WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.120 Good morning, church. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:03.279 My name is Tyler Payne. 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:05.040 I serve as one of the lay elders here. 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:08.640 It is a joy and honor to open up God's word with you. 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:10.080 I love this season. 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:13.279 As a teacher, we get this upcoming week off. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:14.800 It's one of my favorite times. 00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:22.480 On that Friday, when we get home, I don't know if any of you guys are Home Alone fans, but we have a Home Alone Lego house that's about 4,000 pieces. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:31.600 And we as a family, it's kind of our tradition where we uh come home on Friday, set up Christmas decorations, and then we spend the rest of the evening building that home. 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:35.359 And when we complete it, we watch the good home alones as a family. 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:36.880 So it's something fun to do. 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:41.359 Before I dive in this morning, I would love to just kind of uh open up a time in prayer. 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:43.520 You can bow your heads with me. 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:47.200 Father, we give you thanks for this morning. 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:55.119 Many of us coming here from different places and circumstances and things that are just going on in our lives. 00:00:55.520 --> 00:01:00.719 I pray that we can sit underneath your word this morning and that it would speak to us. 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:10.480 That we would see Jesus clearly, and that he would transform us, and that you would work in our lives and be in the midst of this place this morning. 00:01:10.640 --> 00:01:12.239 In Jesus' mighty name we pray. 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:13.120 Amen. 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:31.200 In 1517, Martin Luther stamped his thesis on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, to counter the abuse of the Catholic Church, primarily the selling of indulgences, which individuals could purchase religious certificates to reduce their time in purgatory or gain forgiveness of sins. 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:39.359 While his goal wasn't to be a rebel and just be faithful to the scriptures, his work spread throughout all of Europe and disrupted the Roman Church. 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:54.319 He was sentenced to the Diet of Worms, which was a council of the Holy Roman Empire, and before the council his writings were laid before him, and he was demanded to recant his works or be declared a heretic, which is punishable by death. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:02:00.000 His response in the face of this opposition is this up here you can see. 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:08.639 Unless I am convinced by scripture and plain reason, I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other. 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:11.840 My conscience is captive to the word of God. 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:18.400 I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:22.000 Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:23.439 God help me. 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:24.400 Amen. 00:02:25.360 --> 00:02:29.759 From there and now on, we know this as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:33.120 This morning, we're going to continue in our series of Acts. 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:35.520 In Acts 3, we just saw a miraculous healing. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:39.759 We saw a proclamation of the gospel and people responding to that. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:44.080 But after we're going to see opposition comes very quickly. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:55.919 As we plan to unpack this text this morning, I see three main principles that gospel proclamation and demonstration do, and the assurance that we can have when opposition follows closely behind. 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:57.759 So let's dig into the text this morning. 00:02:57.919 --> 00:03:01.120 Verses 1 through 6, we see a call for change. 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:02.800 Call for change. 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:14.560 And as they were speaking to the people, the priest and the captain of the temple, the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed, because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:19.680 And they rested them and put them into custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:24.639 But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of men came to about five thousand. 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:35.840 And on the next day the rulers and the elders and the scribes gathered together in drew Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were the high priestly family. 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:39.759 They came upon them, being the apostles. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:45.599 This remark suggests a confrontation as these leaders seek to assert their leadership. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:48.879 We see a lot of key players in this passage here. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:53.759 We have the priests, which is likely referring to the high priest and their specific families. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:57.280 This was an established priestly caste, and they were powerful. 00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:01.599 Luke is thinking of those specifically opposed to the Christian. 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:05.520 We here have the captain, which is the captain of the temple guard. 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:09.199 These captains were thinking of them like the temple police. 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:10.800 They weren't Roman soldiers. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:20.879 They were the men who arrested Jesus in the garden, and their role at the temple was to keep the peace and not allow any messianic expectations that Rome would dislike. 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:23.519 We have the Sadducees, religious leaders. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:28.800 They weren't particularly a large group, but they were upper class and had power. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:36.720 They made their beds with the Romans, knowing that if they were going to survive the occupation, they needed to establish close ties with the authorities. 