. A little bit. Satan actually loves this environment. This is why Revelation's been helpful. He's got two tools. He will either, and his ultimate goal is to turn authorities on God's people to persecute them and to snuff them out, or he's going to use Babylon and just fill them up with everything so that they stand for nothing. That's his tool. That's revelation has been showing us that he can give a situation and a place where everybody is in ease nobody stands for anything and nobody cares about doctrine anymore because they're so busy with their easy lives kills priorities that way doesn't it the lake the ball game a life of ease Satan loves. That's his plan for your life. Don't stand for anything. Be uncommitted. And if you're pressed, call it legalistic so you don't have to deal with it. That's our time. That's our time. That's when we live. But we know. We've been studying enough. We've seen enough history to know. Satan's ultimate goal is to persecute and destroy. So he is, in his ultimate goal, working after he's flooded up people with ease. He's working to turn it on them. That's what he's going to take away. That was the removal of Babylon. That's when the beast turns on Babylon. He's going to take it all away and then he's going to persecute. This is what he wants to do. Imagine him doing that to an uncommitted people. When it comes, they scatter like roaches. Persecution has had the effect of refining the church. It's like an apple tree. I tried to grow an apple tree one time. The thing grew out of control. And I asked somebody, why are there no apples on the tree? You've got to prune the thing. And when you cut the thing way back, you get real fruit. You get real fruit. So see the dilemma and dynamic of this. Satan loves to persecute, and yet it's through that God flourishes his church. He prunes and it grows. That's this. persecution has the effect and hardship has the effect in all the forms that it comes and you know this in your own personal lives hardship when things come on us all of a sudden has the effect of refinement it then produces the soil and the place for there to be real and lasting fruit and now that's already what's happening in the book of acts it's just amazing to study this that already they're facing this. In the first few chapters of Acts, the church is booming. But when the church is booming and there's a lot of fruit happening, guess what's going to come? Hardship, persecution, conflict. And it's not surprising then that this is exactly what we have already so early in the book. We don't see in the midst of this scared apostles. this is what i love about this this is where the encouragement comes today we don't see scared apostles we don't see them retreating in fact we keep reading about a boldness that keeps coming over these guys did you notice that word there they had boldness this was in the midst of hardship the moment to be bold and it's just booming the church in fact we encounter this boldness by the spirit that is meant today to have all of us pause and say none of the ways that we think and what we think is going to work it's all backwards in God's economy and so you have to think of things this way you have to look at these stories of scripture and look at how God's wisdom is prevailing in the very circumstances that we would think it's all coming apart you see we have to think that way and so this becomes in the midst of hardship the greatest opportunity this is the point of this passage this morning this becomes the greatest opportunity for witness in the hardship and you can apply that personally we're going to apply this corporately as a church but we have to look at it this way whatever hardship it is it becomes the greatest opportunity for witness remember you are my witnesses that's how this book started well well the lord has now put them in a situation where that witness is going to flourish in the situation you would never think it's going to work and it does so much so that in the next chapter when they're beaten for their faith i've never been beaten for my faith when they're beaten for their faith they run out and they rejoice why we're counted worthy to be beaten for his name see we get to suffer for jesus this way well that's before us this morning the preaching of jesus as raised from the dead has ignited the first persecution and it's meant to help us understand the nature of the struggle to incite us to boldness in doing what we do so what we have here then is the conflict escalating the questioning begins and the warning a severe warning is made you can break down the passage that way by here the conflict the questioning and the warning and seeing how the apostles handled this great challenge you'll remember last time something wonderful has just happened hasn't it This has been a really exciting book to see. The gospel spread to the ends of the earth. Peter and John and the apostles had come up to the temple to pray. They had healed that man by the power of the Lord. Remember, that man who was over 40 years old at Solomon's porch who was lame. His legs were out and they had healed him. That had provided, of course, as all the miracles do in the Bible, had provided the goal of that, a great witness for Jesus' name. And we saw what they did. They then began to preach Jesus raised from the dead. That was the second sermon of Acts. Today we're coming into the third sermon of Acts. But a wonderful message was proclaimed. Just wonderful. In only the second sermon of Acts, what has this caused now? Second sermon, third chapter, what has now all this caused? Well, now the trouble begins. That's beginning at verse 1 of chapter 