Speak What You Have Seen and Heard Before God (Acts 4:1-22)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ that the unprecedented blessings and grace may be upon you today. If you believe in Jesus Christ, then you become a child of God, and God takes responsibility for the lives of His children. The children of God also have authority. They have the authority to receive answers to prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ is the authority to break down Satan, diseases, and darkness, and we must finish all the problems of our life with this identity and authority. The main point of that is the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ commanded us to lay our hands on those who are sick and to cast out evil spirits, and if there is any repetitive channel of Satan, then may the forces of darkness be broken in the name of Jesus Christ.
1. Those who hated the preaching of the gospel
But in the scripture we read today, there were some people who did not like these words. There are Christians and believers who have an allergic reaction when we talk about spiritual things, like angels, and they say, “Do not talk about such things in the name of Jesus Christ.”
1) Priests, captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees (Acts 4:1)
The main representatives were the Sadducees. The Sadducees and the teachers of the temple were the ones who were most offended when someone was healed in the name of Jesus Christ. There was a council of the Sanhedrin of 70 people in the Israelite community who made all of their decisions, and among that group, the Sadducees comprised a third of that group. The Pharisees were another third of the group, as well.
(1) Believed only in the Pentateuch (five books of Moses)
But, are their conclusions aligned with the Bible? The Sadducees only believed in the Pentateuch of Moses. They only believed in the first five books, which are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, and they exclude the signs and miracles of Moses, so these are the people who are sitting in the council, making leadership decisions, so, of course, they cannot make the right ones.
(2) Did not believe in the resurrection (Mt. 12:23)
(3) Did not believe in angels or spiritual beings (Acts 23:8)
They also don’t believe in the resurrection, and it also says in Acts 23:8 that they do not believe in angels or spiritual beings. If they don’t believe in angels, it means they do not believe in evil spirits either. This means they don’t believe in spiritual beings, or the spiritual world; they only believe in what was recorded in the Pentateuch of Moses, without the miracles, and even today, there are believers like that. When you talk to them about spiritual things, they tell you to stop. They only know the Bible with knowledge, they don’t know or experience the resurrected Lord, and Satan blocks the gospel through these people. But they think they have faith and knowledge. Without a doubt, when the correct gospel is proclaimed, the devil will not stay still. Nonbelievers are not the ones who will block the gospel; it is the people who have the Bible but in an incorrect way who will block the gospel.
2) Peter and John were imprisoned (Acts 4:3)
So, during that time, there was already a law that if you were caught testifying of Jesus Christ, you would be imprisoned, and if you did it one more time, you would be put to death.
(1) Number of believers grew to 5000 (Acts 4:4)
Peter and John are already in prison, but despite that, 5000 men alone had received the gospel through them, so just because people tried to block the gospel does not mean the gospel can be blocked. Even all of the knowledge or authority and power of the world cannot block the gospel. But people do not know this, so they try to block the gospel with their strength or authority. In other words, just because you do not proclaim the gospel does not mean the gospel will be blocked. God desires to testify of the gospel, even bringing Israel as captives to Rome. God will do whatever He will do. The reason God died on the cross is because He loves us humans and wants to save our souls. The reason God gave us the Holy Spirit is so that we can be with Him and so that He can carry out this salvation ministry with us. For the people who are in this stream, even if they face an obstacle, they are not blocked. No matter how much authority is used to try to block them, the gospel can never be blocked.
When Peter and John were arrested, they knew that God’s plan was there, because their covenant and their vision was to testify the gospel to all nations. Then, they knew this prison was an opportunity to testify of the gospel, but the people who believe in Jesus Christ for their own benefit think that this is a crisis because, “If I believe in Jesus Christ, I should live a good and free life, but why am I arrested right now? This is a big problem.” However, for people who have the goal of testifying the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth will interpret this situation differently.
(2) High priest and his family participated
That’s why the very fact that he was standing before the High Priest and court was an opportunity to testify the gospel. People who are only believing in Jesus Christ for their own benefit would speak from their own experiences to try to lessen their sentencing or become free. However, people who have the goal of testifying the gospel find the opportunity to proclaim the gospel in every meeting and circumstance.