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:41.759 In rabbinic literature, there's a stark contrast between Sadducees and Pharisees. 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:44.000 They actually didn't have a great working relationship. 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:54.560 They disagreed on many things in the Mishnah, from civil laws to temple rituals, Sabbath observances, the resurrection, all great matters of interest for the rabbis. 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:59.839 We have the teachers of the law, these were the guys who wrote the scribes and knew and copied the scriptures. 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:02.720 We have rulers, we have various people in authority. 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:07.040 Elders were the older men that had great influence on the city. 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:11.600 And then we had the high priests who are part of Jesus' crucifixion. 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:17.439 So here we have groups, some that were standing at even odds with one another. 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:19.839 They found a common ground. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:26.959 This was the beginning of all of the forces of the land standing against the early church. 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:32.319 The leadership is greatly annoyed with Peter for two things. 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:35.439 First, we see this teaching and proclaiming of Jesus. 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:41.680 Peter's brief sermon recounts how the scriptures point to Christ in this fragile geopolitical climate, right? 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:43.120 Jesus had just been crucified. 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:47.600 They feel like this is kind of all coming, the dust is starting to settle, but it's not. 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:51.839 This movement is stirring something, and they're annoyed by it. 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:58.000 They witnessed the demonstrative power of God's miraculous healing and the anointed preaching of Peter. 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:02.000 And second, we see the teaching of the resurrection. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:06.319 They do not accept this, and the Sadducees believe the souls died with the body. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:08.480 But Peter contradicts this message. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:14.000 And you killed the author of life, whom God raised from the dead. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:21.600 Not only is this an objective statement on the resurrection, but he also calls out the egregious sins of the leaders. 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:30.720 For such an authority figure would undercut the Sadducees' own power and authority, and they move to stop him. 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:37.360 I want to digress for a minute because I think this passage gives us something to chew on. 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:40.000 This idea of being annoying. 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:49.759 And in the back of our minds, we might think to ourselves, I don't really want to annoy my friends or my family again about this Jesus or my co-workers. 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:56.639 And I'm not using annoying in the like fifth-grade sense where every day after school me and my buddy would go home and ding-dong ditch the same house, right? 00:06:56.720 --> 00:06:58.000 I'm not using that language. 00:06:58.160 --> 00:07:01.600 Or I'm not trying to confuse obnoxious with annoying. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.240 Paul confronts this behavior with the church in 1 Corinthians. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:13.839 But I'm talking about the methodical, intentional, unashamed witness of Jesus Christ. 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:17.519 A faithful witness despite opposition. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:22.800 Paul emphatically expresses that he is not ashamed of the gospel. 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:23.759 Why? 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:29.759 For it's the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:42.879 We have been taught, at least I feel like I have throughout my life, that when we bother people or we make them feel uncomfortable or there's discomfort in the ways that we're engaging with them about topics, that we're annoying in them. 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:46.720 And it's been instilled in me that this isn't a good thing. 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:53.040 Having good manners, being polite, loving, kind, charitable, those are things we should strive after. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:08:06.240 But to allow our gospel witness to be dictated by this internal struggle we have of not annoying people or of overcompensating to try to find this middle ground, we must fight against that feeling and be okay. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:08.639 We're going to annoy some people. 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:15.680 Our focus shouldn't be on whom we might annoy and allow that to stifle our conversations. 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:25.199 Rather, our focus and attention should be on whom God might save by using you as a witness in the places where you live, work, play. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:32.399 The rulers and the leaders were so annoyed that they sought to intimidate the apostles into silence. 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:38.159 But while one story is going on, another is happening. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:42.320 People are responding to the transforming power of the gospel message. 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:46.720 Isaiah speaks of this day when the kingdom of God is present. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:53.039 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:56.240 Then shall the lame man leap like a deer. 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:58.720 Think about that man just a chapter ago. 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:01.519 And the tongue of the mute sing for joy. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:02.799 The time has come. 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:04.960 The scriptures are fulfilled. 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:06.559 Here we're in a new age. 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:14.799 These signs and wonders, these miraculous gifts are to demonstrate the presence of God's kingdom is breaking now into this present age. 