18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. (Acts 4:1-22 –NIV)
Verse 1 says that the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were speaking to the people about Jesus. Let me review what led up to this:
Peter and John were going to the temple at the time of prayer. Also at the same time, a man—a man who had been crippled from birth—was being carried to one of the temple gates to beg. When the man saw Peter and John he asked them for help. Peter told the man that he had no money, but what he did have he would give him. Then he said to the man, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Peter took the man’s hand and he jumped to his feet and walked. He went into the temple courts walking and jumping and praising God.
When the people began to gather around Peter, John and the man who had been healed, Peter took the opportunity to preach about Jesus Christ. He told the people again, as he had at Pentecost first of all that it was they who had put Jesus to death: “You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.” (Acts 3:14, 15) Peter told them to repent so that their sins might be wiped away.
Peter also told them that Jesus would be coming back when the time came for God to restore everything. (When we have the Lord ’s Supper, you know, we remember that Jesus suffered and died for our sins. We will continue to do this until he returns. We are looking forward to his return: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” —1 Cor. 11:26)
In Acts 3:22, 23 Peter told them this: “For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.’” His people from whom you will be completely cut off are really all God’s people. And if you look up the word that’s translated completely cut off, you will find out that it means utterly destroyed. Anyone, anyone, who does not listen to Jesus will be utterly destroyed! That is pretty serious. Listen to Jesus!
What does it mean to listen to Jesus? Well, Jesus taught things like, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek (which means gentle, by the way), for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3-11)
And... “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matt. 7:1, 2)
And... “ If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matt. 6:14, 15)
And... “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)
And... “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31)
And... “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matt. 5:44)
And... “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” (Luke 9:23, 24)
And... “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Jesus said, “My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:22)
When they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:28, 29)
Believe in Jesus. Trust him!
Now let’s look at the verse immediately preceding the first verse of today’s passage, the last verse in Acts chapter 3, verse26. In this verse Peter told them, “When God raised up his servant (that’s Jesus), he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” This is followed by the first verse of today’s passage which says, “The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.”
Let me say something about the Sadducees now. They were the ones who brought the priests and the captain of the temple guard to where Peter and John were preaching. The Sadducees were the theological liberals of the Jewish religion. Peter had said that God had raised Jesus from the dead—and God certainly had raised Jesus from the dead. But the Sadducees didn’t believe there was a resurrection of the dead and, obviously therefore, no judgment of the dead. (In Daniel 12:2 the word of God says, “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to everlasting shame and contempt.” and in Isaiah 26:19: “But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.” and Jesus, in Isaiah 53:11, will, after the suffering of his soul, see the light of life. He will be raised from the dead! The Sadducees rejected all of these things. The Sadducees didn’t believe there were angels or demons either. It sounds pretty much like they didn’t believe there was anything supernatural. And it can be said that at this point the Sadducees were essentially just a political party. They wanted to stay in power.
Well, verse 2 in today’s passage says that the Sadducees were greatly disturbed that Peter was proclaiming through Jesus the resurrection of the dead! Their party platform was “When you’re dead you’re dead. There is no resurrection of the dead!” And here’s my observation: If you acknowledge that there is a resurrection of the dead, you have to think that there might be a judgment, too! I don’t think they wanted to do that.
You know, I’ve been reading that there have been a number of books published lately that have been written by atheists. They have become best sellers. I don’t know the reasons for the popularity of these books. Some reasons such as the rise of militant Islam have been given and also the fact that the last generation has been raised in a completely secularized environment. Although some people (even Christians) may be reading these books simply out of curiosity (I might do that just to see what the atheists are saying), I believe that what we are actually seeing is a much more open rebellion against God. Militant atheism is on the rise, so they say. The atheists are saying that religion is evil and harmful to those who practice it. (And I guess I could add the question, “By what standard do they judge what is evil and harmful and what isn’t?”) The atheists are trying to suppress all practice of religion—especially the Christian religion. They are doing so with “evangelistic” fervor. (Let’s even remove “In God we trust” from the money! You’ve heard about it.) What’s really going on?
I don’t think it’s complicated. Here’s what’s really going on. They don’t want to be held accountable for their actions. That’s it. The message that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead again makes us accountable. The fact that we will also rise from the dead, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and contempt, makes us accountable. It’s better to say that there is no resurrection from the dead and take away anything that might remind you that there is. Then you can do whatever you want.
Verses 3 and 4 in today’s passage say, “They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.”
