031914 Session 8
“For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Romans 11:15, NASB95) SESSION 8 | PETER AND JOHN ARRESTED | ACTS 4:1-32
BACKGROUND | ACTS 3:11-26
Peter and John had healed the lame beggar (3:1-10) Peter delivered a stunning indictment toward the nation: you killed your own Messiah (3:11-16) Peter declares that this was done in ignorance, the nation not knowing He was the Messiah (3:17-18) Peter extends the invitation: repent and return that times of refreshing may come (3:19-26) o The “times of refreshing” was the Messianic Age, the Kingdom of God.
PETER AND JOHN ARRESTED | ACTS 4:1-4
The Sadducees (4:1-2) o The strongest political party among the Jews o Strongly denied the resurrection o At odds with the Pharisees, who believed in the resurrection The Arrest (4:3) The Response to Peter’s Previous sermon (4:4) o Five thousand believed (in addition to 3,000 on the Day of Pentecost) o Even this strong number was not enough that God would “restore the Kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:3) o The requirement was a national repentance and return, and the strongest of political parties was in no mood to do so
PETER AND JOHN CHARGED | ACTS 4:5-7
The Who’s Who of Jewish leadership was gathered against Peter and John (4:5-6) Their issue: power (4:7) o From the first days of Jesus’ ministry, this was always the heart of the matter (John 2:18) o Peter and John were not arrested for healing the lame beggar, they were arrested for doing it in the name of Jesus o They did not agree with “It is amazing what you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
THE PIVOT POINT | THE TRANSITION OF THE BOOK OF ACTS THE SANHEDRIN CHARGED | ACTS 4:8-12
Peter addresses a specific audience: Rulers and elders of the people and boldly turns the situation into an uncomfortable one for the Sanhedrin (vv. 8-9) Peter answers the question: by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene (v. 10-12) o A familiar charge: you crucified Him o A frightening reality: God raised Him from the dead o The man’s healing is evidence of the authority of Peter and John o Peter’s quote of a Messianic and Kingdom Age Psalm would have immediately communicated the Kingdom requirements to the Jewish leadership (Psalm 118:22-29) o The Psalm’s prayer, “O Lord, do save” is answered by Peter in v. 12: There is salvation in no one else…” Would the Sanhedrin respond by calling on the name of the Lord?
THE SANHEDRIN RESPONSE | ACTS 4:13-18
The Sanhedrin are silenced by the situation (vv. 13-14) o They are not impressed with the credentials of Peter and John, but they were silenced by the boldness that had come to them. o Their only reasonable conclusion: they “have been with Jesus” o The visible evidence: a long-term lame beggar was standing in their midst, healed. o The shouted words of Scripture: “they had nothing to say in reply” (v. 14) The Sadducees refuse to change their thinking (vv. 15-18) The Sadducees give orders (vv. 17-18)
PETER AND JOHN’S RESPONSE | ACTS 4:19-31
Blame placed on the Sanhedrin (vv. 19-20) The Sanhedrin refuse to submit to the name of Jesus (vv. 21-22) The Apostolic response (vv. 23-28) o They celebrate with Kingdom Psalms: Verse 24 –Psalm 146:6 (note verses 6-10 highlight the glories of the Kingdom age) Verses 25-26 –Psalm 2:1-2 (Psalm 2 is perhaps the most Kingdom oriented of all the Psalms) o They celebrate the knowledge that God’s Kingdom is set on the horizon (predestined – prohorizo) The Apostolic prayer (vv. 29-30) o The ability and courage to speak with confidence, in spite of the threats (v. 29) o That miracles of healing, signs, and wonders would accompany their proclamation (v. 30) The answer from God (v. 31) o The sign: the place was shaken o The speech: the Word of God with boldness The dispensational issue with verses 29-30 o Should we ask for healing, signs, and wonders? If you do not make some kind of division after Acts 4, then sign gifts would naturally be in effect for this age. Do we ever see the church instructed to pray for sign miracles in the Epistles? Do we ever see an example of the church receiving sign miracles in the Epistles? o The Apostles were in a unique age of Kingdom offer. With the establishment of the church, the sign gifts have ceased.
