The Beautiful Blessing - The Sequel - Acts 4,5

1:30In Acts chapter 2, Peter preached a message at Pentecost, and in Acts chapter 3, sometime later, but during the feast of Pentecost, he preached this sermon about what I called the beautiful blessing. The beautiful blessing. You remember, there was an object lesson that took place in the first part of chapter 3. My mind has been here the last couple of weeks. But do you remember this man was sitting at the beautiful gate, and Peter said to him, I do not have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give to you. In the name of Jesus, rise and walk. And his legs were strengthened, his ankles were strengthened, and he was able to stand upright, as Luke, the doctor, records. This was the object lesson. And the miracle, it's important to understand, was more than just strengthening his legs. You know, there's a lot of motor skills that go on with walking. If you have had any children, you understand there's motor skills that take time to develop. Well, this individual, this man who we learn was over 40 years old, had this miracle happen to him, and not only was he able to stand straight and walk upright, but he was able to walk and leap. It was a profound miracle. And Peter uses this as sort of. An object lesson to tell people what has happened on the outside of this man is what needs to happen on the inside of man.

3:11And he goes on in chapter 3 and verse 25, and he cites Genesis 22:18, and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. That in your seed, that is in your singular offspring, there is one coming whom all the families of the earth shall be blessed, namely Christ. And his blessing that he gives, he goes on to say in verse 26, for to you first God raised up his servant and sent him to you to bless you. And how does that blessing come? By turning every one of you from your crooked ways, from your wicked ways, from your non-upright ways.

4:03And that is the blessing of the ages. Prophesied early on that one would come who would bless mankind. And the form of that blessing is a turning, a turning of a heart from sin to God. That's the blessing of the ages. And that is what we all need. And that is what those that were there that day needed. So let's put it. Pick up the narrative now in chapter 4 and just look at these sermonettes as they come along. First, I want you to see the occasion for the first, what I call sermonet, chapter 4 and verse 1. As they were speaking, so Peter is just saying, you need to turn from your wicked ways. And he's saying that his servant, the blessing, has been sent to you to turn you. And in Acts 4:1, as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, being greatly disturbed. And why are the Sadducees greatly disturbed? Because, verse 2, they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees didn't believe in the resurrection of the dead. So they didn't like that, but they also didn't like the fact that they're talking about Jesus. They thought they had done away with him. So they're greatly disturbed. And verse 3, and they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to be about 5,000. On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem, and Annas, the high priest, was there, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and all who were of high priestly descent. And what an assembly. That is Annas, the high priest, kind of the patriarch of these high priestly family. Caiaphas, the high priest, also there.

6:11John, Alexander, some think that John was probably another one of Alexander's progeny. I don't know who they are exactly, but you've got all who are of high priestly descent, even with Annas, the patriarch of this descent. And when they had placed him in the center, in verse 7, they began to inquire: by what power or in what name have you done this? I mean, don't you love how God orchestrates this? Right? Here's Peter and John just heading up to the temple, and all of a sudden, wham, they heal a guy in the name of Jesus, and they are now before that actual body of people that put Christ to death, that gave him over to be crucified.

7:06What a change of events. You see, this should kind of excite us a little bit that, you know, we're not the ones going out trying to create opportunities. This whole gospel proclamation and witness to the nation is his project. And he is going to raise up those unique situations, and you just need to recognize them and just go with it. And He'll do far more than you would imagine. I mean, this is incredible. He's got them all.

7:36Look at Peter's declaration. I mean, hey, you talk about peeing it up for him. By what power or in what name have you done this? Peter, this is what Peter's just been talking about and anxious. And he says, Then, look at Peter, then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit. So now we've got another Holy Spirit for sure-filled sermon and point. So let's. It's here. He said to them, Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, whom you crucified, God raised from the dead, by this name this man stands here before you in good health. It's almost like he's saying in verse 9: if we are seriously on trial here today because of a benefit for what we did to this guy, I mean, it's almost like he's saying, Look, are you guys seriously? You've got us, you've put us in jail, and now you're brought us out here to inquire of us, to try us. Is it really for doing a good deed to this guy? It's almost like Peter just takes the offensive off. Off the beginning, it's the word made well is the same word used for saved that will be used later. We often translate this word in a salvation sense, that this man that you have seen is made well, that he has been saved. Of course, the idea here is in a physical sense. He's saying this man has been made whole in a physical sense. If that's the guy we're talking about here, if we're seriously on trial for this, let me tell you how this man was made well.