4. And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. Interesting, isn't it? who is this this is um the priest captain of the temple the sadducees in fact in verse 5 we read that it brought together all the great ones of jerusalem it brought together the rulers the elders the scribes annas the high priest caiaphas john alexander and everyone else from the mob-like family who had taken down Jesus. This is the same figure. Can you imagine the frustration? This just doesn't go away, does it? Here they are again. It says that they were so annoyed that they ran on them. They ran on them. They grabbed them. They laid hold of them and they arrested them so that they were put in prison for the night. I find this to be a very important moment and something we can learn a lot from the conflict the conflict what was it why are they mad well who is this coming from i think that's the first thing to to raise here these were um the very people who had delivered jesus the same officials just six weeks later now they are back in front of us and they are furious they're annoyed they're really bothered here is now this entire group of people and this thing is spreading like wildfire well it says that they were annoyed for one great reason because they preached jesus as raised from the dead interesting i want you to think about the scenario for a minute here are these apostles and now they're running around saying god raised his son. Do you see the dilemma for a minute? Do you see the dilemma? You have a choice at this point. You're either going to repent for what you did to God's son, or you're going to have to do whatever is in your power to stop it, just like last time, because that's a message that implicates you it puts you on trial they know what this means for them in other words all these people are believing now all these people are believing that the one they put to death was god's son and that god their god raised his son because of their lawlessness and now they have to reckon with that So what do you do? It's either all false. We've just made this all up. These guys are running around preaching this and you've got 5,000 people who have attached onto it now and this thing's spreading like wildfire. It's either all false or it's true. And if it's true, you're in trouble because you killed God's son. See it? Well, everyone look at what happens here in verse four. Many of those who heard the word believed and the number came to be about 5 000 so people are hearing and they're repenting they are saying in agreement we did this to god's son and as they're preaching all this these people are coming in and they're accepting the blame for it now they weren't even the ones who really put their hands on jesus and struck him the soldiers are mentioned here and whipped him and punched him in the face they're not even the ones who really did that but they're accepting the blame for it and the church is booming the lord is adding thousands to the church what are they furious at the doctrine remember uh the beginning that the um acts 2 42 they were committed they committed themselves in priorities to the doctrine to the teaching to the fellowship to the breaking of bread of prayers they were committed to this and as they were committed to this this thing is just taking off now now the reason i believe this is so important is it gets to the heart of the conflict in the christian faith and the heart of its conflict in the world here are at the beginning of this remember the the plan of acts it starts in jerusalem and judea and samaria to the ends of the earth here they are first in jerusalem who is this then here are the most religious here are the most wealthy here are the most fastidious people keeping the law here are the most positioned people who should have known better they should have listened the savior was right in front of them he walked right in front of them he taught right in front of them he healed right in front of them and they killed him but now comes his preachers his preachers are doing the same thing and the same thing's happening all again they're coming with clarity now it's amazing they're coming with such clarity and boldness and they're preaching and all these people are responding and they're hearing and they're believing and this has ignited among these people a fury of response those in jerusalem the leaders will not believe i find that fascinating that by the end of the book paul's going to be dealing with opposition from the romans but not first not first remember the gospel in acts you'll see the program is first taken to the jews and when they reject it it would expand to the gentiles that principle is very important for the book of Acts first it was to those whom God sent the gospel first do you realize that whenever you have among long-standing religious traditions whenever you have clear bold preaching of the gospel it will create opposition from within it will why well what we're seeing here is that those who refuse to believe it, usually the most prestigious, get intensely angry with the message that is changing the lowly and the common people. When the message is saving other people. It's the strangest thing, isn't it? That among the most religious of people, I could preach morality. I could preach rules for living. I could preach general morality. I could do it all in a vague kind of way so that everyone leaves and walks away unchanged and no one is bothered with that. It did nothing. But, preach Jesus raised from the dead? We've got a problem. We should learn from this. There would not have been any conflict if the apostles went into the synagogues and started preaching the law, right? Started preaching duties. No conflict. But once