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Journey Through Scripture- Acts 3-5 · Journey Elgin

• Phillip Thomas: Hey, good to see you. Welcome to our journey through scripture. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas. ⁓ we're continuing our chronological walk through Scripture. ⁓ we have begun the church age. So we talked about ⁓ the ⁓ the beginning of Acts, ⁓ Acts chapter one and two. ⁓ today we're gonna be in Acts chapters three, four, and five. So Acts chapters three through five. ⁓ and so we see the the beginning. of the church. ⁓ that ⁓ Jesus goes back up into heaven. He ⁓ the Holy Spirit descends upon the ⁓ apostles and the f those early followers of Christ at Pentecost ⁓ and then things start happening very quickly and the church begins to grow. ⁓ they are in Jerusalem at this time so all of this that we're talking about is happening in Jerusalem. ⁓ and so we ended chapter two ⁓ with you know, the group, they're living together, they're some are starting to sell their possessions, they're supporting each other because they can tell a something is happening, a movement is beginning. ⁓ and then you have chapter three. It talks about Peter and John and they go they're going up to the temple. ⁓ again, the the temple is different. It's not it's not like a synagogue, it's not like a church like we think of. Like people didn't come in and sit down and be taught to the the temple was the dwelling place of God. And so the ⁓ people would come up and offer sacrifices. There were priests ⁓ that were allowed close to the temple, but the temple, it was kind of a complex. There was the temple, which was the dwelling place of God. You didn't go in there and have a sermon preached. No one went in there. right except except one priest that ⁓ following certain lots of ⁓ rules because that was the Holy of Holies. That was literally represented the dwelling place of God. But then there were different areas and different porches and different gates. And whenever we say gate, we're talking about huge rooms where people would come in and and different people you could get to certain areas. ⁓ only the priest could get all the way up to the actual temple. but so lots went on there is what what I'm saying. So this was a ⁓ a place where people were coming in and out of ⁓ offering sacrifices, milling around. ⁓ it was it was definitely a lot of activity around the temple each and every day. It wasn't just they didn't go just one day a week. ⁓ this was something much, much more than that. So Peter and John are going to the temple and they're going to start sharing this message. That of course they are. That's that's where ⁓ the they knew to go. That was the place to be to share this new message. Again, they were they were not trying to replace this Jewish faith. ⁓ this was just the continuation of it. They they in no way saw themselves as quote Christians, right? There weren't Christians and Jews in their mind. They were all Jews. And ⁓ Jesus was the Messiah in the mind of of ⁓ Peter and John and the those early ⁓ apostles, and they were just sharing that message. ⁓ with all of their Jewish brethren. And so they start to go into the ⁓ temple going through the gate called Beautiful. ⁓ and there is a lame man. We learn later that he's ⁓ in his forties. ⁓ one of the ways that the only way for someone who is lame to ⁓ have any income is for people to to give it to him. So he he would not have even been allowed to go into or closer to the temple. He had to stay on the outside of the gate. But again, with so many people coming and going, it's a perfect place to be. ⁓ so he he's going and ⁓ fixing his eyes on him ⁓ with John, Peter says, so they make eye contact, Peter says, ⁓ so he he he gave him his attention, expecting to receive something from them. So here he is. He's expected expects Peter and John to give him some money. ⁓ but Peter said Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. Right? And so he takes him by the hand, pulls him up, and he's able to walk. And and I love the reaction, verse eight. So he ⁓ so he leaping up, ⁓ so he leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and And leaping and praising God. Isn't that interesting? Here's a guy who had never he had been sitting at the gate, had never been able to go inside and to get closer to God. Like physically there was a barrier. ⁓ right, and but now he experiences this healing. And the first thing that he does is he walks into the temple area, literally getting closer to God, right? ⁓ and is he praising? Peter and John? No, he's not. He's praising God. He knew what had happened, which this is what is so scary to as we will continue to read, this is what's so scary to the religious leaders that this guy knew it wasn't Peter and John who did this, it was God. And it was done in the name of Jesus Christ. ⁓ So by by by default, who who then healed him? God, which means Jesus is God, which means Jesus is the Messiah. All of that is what the religious leaders wanted to avoid. And now things are starting to heat up. ⁓ Then ⁓ Peter begins to preach on Solomon's portico. That's part of the temple. ⁓ And so people start seeing what's going on. And verse 12. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people. ⁓ men of Israel, why do you marvel at this or so look so intently? ⁓ as though by your own power or godliness we had made this man walk. Right? So it so they're getting all this attention ⁓ because ⁓ this this guy is is walking. He says, What you you think we're something to look at? ⁓ we we didn't do this. ⁓ it says the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, ⁓ glorified his servant. Jesus, again connecting the old with the new, whom he delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go. This is the first time I that it that you see Pilate had a legitimate desire to let Jesus go. Peter confirms that ⁓ right here. But the religious leaders put so much pressure and the people put so much pressure on Pilate that he gave in. Says, but you denied the holy one and the just, and asked for the murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of Life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. Again, they were witnesses. The resurrection was vital. It wasn't just an idea, it's something that happened, and they were witnesses to it. ⁓ and it he then verse seventeen, and yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance. Right? So Peter's harsh on them. I mean, he he says, Listen, y'all did this. This this happened, but I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. So he's even extending that to not only just the people, but to the religious leaders. