One Thing Leads to Another!

One Thing Leads to Another! 
Acts 4:1-31

INTRO: Today we will move on to chapter 4 in our look at the Book of Acts. I’m enjoying going through this Book and examining God’s word for what it can teach me. I hope you are enjoying this too.

We saw last time how the Apostles Peter and John were entering the temple and met a lame man by the Beautiful Gate, who they healed. What we are going to look at today stands as a warning to everyone who wants to confess to being a follower of Christ.
As the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:12 – “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

I think I’ll start with a story and I hope no one minds because it does lean on stereotypes. This story I heard is about a couple who were on their way to get married when they had a tragic accident. The next thing they knew, they were standing arm-in-arm at the pearly gates.
They told Peter what had happened and then said, "We want to spend eternity as man and wife. Is there anyone here who can marry us before we go in?"
Peter thought for a minute and said, "This is an unusual request, but if you'll take a seat, I'll see what I can work out." The couple waited for three months before Peter finally came back with a minister to perform the ceremony.
The man said to Peter, "We've had some time to think about this. We know that marriage is difficult even under the limited term of 'till death us do part.' Since there is no death in heaven, I just want to make sure that if this marriage doesn't work out, can we get a divorce?"
Peter said, "Are you kidding? It took me three months just to find a preacher. What do you think your chances are of finding a lawyer?"

People have many expectations of heaven that are not biblical of course, but I guess the point of the story is there are some people we expect to see in heaven when we get there, Peter being one of them.

I. Let’s read Acts 4:1-3 – “Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.”

A. While Peter and John were still preaching, a group of people came into the temple area and arrested them. Who were these men? Luke tells us there were priests, the captain of the temple and the Sadducees.

1. We know who the priests were. They were descendants of the tribe of Levi and they were assigned by God to serve God in the temple.
2. The Sadducees were proud, secular materialists who denied the existence of a spiritual world, holding that neither angels nor demons existed, denying any such thing as the resurrection, and rejecting the Oral Torah. They also refused the traditions of the elders except for the parts which had political usefulness.
3. Over time, through wealth and political power, they had gained control of the religious apparatus which ran the temple, the office of the high priest being regularly filled from this group.
4. Who was the captain of the temple guard? He belonged to one of the chief-priestly families of the Levites and in the temple; he ranked next to the high priest. In other words, he was the main man with authority in and around the temple area.

B. Well, one thing leads to another. Luke tells us the apostles were arrested because they taught the people and preached the resurrection by preaching about Jesus.

1. I wondered where the Pharisees were at this time. We can’t be certain where they were but perhaps they were absent because the apostles were teaching the resurrection. You see the Pharisees were the teachers of the law and they believed in the resurrection whereas the Sadducees did not.
2. What we will see as we go through the Book of Acts is that the Pharisees seem to be sympathetic toward the church and some of them even obeyed the gospel.
3. We see this in Acts 5 where a Pharisee named Gamaliel says to the Sanhedrin in Acts 5:38-40 – “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; "but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it lest you even be found to fight against God.'' And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.”
4. We see this sympathetic attitude again in Acts 15:5 – “But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.''”
5. The apostle Paul being a great debater argues his defense with the Pharisees and Sadducees in Acts 23:6-9 and says, “..., "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!'' And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes who were of the Pharisees' party arose and protested, saying, "We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.''”

C. At age three little Johnny tried to put his shoes on by himself. His mother noticed that the left shoe was on the right foot. She said, "Johnny, your shoes are on the wrong feet." He looked up at her with a raised brow and said, "That’s silly, Mommy. They're the only feet I've got."

1. Folks, we only have one pair of feet and there is only one faith and it’s the one faith we find within the Bible.
2. When you go back to the scriptures as your defense, you will leave other religious people arguing among themselves for many of their ideas are from men. Sometimes we can get into discussions with people about what they believe and we can end up arguing about what we believe. The way to end these discussions is simply by going back to the scriptures. Tell them what the Bible says, and if they read it for themselves and find they have a problem with what the scriptures teach then they need to take it up with God. In other words, let the Bible speak for itself...

II. Luke tells us that it was now evening. Peter and John having preached for nearly three hours find themselves in jail until the next day. I just want to raise an important point here. Do you remember when Jesus was on trial, what time of day it was?

A. In Matthew 26:47ff scripture tells us that it would have been around midnight when Jesus was arrested, and He was hurried to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, where, in expectation of the capture, a company of chief priests, scribes and elders, members of the Sanhedrin were already assembled. The trial of Jesus was illegal because they were supposed to wait until the next day for trial. I guess if you have a hidden agenda and you don’t want to be reminded to do things right, you will always find a way around it.

B. The apostles had to wait until the next day to stand trial which was the right procedure. The point I’m trying to make here is simple. The religious leaders had a rule they did not apply to Jesus but they did for the apostles. This is a practice that mustn’t be allowed to govern in the Lord’s church. People cannot, must not, chop and change scripture to suit their agendas.