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:23.440 And those who are being saved are listening, they're hearing, they're responding to the word, some 5,000 men. 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:29.759 Some believe this is the total of what's come before, something in this specific moment, 5,000 men. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:34.080 But whatever the number is, the church of God is growing. 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:38.320 This is a continuation of the work of Jesus. 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:44.480 Now the work in the apostles and the early church, and this is the same means that God uses today. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:51.200 Even though there will be some who are going to be annoyed, there will be those who will respond. 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:53.919 And this should encourage us in our work. 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:56.159 This should motivate us. 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:58.559 We get to do this together. 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:12.240 So we see gospel demonstration and proclamation will call for change, but it also confronts the conflict. 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:14.240 Let's look at seven through ten. 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:21.519 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power or by what name did you do this? 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:47.279 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. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:55.519 The religious leaders use their world, use the world's methods of offense against the disciples. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:59.360 But we know this is only a naked power. 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:02.960 I was talking to my principal the other day at one of our football games. 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:07.039 There's a you know a couple thousand people there, and I asked, hey, you holding down the fort? 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:11.440 He goes, he looks at me and he says, control is just an illusion, right? 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:14.000 At any moment, chaos could break out. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:17.120 The power that the world has is just an illusion. 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:20.799 It's the only weapon the world has to hold on to. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:22.879 Think about the wizard of Oz, right? 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:36.720 The scariness of Oz, the mystery around Oz, all that is in who Oz is in his character, until that moment when a small little dog, Todo, pulls back the curtain and there's just a man, a mere man behind it all. 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:42.879 Some people have the power of wealth and will use that to control or exclude or oppress others. 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:48.480 The government will use the policemen or courts, eventually an army because it's its only power. 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:51.840 The government will declare, we have the power. 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:56.960 You are only allowed to preach as you have preached because we have allowed you to do so. 00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:03.200 If we decide you are no longer allowed to meet and to worship your God, then you cannot do it anymore. 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:08.480 Anytime we want, we can arrest you and carry you off to jail. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:14.799 In teaching in government schools, they've attempted in many ways to silence the Christian. 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:23.200 Through law, by any mention of God, that you may speak to his creation and his wonder is a violation worth firing. 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:27.759 And the reason I teach, I want to have a positive impact on kids. 00:12:27.919 --> 00:12:30.320 And I have regular tensions as a Christian teacher. 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:46.399 If my job does not shine the light on the beauty of the gospel through my daily activities, if it doesn't point back to his glorious nature, his attributes, his creation, then my job is simply about a matter of teaching for a patriarch. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:51.519 For a good teacher, this is ultimately inadequate and unsatisfying. 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:55.679 Doug Wilson, a pastor, puts it this way the teacher can make a difference or not. 00:12:55.919 --> 00:13:01.360 If he makes a difference, his case will probably appear before the Supreme Court. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:08.320 Even the other day, we were comparing evolutionary concepts from a naturalistic worldview and a biblical worldview. 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:12.480 And I was talking about my with my students about the scientist named Francis Collins. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:16.559 He was a renowned geneticist and a leader in the Human Genome Project. 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:21.919 And his quote is this he says, Science can and must tell us how life works. 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:27.279 But not while we are here and or what purpose of life might be. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:32.960 These are those questions that go beyond science and into the realm of faith. 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:40.159 Rightly understanding the world and how it under how it operates comes from an understanding of the creator and who made it. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:44.399 Science truly cannot be understood outside of this. 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:56.000 And while it's helpful to understand the distinctions of a naturalistic worldview, to deconstruct some of its fallacies, rather than just ignore it, though, we can't do this done in a vacuum, right? 00:13:56.960 --> 00:14:09.039 We have to acknowledge the creator and how every molecule, how every cell, how every organism, how every process and star is beautifully designed that ultimately points back to Him. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:14.960 Isaiah 40 declares, have you not known, have you not heard? 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:21.039 The Lord is the everlasting God, the creators of the ends of the earth. 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:23.039 The story is the same. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:24.879 There's a false sense of power. 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:31.919 The world is trying to steal the glory due to God and use whatever means to silence his children. 