(3) By what power or what name did you do this? (Acts 4:7)
So, the High Priest and the leaders questioned Peter and John, “By what power or what name did you do this?” The people of the world do not know Jesus Christ, so they put their emphasis on the authority of the law or the power of people, “We told you not to do this, so why did you do it? We told you not to do this, so why did you do this?” That is the principle of people who do not know the gospel and those who block the gospel, “We already made the decision, we told you not to do this,” that is the tactic that the devil uses. Nonbelievers do not block the gospel. The people who know the Bible and the gospel incorrectly are those who block the gospel. They say, “Don’t talk about Jesus Christ. Anything else, you can talk about,” that is the strategy the devil uses.
Why do you keep on talking about the name of Jesus Christ? If you keep on using the name of Jesus Christ, the authority of Satan is broken down. If you continuously use the name of Jesus Christ, the authority of hell is broken down. If you use the name of Jesus Christ, God’s Kingdom is established and the Holy Spirit comes upon you, so the name that the devil hates the most is “Jesus Christ.” Satan does not bat an eye against your success. Satan does not bat an eye against your personality. Satan doesn’t care at all about how hard you work, what money you have, what power you have, because the devil has the power to control all of those things. But the devil is afraid of the person who reveals the name of Jesus Christ.
Are you somebody the devil is afraid of, or somebody the devil plays with? When do you receive healing? When the devil is afraid of you, that is healing. The reason healing is not taking place is because it’s so easy for the devil to play with me. Your hard work or diligence does not matter at all to the devil. Only Jesus Christ, the name of Jesus Christ. Only that name causes God to work from the throne of heaven. Only in that name are disasters broken down. Only in that name are demons and diseases cast out. Only in His name do we receive the filling of the Holy Spirit.
3) Peter
(1) Filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:8)
So, Peter received this question from the leader, and then it says, “Filled with the Holy Spirit.” Why are we filled with the Holy Spirit? What happens if we’re filled with the Holy Spirit? Christ is testified. Acts 1:8, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will be witnesses until the ends of the earth.” There are many people who say, “The filling of the Holy Spirit will allow you to speak in tongues or allow you to heal diseases,” and yes, those things are true, but they’re not the main point; those are just the sides or the gifts that are revealed. If you’re filled with the Holy Spirit, then Christ will be testified. If people continuously talk about the Holy Spirit, but they talk about something other than Christ, I hope you will turn away from them. If the Holy Spirit comes upon you, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and He will testify of Jesus Christ.
(2) By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (Acts 4:10)
In Acts 4:10, Peter says, “Then know this, you and all of 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.” What is Original Sin? From the very beginning, originally, we opposed and did not believe in God, and we followed the ruler of the world. Starting from Adam all the way down the family line to my mother, when I was in her womb, I was separated from God. Even when I was born, my spirit was dead, and my physical body was bound to die; I was separated from God and enslaved by Satan, spiritually. That is how we are born into this world and we grow up in this culture of the world. What is the direction the culture of the world flows in? Because we all opposed God, we live centered on ourselves instead. So, we live under this misconception that everything exists for me, and that is sin. I live for myself, centered on myself. My goal is to exalt my name through success. That is the way the devil controls us in his stream, invisibly. If there are any of us who believe in Jesus Christ but only use Him as a tool for our own benefit, I hope you will change quickly because that is called “sin,” and the devil loves people like that. Even if you stay still, the devil races towards you because I have something good that attracts the devil. When does the devil hate me? If my life is lived for Christ, then the devil hates that the most. If you are living the religious life, centered on yourself, I hope you will quickly change into the life of the gospel, that is centered on Christ and testifying Christ.
(3) Rejected stone became the cornerstone (Acts 4:11)
Peter said, “This is the stone the builders rejected.” You rejected Him, you killed Him because you didn’t need Him, but God has used this Jesus Christ as the cornerstone. The Israelite houses were not built out of wood, they were built out of stone, and in order to build the building, they must have a cornerstone. If they don’t have a cornerstone, there is no way for two perpendicular walls to meet. If we don’t have Christ, then we cannot build our lives, either. If you’ve built something without a cornerstone, then all of the house will collapse. Why are all of the intellectual and successful people in the world suffering mentally and collapsing? Why are there more and more people suffering from mental illnesses, suicide, homicide, or addictions in America, why? Because Christ is not their cornerstone.
