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Prayer
Word set to music
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Out text for today is:
“GRACE AND TRUTH THROUGH JESUS CHRIST”
And
“EYES TO SEE, EARS TO HEAR”
Prayer
Okay, Acts chapter 4.
Peter (with John) has just spoken to a gathering of Jews in the temple, and he laid out some stuff that puts the timing and context of all the Bible says in perfect place – we covered that last week.
But above all that he and John were preaching the single most important message to these men – faith in Jesus Christ.
They had a door open into their hearts created by a healing God did through them of a man born lame.
Let’s read what happens next – chapter four verse one:
Acts 4.4
December 13th 2015
MILK
Acts 4:1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
Acts 4:1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
Here they come! Running to stop anything that challenges the status quo – the institution. What composed this posse?
First, “the priests.”
Probably these priests were a part of the Sanhedrim- also known as the ”great council of the nation.”
The word is pronounced by us as “Sanhedrim” but from the Greek it really is “synedrion” (SOON-EH-DREE-ON) and means “a sitting together,” or a “council.”
So we don’t actually see the councils called the Sanhedrin in the scripture but we see it translated to “the council” therein.
Council however is used in the New Testament to describe the supreme judicial and administrative council of the Jews, which, it is believed, was first instituted by Moses and was made up of seventy men (Number 11:16-17).
Moses arrangement appears to have only been a temporary arrangement however and it is thought that this council at the time of Jesus originated among the Jews when they were under the domination of the Syrian kings in the time of the Maccabees.
In any case this “council” is referred to simply as the “chief priests and elders of the people” or “chief priests and scribes” all through the Newt.
Christ was tried by them on the charge of claiming to be the Messiah. We’ve covered that.
But Peter and John were also brought before it for heresy as was Stephen (but on a charge of blasphemy) and Paul (for violating temple by-laws).
All of these instances are found in the Book of Acts and the first is here, in chapter 4.
The Sanhedrin is said to have consisted of seventy-one members (which is why some believe it hearkens back to Moses day). These are the people-groups that made the council up:
The high priest (who was president), scribes, and elders.
As the highest judicial court Josephus says, “in all causes and over all persons, ecclesiastical and civil, supreme,” its decrees were binding, not only on the Jews in Palestine, but on all Jews wherever scattered abroad.
But it powers and jurisdiction was greatly reduced first by Herod, and afterwards by the Romans.
They met within the precincts of the temple, in the hall “Gazith,” but it sometimes met also in the house of the high priest.
We tend to think of the council in negative terms but there are instances in the New Testament where good men of the council came forward to Christ in His defense.
That being said much of it was corrupted by Jesus day and in Matthew 23 Jesus absolutely rails upon them in one of the most impassioned speeches imaginable.
The Luke says that “The captain of the temple,” was there.
This was the muscle of the group. He was the commander of the guards who were stationed in what was called, the tower of Antonia, and it was their duty to keep peace. He was the captain of the temple guard in other words.
They were not military officers nor Romans but were Levites who oversaw the guard of temple priests and who kept watch over the temple by night.
It was this group of men who came to Gethsemane for Jesus and now the captain of them was here before Peter and John to ensure peace.
We’ve discussed this before but there were three main segments of Jews – similar to their being Calvinist and Arminianists today. In Jesus day they were the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Essenes.
The Pharisees were sound in their creeds, apparently, but the execution and their system of religion was a form and nothing more.
The Lord ranked them with the Sadducees as a “generation of vipers,” and they were noted for their self-righteousness and their pride.
There were number of Sadducees among the “elders” of the Sanhedrin. They seem to have been as numerous as the Pharisees (according to Act 23:6).
We might see them as the deists or sceptics of that age and one of their main doctrines was there is no resurrection of the dead.
What were John and Peter preaching here? In fact what were the apostles special witnesses of? That’s right, Jesus resurrecting from the dead. And so they were all over this situation there in the temple.
As a aside, the Essenes are not mentioned in the New Testament but they may be referred to in Matthew 19:11-12 and Colossians 2.
They were a trippy mystical sect that related to the Pharisees, sought extreme purity, started around 100 BC and completely disappeared after the destruction of Jerusalem.
Anyway, here comes the man. And Luke writes that they “Came upon them – Peter and John. The way Luke writes it means they arrived in a sudden and violent way.
Why? (verse 2)
2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
The term for being grieved here is ony found in one other place in the New Testament it implies emotions of indignation and anger and sorrow.
We might call it righteous indignation – or what they believed was righteous.
This was a direct affront to their authority – plus it opposed the Sadduceean doctrine there on the temple grounds no less. Notice how Luke describes the source of their indignation:
Being grieved that
they taught the people, and
preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
I would suggest that the first reason is describing to us their desire to retain their power – that Peter and John actually thought that they could teach the people! Goodness gracious, these “Gutteral, Stammering Galilians! What is the world coming to!