00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:40.639 And I believe many Christians and myself, as I've reflected over my career and my life, are conditioned by worldly power to be silent. 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:43.519 And we don't even know it at times. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:51.039 Where do you feel the world is silencing you in the conversations that you have? 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:56.399 These leaders arrested them that night. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:00.879 They'd have to sit in that jail cell all evening to wait to the morning to hear their case. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:02.000 Imagine that feeling. 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:06.960 After this amazing moment, a man who has been lame for 40 years is now walking. 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:14.080 We see a gospel proclamation that men and women are saved, and then now are thrown into jail. 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:16.480 Their treatment was probably poor. 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:18.080 There was little comfort. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:20.960 Questioning what's going on. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:27.919 The leaders wanted to intimidate them to sit in this darkness on what they were doing. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:32.559 Think about if you're giving your child a timeout, or you yourself have been in a timeout. 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:36.240 That sitting and that waiting, right? 00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:46.399 Not only is it a lack of control that you have lost in that timeout, but there's also a waiting for the verdict for that next day and what my parents are going to say in that moment. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:49.679 Peter and John are sitting in that. 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:57.120 But we see them, though they have a courage in spite of this intimidation, and that was something that stuck out to the authorities. 00:15:57.919 --> 00:15:59.840 Here's a question I think we should linger on. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:05.200 They ask is by what power or by what name did you do this? 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:08.480 These leaders had seen this healing power. 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:12.240 They're not denying the man had been lying lame for 40 years. 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:18.879 They're not naive to the fact that 5,000 men were saved in the response to the powerful preaching. 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:23.759 And the author of Acts, I love, and I think in verse 8, kind of highlights this for the reader. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:26.879 It says, being filled with the Spirit. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:29.840 He almost answers the question for us. 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:34.399 And this is an important point that Luke is trying to convey in his books. 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:42.720 There's a continuity in the book of Luke to here we are now in Acts that he's trying to communicate to his readers. 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:48.799 This is the same language that Jesus used in the Gospel of Luke after Jesus' baptism. 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:54.720 And we have to ask church why this is significant, because this extends to more than just the apostles. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:59.039 This is the pattern of what it means to be filled with the Spirit. 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:11.680 And last week, Justin talked about how the Father wills, Jesus accomplishes, and the Spirit applies, and how Peter was obedient to being receptive to what the Spirit was leading him to do. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:16.240 And up until this point, the Spirit of God had rested on individuals, right? 00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:20.400 Prophets, priests, kings, according to God's will. 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:24.880 But at Jesus' baptism, something happens. 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:30.640 And to use Mark's words, the Spirit of God descends down on him like a dove. 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:35.200 And from that point on, the ministry of Jesus begins. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:45.680 He begins to heal, to preach, to cast out demons, to connect, how the coming of the kingdom of God is connected to the work of his spirit. 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:49.839 Is this spirit given to authenticate Jesus in his divinity? 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:50.720 Yes. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:54.720 But I think this is short-sighted if we stop there. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:18:01.279 If we look at Luke 9, we get a taste of how the Spirit is going to embolden and empower his people. 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:09.680 And he called the twelve together and gave them the power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:14.799 And he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:21.440 God is fulfilling his Old Testament prophecy as the kingdom of God is breaking forth. 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:23.279 Here's the progression. 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:32.000 We've got the Spirit resting on individuals, to the Spirit descending onto Jesus, to now the apostles and his church. 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:38.319 Jesus is modeling for his church the desired mode in which the kingdom will advance. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:46.640 And if we see this strictly as Jesus is only doing this miracles because he's God, we'll miss our purpose in the kingdom work. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:19:03.839 If we see the bigger picture, that the ministry of the Spirit, indwelling his people, was inaugurated with Christ, the apostles and now his church will see more clearly our calling to the work in this kingdom and be filled with the Spirit and boldness and courage. 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:28.480 But if we, like Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5, have quenched the Spirit, or some of us maybe just doubt this actual power or chalk it up to Jesus' demonstrative work and the apostle only, we'll really miss out on the richness that God wants to use you to contribute your gifts to build his church and to reach lost culture. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:47.759 Rightly understanding the authority and the power, like Peter does in this text, we get to be ambassadors who are not only influential in the physical realm, as we step into spaces in our workplace, in government, in our families, our sports teams, and we should tirelessly pursue those things. 