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all his prophets that Christ would suffer, he has fulfilled. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing May come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send Jesus Christ who preached before you, whom heaven must receive until the time of restoration of all things. So it's so important. Again, we have to understand that the gospel message is about repenting, recognizing our faults, recognizing our sinfulness, so that we can receive refreshing. We'll never receive refreshing if we don't. ⁓ acknowledge the sinfulness in our life. It is it is not a mean thing or a ⁓ a hateful thing that God calls us to acknowledge our sin. No, that is the only way that we will truly experience his blessing. It truly experience the refreshingness that comes ⁓ from knowing Christ. And then ⁓ Peter ⁓ continues to to connect ⁓ back to the old testament he verse twenty two For Moses truly said to the fathers, he's quoting from Deuteronomy here, the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things whatever he says to you, and it shall be that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. So he so he's connecting. Again, this is this is what we've been talking about all through the Torah, all through the Old Testament, has been pointing to Jesus. ⁓ then you have verse twenty five, You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed, right? To to you first, God having raised up his servant Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities. Right. So he's saying, Listen, our people group, we are still the the children of God, right? We are this is the fulfillment. Of of God, whenever he told Abraham, I will multiply you and make you a great nation. That's us. That's why he sent Jesus to us. Right? this is ⁓ so important to to recognize. This is the continuation. This is not a new religion, it never was intended to be. And then ⁓ you get into chapter four. ⁓ Peter and John are arrested. ⁓ it says ⁓ verse two, being greatly disturbed, they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. Right? They didn't like the resurrection talk because it proved that Jesus was more. It proved that he was the Messiah. They they did not want to go down this road. And and so they ⁓ try to shut them up by putting them overnight. ⁓ and then Peter and John get a chance to address the Sanhedrin. ⁓ and they they asked them, and if you read that, ⁓ you'll see a lot of similar names, names that were part of Jesus' trial. ⁓ verse seven, and when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power or by what name have you done this? Right? So they they want to know, How have you healed? By what who are you speaking for? ⁓ 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 a helpless man by what means he has been made well, let it be known to ⁓ 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. Peter just knows how to get his message in. So they're asking, by what name have you or you know? That you've done this? How have you r ⁓ healed this man? And ⁓ and Peter says, Why are we making such a big deal out of this? Is it are we seriously here because ⁓ of a miracle? W why are you criticizing a miracle? ⁓ yeah, and by the way, it was done in the name of Jesus Christ, whom you crucified and God has raised again. I I I love how Peter ⁓ just gets ⁓ gets all of that in. Says, ⁓ then verse eleven, again. Going back to the old testament, this is the stone which was rejected by your builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. ⁓ nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. ⁓ again, powerful stuff. J Peter is just just hammering it all home. You you need it's Jesus now. He is the Messiah. He is the one whom God has promised. He is the chief cornerstone. ⁓ now ⁓ you get to verse 13. When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, they perceived that they were uneducated and untrained. That's a good perception because Peter and John are uneducated and untrained. And they marveled. Why? Because they were cha chain trained by Jesus and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit working through them, is equipping them. They didn't need man's training. The Holy Spirit equipped them. and seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could not say anything against it. Right. So it's like I'm like, well, ⁓ we can't really say much against this. Here's this guy who has been ⁓ laying for forty years, who is now walking and leaping and praising God. so they they know that there's there's a problem, says, For indeed that that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 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 his name. Right? So I love that. It's kind of like, let's send them a strongly worded letter. and ⁓ that they should not speak in Jesus' name. and Peter they they never egg acknowledge this. They never ⁓ try to make a deal. says ⁓ verse 19 whether it is right in the sight of god to listen to you more than god you judge ⁓ what a great okay whatever dane listen if you think we should listen to you more than god that that's your opinion you you judge if we're in the ⁓ wrong there but guess what we're listening to god so then you have ⁓ the they go back to the ⁓ all the people all the followers of Christ who are there ⁓ they begin praying, they start praying for boldness. ⁓ verse twenty nine, now Lord, look on their threats, grant to your servants servants that with all boldness that we may speak your word. ⁓ in verse thirty one, and when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. And so you can tell they're starting