Why they have no education.
They have no priestly right!
They are the lowest of the low and they are teaching the people!
(beat)
Folks – my friends – let me introduce you to the heart of God. Where the Spirit, through broken vessels and Galilian fishermen articulate more about Him and His Son then all the learned in the world.
Learning is not bad. Order and oversight have its purposes. But if we just allow ourselves to really see how God orchestrated and arranged the saving of the world and the converting of it . . . it is TRULY by and through the weak things of the world that He overcomes the mighty.
As much as it rails against our nature, pursue humility, my friends. Give God all honor and glory, and let His Spirit work through you as you allow your broken and humble selves do His bidding.
So these men claimed the right to watch over the interests of the people, and to declare who was authorized to instruct and teach the nation.
This is no surprise – they did it to Jesus too. And men and women of presumed “ecclesiastical power” continue to do it today, fancying themselves to somehow have the right – from GOD – to order other believing people around.
The real question here in the case of Peter and John was whether they had been sent by God.
That was the real question about Jesus and that is the real question about any believer today and the things they share – is it from God?
In the case of Peter and John – due to the enormity of their cause and the times they found themselves in – they had an amazing proof provided by God that they were sent by God – the irrefutable miracle of the man born lame being healed.
This did not seem to carry any weight with these men (verse 3)
3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
Being a religious governing body they had to gather together to judge the affairs of the Nation and since night was falling that would have been difficult – so they physically took Peter and John and “put them in hold” a cell of some sort, probably there on the temple grounds until the next day. Luke adds:
4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
A few things to point out.
First Luke says, “Howbeit,” which means “But” or “Despite the actions of these rulers,”
“Many of them which “heard the Word believed.”
We note that not all but many believed AND we note that the many who believed . . . believed by or from or through what? The Word . . . “many that heard the word believed.”
Now take one more note of something in this . . . . the words, preach, and preached and preaching numbers in the hundreds on the New Testament. Keruso.
Additionally, the term for teaching – didaskolas – adds another 6o plus times.
So we are well over 200 instances where preaching and teaching are used. Romans 10 say it very plainly.
Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (verse 17) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Now listen closely – I am a pastor/teacher/preacher-man. My preaching is done on television and through the internet to reach those who are willing to hear.
My teaching and pastoring is all done here to those who believe. In other words we do not preach to believers and we do not teach unbelievers.
Believers have already heard and now need the milk and meat of the word to grow and unbelievers cannot comprehend the Word being taught because they have not been regenerated.
We preach (kerusso) the word to those who do not know Him and we teach (didaskolas) the Word to those who do.
Here’s my point in bringing this up.
In the New Testament alone the word heard is used 227 times.
In Acts 2:37, after Peter’s speech on the Day of Pentecost we read:
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
And here in chapter four Luke writes:
Act 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
And we will read a whole lot more similar references and when we combine them with Paul’s words in Romans 10
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
I want to challenge you all to something – as a co-laborer in the fields of God – Share the Word.
You don’t have to have all the answers – all you are sharing is the Good News.
And what is that?
Summarize it yourself – let it come from you personally – but share it verbally with those who do not know Him because it is by the HEARING of the Word that (most people) come to faith.
You are as much of a preacher of the Word as I am. And I am as much of a preacher as anyone else.
What are we ALL preaching? Jesus Christ – His life and His death and His resurrection and how by and through Him we have been saved in our sin and from our sin.
That’s it.
We’re not preaching CAMPUS. We’re not getting people to come to any specific organization. We are preaching – sharing – Jesus with whomever because it is by the hearing of the Word that people believe.
(beat)
This is an individual call. It is under the direction of the Spirit so there is no compulsion. The Spirit may tell you to keep your mouth shut sometimes – so its not a mandate of constancy.
But understand the nuances involved. Today we refer to the messages at church as preaching. It’s a misnomer. If you are preaching to a believer somethings wrong.
I welcome all believers to come to CAMPUS to allow the Word taught to wash them of former prejudice. But this setting is for the believer.
The preaching of the Word is as much in your hands as it is in mine – as it was to all who are His.
Jesus was training and teaching His disciples in Matthew chapter ten. He was telling them to go out and preach and He explains to them that they ought not fear. That God is with them and they ought not fear men.
This is the context of the chapter – Jesus training the twelve. At verse 27 He says:
Matthew 10:27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
We see that up to this point Jesus has been speaking to them saying using Ye and your all through these passages. It’s important to see these things when you are trying to determine application.
But then, at verse 32, He gives some open, universal words which are applicable to all, saying:
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
And in my estimation we have direct instruction from the Lord –
Confess Him before men (we do that with the mouth and through our lives) He will confess before the Father but whosoever will deny Him He will also deny before the Father.