the message became very personal, once the message got to the heart, it started dividing. See, if the message that we preach is Jesus raised from the dead, the situation is no different today. we have to address why it was necessary. I mean, this is one of the things. We say Jesus raised from the dead. We just sort of rolls off our tongue and we don't think about it. But what it's doing here and showing us are the implications of a message that's being proclaimed to you. The one who was murdered has been raised. And all these people took the blame for that. What does that mean for those who won't accept that? You've got a raised man. God's eternal Son, who is sitting on the throne, who's King over all. This gets to the heart of it. The same message 2,000 years later is preached to us. It's preached by me. This is what we're continuing to do in the church. This is the message that is shaking the world to this day. And if I'm pressed now, I have to admit the same guilt. You see where it's going now. You see where all preaching demands a response because what it's doing is it's exposing the same guilt. I have to confess, my sins put him there. I have to confess, I'm guilty of murdering his son whom God raised and is seated. What am I doing with that message? I'm either writing it off in my life and it has no bearing on the ease of my life and I'm standing in some kind of opposition to it, either silently or verbally, or it's really come to my heart. I'm convicted. My sins have caused this. And I see it. See, again, there's not a neutral place here. You're in one place or the other today. You're either bowing the knee, and you looked at that time this morning where we read the law of God, and we came to the Lord, and we said, Lord, our sins have done this and caused this. Would you forgive us? and he announces Jesus is raised from the dead for you, and you are taken by that. That has won your hearts. Or you roll the eyes at this, and you're just here. You see? And to some degree, maybe it really bothers you. This is why we're preaching the cross, because the cross gets to the heart of matters in our lives. When we get to the heart of matters, Some gladly receive it with joy. Others want it put out. Others want it put out. It's the most unsatisfying message for the righteous, but the most satisfying for the guilty. And that's where this goes. That's what we're dealing with here in Acts chapter 4. The questioning now begins. On the next day, there are 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 sat them in the midst, they inquired, by what power or by what name did you do this? Get that? Whose name did you say this was done by? Whose power? You're not running around saying Jesus of Nazareth, are you? We want to make sure we're hearing correctly. We understand this was done. We want to know who you're saying it was done by. Now here's the moment. What do you do? In the face of opposition, I'll tell you what we're pressured to do. Lighten the claim. I've never been arrested for anything yet in my life. I don't want to be arrested for anything, let me tell you. But if I were, what if I was arrested for what I'm doing right now? You ever thought about that for a minute, putting this into our context what if i was put in jail last night not for all the other stuff but for preaching and then the next day i'm called to account imagine the scenario for a moment let's let's make this a little more common for just a minute to try to bring this home someone walks up to you and says are you saying jesus is the only way maybe it's your next door neighbor are are you do you really believe that without jesus that that you you nobody else can be saved that this is you're saying of all this stuff in the world all these religions all these things you're saying he's the only one by which anyone's going to heaven so that means every other religion they're not going what would you do well it's already uncomfortable isn't it it's already uncomfortable. That's uncomfortable. But if it's your next door neighbor and you know him, what would you say? Now the next guy comes to you as a Muslim. Are you saying Jesus is above the great prophet Muhammad and Muhammad's false and his Allah? Now things are a little more pressing, aren't they? I don't know if I like that situation. You're starting to think more about consequences now, aren't you? Neighbor next door might kick over your trash, right? I don't know what happened with this one. No, the authorities come. Police come to your door. Police come to the church. They arrest you. Because now you're living in a society that says, no more. You are not allowed to say those exclusive things. You can't be exclusive like that. If you are exclusive like that, you are going to be prosecuted with a hate crime and you will go on trial. So, tell us now, what do you believe? Not liking that scenario whatsoever. That's a bad one. You've been saying now Jesus' name through the resurrection of the dead. Are you excluding everyone else? interesting um moment isn't it interesting moment well what did peter do remember what jesus said to him jesus had already taught them about this and i'm sure peter's beginning to think in his head well what do we do in situations like this i'm scared to death i mean i don't want to face that and i believe this because i believe it's a message of hope to people i believe it's it's a message of salvation i i want to be able to give that because i want i really love people i want i love everyone i want to see them saved but now i'm being threatened that way remember what jesus said to them on account of me jesus said remember you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them