SPEAKER_00 0:12

We just got to sing. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. And isn't that what we have the opportunity to now do now as we look into his word? And so I pray that you're blessed as you hear it. What we're doing together is following the story of the early church, and it is a wildly exciting story. The starting story starts with Jesus' ascension. Jesus returns to the Father having completed the work that God gave him to do. And that's what we celebrated in remembering the bread and the juice is the completion of his work. He completed that work on the cross when he fully and finally perfectly paid for the sin of people. So he returns to the Father, and he has been given by the Father all authority and power, and he is leading and guiding and empowering his followers through the Holy Spirit. And it's incredible to see the results. Sermon number one, right? Now that Jesus is in having ascended, filling his followers. Sermon number one, 3,000 people respond. That's pretty impressive, right? 3,000 respond to the gospel. 3,000 respond to the good news. And beautifully, what we see is that as the good news of Jesus takes root inside people, as they're filled with the Holy Spirit, the transformation that's gone on inside them is lived out. Attitudes fuel actions. And think about the effect that that would have when 3,000 people are transformed in that way. 3,000 are filled with the Spirit, following Jesus, living like Jesus, sharing life together, telling the stories about Jesus. 3,000 are being obedient. And that's as simple as it is for all of them. They're simply being obedient, and the church continues to grow. Last week we saw the beautiful story of God using Peter and John to be a blessing to someone. I pray that you had that challenge that Pete gave us last week rattling around in your brain all week. So simple, right? Be a blessing. So the church is growing like crazy. Things are growing great. The sun is shining. Birds are chirping. People are skipping down the road holding hands, right? Isn't that what we can start to think? We might be tempted to think that, well, you know, of course the church is growing. It had nothing to stop it. And things were so much simpler back then. Do you ever think like that? Man, they had it so easy. Sometimes we look at the early days of the church idealistically, as if they were not living in the world, a hostile world, as if they did not have jobs and families, and as if they weren't a bunch of sinners. Well, church, they actually did live in a hostile world. They did have jobs and families, and they were a bunch of sinners. And so they experienced opposition from without and from within. And what we see powerfully as the story continues is that nothing will stop the plans and purposes of God. Nothing will stop God's work. One more time, nothing will stop the plans and purposes of God. Nothing will stop his work. And let's make this personal. Nothing will stop the plans and purposes of God for you and for me. Nothing will stop his work because it is his work, not ours, and that is wildly encouraging. When opposition comes, God works, God leads, God empowers. The church does not fold under pressure, the church thrives because the power of the church is resurrection power. The message of the church is the glorious good news of Jesus. It's good news that's true, that's based on the fact of Jesus' resurrections. God's work is and always will be unstoppable. Say that with me. God's work is and always will be unstoppable. That's what we see in this story that we're going to read this morning. That's what 2,000 years of church history have proved, and that is and will be our story. This is the story told in Acts 4. We're going to look at the first part, and what we're going to see is that God works through trials, he works through truth, and God powerfully works through people. So we're going to look at that first part. God works through trials. We're going to read just the first four verses to get started. 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 five thousand. Five thousand. God works through trials. God's work is and always will be unstoppable. So we're picking the story up where we left off last week. Peter and John are at the temple proclaiming the truth about Jesus, who he is, what he did, that Jesus is the Messiah who was raised from the dead, and that this man, a man who had been lame or crippled from birth, we find out in later verses, he's been that way. He's over 40 years old. So from birth, lame cripple, this man is healed in Jesus' name and power, and the people have gathered around and they are listening. And this is not okay with the religious establishment. We're told here who the arresting party's made of the priest, part of the temple worship, captain of the temple guards, so they're in charge of temple security, a member of the high priest's family, the Sadducees, part of the aristocratic ruling body, a boop that was less concerned with piety, like we know that from the Pharisees, that's what they were concerned about. These were more concerned about power and prestige, and their keeping of that power and prestige was conditioned on their rule over the people. So if they lose rule over the people, they lose their power and prestige. So this is very important to them. It says they're annoyed. How many of you get annoyed ever? Like, yeah. The