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:56.480 But we also need to be so in tune with the Spirit, be sensitive to its leading that we can push back on the darkness. 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:01.680 In Ephesians 6, we see our battle is not a physical one, but it's a spiritual one. 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:05.920 And there is a spiritual arsenal that equips us for that work. 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:24.160 The gifts we see demonstrated in this text don't save in themselves, but in conjunction with the preaching of the word of God, they serve as a witness to the miraculous works God is doing to help soften the soil for hearts to respond to a bold witness preaching. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:27.359 And by the name of Jesus isn't some magic trick. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:40.240 It's not some formula that you can use by inserting it to your prayers, but it means we must pray and proclaim in harmony with the person and character, consistently with all that we know to be true of him. 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:48.000 The good news of Jesus is an antidote to the sickness of this world, sin, and the power of darkness. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:53.119 Like if you think of like an HSA card, right, there's some restrictions around those things. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:21:00.559 If you take mine and try to scan it, we've been in the ER so many times that there's probably, you can maybe get a package of bandages on it with that, but that's about it, right? 00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:09.039 But if you go in the name of Christ, the name who's on that card, if you scan that card, the benefits are unlimited. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:12.559 Like Peter being obedient and listening to the Spirit's leading. 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:19.599 Not like a vending machine, not a name and proclaim, but when we pray in Christ's name, it means to pray according to his will. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:23.759 It means to run every prayer and word through the filter of his name. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:25.680 Will it glorify him? 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:28.400 Will it promote his kingdom? 00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:31.359 Will it make him more famous? 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:36.640 This is the posture Peter had when he was used to heal the lame man. 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:41.039 This was the power in the name that the leaders were questioning. 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:46.559 That same spirit that Jesus had to heal and proclaim is the same spirit that was at Pentecost. 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:51.119 It's the same spirit that the Church of Corinth needed to exercise appropriately. 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:53.759 It's the same spirit that we have today. 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:58.079 We're missing out of we're unwilling to pursue. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:21:59.759 In fact, I would argue that we're being. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.279 And disobedient. 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:09.200 But I love Paul's language that we need to be a people who are eagerly desiring. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:12.400 Jesus even speaks to this in Luke 11. 00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:18.880 How much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him? 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:26.799 Do we ever ask ourselves, church, why we might be not be experiencing the power and boldness the apostles had? 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:34.400 Are we quenching the spirit in our own lives, neglecting the very means that God uses to reach the culture and build his church? 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:39.200 This past week we had that big storm. 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:44.720 I don't know, for those who have dogs, my dog is extremely sensitive to thunderstorms. 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:47.599 He can sense the changes in barometric pressure, right? 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:49.920 Static electricity, low frequency sounds. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:54.160 He starts to pace around the house, get all skittish and anxious. 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:58.640 There's a sensitivity that he has around his surroundings. 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:05.039 Are we failing to be sensitive or receptive to where the spirit may be leading us? 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:08.400 I know this has been a recent conviction of mine. 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:14.160 There's a sensitivity toward the Spirit we must rely on as we are spirit-filled people. 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:21.519 Not in some salvific sense or a second filling, but an invitation for the Spirit to use you in his power. 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:24.079 And it's not a human tactic. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:35.039 It's not some performance that you're doing, but a listening and an acting in faith and obedience to live a life of a spirit-filled ministry. 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:37.440 Do we see our life as that? 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:40.480 Or do we just go about our day from thing to thing? 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:46.160 Peter continues in his dialogue, explaining the barrier that the rulers have. 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:48.079 They rejected the cornerstone. 00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:50.480 Let's look at verses 11 and 12. 00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:57.119 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 00:23:57.359 --> 00:24:05.359 And there's a salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:08.160 As I was studying this, it was fascinating. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:11.599 The original language for a cornerstone is actually head cornerstone. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:16.480 And I've often interpreted this text as kind of that first foundational stone that's laid. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:20.079 And there's other texts in the scriptures that do highlight that. 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:30.079 But here, this stone is more likely to represent a large stone laid at the top that would bind the two walls together, connecting different sides of the structure. 