1. Let me give you a couple of examples. If several people have not attended the assembly for many months, you cannot write a letter to one of them telling them they are disfellowshipped knowing others are doing the same thing.
2. In the same way, you cannot rebuke a person for gossiping when you know others are gossiping.
3. You can’t have one set of rules for some Christians and another set of rules for other Christians. The church as a whole needs to be... must be, consistent and that consistency is found within the Scriptures.
4. We read in 1 Timothy 5:21 – “I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.”

III. As we saw, the apostles healed the lame man then preached the resurrection of Christ, and then they were arrested. One thing does lead to another. Despite their arrest, God caused the preaching of the gospel to bring forth fruit. Luke tells us about this in Acts 4:4 – “However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”

A. Now for Peter and John, their next day was about to begin in verse 5. Acts 4:5-7 – “And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 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. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?''”

1. I don’t know if you have ever been to court but it is a very intimidating place, with a judge, defense and prosecution lawyers, and witnesses for civil court. If your crime is a serious one you would have to attend a criminal court, which is an even more intimidating place, with a judge, defense and prosecution lawyers, armed police, witnesses and the jury.
2. When Peter and John were brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin that was not a normal courtroom. It was a high court consisting of 70 members, plus the high priest, that oversaw matters concerning the temple and its worship. It was, in fact, the chief political force among the Jews.
3. The reason to explain who was in attendance is because this shows the incident in the temple where they healed the lame man was being taken very seriously. Notice this also, they never questioned whether or not the miracle took place. They were more concerned about under whose authority it was performed.

B. I wonder if at this point Peter remembers the Lord’s words that Mathew records in Matthew 10:17-20 – “But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. And you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”

1. Luke tells us that very thing happened next. Acts 4:8-11 – “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to the helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 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. This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'”
2. By inspiration, Peter's choice of the issue which he would defend, was truly marvelous. He said, in effect, "I suppose you wish to examine us regarding the good deed which has been done to the impotent man." There was not a thing which those hypocrites could say against it.
3. Have you ever had a conversation with someone who seems to go on and on? Maybe thirty minutes later you’re still waiting for them to get to the point? Well, Peter wasn’t like that. Peter was an in your face preacher who just got straight to the point.
4. Peter, filled with God’s Spirit tells them it was through Jesus, the very person they had rejected, and crucified and through Jesus’ name that the man was made well. Peter wanted the council and all of Israel to know that profound truth. To reinforce that truth upon these leaders he quotes from Psalm 118:22.
5. He wanted to show the Sanhedrin, that they, as the religious builders, had rejected the very stone which was chosen by God to be the head of the corner. I am in awe of how God set in order that they should first hear a full testimony to the truth in the temple, and then in the great council; to which the apostles could not have had access, had they not been brought before it as criminals.
6. What the Sanhedrin did not do is of epic significance. Remember they did deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a fact Peter had boldly affirmed in their presence. Then God through Peter places the resurrection of Christ in the same category as the healing of the impotent man before them. They could not deny it!

C. When these leaders were questioning Jesus about His authority, recall that He said to them in Matthew 21:42 – “Did you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?”

1. Peter, when he’s trying to encourage some Christians to grow up, says in 1 Peter 2:4-6 – “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.''”
2. I heard of a Christian man who had heart surgery several years ago. While he was recovering he received letters and gifts from family and friends all across the country. He said that no other gifts affected him more than the one he revived on that December. It came with a Bible, and inside the Bible there was a message and it said, "Dear Thomas, I am so glad to hear that everything went well with your surgery, I want you to know that God was watching over you every minute and even though I know you question that, I also know that one day it will be revealed to you and my prayer is that you remain open and that God will touch your life as he has mine." The letter went on. "Once I was a disbeliever, when I could not fill my life with sports, I would substitute sex, drink or material things to feed my internal wants, and I was never satisfied." “But I finally realized who Jesus Christ was and now He lives in me. He will reveal His truth to you, Thomas, because he lives."
3. That’s what Peter’s point was when he said in Acts 4:12 – “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” As I have said before, Hell is not afraid of my name or your name, but all of hell is very afraid of Jesus’ name.
4. It is only in Jesus’ name a person can receive spiritual healing or salvation. It is a truth that everyone on this planet has to accept or deny. It is only by speaking the truth in love that you will silence the worst critics.

D. Now Acts 4:13-15 – “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. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,”

1. Here are a couple of apostles, not trained or well schooled by any rabbis or scribes, except the greatest teacher of all, Jesus. Yet they dared to interpret scripture with great boldness. Because of that boldness in their interpretation of Scripture, the council noted they had been with Jesus. Notice also the facts could not be denied. The council could not deny the miracle because the formerly lame man stood before them healed! In a state of panic, they order the apostles outside while they conferred.
2. What are they going to do? Are they going to kill the healed man and deny the whole thing? No, they couldn’t kill him and deny the miracle because reports of the healing were widespread.

E. Acts 4:16 – “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.”

1. They couldn’t disprove Peter's arguments for the resurrection of Jesus, but they needed to stop the preaching of Jesus before more of the people turned to follow Jesus. Luke tells us they ended up doing the only thing they could do—threaten them.
2. Acts 4:17-18 – “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.'' And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.”