9:35Let it be known to you and all the people of Israel by the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. You can probably imagine another wince by the Sadducees, right? They don't believe in the resurrection. Wince, there's that resurrection doctrine coming up again, you know. By this name, this man, he's saying, he's using a demonstrative pronoun here. The object lesson is still present. Think of it. By this man, this man standing right here before you. So the man's still there. But an object, this man, if you're thinking, if we're on trial today because of what was done for this man, let it be known that this man right here stands before you in good health because of the name of Jesus Christ.

10:31Look at the action verbs in verse 10. You crucified, but God raised. You see, the Holy Spirit, through Peter, is not letting them forget their sin. It's 50 days later, they would probably like to forget this whole Jesus business. They'd probably like to move on. But you see, this is the very thing that Christ turns us from, is our sin, from suppressing it, from denying it, from excusing it away. This is the thing that we need to be turned from. And so the Holy Spirit is not going to simply let us forget our sin.

11:12He didn't let them forget their sin because this is the very thing that he comes to save us from, is protecting our sin. You see, there is a convicting and a hardening work of the Spirit going on through Peter's preaching. There were some who were convicted and softened and received the word, and there were some who were hardened and crystallized their opposition against him. Let us be those who are soft to his word. You crucified, but God raised. The evidence of Christ's resurrection is this man standing before you. That's what Peter is saying. He's saying, it is Christ's name, his name, and the evidence of his resurrection is that this man is standing before you whole.

12:12Jesus is not dead. He has supreme power. That is what Peter is saying to this body of rulers that crucified him. He's not dead, he is the holder of supreme power and healed this man. Just the mention of his name did this. And then Peter moves on to a text. Look in verse 11. He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the chief cornerstone. You notice that little interjection? The stone which was rejected by you. And he quotes Psalm 118. And towards the end of Psalm 118, he's quoting. In fact, this is the last Psalm of the Hillel that would have been sung over and over again at Passover and at Pentecost. 113 to 118. And here's Psalm 118, and Peter is picking up a text towards the end of the hillel. They would have been very familiar with this passage. In fact, they probably had been singing it throughout the Pentecost, throughout Pentecost. Let me read. To you, a portion of it. Psalm 118, 19 says, Open to me the gates of righteousness. I shall enter in through them. I shall give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord. The righteous will enter through it. I shall give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and you have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. He goes on in verse 26, Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. In verse 27, bind the festival sacrifice to the altar. Just a powerful psalm that would have been deeply implanted in the minds of those listening. And he is saying, you are the builders that rejected the chief cornerstone.

14:24Rejected. Word means declared useless. You saw him, you evaluated him, you threw him out and declared him useless. But the chief cornerstone, literally the head corner, is how you'd translate it, was the stone that served as the builder's level. It would serve as the plumb line through which all the angles and all the lines of the building would go up. And this was the stone that would give the structure its shape, its orientation, its alignment, its overall purpose. Personality, if you will, in a metaphoric sense. And the builders are those who thought of themselves as building the righteous nation. This is the establishment there. And they looked at Christ, heard his testimonies, threw him out. Worthless.

15:21You see, God is active in building a righteous nation. And the character of the main cornerstone will be the personality for the whole building. And Peter's saying, you rejected him. You are those whom the prophets spoke about that would throw out God's chosen stone. You have thrown him out, and you are building the wrong building on the wrong place, and it will come down. He's saying, you establishment of Israel are antagonistic to what God is doing in the world.

16:05That's how he used that verse. He stung it to him. And then he goes on to explain why the building you are building is not going to stand. Verse 12. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among you. Men, by which we must be saved, it's that salvation term again. Deliverance means deliverance. And now, in this context, it's the same as the physical wellness of the man that was healed, but here it takes on a spiritual dimension. And to be saved means to be rescued, to be brought through safely, specifically through an eternal death. There is a spiritual dimension to this: spiritual healing. And what is the spiritual healing that he's already talked about? Having a heart turned to God. That's the spiritual healing that needs to take place.

17:16So, Peter's use here, when he goes on, we're not just talking about the physical realm, we're talking about the spiritual realm. Man needs to be saved, he needs to be made well, he needs to be made whole, beginning in his heart. But I think ultimately, both are in view here: the spiritual and the physical. Man's final well-being or the future of man's physical being is directly related to what happens to his spiritual being. And that you must be saved, the whole of you has to be saved. And it begins with that changed heart. Be careful of holding on to any form of sins whatsoever. How big or how small? He has come to turn your hearts to him. Turn.

18:08Let him have his way in your life. Do not be among those whose hearts crystallize hard against his teaching, but soften. So back to that question. Why won't the nation that the Sadducees were trying to build, why won't it stand? Well, the bottom line is they had rejected the only one who could fix the heart of man. Back to verse 12. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. First and foremost, the character of God's people is going to be a heart for him.