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:34.240 And it had to be cut specifically to fit into that space. 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:41.599 To me, this gives a deeper appreciation of what Peter is talking about as he's addressing the religious leaders. 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:49.519 Here we have men who have failed to see how Jesus is the bridge between the old and the kingdom of God being present here on earth. 00:24:50.079 --> 00:25:01.920 The thrust of Psalm 118 refers back to that passage in this Acts 4.11, emphasizes Israel's historic rejection of Jesus despite his appointment by God. 00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:05.759 And the rulers fail to see the historical redemptive plan. 00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:09.119 Jesus is enjoining the old and the new. 00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:22.160 In his death and in his resurrection, he's joining together God's redemptive story, not by replacing the Jews, but now including the Gentiles by grafting the men into the true Israel. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:28.000 And the rulers here reject him, they disobey the gospel message and are lost. 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:31.759 They are blind and fail to see that Jesus is the only way. 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:35.599 Church Christ is the only way. 00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:40.640 This is why this message is so good and so urgent. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:48.799 There is no Allah or Muhammad or Buddha or Krishna that is able to bring reconciliation between us and God. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:54.720 For there is one mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:26:01.359 Their rulers see the apostles' boldness and conviction, and they realize they have to let them go. 00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:05.759 Let's read at verses 13 through 18. 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:12.079 And now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, they perceived that they were uneducated, common men. 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:14.319 They were astonished. 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:18.160 And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:24.079 But seeing the man who was healed standing besides them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:30.559 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying, What shall we do with these men? 00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:37.839 For that a notable sign has been performed through them, is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:45.519 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. 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:50.480 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:59.200 They're astonished that these men were so uneducated, something felt so different about them, because they've been with Jesus. 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:03.680 They charged them not to speak, but they couldn't. 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:07.839 There's a transformation that happens when you have been with Christ. 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:13.680 The gospel proclamation and demonstration so far we've seen calls for change. 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:20.079 It confronts conflict, and when we've been with Jesus, it creates a courage. 00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:34.640 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. 00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:40.480 For when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people. 00:27:40.640 --> 00:27:43.759 For all were praising God for what had happened. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:48.960 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old. 00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:54.640 And when they released them, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and elders had said to them. 00:27:55.200 --> 00:28:02.319 We talked earlier about how the rulers used their tactics to intimidate these men, but the apostles did not flinch. 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:10.000 If you want to throw me in jail, you can do that, but I cannot help but to speak of what I have seen and heard. 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:16.000 If you want to fire me because of my faith and standing up for the truth, you can do that. 00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:20.000 But I cannot help but speak of what I have seen and heard. 00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:28.720 If you don't want to be my friend, you can do that, but I cannot help but speak of what I have seen and heard. 00:28:29.119 --> 00:28:33.279 Amos 3.8 says, The lion has roared, who will not fear? 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:35.039 The Lord has spoken. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:37.119 Who can but prophesy? 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:39.519 How can we keep our mouth shut? 00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:41.359 The Lord has spoken. 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:53.519 Peter and John knew that they could not be silenced, but had to speak of what they had seen and heard, even if it cost them their very lives, being with Jesus had transformed and changed them. 00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:08.079 In Iraq in 2005, Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cash was leading a patrol when an improvised explosion device known as an IED detonated between his Bradley vehicle. 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:13.200 The blast ruptured the fuel tank and the vehicle burst into flames. 00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:15.279 Cash escraped the wreck. 00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:18.960 His uniform that was soaked with fuel and burning. 00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:29.039 But instead of seeking help from self, he went back again and again and again into the flaming vehicle to rescue his men. 00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:33.200 Each time he climbed in, his body caught more and more on fire. 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:39.759 He pulled out six soldiers and a translator, suffering burns on nearly 75% of his body. 00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:45.519 Even as the medics were treating him, his first words were, How are my boys? 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:47.119 Are they okay? 00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:52.559 Cash died from his weeks' injuries weeks later, but every man he saved lived. 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:55.519 In 2021, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. 00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:58.640 Cash's duty was to his country and his brothers. 