Acts 4:23-30 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.” 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
 
PETER and John returned in triumph from a night in jail and an interrogation before the ruling Jews. The LORD had given them a victory over those who had condemned Jesus. The church’s response was a resounding affirmation of God’s sovereign rule. At the center of their celebration is Psalm 2:1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The question asks God’s enemies why they do not know how futile it is to oppose God. No one can stop his purpose. No one, it seems, understands this.
   These new church members had quickly developed a solid understanding of God’s work. Not long before this the apostles and the other followers were confused, and they grieved Jesus’ horrible death. But the Holy Spirit’s power and authority began to reveal God’s very true rule.
   The men and women of the new church had been anointed to know God directs all things. They had full faith that the events occurring in Jerusalem demonstrated God’s character. He is eternal Creator. He protects his Anointed One, even as rulers killed him. Herod and Pilate could not rule over him. The crowd that called, “Crucify him!” could not condemn him. The church understood the people who struck down Jesus were doing God’s will as the prophets had told.
   Then the church prayed they could confront the opposition to come. They asked to speak your word with great boldness. They pursued God to do miraculous signs and wonders as they declared the name of Jesus. How often do we pray this way?
    God quickly answered their prayer. How good it would be to feel our church or home shake with God’s glory and power, his love and affirmation for us? The Holy Spirit filled them, too. He answered, “Yes!” to their prayer for bold speech, and this became their faithful testimony of the gospel.
   

Acts 4:18-22 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, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For 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.
 
THIS passage is often used to help the Christian determine whether one is to obey a government’s laws or not. The Bible in general affirms we are to live a life of peace under the rulers God has put over us. When Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Matthew 22:21) he made a broad statement confirming a citizen’s obligation to his government. And Paul writes in Romans 13:1c The authorities that exist have been established by God.
   That obligation ends, though, when a government’s rule opposes God’s Word. When Peter said, “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” he affirmed he and John were under the risen Lord Jesus’ command: Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” The Christian’s authority is Christ. Government’s – and sadly too many “churches” – make rules to silence heaven’s holy authority to declare the risen Jesus to the world. We note here that the apostles had the last word. The authorities had nothing to say because the evidence of Jesus was obvious.
   This freedom of religion is one foundational Bible truth. Consider how God called Abram into a new land to be free of the idolatrous worship of his ancestors and family. God changed Abram to become Abraham. He is the father of the Jews, a people set apart from other nations to reveal the eternal God to the World. History indicates that even in the Jews’ captivity and their rule by foreign nations such as Rome, faithful Jews resisted pagan influences. They maintained the commanded Feasts, the Sabbath and essential worship of God. In bondage to other governments, the Jews remained bonded to God.
   The faithful Christian must be the same. None of us live in a true Christian nation. Regardless of government rule, we must be faithful to God’s rule. Acts reports the apostles’ faithful response to Jesus as many abuses and even martyrdom attempt to turn them from their freedom in Jesus. Their freedom in Christ ruled their lives. They were willing and eager to stand amid turmoil to define and defend the risen Jesus.
   Each day throughout the world governments and cultures attempt to silence our freedom of faith. We must know in our soul God has granted us the privilege to know in Jesus. John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Acts 4:13-17 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. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
 