Seizing Peter and John didn’t stop the message. It says that the number of men grew to about five thousand. It really does say men, not people. So with women and children, there were probably many more. In fact the worst nightmare of the Sadducees was coming to pass.
Now let’s look at verses 5, 6 and 7. I’ll read them:
5The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” (Acts 4:5-7 –NIV)
Caiaphas was actually officially the high priest, not Annas. Annas had held the office earlier and was Caiaphas’s father-in-law. He was a sort of a high priest emeritus and probably was the one who had the de facto authority. According to my Bible dictionary, although the high priests were descended from Aaron as required by the Law of Moses, the office of high priest was in fact a political appointment. Both Annas and Caiaphas were Sadducees. When they had Peter and John brought out, they asked them, “By what power or what name did you do this?”
They certainly knew by what power and by what name the crippled man had been healed (or at least by what power and name Peter and John had been claiming the man had been healed)! (A name, you remember, in the Bible represents the person who has that name—who he is. In this case they were asking Peter and John by whose authority they had healed the crippled man. And the name Jesus, in case you didn’t remember, means Jehovah Saves.) Anyway, they certainly knew by what power and name. But I think they were wanting to hear Peter and John say it again so they could accuse them of false teaching.
Now we (or, at least I), in a situation like this want to try to be nonconfrontational. Why stir up waves? Try to answer honestly but word it in a way that sounds as though you basically agree with the person who is accusing you. Why give an answer that seems defiant? Why make trouble? Listen to Peter’s answer:
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.’
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8-12 –NIV)
Now Peter treated elders of Israel with respect. He addressed them as “Rulers and elders of the people.” But he let them know that what they were really doing was saying that there was something wrong—maybe something evil—in showing kindness to a cripple. Then he said plainly that it was by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that the crippled man stood before them healed. And—that it was by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom they had crucified but whom God had raised from the dead that the man stood before them healed. “You murdered him! But God, whom you say does not or maybe cannot raise the dead, raised him from the dead!”
Does that sound confrontational? It sounds confrontational! Does it sound defiant? It sounds defiant. It even sounds rebellious. But let me tell you, it was neither defiant nor was it rebellious. Peter was speaking the truth in love. The only hope these Jewish leaders had was in Jesus Christ. Peter was not speaking with an attitude of defiance—not out of rebellion—not with a “just try and make me” attitude—but he was filled with the Holy Spirit. He was speaking as the Holy Spirit was leading him to speak. He was giving them the message that God wanted them to hear—that they were sinners and that there was only one way they could be saved—through Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Salvation is found in no one else!—in no other name! (And after hearing that message they were certainly accountable!)
You know, many years ago we used to go down to OSU campus or just out on the streets and invite people to Bible study. I probably talked to several hundred people. I asked a lot of them if they thought they were sinners. You know what? There was not one single person who didn’t get the right answer. Every one of them said they were sinners! Some of them I asked if they thought they would go to heaven. Most of them didn’t give a direct answer. They said something like, “Well, I try to do what’s right?” (For some reason I didn’t think to ask any of them what they thought was right. I’ll have to try to remember to do that in the future.)
Do you think that trying to do what’s right will save you? What do you think is right? I’ll tell you what is right. What is right is faith in the Lord Jesus. That’s what’s right. That’s what will save you. You will not save yourself. God will save you.
You know, we see all kinds of people with all kinds of beliefs. Some of them seem like “good guys”. We may want to believe that they are saved—that being “good guys” will save them. But salvation is only found in Jesus Christ—not in anyone else-not in being “good guys”. Salvation is only found through faith in Jesus—faith in his name—who he is—that he is God who came in the flesh—and faith in what he did—that he sacrificed himself on the cross for our sin—and that he rose from the dead (in spite of what the Sadducees thought or said)!
Well, what about the people who never heard of Jesus—who never heard his name. I really have to say that I don’t know. But I know it’s not the actual name. Jesus is the Latin version of the Greek version, I e s o u s (pronounced Yesous, more or less), which is what Peter used, assuming he was speaking Greeks as recorded. Of course he was probably not speaking Greek, but Aramaic, which is the language they spoke in Palestine at that time and he probably referred to Jesus as Y’shua, his Hebrew name which in English is Joshua. Did you follow all of that? If not, don’t worry about it because I don’t know how Jesus name was really pronounced back then anyway. Neither does anyone else. Anyway, I hope you get the point. It’s not the literal name that you have to know.
