Sermon Text: Acts 4: 5-12
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.’
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.”
Morning Message
This is a strange question that we ask this morning! By what power or name do we do things? This is a little strange to us because we seldom consider that we do anything that’s not in our own power. When we are young, we especially feel like we can do anything. We are strong and able, and nothing seems too difficult. I used to think that I could move anything. Moving furniture, moving from house to house, helping my children move, anything that required strength and needed lifting, dad could do it. I seldom needed anyone’s help; I would find a way to just do it. By what power did I accomplish these things? I used to think it was my own power and strength, but I realize now that God gives the strength and ability. You see this sometimes with professional athletes; some will give praise to God for their ability, but many will just simply tell you how gifted or talented they are.
When we get older, we start to appreciate the extra strength and ability that God gives us. Life is funny like that. Many times, we don’t fully appreciate the abilities that we have until we no longer have them. Unfortunately, it usually takes losing something for us to fully comprehend what it meant to us. As I am putting this sermon together, I am reminded of the old Beatles song, Yesterday. “Suddenly, I’m not half the man I used to be, there’s a shadow hanging over me, O I believe in yesterday.” I think as we get older, we become more aware of our need for God. His shadow is always with us, hanging over us, but we don’t realize it until we no longer feel like we can do things by our own power.
Peter and John are thrown in prison, and are brought before the Sanhedrin, the court, the next day. You see, they had to wait until the next day because it was against Jewish law to try anyone at night. The court was made up of several religious groups, but mostly it was comprised of the Sadducees. The Sadducees only believed in the written law, and they completely rejected the idea of a general resurrection of the dead. I have many times told you that this is where their name came from. They had no hope of life after death, so they were sad-you-see. This question that they asked is really a big mistake on their part. In politics they would call this a softball question. In baseball terms you might say that they grooved the pitch right down the middle. By what power or what name did you do this? I would hope that we would have the courage to give the answer that Peter gave.
First, why are you questioning us because we did a good deed for a man who was hurting. This makes no sense at all. Courts are in place to stop people from doing wrong and holding them accountable for crimes. How can there be a crime when all we did was help someone? This is one of the first examples of religious persecution. Their faith was on trial, and all logic had gone out the window and been replaced with hatred of Christianity. The same thing is happening today in this country. The Christian church is only trying to reach out to the hurting and minister to those in need, physically and spiritually, and the government through legislation is trying to hinder that. We are so close to persecution in this country, and most people do not see it coming.
Can we stand with Peter and answer the question bravely and with conviction? By what power or what name? Peter says in the name of Jesus Christ. Not only in His name, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. These are the very same people who condemned Jesus to death on the cross, and now they stand convicted by Peter’s words. You Sadducees believe in the written word; well here is a phrase right out of scripture, “The stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.” Please let verse 12 sink in to your heart and proclaim it to the world. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” We need to make it clear to the world. It is by the power of God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus the Christ that we live and breathe, and salvation is found in no other.
In Christ’s Love and Peace
Pastor Bob
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