word might not be the best. It's more like greatly disturbed, but maybe that is kind of, you get hopefully don't get greatly disturbed that often. They are greatly disturbed. And they're greatly disturbed, think about it, with good reason. They're upset that these guys are teaching at all. We find out later why. They think they're the only ones that should be teaching God's people. They're upset with the content of their teaching. Most alarming, their teaching about the resurrection. They did not believe in the resurrection. That was a big deal to them. Also, their teaching is backed by power. It comes with conviction and authority. There's a man standing next to them who is healed. Also, their teaching made a little too much sense. Too many pieces of the puzzle are starting to be fit together for these who have been told and preached the Old Testament their entire lives. Jesus, Messiah. And it's starting to make sense, all of it. The people are listening and believing. So it says they come upon them, some sort of, it's like they almost planned it. Like, let's make it sudden and really dramatic to scare them. They seize them, put them in some sort of holding. They're charged with aversion of disturbing the peace. These religious authorities want to make it stop, and so that's what they do. They need to buy some time and figure out how to get this to stop permanently. They hold them overnight. Now, I don't think Peter and John were surprised by this happening. Because Jesus had prepared them for this. He'd warned them on more than one occasion, and he'd also given them a promise. Listen to these words from Luke chapter 12. Jesus says to his disciples, and when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, right? That's what's exactly what's happening right here. Do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. Again, in Luke 21, but before all this, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering up you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. Look at this. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. This was not a surprise to the disciples of Jesus. They knew it was coming, and they knew who would triumph, right? Jesus is going to triumph. They knew it was coming, and their confidence was not in themselves, their confidence was in Christ. And meanwhile, in the midst of this trial, many heard the word, the good news, and believed, and the numbers continued to swell. 5,000 men, and that's not counting women and children. Think about how that number, if you if you think about how many people this is talking about. And numbers matter because people matter. 5,000, that's 5,000 souls that are affected eternally. And not just souls who are affected eternally in the moment with life and freedom and hope and joy and renewed relationship with God the Father. But think about the generational impact that would have. Right? As that goes, as they go home, as they continue to tell others about the gospel. Think about the ripple effect that's happening here. My dad was retelling the story a couple weeks ago about what started his spiritual journey toward Christ. I might have just shared this with you guys. I can't remember, but I just can't stop thinking about it. A guy at a YMCA in Denver, Colorado, in a hot tub, during a conversation, said, The church I go to is a pretty neat place. That's all he said. My dad had never heard something like that. My parents went, Jesus was preached, and think about the ripple effect. My siblings are the grandkids. My church is a pretty neat place. He's working here through a trial, through an opportunity that they're given, like Jesus told them, to stand before governors and be a witness. God works through these trials. God works through the truth. Follow along as I read this next section, verses five through twelve. 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 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. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which 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. God's work is and always will be unstoppable. God works through the truth. So we read what happens next. The big guns come together, the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, very well educated, very wealthy, very intimidating, and that's the point. It's the same group that put Jesus on the cross. They sit in a semicircle, they place John and Peter in the middle, right? Talk about intimidation, and they say, by what power or by what name did you do this? What kind of power? What sort of power? What name? And you can see almost hear the contempt dripping off their words. They're the ones with power, they're the ones with authority, they're the ones who are qualified. Who gave you the authority? Because we didn't. And then notice what it doesn't say. It doesn't say Peter was bold. Right? That's not what it says. It doesn't say Peter leaned on his education. It doesn't say Peter leaned on his experience. It doesn't say Peter spent all night crafting a defense. Might be what we would have done, right? You know it's coming. Got some time? Nope. It says Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit. Just like Jesus promised he would be, right? This is not a story about Peter. This is a story about God. And that's our story. Peter, by the power of the Holy Spirit, proclaims the gospel, placing himself and John in the background and the person and saving power of Christ in the forefront. This man was healed or saved by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The man you crucified, the man God raised, Peter again presents the resurrection of as God's authentication of Jesus. He is who he said he was. And then the Holy Spirit speaks through Peter this incredible foundational truth. