It is Friday and we’ve made it through the week. Thank you for reading thru the New Testament in a Year with me. Our reading today comes from Acts 4:13 - 37. It is not long but filled with some amazing things to see, so come back afterward that we might look at it again.
I’ve long found the words that begin our reading to be somewhat of a prayer for how I want to be perceived by others: “they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” That is a beautiful testimony for any life lived. To be a person who is not trying to be profound in order to impress people with their knowledge, but at the same time recognize that they have all the qualities of Christ-likeness. To be sure, it doesn’t mean soft and quiet. Peter and John stand with this lame man in front of a council of well-dressed, well-connected political rulers and yet they are not intimidated, nor hesitant in their responses. The council is called to do one main thing - stop them from speaking about Jesus. Peter and John are fully aware...more aware of the person of Jesus, the power of Jesus’ words, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and the amazing grace of God at work that they simply don’t care what the council wants, nor what they threaten.
Dismissed by the council so that they might confer, they call them back to “order them” to stop speaking about Jesus, and they are humble, but courageous also. The principle is clear to 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.” (Vs 20). They are threatened, bullied, cajoled, but undeterred. What has happened to them? What has happened to Peter? A few weeks earlier he was fearful, willing to deny knowing Jesus to save his own neck. Now he is standing in front of a council of elders who are threatening him and John to stop, or else! What has happened? He knows that Jesus truly conquered death in his resurrection. He knows that Jesus is ascended into heaven sitting at His Father’s right hand - a great High Priest who is interceding for him. He knows the filling and power of the Holy Spirit...not to show off, or create a false bravado; but to stand in the truth of what is happening - a truth larger than the religious rulers who seek to control them. Oh that we as Christians today could know this and live this courageously for Christ Jesus!
The council sends them away without any ability to punish them - it’s clear, there’s a lame man standing there healed...what can you charge them with wrongly doing? What I love about this next part is what Peter and John do next. They went back to the church, but instead of making themselves large in front of the church - “look what we did”, or even, “look what God did through us” - they prayed, worshiped. Reading vs. 24, there is no hint of pride, insolence, a “we told them” attitude, but instead a profoundly humble and quiet “God did this and we need to join together and make sure our purposes going forward are for one reason and one alone - for the Glory of God.”
Their prayers are two-fold. First, they celebrate God...the Sovereign God who made the heavens and the earth. Their prayer is vivid - quoting Psalm 2 when David saw human rulers, whole nations, think they can stand against God’s plans and purposes. “The nations plot...the Kings rise up...band together against the Lord and his anointed one”. What they don’t say here is what David in his Psalm said next - “the Lord laughs”.
It is a reminder for us that while the leaders of the nation plot and make plans, God is always sovereignly at work, and in the end, it is His purposes and plans that will ultimately and always be fulfilled - something we must remember when we listen to the news. The prayer meeting is well aware of what Herod and Pilate have done - nonetheless, they have no authority except that which is given to them by God, and Jesus is greater in his sovereignty than their earthly powers allow.
So, they pray...boldly, firmly - not for political power, or influence, or any earthly material goods...but for their ability to keep bearing witness of Jesus, and for the continued work of Jesus IN and THROUGH them to heal, do signs, see miracles happen through Jesus’ name. It is a quite different prayer from many of my own - perhaps yours. I realize that my God is often too small in my heart and mind. I am concerned with temporal matters way too often; while not aware of how large God’s purposes are in the world. That sentence in vs 31, is my need, maybe yours? “They were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” They wanted God’s purposes, his power, more than their own safety and agenda. It was simple: “God we see what you are doing, and we want to continue to be involved in what you’re doing...whatever the cost.”
The prayer meeting over...the council now distant...the church now begins to be the church in other ways. The believers - young, inexperienced, but led by the Apostles, begin to affirm the values of the Kingdom. Material things in the world are good when used for the right reasons. They see that there are needs in their fellowship, and voluntarily, quietly, one by one, they begin to do things to meet the needs of others... summarized it is “God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all.” (Vs 33). That’s a church that moves mountains. When generosity begins to be our desire, we know the Holy Spirit is at work.
This section ends with the introduction of a great leader in the early church. His name is Joseph, a Jewish man from the island of Cyprus, who the Apostles name as “Barnabas” - literally, “the son of Encouragement”. He is introduced as one who sold some property to meet the needs of the church, but that is just an introductory description. As we learn more and more about him, we will be impressed by the influence and greatness of what he brought to the early church. He will mentor some of the great leaders of the early church, while never making much of himself to others. He is a man of influence who has no desire for personal recognition - the kind of people God loves to work through.
What do we make of this section today? The church is beginning to emerge. What does it look like? It is centered on the message of the Gospel. I remember well the advice an older Christian in the church told me as a younger Pastor - “just make it about Jesus”...good advice. Religious conversations often “devolve” into arguments, attempts to be above one another; but when we make our conversations about the wonder, the grace, the mercy of Jesus, we already have the exalted one above all.
Secondly, boldness doesn’t come out of pride of position, or bravado of “look at me”. It comes from a humble dependence on God’s sovereign power, his word. When we stand on the truth of his word, there is no need for insolence, the pride of knowledge, etc...just a humility that God has spoken in his word, let’s look at it together.
Lastly, when we trust God to be at work and center our work around Jesus, we discover a oneness of heart and mind, a humility of serving one another, and a willingness to be compassionate and generous people. That sounds like a good Church to me.
Peace
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