to sense, ⁓ this is gonna get messy. ⁓ we've already been thrown in jail overnight once. ⁓ what's gonna happen? ⁓ Lord, please give us boldness. We need to be praying for boldness that God gives us boldness to stand ⁓ for what is right and for what is true. ⁓ then you have again ⁓ just a mention of how they shared all things, ⁓ and that they were in one accord, that they were all in this together. They made commitments to each other. And that gets us to chapter five, where's real quickly we go through chapter five. ⁓ you have Ananias and Sapphira, who sold some of their stuff, but they only gave a portion of it, but they ⁓ they made it sound like they gave everything. Right? And then when they were caught, they lied about it, and both ⁓ fell over dead. Now the apostles did not kill them. God took their life. It seems very harsh, ⁓ but again, they lied not to men, but to God. That's in verse four. You have not lied to men, but to God. ⁓ so this was something different. It was done in God's hands. it's shows how how how how g how serious ⁓ this is. ⁓ that's ⁓ especially at the beginning here, when they are all gathered up and you have this group that God is using to start this movement. You can't have people who are coming in there who aren't serious about it. Ananias and Sapphira. ⁓ were not serious. And on top of that, they were willing to to lie directly to God. They were given the opportunity to confess and they did not. ⁓ and God took that very seriously. ⁓ we continue on the there's lots of healing start to happen to the point that people are laying just the so the with the shadow of Peter passes by. That they will be in his shadow. ⁓ right. You so you're seeing the spirit move in very real and powerful ways. And the religious leaders recognize this. They obviously do not like it. ⁓ and so ⁓ there in verse 17 says that they were filled with indignation. ⁓ and so they took the ⁓ apostles, ⁓ put them in prison ⁓ overnight, but an an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, said, Go stand in the temple, speak to the people all the words of this life. And so they they get an early start, the an earlier start than they were expecting, because they spent the night in the the ⁓ prison and then they were able to just go right to the temple and started preaching. I love it that the religious leaders call their council together thinking they're still in jail ⁓ and then they find out that they have been released. ⁓ by by God. ⁓ verse twenty five, ⁓ so one came told them, saying, Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. How great, great is that. Says then the camp ⁓ captain went, brought them without violence, for they feared the people, right? So the they know they're in a rough spot. So the people are listening to Peter and John, so they bring them kind of kindly, hey guys, why don't y'all come talk with us? We promise we'll be nice. and ⁓ they ⁓ did we not strictly to command you not to teach in Jesus' name? And they're like, Y yeah, but we didn't pay attention to your sternly worded letter. and ⁓ and says, and look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood on us. Right? They they are not hearing the message, right? They they ⁓ they know that that they are preaching, but they are not hearing the message, they are not accepting the opportunity. to repent ⁓ and to ⁓ to be saved. ⁓ you ⁓ continue on you have ⁓ one of the priests ⁓ Gamaliel ⁓ and he is a a teacher and he basically goes through he says ⁓ let let's let them go out. Let's talk about this. And I I love what he says. He says, listen, we've had people like this before that have claimed to be followers of Messiah ⁓ but it fizzles out. Why? Because he's not they they were following people who weren't really the Messiah. So why not? Let's just let them keep doing what they're doing because if what they're saying is false, it's all going to fizzle out. Let's just wait it out. ⁓ verse thirty eight he says, And now I say to you, keep away from these men, let them alone, for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing. And if if our work in the kingdom of God is from from men, we do it for our from our own self, ⁓ for our own self, then it will come to nothing. It's important for us to understand that and to realize that it will come to nothing. ⁓ but if it is from God, as he says, you cannot overthrow it lest you even be found to fight against God. So he it I you know, I I don't know where he is, ⁓ this this teacher, but he recognizes something's happening. And it's not worth fighting right now because if it is from God, ⁓ it's just going going to make things worse. ⁓ and it says they agreed with them and when he had they called them back in and they beat them. So yeah, you know, they they were really nice in front of the crowd, ⁓ but what they did behind closed doors, a little bit different. So they did beat them, ⁓ and they again commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus 'cause that worked so well the first time. They did add the beating this time, though. So things are escalating. So they departed. ⁓ and ⁓ it says, so they departed for the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. Right? So this is starting to instill some principles that that the disciples are going to take with them. They know now, okay, we're going to suffer. Remember how Jesus said, take up your cross and follow me? This is what it means. ⁓ and daily in the temple and in every house they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Wow. So how how cool is that? ⁓ they they are were making that decision right then that they were not going to be silenced, that they were going to fear God and God alone, which is why it's important. Where is our fear? All of us fear. Are we going to fear man or are we going to fear God? Because if we fear man more than God, eventually we will set aside God and ⁓ live to appease man. The disciples lived to follow God no matter what man did to them. All right. Let's look into Acts chapter six through nine. ⁓ we'll try to get through through nine. So Acts chapter six through nine. Have a great weekend and we will see you on Tuesday.