Spurling Silver: They had been with Jesus, Acts 4:1-20

The lame man was leaping, the people were steeping in Peter’s preaching, and the religious folks were steaming.

Acts 4:1 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them,

Peter and John were preaching to the crowd gathered because the forty-plus year-old man, lame from birth, had just been healed.

Then, suddenly, rudely, interrupting, were the self-righteous priests, their temple police, and the Sadducees.

2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

They were greatly ticked, because they taught Jesus was raised from the dead.

You see, the Sadducees, didn’t believe in the supernatural, or angels, or miracles, or life after death, no resurrection, no heaven. This is it, here and now is all you get, and so, they were, sad-you-see.

3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

So, to shut them up, they locked them up.

People in power, when they feel threatened, will resort to arresting people under trumped up charges, just to shut them up.

4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Those simply seeking the Truth, heard the Word, and believed.

The Word of God cannot be stifled, or silenced.

Locking up the messengers, only multiplied the Message, and the number grew from last count of about 3,000, up to 5,000.

5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

This group includes the Sanhedrin; a 70-member supreme court. For good measure the family of the high priest is gathered as well.

John isn’t John the apostle, but likely Jonathon of the family of the high priest.

Notice, they gathered the next day. Amazing how quickly politicians can move when they think there’s a threat to their political agenda.

7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”

Control freaks can’t see beyond their own nose.

Instead of saying, “Hallelujah the man lame from birth was healed.”

They see it as an insult or threat to their own authority.

Who gave you the right to do this?

Not that they cared about, “Who,” they only cared about losing followers. Not that they cared about their followers, just the power and control their numbers gave them. Like social media gurus today.

They didn’t realize their question was the perfect set up for Peter to preach, Jesus.

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them,

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,

This isn’t simply saying Peter was a Christian; a Believer who’s been born again and has the Spirit of God dwelling within.

In John 20:22, after Jesus was resurrected, He met with His disciples, breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit. They received and were, officially, the first born again Christians.

Later, Jesus told them to wait until they were filled with the Holy Spirit; Acts 1:8. In Acts 2, they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Getting saved (indwelling of Holy Spirit), and being filled with the Holy Spirit, are not synonymous.

For example.

All cars that roll out the womb of the factory are cars. When licensed, they’re legal, but can’t go far without, repeatedly being filled with fuel.

All humans that roll out of the womb are people. When saved, they’re legal, but can’t go far without repeatedly being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matt. 12:35; Luke 6:45).

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke.

Before we speak, we should ask: “Who am I filled with?”

The Holy Spirit. Good. Speak.

Anger? Bite our tongue.

Gossip? Walk away.

Slander? Bite tongue and walk away.

Holy Spirit, we ask You to fill us, and speak through us, and help us, bite our tongue and not move until You’re with us, and in us, and overflowing from us.

“Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,

In one breath, the wisdom, and humor, of the Holy Spirit, through Peter, lays bare the absurdity of this kangaroo court.

Let’s be perfectly clear, we’re here, because of a good deed done to a helpless man.

And I’ll tell you exactly how it happened.

10 let it be known to you all, 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 stands here before you whole.

We see three evidences of the Holy Spirit speaking through Peter in this short little verse.

Evidence of the Holy Spirit speaking is that, He always points to, and glorifies, Jesus.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Just that name probably made them grit their teeth.

Jesus—that was a common name back then and even somewhat today.

Christ, however was different. It was not Jesus’ last name. Christos, in Greek. It means the anointed One, the Messiah. All Israel, knew that name, that title. They were looking for One to come; their Savior, Messiah, Deliverer. He would become King of Israel, free them from bondage, and MIGA (Make Israel Great Again).

So, to say, Jesus Christ, was effectively calling, Jesus the Messiah.

Adding, of Nazareth, made it crystal clear that he was talking about Joseph and Mary’s Boy, Jesus, the Carpenter, from Nazareth.

That made the religious folk's skin crawl. They thought no good thing could come from, Podunk, Hicksville, redneck, Nazareth.

Also note:

Evidence of the Holy Spirit speaking is, Holy Boldness.