BACKGROUND | ACTS 3:11-26
Peter and John had healed the lame beggar (3:1-10) Peter delivered a stunning indictment toward the nation: you killed your own Messiah (3:11-16) Peter declares that this was done in ignorance, the nation not knowing He was the Messiah (3:17-18) Peter extends the invitation: repent and return that times of refreshing may come (3:19-26) o The “times of refreshing” was the Messianic Age, the Kingdom of God.
PETER AND JOHN ARRESTED | ACTS 4:1-4
The Sadducees (4:1-2) o The strongest political party among the Jews o Strongly denied the resurrection o At odds with the Pharisees, who believed in the resurrection The Arrest (4:3) The Response to Peter’s Previous sermon (4:4) o Five thousand believed (in addition to 3,000 on the Day of Pentecost) o Even this strong number was not enough that God would “restore the Kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:3) o The requirement was a national repentance and return, and the strongest of political parties was in no mood to do so
PETER AND JOHN CHARGED | ACTS 4:5-7
The Who’s Who of Jewish leadership was gathered against Peter and John (4:5-6) Their issue: power (4:7) o From the first days of Jesus’ ministry, this was always the heart of the matter (John 2:18) o Peter and John were not arrested for healing the lame beggar, they were arrested for doing it in the name of Jesus o They did not agree with “It is amazing what you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
THE PIVOT POINT | THE TRANSITION OF THE BOOK OF ACTS THE SANHEDRIN CHARGED | ACTS 4:8-12
Peter addresses a specific audience: Rulers and elders of the people and boldly turns the situation into an uncomfortable one for the Sanhedrin (vv. 8-9) Peter answers the question: by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene (v. 10-12) o A familiar charge: you crucified Him o A frightening reality: God raised Him from the dead o The man’s healing is evidence of the authority of Peter and John o Peter’s quote of a Messianic and Kingdom Age Psalm would have immediately communicated the Kingdom requirements to the Jewish leadership (Psalm 118:22-29) o The Psalm’s prayer, “O Lord, do save” is answered by Peter in v. 12: There is salvation in no one else…” Would the Sanhedrin respond by calling on the name of the Lord?
THE SANHEDRIN RESPONSE | ACTS 4:13-18
The Sanhedrin are silenced by the situation (vv. 13-14) o They are not impressed with the credentials of Peter and John, but they were silenced by the boldness that had come to them. o Their only reasonable conclusion: they “have been with Jesus” o The visible evidence: a long-term lame beggar was standing in their midst, healed. o The shouted words of Scripture: “they had nothing to say in reply” (v. 14) The Sadducees refuse to change their thinking (vv. 15-18) The Sadducees give orders (vv. 17-18)
PETER AND JOHN’S RESPONSE | ACTS 4:19-31
Blame placed on the Sanhedrin (vv. 19-20) The Sanhedrin refuse to submit to the name of Jesus (vv. 21-22) The Apostolic response (vv. 23-28) o They celebrate with Kingdom Psalms: Verse 24 –Psalm 146:6 (note verses 6-10 highlight the glories of the Kingdom age) Verses 25-26 –Psalm 2:1-2 (Psalm 2 is perhaps the most Kingdom oriented of all the Psalms) o They celebrate the knowledge that God’s Kingdom is set on the horizon (predestined – prohorizo) The Apostolic prayer (vv. 29-30) o The ability and courage to speak with confidence, in spite of the threats (v. 29) o That miracles of healing, signs, and wonders would accompany their proclamation (v. 30) The answer from God (v. 31) o The sign: the place was shaken o The speech: the Word of God with boldness The dispensational issue with verses 29-30 o Should we ask for healing, signs, and wonders? If you do not make some kind of division after Acts 4, then sign gifts would naturally be in effect for this age. Do we ever see the church instructed to pray for sign miracles in the Epistles? Do we ever see an example of the church receiving sign miracles in the Epistles? o The Apostles were in a unique age of Kingdom offer. With the establishment of the church, the sign gifts have ceased.
