Sermon on Acts 4:1-12

Acts 4:1-12

- Today we come to the account of the first persecution of the church.

- Last week we saw the miracle and sermon that led up to this.

- Read Acts 4:1-12

- First in this passage we see a fulfillment of Jesus' words.

- Matt. 10:17-20

- The disciples may not have thought much of this when Jesus said it, since there was not persecution against them yet.

- But now Jesus' words would have maybe been more real to them.

- example: premarital counciling- it is info not for as the soon to be couple is going through it, but later when that couple needs it.

- So now lets look at four aspects of this persecution that are important for us to understand.

1. The Force against the christians.
• As we read this text we can't help but be amazed at the massive group that gathered against Peter and John, and really Christianity.
• Now the church at this point was a very young church.
• There were about 3100-3200 members, which is the 120 at Pentecost plus the 3000 that were converted after Peter's first sermon. 
• This may seem very big to us, but if you compare this with the millions of jews, it's not that big.
• The church at this time also had very few leaders.
• So it is shocking to see the list Luke gives us of those gathered against them.
• In verse 1-6 there are 11 individuals or categories of individuals against them.
• We will look at each of these:
• Inverse 1 we see three of them.
1. The priests
• These were those from the line of Aaron.
• This was a powerful group of people.
• This group would include the high priest and the other priests who performed various services in the temple.
2. Captain of the temple guard
• Now Luke here was probably referring to not only the captain, but also the temple guard as well since the captain leads the guard.
• We must also understand these were not Romans, but still had a great amount of power.
• In fact apart from the Romans, the captain of the temple guard was the second most powerful man in Jerusalem.
• It went Romans(highest), The high priest(second), and the Captain of the guard.
• So Luke's mention of the captain is significant
3. Sadducees
• This was not a large group, but a powerful one.
• They were the upper class, or wealthy powerful people in Jerusalem.
• They had very close relationships with the Romans
• So we have the high priests and there families, the temple police and there captain, and the wealthiest most influential people-the sadducees against them.
• That alone is a very powerful group!
• Was that all that came against them?
• NO!
• In verse 5 we see three more.
• read vs 5
1. Rulers
• These were probably men in various positions of authority like heads of government departments
• example: Mayors, deputy ministers, ect
2. Elders
• These were the older men in Jerusalem, who would have great influence on the people.
3. Scribes
• These were those that studied, taught, and copied down the scriptures.
• So now we are up to 6 groups against these two disciples/christianity
• But there is still more that Luke records for us.  
• In verse 6 he records names of those that would fit into the first group he mentioned--the priests and there families.
• Why did Luke record these specifically?
• We may just read over this but was a good reason for it.
• example: Of Julia and I walking into a room and someone turns to another person and says," Oh, the Bahuns are here, and Buddy Bahun is here".  It would seem odd to say that unless the person who said it had something in mind.  Otherwise it would just be pointless repetition.
• When we look at the names Luke mentions it is clear.
• Annas and Caiaphas
• These were two men who met with Jesus before He went to Pilot and plotted against Him, whom Peter and John were being captured for.(John 18:12-28)
• Luke wanted us to understand that when Peter testifies to this group it was not just any priests, it was the ones that would have had a vivid memory of Jesus of Nazareth.
• And Alexander and John(not the disciple) were a part of that family as well.
• When we look at this list of people against them and how powerful they are, it makes us thin of passages like:
• Psalms 27:1-3
• Just what this passage is saying is just what is happening to Peter and John.
• All the forces of there land have camped against them.
• Example:  This would be like the president, all the ministers, the head of police, town leaders, major general,ect. coming against you.
• But as we will see, they faced it fearlessly.
• Now after seeing the giant force against them, you may ask...
2. What made these guys so upset?
• This is the second aspect we need to understand.
• vs 2 gives us two reasons.
1. Teaching the people
• This was a problem because most of this group were teachers and teaching by others was a threat to there control and authority over the people.
• example: Pastors here
• Also we must understand that this was one of the things they didn't like about Jesus.
• He had not gone through there jewish schools, yet He taught with such authority that people flocked to Him.
• They even had once sent the temple guards to arrest Him, but His teaching was so powerful that it stopped them.
• When they returned to the leaders without Jesus they asked them why they didn't bring Him.
• John 7:46 says, "The Officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man." 
• So these authorities killed Jesus, but now they have this group of men who were like Jesus and taught with authority and like Jesus had not been through there school.