i find that just absolutely fascinating in other words i want you to think about this you're going to be going before these people and you will have an opportunity to witness huh i don't look at it that way i don't look at it that way at all remember Martin Luther was we're celebrating Reformation 500 this month and Martin Luther had such a conviction for the truth that remember he was put on trial at the Diet of Irms and he walks into the trial room was promised safe passage he walks into the trial room and there on a table are all his books where he had been convicted about the truth and Johann X standing there and he says see that you recount right now Luther says, I need a knight. Why did he need a knight? Well, he needed a knight because he struggled with one great question. Am I alone wise? You feel the pressure of this? Am I the only one that sees this? I really don't want to be a rebel. I really don't want to be a jerk. I really don't want to cause such an uproar. But the issue is, what is the truth? And when all these men are teaching falsehood in the tradition, where am I going to stand? I'm either just going to go with it or I'm going to love God's truth so much I'm going to stand and I'm going to be willing to die for it. He comes back the next day and you remember what he said. My conscience is bound to the Word of God. Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason that all this is false, I can't recant. it's not right here i stand if he said it here i stand well this is peter uh he's realizing something about himself you know we've been peter doesn't look at this as an opportunity to save himself does he in other words he's not thinking oh this is so awful this is so awful what are we going to do what's going to happen to me we're going to lose our money we're going to lose our homes we're going to lose our freedom we've been singing a long time let goods and kindred go this mortal life also you say ever saying that you've been singing it to the lord let goods and kindred go this mortal life also the body they may kill god's truth abideth still he's realizing something peter at this moment his calling whose authority do i come in what is the purpose of all this what he learned about himself in his calling is that he belongs to jesus didn't he he's an ambassador what can man do to him imagine if we live like that what can they do to us ultimately nothing not in the big scheme of things i think this is a major encouragement look at what happens here you know i was thinking you know we often think too highly of ourselves when we shouldn't right we always preach this we think too highly of ourselves we need to become servants and we preach that all the time but but but but on the flip side we often think too lowly of ourselves when we shouldn't what do i mean by that in other words you belong to jesus you are purchased by him you're a servant of the living god who is king overall you have that kind of confidence you have the holy spirit you've been blessed with the greatest message in the world as an ambassador of christ there lies a great thing that the lord has given you to speak a message that saves peter's not worried about his own skin he's worried about theirs peter understood it was set up by jesus to go through this that he would be a witness to them that that's how good God is even in these situations that you're fulfilling your purposes we think we got to run we got to retreat in all hardship he's saying this is your opportunity imagine if you looked at life that way every every hardship is an opportunity even your sicknesses now if we looked at our place in this world as believers and had that kind of confidence who we are what we have who we belong to what we're supposed to speak you're pretty free you're freed up and the beauty here is guess what happened the spirit fills them at this moment remember jesus um said that you don't have to worry about what you're going to say when you face these kind of moments i'll give it to you this is what in the book of acts being filled with the spirit is um being filled with the spirit always follows a speech of somebody talking about Jesus. We looked at that at Pentecost. So listen to it. Verse 10. Let it be known to all of you. So Peter, filled with the Spirit, now unleashes the truth with no fear. Let it be known to all of you and to all people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, uh-oh, that may not be the thing to say. He just said it. Whom God raised from the dead by this man by him this man is standing before you well this jesus is the stone that was rejected by you the builders you are psalm 118 you killed him you murdered him he's become the chief cornerstone and guess what there is no salvation in there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved wow amen beautiful three things you killed him see this man standing before you whole he raised him why because that story is talking about jesus god had to raise his son because of what you did and the only reason that's possible is because he is telling you that god raised his son and by the way he is the stone of psalm 118 that you love to sing that you builders rejected and guess what he's the only way he's the only way truth in life and i don't think he said that angrily i don't think he said that with vindictiveness i think he's saying i've got really good news for you there's no other name under heaven by which you may be saved but you can be saved through him he's offering you even though you killed him even though you did the worst thing to him think about your own sense now he's saying you can be saved well this is um a remarkable a remarkable moment in the