THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS
#770 THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS
Scripture Acts 4:1-22, NIV Orig. 1/6/1979
Passage: 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. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. 5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then 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. 11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’[a]
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 13 When 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. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After 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. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
Purpose: To continue our study of the Book of Acts calling attention to the boldness, and the Christ-centered message of the early church.
Keywords: Bible study Healing
Timeline/Series: Acts
Introduction
There are all kinds of changes that can take place in the lives of people. We regularly hear of the effect of physical changes that enable people to live different lives. There are kidney transplants that effectively remove people from the prison of dialysis. We hear of corneal transplants that enable people to see again, after they have lost perhaps our second most significant physical attribute. We hear of heart transplants which become extensions of life to some recipients. One of our own men has this week had the implantation of a pacemaker, which will extend and give to him a more normal life.
On the negative side of the summary sheet, we hear of the highly problematic sex-change procedure. It is hard for us to grasp what is happening in that person’s life as they deliberately attempt what is beyond the comprehension of most of us. We cannot help but wonder if the person so miserable in his birth gender, is going to be any less miserable in a cosmetic gender.
We also know about those attempted changes in personality adjustment. Some of these are good. They are deliberate efforts on the part of people to compensate for some of their own recognized weaknesses. Others, however, are efforts to control people under the strong influence of other people.
But the changes that take place in the lives of these disciples are overwhelming. The same men, who had been victimized and intimidated by their religious overlords, are suddenly men of strength and vision and fearlessness.
If Christ is Man and only Man,
I say, I shall follow Him,
Shall follow Him always.
If Christ be God and the only God,
I swear, I shall follow Him through
The earth, the sea, the air. Author unknown
In essence, this is what has happened. Christ has become, in them, in the disciples, all that He claimed that He would. The claim continues apace for your life and mine. Observe what happens in the lives of these people who “have been with Jesus.” Changes that are significant for us today as well.
I. There is an Attempt at Intimidation. V1f, And as they spake unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, Being grieved that they taught the people, . . . And . . . laid hands on them, and put them in hold. . . .
First, we must go back and see what was happening in the lives of the disciples. Occasionally they were in and about the temple. A need arises in relation to an infirm man, and the disciples become instruments of God. There is the initial healing. As a crowd gathered in excited curiosity, Simon Peter spoke to them explaining their faith in Jesus as the Messiah/Lord. They were here in the very place that Jesus had spoken to the people of Himself, and of their doubt. The people were made to face the stark reality of the crucifixion. They are called upon to give renewed consideration to the resurrection. 3:13, . . . the God of our Fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus, . . . . V16, And his name, through faith in his name hath made this man strong, . . . hath given him this perfect soundness.
We must just as well remember that it has been only a few weeks at most since Jesus was crucified. The disciples have not greatly changed, except in their own inner being. They were instructed (Acts 1:4) that they “should wait for the promise of the Father.” Started with 120, Acts 1:15. Added 3,000, Acts 2:41. Another 5,000 resulted from the healing, Acts 4:4. From here it will become increasingly difficult. The officials quickly gathering here are the same ones who brought sentence upon Jesus. They intended to deal with Jesus in gory enough a fashion that it would intimidate His followers. Suddenly, they are forced to consider these followers of the hated Nazarene (2:22, 3:6, 4:10). Priests—the religious power structure; temple captain—high priest’s chief of staff; Sadducees—wealthy aristocrats who didn’t believe in resurrection; not upset vested interests.
II. There is an Actualized Opportunity. V4, Howbeit, many of them which heard the word believed, and the number of men was about 5,000. V13, Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, . . . they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
It has always been so that when we are faithful to proclaim, God is faithful to bless. Acts 6:4, We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. Colossians 5:19, God . . . hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. II Timothy 4:2, Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season.
We immediately take note that God sustains His Word. In this simple proclamation of the Word, 5,000 men had become believers. Women who became believers are not numbered. They may not have been present. You can be sure that these 5,000 men went home to wives and children who became believers.
But what about God’s promise to the proclaimer of the Word? These men wound up in jail. But this confinement was itself a blessing and a promise. Two men, Peter, who had spoken out of turn a few times to Jesus, and later regretted it, who had also been intimidated to the point of fear and betrayal by these very men who have arrested him. And John. The one who loved people so deeply. The one, who, on the spur of the moment may not be able to speak an admonishing word. But that night, in a cell, they experience their Lord’s presence with power. Simon is to be the spokesman and he is to repeat the message that he spoke at Pentecost and in the Temple. He is to talk about the One whom God sent. Localize him. 15 or more times in John, Jesus speaks of God as “the one who sent” him (apostelló). That the Jewish fathers crucified the Lord, and that he arose from the dead. That this deed resolves sin by faith.
It must immediately and forever be noted that what the world waits to see is the presence of Christ in you and me.
“Be like Jesus, this my song;
In the home and in the throng.
Be like Jesus, all day long,
I would be like Jesus.” James Rowe, 1911
Some say, “They took note” as the IRS notes.
The Word says, “They marveled at these ignorant, unlearned men, [and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.]”
III. There is an Eloquent Impediment. V18f, And being commanded not to speak or to teach in the name of Jesus, Peter and John answered, . . . “we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
The impediment, of course, is the determination of the word that such a message as this will be silenced.
· The commercial world says, “Let’s talk about Santa Claus rather than Jesus.”
· The political world says, “It’s against the law to discuss anything that the State cannot bring under its control.”
· ACLU says, “We’ll get people the right to smoke pot or jeopardize industry, but you can’t talk about Jesus.”
· Madalyn Murray O’Hair says, “I want to be free to teach people to worship humanity, but I don’t want anyone to teach others to worship God.”
· The religious world says, “Let’s define a religious system that should be acceptable to all, and then outlaw everything else.”
The eloquence is that they may stop the music, but they never have been able to stop the song.
Links/References
“Be Like Jesus,” https://hymnary.org/text/earthly_pleasures_vainly_call_me_i_would
Rowe: https://hymnary.org/person/Rowe_James