THE Spirit came into Jerusalem through John and Peter to heal a crippled man. The LORD gave a very public demonstration of his power to the Jews in the temple court. The ruling Jews were aware everybody living in Jerusalem knew the apostles had done an outstanding miracle. Surely this was time to celebrate the Lord’s arrival: Psalms 24:7 Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. The King of glory had come in to demonstrate his strength to heal the broken. But instead of proclaiming God’s glory, why did the authorities warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name?
   Perhaps God’s power frightened them. Speaking the one name, “Jesus”, the apostles changed a man’s life. Did God’s evident presence cause the Pharisees and Sadducees to fear his holy presence?
   Do you fear God’s presence? Consider how you respond to God if you see him as merely an observing bystander. And then think of your response to God if you believe he is actively present and near to you. Does your level of fear, honor and worship increase if he is near?
   The Jews may have been afraid God was too close to them. In our sin, we become very uncomfortable with God’s presence to the point we will deny he is involved in our lives. Even when we see evidence of his work and hear testimonies of God’s wonderful miracles, our minds may prefer to dismiss his authority. After all, if he is truly present, we need to be true to him, to repent and to worship him. We may not be ready to do that. Apparently the ruling Jews had no desire to submit their lives to the King of glory.
    Here is another moment when the men who knew the Scriptures more than anyone had an opportunity to receive the Lord’s very personal glory in his holy temple. How marvelous and good it would have been if the Jews had erupted into such praise and thanksgiving as sung in Psalms 138:5 May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great. How many wonders would the Spirit had done in the temple that day if the leaders had joyfully received God’s outstanding miracle of eternal life!
   Do you welcome God’s presence? Do you receive his power and glory? Do you praise him?
          

Acts 4:1-4 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 and 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, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
 
WE cannot know the anger in the ruling Jews’ hearts. They had worked so diligently to defeat and destroy Jesus. Everything was nicely settled when the blasphemous rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, was entombed. His threat to their power was defeated!
   But then these unschooled men from Galilee, John and Peter, roused the crowd with a remarkable healing of a lame man. Was this real? The Pharisees had rejected Jesus’ healings as the devil’s work: Mark 3:22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” Even worse in the rulers’ view was that John and Peter were preaching Jesus was raised from the dead! The authorities had to do something to stop them. So they did what sin always does: they locked up the truth. The persecutors put the apostles in jail…kept them from the crowds. That stopped them.  
   But the temple authorities could not stop the Spirit from the crowd. No power could stop the church. Jesus had told his apostles, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-19)
   Jesus singled out Peter because Peter had voiced the disciples’ belief in Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:16) Jesus did not say he would build his church on Peter. Instead he declared he would build his church on faith in the true identity of Jesus. Nothing can stop the church as it confesses, “Jesus is the Savior, the Son of the Living God, resurrected, ascended and coming again.”
   It did not matter that John and Peter went to jail. The church ultimately is not founded and grown solely on human effort. God grew his church that night to 5,000 people because hundreds of anointed people in the temple courts confessed their faith in Jesus.
   Confess who Jesus is. Worship him. Submit to him. Love him. The central truth of Jesus must be the central doctrine of his church.

Acts 4:1-4 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 and 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, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
 
WE cannot know the anger in the ruling Jews’ hearts. They had worked so diligently to defeat and destroy Jesus. Everything was nicely settled when the blasphemous rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, was entombed. His threat to their power was defeated!
   But then these unschooled men from Galilee, John and Peter, roused the crowd with a remarkable healing of a lame man. Was this real? The Pharisees had rejected Jesus’ healings as the devil’s work: Mark 3:22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” Even worse in the rulers’ view was that John and Peter were preaching Jesus was raised from the dead! The authorities had to do something to stop them. So they did what sin always does: they locked up the truth. The persecutors put the apostles in jail…kept them from the crowds. That stopped them.  
   But the temple authorities could not stop the Spirit from the crowd. No power could stop the church. Jesus had told his apostles, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-19)
   Jesus singled out Peter because Peter had voiced the disciples’ belief in Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:16) Jesus did not say he would build his church on Peter. Instead he declared he would build his church on faith in the true identity of Jesus. Nothing can stop the church as it confesses, “Jesus is the Savior, the Son of the Living God, resurrected, ascended and coming again.”
   It did not matter that John and Peter went to jail. The church ultimately is not founded and grown solely on human effort. God grew his church that night to 5,000 people because hundreds of anointed people in the temple courts confessed their faith in Jesus.
   Confess who Jesus is. Worship him. Submit to him. Love him. The central truth of Jesus must be the central doctrine of his church.
 
 

Acts 3:22-26 For Moses said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.” 24 Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, “Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.” 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.
 