I don’t know about the people who have never heard the name of Jesus. Moses and David, Elijah and Isaiah and all the Old Testament Saints never heard the name of Jesus (although many of them dimly saw his coming and I believe that he was actually there with them during their times on earth). But even though none of these Old Testament saints knew what we now know about Jesus, there is no doubt that they have eternal life. I don’t know about other people who have never heard the name of Jesus.
But here’s something I do know. If you do know the name of Jesus—if you do know who he is and if you reject him—if you choose some other supposed way of salvation—you have no salvation! You are dead in your sins and transgression! The Jewish leaders rejected Jesus. Jesus is the one who saves. They had no salvation! Salvation is found in no one else!
(But, you know what? The apostle Paul was one of those Jewish leaders who rejected Jesus. He took part in imprisoning and even killing some of the Christians. But he repented and spread the gospel of salvation—salvation through the name of Jesus Christ—throughout the Roman Empire. He spread it to us, too. He wrote more than a fourth of the New Testament.)
Now let’s look at verses 13 through 17. Here’s what they say:
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16”What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” (Acts 4:13-17 – (NIV)
The Jewish leaders were amazed at boldness and clarity with which Peter and John spoke. But, although the man that was healed was right there with them, they would not be convinced by the evidence of God power. It appears that it didn’t even occur to them to accept the evidence. (“We have to stop this thing from spreading.” This thing was the evidence of God’s power!)
How many of us have that kind of attitude? (“My mind is made up. Don’t confuse me with the facts!”) The Jewish leaders were determined to reject salvation through Jesus. It would upset their whole system and ways of doing things. They would lose their positions of prestige, power and authority. (That didn’t bother the apostle Paul, by the way. He was one of the fastest rising members of the Sanhedrin. But he suffered beatings, hunger and poverty and finally was put to death for Jesus. But God’s promises of eternal life—glory, honor and immortality—far outweighed those things in his mind. And I might ask, “What about us? Do God’s promises far outweigh our worries about suffering and about human glory during this life? What are our priorities?”)
Now let’s look at verses 18 through 20:
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20 –NIV)
The Jewish leaders were ordering Peter and John to disobey God. Peter and John asked them whether it was right for them to obey men (“you”) rather than God. Again, what about us? It’s easy to disobey God and make excuses (It would only harden their hearts if I disobeyed men”). And what about our motives? It’s easy to “obey” God rather than men out of pride and stubbornness rather than out of faith and humility—if you think you can get away with it. What about us?
Now look at the last two verses, verses 21 and 22:
21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. (Acts 4:21, 22 – NIV)
They just didn’t get it. It still didn’t occur to them that they could do anything else but punish Peter and John. All the people there “got it”? They were praising God! In fact, the reason the Jewish leaders could do nothing to Peter and John was because all the people were praising God. (And something that always amazes me when I read these accounts and compare these people’s reaction with what is typical today is that they knew that these kinds of blessings come only from God and that all praise for them belongs to God!) But the Jewish leaders, who were holding onto their positions of prestige, authority and power, were powerless to do what they wanted to do because they were afraid of the people.
Well, I just want to sum up one thing. Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. Some people may want to think that they will simply go out of existence when they die. They may even claim that they are good people and that their lives are benefiting those who are now alive and those who are yet to be born. They will not go out of existence when they die! There will be judgment.
Some people believe there is reincarnation—they will be reincarnated to a better life. Even some who say they are atheists and that there is nothing supernatural say this. Others say that performing certain rituals will save them and still others that they will be saved because they are good guys and try to do what is right. They are all wrong. Salvation is only through Jesus and through faith in Jesus. Regardless of what people say or claim, there is no other way of salvation. Every other way leads to God’s judgment and condemnation. (And Jesus is the Judge, by the way. If you reject Jesus, you are rejecting the one who decides whether you are raised to eternal life or to eternal shame and contempt. Don’t reject Jesus!)
Praise the Lord who loved us by sending his one and only Son Jesus to live among us for a while and to be without sin even though he was tempted in every way just as we were.
Praise the Lord who sent Jesus to die for our sin by shedding his blood on the cross.
Praise the Lord who raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at his right hand far above all rule and power, dominion and authority.
Praise Jesus who will reign until all of his enemies are submitted under his feet—the last enemy to be conquered will be death.
Praise Jesus who took his enemies and made them his brothers by the grace and mercy of God.
Praise the Lord. Amen!
[prayer]