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name in heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Salvation not only from physical infirmary, like the guy standing next to them, but salvation like in Acts 2.40, from this perverse generation saved from sin and impending judgment delivered from the grasp and pull of sin. And the exclusivity of Peter's statement had great meaning to this counsel. Listen to how it echoes these words from the Old Testament. I, I am the Lord, and beside me there is no Savior. Isaiah 43, 11. Isaiah 45, 21, declare and present your case. Let them take counsel together. Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other God beside me, a righteous God and a savior. There is none beside me. Hosea 13 4. But I am the Lord, your God from the land of Egypt. You know no God but me, and beside me, there is no Savior. Christ is the Savior. Christ is God, and salvation comes in no other. This was a radical claim before this council, and it's a radical claim in our day today. Salvation comes in no other name. Jesus died, Jesus rose, Jesus healed this man, and Jesus saves, and only Jesus saves. Messiah has come, salvation is now, and that message will not be stopped. God works through the truth. This truth. For we cannot speak of what cannot but we cannot but speak, we can't help 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 forty years old. God is speaking through the truth through people. God's work is and always will be unstoppable. Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished, and they recognized they had been with Jesus. Common ordinary men. With one radical qualification. So how many of you have written a resume recently? Probably not a lot of you. Oh, a couple. Look at that. In the last 20 years, maybe you've taken a look at yours. There's only one line needed on the resume of John and Peter, and this is it. They had been with Jesus. That's it. Our confidence is not in our education or our preparation or our experiences or the situation. Our confidence is in Christ and being with him, in him, being his. Peter and John are common and ordinary. Peter, a fisherman, marginally educated. Christ is the one who changed his name from Simon the unreliable to Peter the rock or stone. Steady. Peter's resume was not impressive. He denied ever even knowing Christ on the eve of Christ's crucifixion. But Peter's story included the beautiful story of repentance and turning back to Christ, choosing Jesus' love and forgiveness. John's resume isn't that much better. Son of Zebedee, another fisherman, one of the sons of thunder, a hothead. Again, not impressive. Far from perfect. And that's what makes this story even better. Because we can celebrate the work of God in these men's lives. The profound changes we see are beautiful pictures of the Spirit's work. They are given boldness. They don't muster it up themselves. They're given it. God works through these kinds of people. God's work is and always will be unstoppable. God works through trials, God works through truth. God works through people. That's the story here in Acts chapter 4. That's the story of 2,000 years of church history, and that's our story. That's your story and my story. The focus of this story is not on, not first on the trial that they experience. Focus of this story isn't first on the boldness of Peter. The focus of the story isn't really even on the outcome. The primary focus of the story is on the faithfulness of God, that God is working. He's working by his Spirit through trials, through the truth of Savior Jesus, and he's working through common ordinary people. Now, remember what Peter and John were doing when this series of events started. Remember that like back a week? They were on their way to afternoon prayer. So they had as a part of their lives, as a part of the rhythm of their lives, they built in times of prayer. But that's how this all started doing something very normal and very ordinary. Rhythms like these, like times of prayer, strengthen our relationship with God. They place us at the feet of Jesus. The disciples. We see Jesus doing it. Then we see his followers doing it. Times with him, scheduled times, rhythms, time spent with him, orient our hearts and our minds and spirits toward him. A daily rhythm of time in his word, time in this book, time with these stories. It feeds our soul. It confirms and fills us with truth. The daily rhythm of time with Jesus helps us to yield to his spirit. Daily praying words like the Lord's Prayer, your kingdom come, your will be done. You pray that every day, it's going to transform your life. Your will be done, not mine. Your kingdom come, not mine. In every situation. And it opens our eyes to his kingdom at work. He's at work all around us. How many times do you think Peter and John walked past this man? He's probably been parked in the same place for years. What was different about this day? Or the day before? What was different about it? I don't know. The Spirit helped