It is Thursday, May 7, and we continue our reading thru the New Testament by reading Acts 3:11 - 4:12. Again a chapter division is one we will avoid, and instead, we will read thru to the next chapter to catch the full context of the story. After you have read it, come back that we might think about it some more.
The early church grew to 3000+ in one day's time...that is church growth through God’s Spirit! At this point, the early church was still very much a part of Judaism. All of the members of the early church were Jews. At the beginning of this chpt. (3:1) Peter and John are going up to the Temple to pray during one of the daily prayer times, the 9th hour, or three in the afternoon. When they see this beggar, Peter is moved by the Holy Spirit to tell him that in Jesus’ name he would be healed - and miraculous healing occurs. Our reading began in vs 11 with people astonished - mouths open wide and looking back and forth at the man who now was walking, jumping around and looking at each other in a sort of “did-you-see-that?” look on their faces - astonished. Because of the Jubilant ruckus, this man was causing, people came running from the gathering place under the Temple shelter called “Solomon’s Colonnade”. It was a long covered portico upheld by columns of marble pillars. People came running over to see what was going on.
Peter looked around at the gathering group. He had spoken through the power of the Holy Spirit to the man alone, but now 100’s, more than 1000 gathered near. He saw this as an opportunity from God and he began to speak.
12. “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
13. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate when he had decided to release him.
14. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15. and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
16. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
It is a powerful proclamation of preaching that Peter makes. First, he makes it clear, we didn’t do the healing...Jesus did it. He cuts to the point - Jesus is given three titles: “his servant (13), the Holy and Righteous One (vs 14), the author of life (vs 15)... God raised him from the dead! It is by faith in his name - i.e., the healing doesn’t come from a source that is unknown. People sometimes use the word “miracle” to mean “we have no idea how this happened...it’s a miracle!”, but Peter knows how this happened. Jesus is still working in his church, through his church.
Similar to his message on Pentecost he offers them an opportunity to put their own faith in Jesus Christ. While the people had acted in ignorance (vs 17), nevertheless they were complicit in Jesus’ crucifixion. Now that God has raised Him from the dead, Jesus is ascended to the Father’s right hand, and Peter adds, he is going to come again (vs 20-21). Peter is thinking that perhaps this broad recognition on the part of the Jews - first 3000, now 5000 - will be the turning point...the “times of refreshing” as he called it. He was looking back into Old Testament Prophecies that talked about the Nation of Israel renewed by God because of their repentance and turning to God. Peter, or should I say the Holy Spirit, has their attention. Peter reminds them that all the way back to Moses God had promised a Prophet like Jesus would come...he didn’t know it would be God Himself, God incarnate who would appear. The last verse of chpt. 3 returns back to this word, “servant”. Jesus is the suffering Servant of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa. 42) and Peter reminds them, “God sent Him to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wickedness”. From knowledge of our own sin comes the awareness that God has a solution - it is in Jesus who died for sin that we find life.
We turn the page to the 4th chapter, and immediately realize that what was a good thing - a miracle - and what was the preaching of the good news - the Gospel - was neither good nor welcomed by the religious rulers. They had hated Jesus and plotted to kill him and now their focus turns towards the Apostles Peter and John. “They were greatly disturbed”... religion is always disturbed by the presence and power of God. To religion, Jesus Christ is disturbing. I’ve heard it many times, “there is no such thing as miracles”, “stop telling people they are sinners and need Jesus as their Savior”, “it’s ok to believe in something, but don’t you know that if one is sincere, do good things, and lives a good life, they will be rewarded with eternal life”...and on and on I could go. Religion...Marx called it an “opiate of the masses”. It sedates and gives false assurances, and it is a lie. These rulers have power, prestige, wealth, and they are not about to lose it all to these “hicks” from Galilee!
The rulers were disturbed that they were preaching about Jesus, especially the Sadducees who didn’t believe in the resurrection. They heard Peter’s message about Jesus being raised from the dead and it was all too much for their hardened hearts. They arrested them. Since it was near sundown they put them in jail...too late, 5000 now believed in Jesus, and not just 5000 men, but 5000 family units...the church was rapidly growing! The rulers were soon to discover you can put Christians in jail because you don’t like the message, but you cannot put either the Message or the Holy Spirit in jail.
The next morning the ruling council of the Sanhedrin gathered. This same body weeks before had condemned Jesus. Then Peter, John, and the others were hiding in an Upper Room in fear that the authorities would come to get them also. Now, they are emboldened to stand before them to speak the truth no matter what the end results. The High Priests family is listed...it’s a big deal that has called all of these religious higher-ups to come to hear about these two men. “By what power (i.e. what authority - who gave you the right to speak these things?)...by what power or what name did you do this?” It is the healing of the man who had been arrested with them and now stands...stands... in front of them next to Peter and John. The council was not probing to discover the truth of what happened, instead, they were using intimidation and fear to try to back them into a corner.
Peter - “filled with the Holy Spirit”...take that in for a second. Not Peter...full of wisdom, great arguments, graceful responses, or bold courage...but Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus had said it to him, and the others one day when he was with them. “You will be called before councils and rulers...do not fear as to what to say, for the Spirit will give you the words to speak”. Now Peter, John, and this man who was healed stand before them. Peter speaks simply and straightforwardly - “if you want to know the truth of how this happened, it’s simple... “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.” Peter’s confidence is amazing. He is not intimidated and obviously doesn’t care about what might happen next. He states it boldly, clearly, simply...Jesus, whom you crucified did the healing! He is the fulfillment of the prophecy: “the stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” - a reference to Psalm 118 - which Peter shows predicted the Messiah would be rejected...and THEY rejected him. Peter ends our reading today with the words that must be memorized and on our minds at all times... “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Two negatives: “no one else”... “no other name”... It is not religion that will save us, it is a Person...Jesus alone.
Peace
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