gospels isn't it a remarkable moment it says um now they have a choice that they're either going to believe it and join with what god is doing even the great gamalil will stand up here soon say listen we need to be careful unless we find ourselves fighting against God. Or they're going to do anything they can to get out of it because it's going to make their hearts very guilty before God. What a great moment in Acts. What a great moment. We read, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John that they were uneducated common folk. Common men. I just love that. I should so encourage you today you don't need to be a great seminary professor to witness about jesus you walk with jesus you know jesus the truth as it is proclaimed to you you are qualified to give witness you're qualified you are but what did they notice about them here's the witness they're bold they believe it they see these people really believe what they're saying they're confident in their faith they're uncompromised and they're willing to die you know what you know what was said to luther after he said here i after if he said that but i know what he did say is my conscience is captured to the word of god whether he said here i stand they debate but but whatever the case is my conscience i will not recant as he's walking out you know what the guard said to luther they whispered to him to the flames to the flame when we're bold when we're confident when we believe it it's a witness the leaders are in a conundrum they couldn't disprove the miracle it just happened and we can't disprove that millions of people have been changed by jesus to this day can't we it's evident you don't start a movement like this without real power behind it and a scripture handed to you inspired a book that's been preserved like this this long it's in front of you what are going to do with it they call a secret meeting they have their counsel this can't spread any further this can't spread any further we are going to severely threaten them and command them they better never speak in his name again that's what we're going to do and they did that and there was the lying cross wasn't it we're going to obey authorities and everything that's right and proper but our ultimate authority our ultimate honor and respect is to Jesus so that when we are asked and our consciences to violate the word of God if a government ever asked us or anyone we'll obey you in all things lawful but we will never go against the word so Peter and John say whether it's right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God you judge we can't but speak of the things that we've seen and know and heard that's such a beautiful statement we're going to listen to the lord but our mouths cannot be silent because of what jesus did for us so they threatened them severely we read the effect was that all these people rejoice seeing god's word flourish among them in his power shown i want to close today saying know this that whenever jesus is really preached and in your own lives whenever you give a witness if you're going to do it and have some measure of boldness you're not going to be liked at times part of your cross bearing and somewhat people might say you think you're better is that what you can handle i think so but doesn't this free you up to speak about jesus with boldness doesn't it what do you have to lose it is your savior so you lose your life you go to be with him forever doesn't this take off the rain well if you're holding on to life here you'll never speak but when you realize you're a christ follower and that the holy spirit has been given to you and that you have the privilege to speak the truth as it is in Jesus that you know you have as Peter said you have the very words of life Lord if you know that and believe that how can you not both speak know and speak about what you know to be true this is what Paul said therefore since we have this hope we use great boldness of speech. We need that today. We need that today. What a glorious and exciting gospel that we carry that is the power of God to save all those who believe. Let's tell others about it. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we need to be reminded of these things and we're thankful for a passage like this that challenges us. We celebrate your work throughout history of preserving your word, saints who are willing even to die for it to die for the truth as it is in Jesus but may it always come from us because we truly believe these things in the heart that we ourselves know what we are and that we've repented because we know we're just as guilty and we want everyone to know this peace that surpasses all understanding peace between God and man we want to love our neighbor enough to tell them but we know we can't do this without you and your work and the spirit we pray for this individually in our lives that you'd help us with this for we were incredibly weak and at times have been so at ease that we've been more caring about the things of this life than people sold but most of all we think of your church today too around the world as it proclaims the gospel may we be faithful without compromise bold in love telling the truth and then let us always remember that this work is the work of the spirit for apart from him we can't do it so we ask that you would fill your preachers with the spirit to speak and if you see fit to give a time of trial testing and persecution show your great power by flourishing your church with lasting fruit with fruit that buds everywhere. Thank you for giving us instruction in your word this morning. Thank you for the gospel. We love you, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.