IV. Folks, here a big lesson for the church today. We must not and cannot compromise the truth of the Scriptures for anything or anyone. I have read some books, ‘Traces of the Kingdom’ by brother Keith Sisman, ‘Historical survey of the churches of Christ in the British Isles’ written by brother Joe Nesbit and Frank Worgan, and ‘History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio’ by A. S. Hayden. I strongly suggest that if you get the chance to read any of these books do so. Within their pages you read about the amazing struggles for unity over the New Testament church and every time you think the saints of old have settled into New Testament practices and doctrine, something happens. Along come those who want to be like other people around them. They want to compromise with denominational practices.

A. When we speak in Jesus name; we’re speaking with the authority of Christ Himself.

1. If people tell us to stop preaching from God’s word because they find it offensive, the church needs to stand up and say what those apostles said in Acts 4:19-20 – “... "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

B. Have you ever argued with someone who just has to have the last word? Some couples have this difficulty when they are first married. They run into a rough spot and both of them try to say something to get the last word in.

1. These religious leaders ended up doing that very thing, Luke tells us Acts 4:21-22 – “So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.” Just like these religious leaders did in Jesus’ day, they continued to do with the apostles.
2. When Jesus was around they were always looking for an excuse to take Him and find some fault with Him. On one of these occasions, Jesus was sharing with the people the parable of the vineyard owner. The religious leaders knew He was talking about them but they couldn’t do anything because they were afraid of the people.
3. Mark 12:12 – “And they sought to lay hold of Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.”
4. Now again the religious leaders are indignant and not without reason. The great popularity of the gospel message threatened their political base, promised to hold them up before the people as murderers, ignoramuses concerning the Holy Scriptures, and deserving of contempt. To proud, arrogant men like themselves, the situation had become intolerable; and their venomous hatred overflowed against the apostles.

C. Peter and John made it clear to them that the Sanhedrin had no authority to revoke a command from God. They told them that they felt compelled, by the power of the things they had witnessed, to proclaim to everyone the good news concerning Jesus Christ.

1. Because this miracle was such common knowledge and had caused so many people to glorify God, the council had no other alternative but to let the apostles go without any further punishment. They added a few more threats and let them go rather than risk the people taking the apostles' side. After all, here was a man who had been lame forty years but was now walking.
2. If that were you or me, we would probably be glad we got out of there with our lives. I suspect that we may even just chill for a while until things settled down a bit.

D. Not Peter and John, instead of lying low waiting for the issue to settle, they kept the momentum going. Acts 4:23 – “And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.” I would probably be saying “wow, you were lucky to get out alive or you’re lucky you didn’t get a prison sentence”.

1. Folks, as I have already said, one thing does lead onto another and the entire group raised their voices in praise to the Almighty Creator. Acts 4:24-28 – “24. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25. "who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? 26. the kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.' 27. "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28. "to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.”
2. They praised God for His work in the death of Jesus. Instead of going into hiding, they recognized that God was with them and no one and nothing was going to stop them doing what God wanted them to do.

CONCLUSION:
I wonder what I would do, I wonder about what we would do. What’s the first thing you do when God delivers you from a trial or situation? Do you come away feeling lucky and hope that you don’t have to face that trial again? Or do you come away thanking God for being with you through that trial? Do you thank Him and ask Him to give you the strength and courage to get through the next one? I freely admit that there were times in my life when I was delivered from a disaster that my response was the first. It was only later in reflecting on what had occurred that I realized where my deliverance came from and my response to that realization was to turn to God in thanksgiving and prayer.

Something I note here is that not only did the apostles praise God for what happened, they went on to ask God to help them do what He wants them to do. Acts 4:29-30 – “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.''”
They asked God to give them all the strength to preach the truth, despite the threats of the Sanhedrin. They wanted everyone to know that all authority belongs to Jesus Christ and no one else.

We recall that in Matthew 28:18 – “... All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” He didn’t say some authority, but “All authority” and folks, “all” means all.
When you recognize and submit to His authority, you will be given what you need most at that moment. You will be given the strength and courage to go on.

Acts 4:31 – “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

In the Book of Acts when God’s people are persecuted or put on trial, you will see them coming through those times even bolder than they first went in.

The question I want to leave you with this morning is this, when persecution comes what is it going to lead us to? Is it going to lead to us to compromising with the world to avoid criticism?
It is going to leave us without any fight left in us?
Or is it going to leave us thanking God for His presence and asking that He make us each a stronger and more courageous Christian because we want to please Him and not men?
God bless and thanks for taking the time to grow in your understanding of God’s Word.
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We learn from the New Testament how to be saved. We need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; we must confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God, and be baptized for the remission of our sins... If we follow these steps, the Lord adds us to His church.
Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to be buried with Christ in baptism. If you have never done these things, we urge you to do so today. If anyone has this need or desires the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.
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Reference Sermon: Mike Glover