18:57And there is no one else that can fix the heart of man. There is no other name under heaven. There is no other cornerstone. There is no other foundation stone. And first and foremost, the character of God's people is that they must have a heart for him. The kind of nation, the kind of righteous nation that God is building begins with those who have a heart for him. And that cornerstone is the one who turns it. You see, Christ is the only heart surgeon given for man.

19:30Christ is the only one who can satisfy Job's ancient cry in 9:33 of Job. He says, There is no arbitrator between us who may lay his hand upon both of us and bring us together. Well, there is, Job. His name is Jesus, the Nazarene. And he knows how to bring us together. And he's the only one that knows how to put his hand on both. The God, man, can bring us together. Job. You see, there is an exclusiveness in the gospel of Christ. No other religion, no other philosophy, no other manner of life, institution, no other good work, or any other thing, or any other action, or any other activity can provide the salvation that God offers. Because what man needs is to be saved from that momentum of his sinful ways. You see, a biblical heaven, if you're looking at what the Bible says about heaven, calls for a biblical salvation. And a biblical salvation calls for a biblical Savior. And at some point, when we start redefining heaven, we as believers have just got to stop and say, you know what? You're no longer building on the chief cornerstone.

20:54You're building a strange building. There is exclusiveness in. Salvation in Christ alone. And it's important to understand that Christ alone is not due to some arbitrary decision on God's part, but a sure impossibility of salvation by any other means. It's not just God chose, well, arbitrarily, this is going to be the way it's done. He said, no, this is the only way man can be saved. It's due to an impossibility of salvation in any other way. Because no other way deals with a heart that has to be changed. Don't be ashamed of that doctrine. It's the power of God to salvation.

21:42However, there is an inclusiveness in the gospel of Christ. And I get tired of hearing that my gospel is exclusive. It's not exclusive. It's very inclusive. Salvation is for all who will repent and turn to God. All must pass through the same gate. There is one way. And there is no discrimination. All must repent. All must turn. All must come to Him. And it doesn't matter who you are, what walk of life you're from. We all must go through the same gate.

22:22Very generous. You see, the rich young ruler had to leave his wealth. Every sinner has to leave his cherished sin. Every walk of life must come to the same point and turn, be turned. You see, the Sanhedrin had to recognize and repent of crucifying their Messiah. And that's where Peter was taking them to. So, how did they respond? Well, look in verse 13. Now, as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. They're like, what can you say about this? Okay, what do you do here? And they're like, okay.

23:23But when they had ordered them to leave the council, they began to confer with one another, saying, What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name. And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge. For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and what we have seen. We had heard. When they had threatened them further, they let them go, finding no count, finding no basis on which to punish them on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened, for the man was more than 40 years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

24:20Sermon at number one. Well, then, so they go out, and what happens? And the next few chapters continue, continue power, continuing blessing, many turning abundant graces upon them, speaking the word in boldness. They go. We have this account of Ananias and Sapphira continuing growing more believers in verse 14 in chapter 5. And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women were constantly added to their number to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. Also, the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed. A lot of power. A lot's happening. Now, verse 17, let's look at the occasion that gives rise to the second sermon. Sermon 8. But the high priest rose up along with his associates, that is, the sect of the Sadducees, and they were filled with jealousy.

25:30Wow, now you remember what happened in Mark 15:10 because of their jealousy? That jealousy is a wicked thing, isn't it? Crucified, it was on account of jealousy that Pilate knew they had handed Jesus over. So, what did they do? It's a deadly motive. They laid hands on the apostles and put them in public jail. But during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the gates in prison, and they took them out and said, Go stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this life. So they go out, and then the high priest gathered and they say, Okay, bring those men out. Well, they're gone. Well, where are they? Well, he's done their preaching. Bring them in here and let's talk. So they bring him back. In verse 26, the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence, for they were afraid of the people that they might be stoned. Okay, so we got a little popularity shift going on here, okay? When they had brought them, they stood before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

26:45You see, their main concern is right there. You want to bring this man's blood upon us. It's almost like they forgot what they had said in Matthew 27:25, that his blood shall be upon us and upon our children. But they weren't so much concerned about whether or not they had done right or wrong with regards to Christ. They were simply upset because of the political consequences. They simply wanted to go on with their business. Their drop in approval ratings was largely on their mind. And they didn't like this idea of them being held guilty, and that Peter is out here stirring up all these people against them.