Peter is not intimidated by the same group that recently had Jesus, the Almighty Creator of the Universe, ridiculed, stripped, flogged, beaten, crucified and killed.

By the Holy Spirit, Peter stands unflinching in their face.

And:

Evidence of the Holy Spirit speaking is, raw Truth.

You killed Him.

God raised Him.

And He, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, healed this man standing right here before your very eyes.

Undeniable Truth and proof.

11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would give what to speak and bring to remembrance what was needed.

Here Peter remembers and quotes Psalm 118:22; Jesus also quoted it in Matthew 21:42.

The cornerstone was the most important stone. Set on the foundation and everything else was built and measured and squared, from the cornerstone.

The stones for the temple were quarried off site, and cut so precise that a blade couldn’t fit between them. If a stone wasn’t just right it was rejected.

Jesus was (and is) rejected, even though, He is the perfect Cornerstone.

12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Make no mistake what the Holy Spirit is saying through Peter, to them, to us, today.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth, is the only Way to heaven.

Jesus is the only One who has the Right to say, “It’s My way, or the highway…to hell.”

John 14:6; He is the Way, the Truth, the Life, no one comes to the Father, but by Him.

Period.

Well I, am a really good per—nope never good enough.

Well I, was bapti—won’t cleanse sin, can’t get you to heaven. Is good, a testimony, a memorial stone, a line in the sand; an outward demonstration of an inward transition.

Well I, believe in God, so I am good to go—So? the devils believe and tremble, James 2:19.

Well, um, I repented, asked Jesus to forgive me, and live in me, and through me. But I’m a mess. I stumble, sometimes a lot. With His help, I get back up, and follow Him, the best I can, with all I am… Yes! Congratulations! You are born again, a child of God, saved and headed to heaven.

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

They couldn’t help but notice the boldness.

Why aren’t they intimidated?

Aren’t they the ones that scattered like scared sheep in the Garden of Gethsemane? Wasn’t Peter afraid of a little girl in the courtyard?

They have no formal education or training. They’re fishermen for crying out loud. How can they be standing toe to toe with the educated elite of Israel?

They act like, they talk like, they’re a lot like… Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Evidence of the Holy Spirit looks a lot like Jesus Christ of Nazareth shining through me and you.

Lord, help us, act, talk, walk, look, a lot like, You.

14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

The leaping man, (new name for lame man) was standing beside them.

Probably more like, bouncing beside them; maybe dancing in place, big smile, staring at his feet, wiggling his toes, giggling.

What could they say?

15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

To no man in this name. Are they afraid to utter the name, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

What’s really sad is:

They are afraid of losing their position, so, even though the Truth is staring them in the face, bouncing right before their very eyes, they willingly reject the Truth that came to save them, just to satisfy the power lust that controls them.

18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

Control freaks censor what they’re afraid of. What they know is true, but don’t want everyone else to know is true.

They are afraid of Jesus.

Their censorship shows they believe Jesus rose from the grave, is alive and well, and has Power to heal.

For comparison, consider:

Nobody tries to censor Santa Claus. Because they know he’s not real. If they believed he was real, they’d censor Santa, for fear that if folks believed, they’d stop spending all their money on Christmas presents, and just buy stamps to send letters to the North Pole.

The name of Jesus Christ, is the most feared and revered name in HIStory. His name has been outlawed, censored, even the US military foolishly entertained censoring His name from the lips of chaplains, for the sake of not offending.

One day, every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.

Here we’ve come full circle, back to the first question about what Power, what Name, have you done this.

Peter and John answer, making it abundantly clear.

We’re listening to God; and you’re not Him.

That was a slap in the face to the self-righteous religious who thought their words were God’s. They expected folks to obey them as if they were the voice of God.

If the laws of the land, contradict the laws of God, Christians have a higher Authority, and must obey God rather than man.

20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

Relationship with Jesus, personal testimony, is more powerful than quoting the whole Bible cover to cover.

The leaping man didn’t have to say a word, just walk, point; look what the Lord has done!

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we love You, forever, amen.

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