• And people were listening to them!
2. The resurrection of Jesus
• They hated them for this one even more.
• Peter and others were teaching about Jesus, and the center of that teaching was that God raised him from the dead.
• And if Jesus raised from the dead it proved He was the Son of God.
• This is what they didn't want.
• This brings us to our third aspect
3. What did they use against them?
• These authorities used the only thing they had, which was there power.
• This is what we see so often in the world.
• This is all the world has.
• We see this sometimes with wealthy people.  
• They use the power of there wealth to try to control, exclude, or oppress others.
• The Government will you the courts, police, army, which is the only power they have.
• Notice what these authorities did.
1. verse 1-"came upon them"
• This phrase in the greek is much stronger than in english
• This does not give the idea of these authorities over taking them slowly.
• They didn't say, "psst....hey peter, could we talk to you when you have a second(whispering)"
• This sudden action against them was meant to try to intimidate them with a show of there power.
• Maybe they said, "Enough of this...we are the authority here."
• Then they grabbed them and took them away
2. verse 3-We also see that they put them in jail.
• This could have been meant to further express there power.
• "We will see how the will be after a night in jail"
• Sometimes it is because of the worlds intimidation that christians witness fails.
• "I can't tell people about Jesus, what if they beat me, sue me, or laugh at me?"
• The world thinks it can stop a spiritual movement by threats, ridicule, force, jail, and even death, but it can not!
• Example: churches in China and India
• These authorities were trying to stamp out christianity in this way.
• But they would never succeed!
• You may ask, " Why? It seems like they have power to do whatever they want."
• The truth is, They can do things to the disciples and us, but it is not the disciples or us that works in the hearts and minds of people to advance the kingdom-that is the work of the Holy Spirit.
• And no power can stamp out that!
• So we have seen who, why, and with what did the first persecution against the church happen.
• You may ask,"But how did Peter and John respond?"
4. Peters Testimony(vs8-12)
• These may have had alot of earthly power, but Peter and others had a greater power on there side-The Holy Spirit.
1. vs8- We see that Peter here was "filled with the Holy Spirit"
• When we studied Pentecost we talked about how every time someone is filled with the Holy Spirit the result is bold passionate testifying of Jesus.
• Thats how we know if we are filled with the Holy Spirit
2. vs9-10-Peter here gives a formal reply
• He directly addresses there question we see in verse 7
• read vs 7
• he says doing good is no crime, but if you want to know by what power or name this lame man was healed-it is Jesus of Nazareth
• Now in your bibles you will find a comma at that point(vs 10-comma after Jesus of Nazareth)
• This is important because at that point Peter could have stopped and it would have answered there question perfectly.
• But Peter was not simply just trying to defend himself.
• He wanted to use this opportunity to witness about Jesus
• Peter wasn't intimidated-he was the servant of the living God, and he had the greatest message in the world.
• He looks at his audience of the leaders and does not miss the opportunity-he told them about Jesus
• This was a group of the most powerful people
• What an amazing opportunity!
• Peter makes 4 points in his message to this crowd.
1. They were guilty in crucifying Jesus
• in verse 10 Peter says," whom you crucified"
• Peter started by reminding them of the fact that they were guilty
• again this shows how fearless and courageous he was.
2. Jesus rose from the dead(vs10)
• The resurrection of Jesus proves the essentials of christianity
• It proves that Jesus is God, that He is the Savior, that death is not the end for anyone, and that there is a resurrection
• Also Peter says that it was the God they claim to serve is the one that did it.
• They killed His Son!
3. Gods purpose was done in spite of there opposition
• in vs11 Peter quotes a passage from Ps 118:22, but he makes it more applicable.
• Psalms 118:22 says,"The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone"
• read vs 11 again
• he says,"The stone you builders rejected"
• Peter was trying to to convince them that they were guilty, that they were the builders that rejected Jesus
• He was telling them that even with there opposition, God still accomplished His will.
4. Jesus is the one and only way of salvation
• read vs 12\
• Oh how the world hates this statement
• People hate to hear that they can not choose there own way to heaven
• You might say..
• Thats sounds so narrow...
• yes!
• That sounds so exclusive...
• yes!
• That sounds intolerant...
• yes!
• Why?...It is the truth!(John 14:6)
• Peter made this point because he wanted them to understand that not only was the lame man healed in Jesus' name, but it is the name by which everyone is healed.
• Peter was trying to help them understand that what needs to happen to them is what happened to the lame man.
• Conclusion:
• You as well need to be saved by Jesus
• In your sin you are as helpless as the lame man
• You can't do anything to save yourself
• You need to admit that you are helplessly in sin and put your faith in Jesus, the only Savior!