PETER’S last sentence in verse 26 is a wonderful summary of God’s plan for the Jews. Jesus, God’s servant, came first to the Jews to reveal his glory, so his people would turn from their wicked ways. This is the picture of a loving Father, who desires his children know the blessings he has prepared to pour over them. 
   Peter teaches the Jews that Jesus is the incarnation of the Word spoken to Abraham: Genesis 12:2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” How wonderful to know God’s purpose for forming a particular people group was to bless them! As heirs to God’s will, they would freely receive all abundance and goodness the Father planned to give them. In response to heaven’s outpouring, the Jews had the means to bless all nations.
   God’s promise to bless his people then extended to Moses’ prophecy of the Messiah: Deuteronomy 18:15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.”  A prophet like Moses would be one who had personal interaction with God as Moses had experienced. He would judge Israel, and he would intercede for Israel. As Moses led Israel in the covenant of the law, the prophet like him would lead Israel into the New Covenant of salvation by faith. From the time of Samuel, the prophets  spoke of a prophet who could equal and exceed Moses’ authority.
   For example, with the Spirit’s insight the soon-to-be disciple Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45) The Spirit also confirms through Hebrews 3:5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
   Peter taught that God is the Father over a nation he created. He loves Israel and desires they receive the abundant blessings he is eager to give to them. Jesus fulfills God’s Word spoken throughout Israel’s history.   

Acts 3:17-21 “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus. 21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.
 
PETER continued his message to the crowd of Jews. He had spoken of their sin and of Jesus as eternal Messiah. He continued to emphasize God’s eternal plan of salvation through Jesus as he began to speak with grace and understanding.
   He calls them brothers. Peter is one of them. He understands the reason for their sin is the same reason he had sinned against Jesus. Peter had not  fully known Jesus when he argued with him and denied him. His ignorance caused his prideful sin. The same was true of the Jews. They were deceived because they lacked knowledge of Jesus, the Messiah.  
   Peter is the repentant sinner who understands what knowing Jesus will do for the soul. Peter is a compassionate teacher who wants the Jews to know Jesus. They must know Jesus is the one through whom God fulfilled what he had foretold. Jesus is the suffering Messiah. He is the One the prophets taught.
   Ignorance of God is the reason for many sins. Our natural way of learning is to listen to the culture to define right and wrong. If we have not heard from God and of God, we will ignore the truth. What we don’t know will hurt us.
   Ignorance will keep us from a true fellowship with God. We know that children ignorant of the rules will break them. They are disobedient. This is sin. The remedy is to teach them to know, to be sorry for their disobedience and to obey.
   The remedy for God’s children is to learn of Jesus and repent, then, and turn to God. The remarkable result of repentance is that your sins may be wiped out.
   This is a complete cleansing of your soul. Your repentance opens the way for God to forgive you. The result of God’s forgiveness is that Jesus will be your Savior because he has been appointed to restore everything.
   Even though the Jews had killed and disowned the Holy and Righteous One (v 14) God would wipe out their sin if they confessed Jesus is the Messiah, who is crucified, risen, ascended and waiting in heaven to return.
   The Holy Spirit had given Peter and John the power to heal a crippled man in the temple court. God used this healing, so the apostles could extend to the Jews God’s truth to heal the ignorant soul. Peter has gone from convicting the Jews of their deepest sin to pointing them to God’s promise to save  them to confidently await Jesus’ return.  

Acts 3:1-16 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer – at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
 
AMID this great story of healing and restoration, we probably overlook Peter’s truthful preaching. Speaking to a crowd who had gathered to experience the wonders of a man’s healing, the Jews surely did not expect Peter’s convicting words: 1) You handed Jesus of Nazareth to be killed. 2) You disowned the Holy and Righteous One before Pilate. 3) Pilate wanted to free Jesus, but you insisted Jesus be crucified. 4) You released a murderer. 5) You killed the author of life.
   Most people in the crowd were probably not directly guilty of these crimes. But this is Jerusalem’s crime. It is mankind’s offensive rejection of Jesus.
   Then see that Peter preached the truth of Jesus of Nazareth. 1) Peter connects Jesus to the I Am, the Eternal God: The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has glorified his servant Jesus. 2) Peter proclaimed Jesus’ perfection: He is the Holy and Righteous One. 3) Peter taught all has come from Jesus. He is the author of life. 4) Jesus is raised from the dead. 5) Speaking Jesus’ name in faith is the source of healing.
   Pure preaching speaks the problem and the solution. The Jews’ problem throughout their history was the many times they had rejected God, his prophets and now his Son. Peter will next preach Jesus is the solution to the problem.  