27:35And then he brings up three points. This is where we come to Peter's second sermon at. Look at verse 29. But Peter and the apostles answered, We must obey God rather than men. God is a higher authority, and this shouldn't be a surprise because they already told him this. You judge whether it's right or wrong. Shouldn't have been a surprise. Then he goes on in verse 30: The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging him on a cross. It's interesting how he says, The God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, raised up Jesus. In other words, he's saying, You do not serve the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You do not serve the God whom we read about in scriptures because he's the God who raised. Raised Jesus up from the dead, whom you crucified. You are not serving the God of our fathers.

28:41Don't you love how Peter just, I mean, here's the guy that denied him. And now he's got this same group that put Christ to death, and he's got them on the ropes. The fisherman from Galilee is putting Jesus' murderers on trial. He, look at verse 31. He is the one whom God exalted to his right hand as prince and savior to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. There's that granting of that blessing again. Prince means head or ruler. Savior means deliverer. You know what a prince does? He grants, or the head or the highest authority. You know what he does? He grants. You know what a Savior does? He delivers.

29:36The prince grants repentance. The Savior delivers from sins, from the penalty and the power of sins. And at Pentecost, this feast, which is the first fruits of the in-gathering, he starts bringing in not only the first gathered first fruits of Israel, but also the first fruits of the church. Men into one body. But Peter's statement, God exalted to his right hand, is very strongly reminiscent of what he said in Mark 14, or what happened in Mark 14 and 60 through 64. Let me read this to you. Remember when Jesus was on trial? He wasn't saying anything? In verse 60, the high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, Do you not answer? What is this these men are testifying against you? But he kept silent and did not answer. Again, the high priest was questioning him and saying to him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? And Jesus said, I am. And you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven. There's Jesus saying, Yes, I am, and you will see me at the right hand of the power of Almighty, the right hand of power. So what does the high priest does? Same high priest that's taking Peter on. He tearing his clothes, the high priest said, what further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. How does it seem to you? And they all condemned him to be deserving of death. So here's Peter before the same gathering, same council, and he takes them to task with the same message that Jesus prophesied. Claim to them. Same truth.

31:33And then Peter goes on to say in verse 32, and we are witnesses of these things. He is exalted, and he is at the right hand of God. And that's how you explain what has taken place in the name of Jesus with this crippled man being healed. We are witnesses of these things. And look at this. And so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. So here's that fisherman from Galilee. But it's not just Him who's witnessing, so are the disciples. You see that? They are witnesses, and so is the Holy Spirit. These are the truths that the internal and external witness of the Holy Spirit attests to.

32:24God has exalted him to the right hand of power for the purpose of granting repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. All authority to this truth the apostles witnessed and the Holy Spirit witnessed. Don't we have a wonderful testimony to proclaim? Well, look at the council's response. You think they got excited? Verse 33, but when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them. See the same passage. Same thing they did to Jesus. And they would have, right? Except Gamaliel steps up, talks some sense into them. And so then in verse 40, they took his advice, and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then they released them.

33:21They didn't repent, did they? They didn't want what Christ was willing to grant. They didn't want to repent, and they didn't want to turn. They suppressed that truth and unrighteousness. Well, as the word is preached, there is a convicting and a hardening effect that takes place. And the main point of Peter's first little sermon was that there is salvation in no one else. And if you are trusting here today in anything other than the name of Jesus, you cannot be saved.

34:05Jesus plus anything is not the Jesus of the Bible. Nor does he bring salvation that the Bible brings. It's Jesus alone. And if you're trusting in anything, you've got to let go of everything else. Trust in Him, turn to Him. He's available for anyone who will simply in sincerity ask him, Do you want a turned heart? Do you want your turned heart to God? Do you want to want to have your heart turned to God? Ask Him.

34:49Then the main point of Peter's second little sermonette is that Jesus is exalted, he is at the right hand of God. All authority is given to him, and he grants repentance and he forgives sins. That's what he does. So will you receive what he gives? Then repent of your sins and believe that he forgives you. This is Jesus' first words. Be repenting, be believing. This morning I have set forth the exclusiveness of the gospel and the good news of the gospel, so that you will be like those who receive the word, welcome the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, and turn to Christ in sincerity of heart.

35:38So do not harden your heart to him. If you sense the slightest hardening, turn from it, run from it. Do not harden your heart to him. If he's worth anything, he is worth everything. Everything. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you that you are in the business of turning hearts and granting repentance and giving forgiveness. Father, I just ask that you would turn our hearts completely, turn our hearts continually, turn our hearts in the big ways and in the small ways and in every thought and everything that proceeds from us. Father, you alone are to be exalted, and you alone are worthy of our praise. Father, help us. Now we ask, in the name of Jesus, to effect this work in this congregation's life, in us as individuals and in our corporate life together, that we may be a body turned and turning to you.

36:51Please have your way in us. In Jesus' name.