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:02.160 Here we see the apostle's duty is to Christ. 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:07.440 Would every believer have the courage to run back into the flames no matter the cost? 00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:16.559 Would we run into the broken world to rescue those who are perishing in sin, to be bold in knowing that God has equipped us for every good work? 00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:21.920 Christ has gone through the fire for us to cause us to stand firm in our faith. 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:24.880 God has spoken, we must open our mouths. 00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:29.680 And this isn't just some characteristic that John and Peter had, right? 00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:35.440 Just a few chapters ago, Peter was denying Jesus before his crucifixion. 00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:38.480 But something switched. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:44.720 They went from being with Jesus to actually being with Jesus. 00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:46.960 What drives their boldness? 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:50.799 What gives them the courage, the conviction of knowing their Savior? 00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:56.400 These men knew Jesus and knew the love that he had for them, and they knew it was real. 00:30:57.759 --> 00:31:00.079 And I'll admit, this is hard to balance, right? 00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:04.240 This idea of tenderness and truth, kindness and boldness. 00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:06.799 And think about the beauty of the human face. 00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:11.519 It requires all the features to be in balance. 00:31:12.240 --> 00:31:16.880 Even the finest eyes can look out of proportion if other parts are out. 00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:19.519 This goes the same with our character as well. 00:31:19.839 --> 00:31:22.559 Character must be in harmony. 00:31:23.119 --> 00:31:25.839 The virtue of meekness is a lovely thing. 00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:26.720 It's beautiful. 00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:35.359 But when confronted with something that requires truth, meekness must be in harmony with the virtue that is complementary to it: courage. 00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:43.599 We often over-emphasize certain virtues, but in doing so, we silence the boldness that God may be using you in that moment. 00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:47.359 We fear of being annoying to those around us. 00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:54.799 And Jesus spoke in both truth and grace, and that same spirit speaks to us as we engage with those around us. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:06.400 And while I can be encouraged by the way the Spirit emboldens us, I can also find courage in the story and God's sovereignty and plan in this passage. 00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:09.599 Jesus probably entered this temple many times. 00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:11.599 This man was probably laying there. 00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:15.920 The apostles, when they were going in and out, probably passed this man many times. 00:32:16.079 --> 00:32:18.880 But he didn't receive the help until now. 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:24.720 Over 14,600 days, this man did not walk. 00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:35.359 This was certainly reserved for this time, so that by means of this healing the name of God would be glorified and many would come to faith. 00:32:36.319 --> 00:32:40.799 This was not a divine neglect, but a divine strategy. 00:32:41.759 --> 00:32:46.640 So in our lives, God has ordained ways in this time that might be unknown to you. 00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:51.440 You might be questioning, God, why aren't you doing the things that you you've said you're going to do? 00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:54.160 But we're operating under our timeline. 00:32:54.960 --> 00:32:58.079 We don't need to worry about when it's going to happen. 00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:02.640 We should be focused on the why and the what we're called to do. 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:09.839 And we see the results that the people's mouth are filled with praise for what has happened. 00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:13.119 And the world is going to try to intimidate you. 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:15.920 Its power is false. 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:28.240 And when we stand on our conviction, not in our own strength, but by being with Jesus, being receptive to his leading, there's a courage that we get to be filled with. 00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:31.200 Gives us a backbone to stand strong on. 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:37.519 That sacred mission, our mission is to make disciples and to plant churches. 00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:42.720 Guided by this vision, it's that all may know the joy of his salvation. 00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:49.680 If you don't know that salvation this morning, I invite you to come and experience that joy. 00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:51.519 These men were uneducated. 00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:56.400 They were common men, unlearned, yet they had been with Christ and their life was transformed. 00:33:56.799 --> 00:34:01.359 God gave them a purpose, and we see a movement that's moving happening. 00:34:02.720 --> 00:34:11.199 Church, if we're going to make disciples and plant churches, it starts at and is fueled by our joy and the salvation that we have received. 00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:13.119 Are we being with him? 00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:15.199 Are we leaning in on him? 00:34:16.719 --> 00:34:22.000 Boldness is not built on our courage, but it's invigorated by being with Christ. 00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:25.519 All our other fears and anxieties will wash away. 00:34:25.840 --> 00:34:31.360 If we want to be a bold beacon of light to a decaying culture, we're going to annoy some people. 00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:33.280 And we have to be okay with that. 00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:38.480 But we cannot help but speak of what we have seen and heard. 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:41.440 Our God is here and He is King. 00:34:41.760 --> 00:34:48.639 Let's be receptive to where the Spirit is leading us to confront the darkness and bring hope until we're called home.