It’s not a matter of force . . . but I can’t help but believe it to be a fact of the matter.
As your teacher, and friend, and someone who wants the best for you before God AND for your joy in this life – share Him.
We share with others what is beneficial right?
We share recipes, and favorite movies and great restaurants, right?
Sharing Him takes adding who He is and what He has done in your life to your list of favorite things. Once you begin, and open the door, He will guide you . . . and it will become, in time, your favorite subject.
One more thing to re-emphasize – make it only about Him. Plant the seeds. Cast the Word. Focus it on Him and Him alone. His word will not return void. Just like Peter and John, by your words others may hear . . . and believe.
Now . . . when Luke says in verse 4
“Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.”
It is believed that Luke was keeping a running total of all who were within their ranks as believers at this point and that he was not saying that 5000 were there at this setting nor that 5000 in that setting believed out of that setting.
That’s much too big of a number.
Now, what I am about to add is really more of a Meat topic than a Milk. But in this we also see a relationship in sharing Good News and suffering.
I would be lying to you – misleading you, really – if I didn’t mention this other element to sharing Him.
But when people step up for Christ, to the selfless benefit of others, others may believe and begin to live life more abundantly, but the person who steps up and out to share often suffers.
Looking to the ministry of Jesus John the Baptist, the precursor to the Lord, stepped up, prepared the way and then pointed Him out – and was then put in prison and beheaded.
Jesus didn’t seem to recoil at this but seems to have seen it as an expected end.
Jesus stepped up and honored the Father (in all things) and wound up hanging on a cross alone and naked outside the city walls.
Before dying He told His disciples “that they would deliver them up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.”
And they were.
And before they lost their lives all of them wrote letters of encouragement to believers who were either suffering or were going to – for Him.
Paul said:
Romans 8:17 “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
And in Philippians 1:29
“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.”
And Peter said (in 1st Peter 4:19)
“Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”
And James said (in James 1:2)
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.”
And Paul added in 2nd Timothy 4:5
“But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
The principle behind this system or cycle – where a person first believes, the one who shared with him or her suffers, and then the person who has been converted chooses to share experiences the same thing, seems to be rooted in the Lord’s own words.
The cycle of spiritual life, in other words, seems to be based on the lifecycle of plants.
An ear of corn, for example, became a corn stalk because another kernel of corn gave itself up to die to its own existence, be buried, allowing a new stalk to rise up out up from its death and burial.
And that the new stalk, while having its own life and purpose, will produce other kernals that also must die and be buried in order for even more stalks to have life.
Intrinsic to this whole cycle is first life, followed by death and burial, followed by more life . . . and on and on and on.
In it we see joy and thriving but we also see the need for subjection, self-sacrifice, and literal burial in order for more to experience the life of a corn stalk.
Jesus explained this when He said:
John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor.
This is such a certain cycle that we have coined a phrase in the faith which says:
“the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”
Right here we see Peter and John beginning to experience the cycle – where they have chosen to preach Jesus as a means to give life to others . . . and now they are beginning to reap the earthly reward for it –
Persecution.
I want to take a minute and point out one more constant factor that attends this difficult but important cycle when we choose to step out and preach the Word.
The greatest, and the most vitriolic persecution that comes upon believers who share the truth with others often comes from other believers.
I think these other believers mean well, and if they don’t they are often just consumed by their flesh, but those who are in the cause often cause those who are sharing the Word the most pain.
I think the reason has something to do with people who become overly zealous for God, or are envious when someone (especially someone who they deem inept or inferior to them) is blessed with participating in the harvest of souls.
This is what appears to have motivated this group to come and take Peter and John.
It was religious leaders who had Christ put to death and it was mostly religiously minded people during the days of Constantine, out through the Crusades and Inquisitions, to the Protestant Reformation and beyond that had sharers of Good things put to death.
It is not one bit different today. Quite frankly, I don’t think the world is nearly as vicious and unkind as people who in some form or another claim some belief in God.
It’s a fact that lead Jesus to say in John 16:2
“They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”
We saw this attitude in the lives of the Council in Jesus life. We see it here in these men, we will see it in Paul before he converts, and we will see it in Popes, and Priests, and Bishops, and Reformers, and pastors, and people who truly DO want to follow Jesus.
The ONLY response followers of the King can have is the model He (and the Apostles provide in scripture.
If we are innocent of an accusation we have the right to appeal to truth. But as best as possible with patience and love trusting God will work all things out and giving accusers the benefit of the doubt knowing that if they are acting in ignorance God will bring them to the light and if they are acting maliciously, God will make all things right.
Let’s leave off here.
Questions/Comments?
Prayer