Acts 2:37-40 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
 
REMEMBER this is the Feast of Pentecost, also called the Feast of the Harvest. God has used Peter and the apostles to prepare the Jews’ hearts to hear the truth of Jesus and of their sin to kill him. Now God moves to begin to harvest souls into his church.
   To harvest barley or wheat requires cutting the stalk and separating the grain. God cut the repentant Jews’ hearts. He removes their sinful opposition to him and replaces it with a fear that understands they have killed the Messiah. Is there any hope for them? In great distress they asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
   See how quickly God releases us from death. Even if we are guilty of the worst sin of all, we will know gracious healing when we take two soul-changing steps: 1) Repent in Jesus Christ’s name. This means you recognize that your sins “kill” Jesus’ truth in you. Believe he is Savior who forgives your sins and turn from them. 2) Be baptized in Jesus’ name. This is the outward testimony to the world that you confess Jesus is the Son of God, crucified, dead, buried, risen and ascended. 
   God’s gracious response will be to send the Holy Spirit to you. He will empower your life to live in the freedom of God’s forgiveness. With great confidence and assurance, Peter wants the Jews to know this is God’s promise to them and to their children, to all whom the LORD God will call.
   This is God’s gospel for all generations. Each generation is born into sin’s corruption. Many in each generation will be saved in the repentance of sin and the confession of Jesus as Lord. Peter ends the short, life-transforming sermon with a warning that is also a promise: “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” You don’t have to remain caught in a life that leads to death. To save yourself is to take those steps God has revealed to you. Regardless of what you’ve done or where you live, you can go to Jesus in faith to be saved.  
     God is so good to do this. In the earth’s timetable he planned for centuries to begin the harvest. The harvest will continue until Jeus returns.  

Acts 2:25-28 David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’”
 
PETER used Psalm 16:8-11 to give the prophetic evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. He spoke of David’s prophecy that points to the LORD – the Father – speaking to David’s Lord – the Son. David could only refer to the Son as my Lord if the Lord was eternal in heaven before his incarnation in a manger.
   Peter goes on to explain: Acts 2:29-30 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.
   You could say David was an eyewitness to eternal life through the Messiah: (When David) saw what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. The Messiah, who died, would not remain in the grave.
   Then Peter confirmed Jesus did not remain in the grave: Acts 2:32 “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.” These are not empty words but sound evidence the apostles and all who had seen Jesus ascend to heaven are there to confirm Peter’s words. The eyewitnesses are crucial to the Jews believing Peter’s testimony. The law required penalties for lying, breaking the ninth commandment. Peter needed definite evidence Jesus is alive. The evidence was in David’s prophecy and the eyewitness’ testimony.
    Then Peter affirmed Jesus’ glorious status: Acts 2:33 Exalted to the right hand of God, Jesus has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. Peter preaches about the Trinity. The tongues of fire, the sound of the wind and the apostles’ speaking in other languages are signs and sounds from the Father, Son and Spirit.
   Peter then preached the stunning truth: Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
   Peter has given the evidence Jesus has fulfilled David’s prophecy. He is the risen Son of God, sitting in power at the Father’s right hand. Then he says, “You crucified him.” What would you think if you knew you had killed the long-awaited Messiah, who is now risen to sit at God’s right hand?  
   In truth we all have caused the Savior’s suffering and death. Jesus came to die, so he could be the way for all who repent to live in his forgiveness of sin.
   Through Peter, the Spirit is bringing the Jews to the point they will either confess or deny Jesus and their need for a Savior. Pray the Spirit will guide you to help people know the right decision.