Lessons From Acts – Lesson 4
We stopped last time with Peter preaching the death and resurrection of Jesus and Peter showed that their scriptures foretold of Jesus and that they killed the Holy One. He preached that they needed to repent and turn from their wicked way.
And Peter preached that with an object lesson standing right beside him that showed the power of Jesus to change lives. Just as Jesus healed that man physically, Jesus could heal everyone listening spiritually.
Peter is giving wonderful news that can change people not only for the here and now but also for all eternity. The 5,000 that get saved would agree this is a good thing. But not everyone is happy about it.
Act 4:1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
Act 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
The crowd turning their attention to Peter’s preaching really upset the religious leaders. They sprang to action. One or more of them run and notify the others and they go get the captain of the temple and waste no time getting to Peter.
It was a good thing that Peter did not come with an hour long sermon. He would not have even gotten thru the introduction. They had to shut him up and quick but they needed to do it in force. They had to break thru the crowd that had gathered around Peter and with enough men so that the crowd would not resist.
So it took a few minutes to get enough priests and Sadducees together and with haste they went after Peter and John. Verse 2 tells us that it grieved them that Peter taught the people. Teaching that Jesus rose from the dead so bothered them that they could not stand that anyone would hear about it.
It is not enough for some people that they themselves decide to reject the truth. They insist that everyone else also reject it. Their kind is alive and well today. Many countries in Europe now have hate speech laws.
When it come to the truth about Jesus they have no tolerance. They are hypocrites. They will preach tolerance but not when it comes to Jesus. They want everyone to tolerate their wokeness and their worship of self. So tolerance for them but not tolerance for you.
It is getting really bad. One lady was arrested in England because she paused on her walk across the street of an abortion clinic and it was not even open. She bowed her head and prayed in the silence of her own mind. She did not speak a single word.
And they arrested her for it.
The Bible accurately exposes and teaches us the human condition. And that sinful human condition does not get better. The same types of things we see men doing in the bible we can look out upon our society and see the same things.
Man is not evolving, he is not getting better. Technology gets more advanced, medicine gets more advanced, fashions and culture trends come and go and change, but not what the human heart is capable of.
The Bible was written thousands of years ago but it is still 100 percent relevant today. Just as there were religious men 2,000 plus years ago who could not stand the truth about Jesus and it grieved them so much that they took action to stop others from hearing, there are still people today who have that exact same heart about the issue.
Act 4:3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
You will see in a few verses that they also took the lame man who was healed. So it was not get the man who speaks and let everyone else go, no it was get the man who speaks and get anyone who is with them.
Act 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
Notice there is no 5,000 people getting baptized here like what happened the first time Peter preached. The religious leaders leapt to action this time and stopped things before Peter got to that point.
Act 4:5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,
Act 4:6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
Act 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
These are the religious leaders. They consider that temple theirs. It is under their control. Everything that happens there is supposed to go thru them. What Peter and John did was seen by them as an affront and an attack upon their power and authority over the temple grounds and over the people.
To them there is no power over them to justify this. They are deluded into thinking that they are doing God’s work. There is no answer that can be given that will satisfy them. This is kind of what some people would call a kangaroo court.
But they want to make a show of it and they want to start by getting a confession from the lips of what they consider the guilty ones. We see the same kind of grandstanding today. We saw it at the Jan 6th hearings and often see it in Trump trials.
They are not looking for the truth; they are not looking for evidence to help them make their minds up. It is all a show and grandstanding. The verdict is already decided on before the proceedings start.
They see this all going the way they have decided it will go. But what they did not count on is God the Holy Spirit being involved and giving Peter the words to say and then also bearing witness to the truth of what Peter says.
Act 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
Act 4:9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
Act 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
The Spirit is having Peter cut right to the point. You leaders are sinners. You crucified the promised Christ. And it is because of Jesus Christ that this man stands here whole.
Then Peter quotes to them some Old Testament scripture.
Act 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
And now he plainly says there is only way to get saved and that is thru Jesus.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Bottom line is Peter is getting to the fact that what the religious leaders are doing will not save anyone. All of their sacrifices don’t count and all of their prayers will not get them to heaven. Their jobs are not being done for God and is really just vanity and vexation of spirit.
Peter is telling them that their religion is a wasted effort. And Peter is saying this boldly face to face to people who have the power to arrest you.
This boldness that was being witnessed of by the Holy Spirit took them by surprise. They did not expect to be challenged in such a direct way with such boldness and power.
Act 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
Peter and John were not religious scholars. And they were in no way intimidated by all the learning of those religious leaders. Peter new all he needed to know here. Peter had no doubt that Jesus is the Christ and that Jesus saves.
Act 4:14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
Act 4:15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
They have a problem. There is a lame man that everyone knows who is walking around and standing right outside the council room. If they condemn his healing, they are going to look bad. It is an obvious miracle done by the power of God.
Act 4:16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
Act 4:17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
Act 4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
The best they could come up with is to command Peter and John to shut up. This is no doubt not how they saw this hearing going.
But you see God is working here. God can move and change things. And these religious leaders who were grieved by Peter’s preaching and who no doubt wanted to keep them locked up are now going to do what 1 hour before they would have most likely said they would never do.
And that is to tell them to stop teaching Jesus and then just let them go. Even when they are told no by Peter and John.
Act 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
Act 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
Act 4:21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
Act 4:22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.
That lame man was over 40 years old and for most of those 40 years he sat begging at the temple. Everyone knew him, this is why it says all men glorified God for that which was done.
I hope you see God using His almighty power in the circumstances of life.
God was working for this day for over 40 years. It is no accident that God chose this man for Peter and John to walk up to. God could have had them heal someone else as an object lesson, but the foreknowledge of God knew that it was the fact that the lame man was lame for over 40 years and that is was well known.
That fact is what God would use to put those religious leaders into a position where they had to let Peter and John go.
We have seen this principal over and over in the Word of God. God sees the beginning and the end and everything in between and God is always working way ahead.
For decades that lame man and his parents might look and think God is not doing anything for us. That is not true. God was at work, God had something wonderful and amazing for them in due time.
And while what God did was great for them that day, God also gave the lame man the privilege of having his faith, and thankfulness and joy recorded for all eternity in God’s precious word.
That lame man has got to influence literally millions and millions of people thru the centuries. We should never and I mean never allow ourselves to think that God is not doing anything. Especially when we look out and don’t see anything. God is always at work.
God worked way ahead of Peter and John and had the lame man prepared. Not only so he would be well known and in the right place but God was working in the lame man’s heart.
Not everyone who receives a great gift has a proper response. God chose this man also because God knew that the lame man would react correctly and glorify God.
From every angle that you look at it you see God working way ahead and you see God working every minute of that day.
Peter and John then get released and go meet with other believers.
Act 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
Their response is to pray and in this prayer they acknowledged God’s greatness, He is the creator and they quote scripture showing they understood that God foretold of the attitude of the leaders and then they ask for boldness.
Act 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
Act 4:25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
Act 4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Act 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Act 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
Act 4:30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
Act 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
In verses 29 and 30 healing and signs and wonders is attached to speaking God’s Word with boldness. That part of the prayer is in line with this transitional period while the New Testament is being written.
This is a great way to pray. This prayer includes praise for God, for who He is and what He has done. They also used scripture as a foundation for what they are praying about. And they are praying in the will of God for them during this transitional period.
And they are praying in faith and in dependence upon God. They realize they have a need, one that only God can answer and so they ask for it.
And God answers their prayer. And they are given boldness to get God’s Word out.