them, as Pete talked about last week, blepo. It helped them to see with understanding, to see him in a new way. They were being simply being obedient to the Spirit's work in them. Going about their normal rhythms. Church, that's how it happens. As we go about our normal rhythms. As a pastor looking for application in these verses, I'm tempted to focus on the boldness of Peter, right? Church, y'all just need to be more bold, right? Might work. Probably not very well, though. Because boldness is a symptom. Boldness is a result. Boldness is a fruit of the Spirit's work. I want to think about the things that keep us from boldness for a minute. Why are we not exhibiting this more? It's not flowing out of us. I think one reason is just good old-fashioned apathy. Don't raise your hands, maybe sit on them, but any of you struggle with that? And I don't think you can cure apathy by trying harder. Not for long. Love is what cures apathy. Love for people. God's kind of love for people. God's love and heart for people are a symptom or result of relationship with Him. And it's from that that the Spirit gives us boldness. Another thing that keeps us from boldness is fear. And you can't cure fear by trying harder. Love is what cures fear. Same cure for apathy, love. It's a deep love for people rooted in the love of God. It's a deep sense of joy and hope that comes from God. As we're saturing ourselves in the goodness and mercies and grace of God, as we're remembering and being thankful for his faithfulness and his kindness and his goodness, like John and Peter, we can't help but speak. It's what comes out. We read in 1 John 4.18 that perfect love casts out fear. His love, the love of God for us, casts out fear. It's talking in that context, of that of punishment and judgment, and it does cast that fear out. It's talking also about a fear of man. Perfect love casts out fear. Perfect love for people casts out fear of people. Perfect love of man casts out fear of man, and that love comes from and in relationship with God, not by trying harder. Another thing that I think keeps us from boldness is that we just don't want to be bold. How many of you would be honest and say, I just don't want to be bold? I want predictable. I want normal. I want to fit in. I want what the world wants. Be honest.

unknown 27:01

Right?

SPEAKER_00 27:02

A good job, a nice house, some late model vehicles, well-behaved kids, and a vacation once in a while. Is that too much to ask for? Come on. Right? I work hard. Be honest. You just want normal. There's nothing wrong with those things I just mentioned. But, church, those goals are not what we were created for. We were created for him and whatever shakes out as a result of following him. That's what you were created for. Will you trust him? God, I am going to follow you, and whatever shakes out as a result, I'm going to trust you for the joy in it. Not trusting what you can see with your eyes, but trusting in his goodness and his faithfulness and his perfect knowledge of you. So the encouragement from this passage, I think, is in that simple line: be with Jesus. Follow him, choose him, lean into his perfect love, lean into relationship within, leave into those rhythms that will characterize and define your life. And the fruit, the result, the outcome is that God will begin more and more to work in and through you. And the work of God is and always will be unstoppable, not just in Acts 4, not just through 2,000 years of church history, but in your experience in life. And think about how through you, through the work of God in you, generations can be affected. And maybe it's something as simple as, my church is a pretty neat place, right? Wow. God works. Join me in praying. Prayer. Lord, thank you for the goodness of your word and the fun it is to read these stories together and consider how you worked. God, and how you work through common, ordinary, uneducated people like Peter and John. God, how you've that's how you've chose to work then, that's how you've worked in the past. And God, we're thankful that that's the way that you promise to work in the future. God, I pray that we would lean into relationship with you like never before. God, that our lives wouldn't just be the same old, same old. But God, we would be filling ourselves with you, spending time with you, learning more about you, filling our minds and hearts with truth. God, yielding to your spirit so that we can see. So, Lord, as we go through our days, as we those rhythms of work and school and taking care of family and friends and mowing the lawn and all those rhythms, Lord, that we would see you, be open to you, God. And we're trusting that your spirit's gonna work. And God, that's our hope. Not that we'll have all the answers, not we'll that we'll have a perfectly reasoned argument, not that our testimony will come out flawlessly, God, but that you're gonna speak through us powerfully. And God, we do pray that there would be people would be affected through our lives, God. Regionally, God, that this community we live in would be different because of the ministry of this church, the ministry of each one of us. God, generationally, Lord, generations would be affected with the truth of the gospel. God, we pray that those things would happen, and our confidence, Lord, in those things is in you. We pray all these things in the powerful name of Christ. Amen.