Christ has not become the most fundamental foundation of our life. Christ must become the foundation of our life, and everything is raised up from Christ. The branch must be attached to the vine. We must be attached to the cross of Christ. We must receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit and remain within the works of the Holy Spirit, and we must be able to discern and make all of our decisions based on His Word. The basic foundation of all of our life is Christ. The Triune God becomes the bartizan inside of us. No matter what happens in our life, no one can break down this fortress or bartizan inside of us. Typically, our body does not fall apart first; our mind does, and if someone’s mind collapses, it is because they do not have a foundation for their life. God is my foundation; no one can break that down. Even if we die, we live because we will resurrect. Even if we are locked up, we are not really locked up; it is an opportunity to testify of the name of Christ. How deeply rooted this is in you will determine what is revealed in your life. Your thoughts throughout the week will end up being revealed. For example, if you have thoughts of worries or fear, then that is what will be revealed later on. If your scars from the past have not been resolved, then your scars will be revealed throughout the week.
So, you must make today victorious, because tomorrow is determined by today. If you are forgetting about today and you’re dreaming about tomorrow, then that is a useless dream. When you pray, holding onto the Word God promised you, then you will be recorded in the throne of heaven, and the content of my prayer is recorded in my spirit, and depending on what is recorded, so it will be revealed. Why is that? Because humans are spiritual beings, but if we forget or we don’t know that we are spiritual beings, we forget about this principle. The image of God lives by God, anything that does not have God is nothing. All of our thoughts that do not have God are nothing, but your thoughts that do have God are something.
In this society we live in, will I become somebody or nobody? No matter how successful you are, if you do not have Christ, you are nobody because the things of God are not inside of you. God said to Abraham, “I will make your name great.” If God does it, it is done. God is the One Who controls my life, death, blessings, and curses. God is the One Who can take away our lives and give us life. When that Triune God becomes the bartizan or the fortress inside of us, what’s going to happen?
2. Preaching the gospel
1) Salvation
(1) Salvation is found in no one else (Acts 4:12)
(2) No other name given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12)
(3) Salvation only through the name of Jesus Christ
In Acts 4:12, Peter testifies of this most basic gospel, he says, “Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” This was the message that God delivered through Peter by filling him with the Holy Spirit. Peter did not receive those words by studying at a table; he was realistically in the field, standing in front of the High Priest, but people who do not understand the field or evangelism do not understand what I’m saying. The people who go into the evangelism field have experienced the message that God gives them to relay. But for Christian believers who only come to church and receive the Word during worship can never understand what I’m saying right now. The filling of the Holy Spirit means that the thoughts of God become my thoughts. The plan of God and the Word of God become my words. That is the filling of the Holy Spirit. God has given us the greatest blessing, and the power to save this world follows us.
2) Filling of the Holy Spirit
(1) Spoke boldly, unschooled ordinary men (Acts 4:13)
Peter was so uneducated that everybody was shocked that he could say something so eloquent. This is not something you get from practicing logic. These are the words that come from the filling of the Holy Spirit.
(2) Took note that these men had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13)
(3) Man who had been healed stood there with them as a witness (Acts 4:14)
But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. Nobody can say anything in the face of evidence. If someone only has the knowledge of the Bible, they have no strength. But the knowledge of the Bible must actually work in my life and give me evidence. You can have knowledge of the Bible; nonbelievers know that, but the nonbelievers will say, “The knowledge of the Bible is relevant to you; I don’t care about it.” But, if you have the evidence that the resurrected Lord is living and working upon your life right now, then the nonbelievers have nothing they can say against that.
3) Those who blocked the gospel
(1) Spread through all of Jerusalem (Acts 4:16)
(2) Tried to stop it from spreading any further among the people (Acts 4:17)
So now, the leaders of the Israelite community are worried because they do not know how they can block the name of Christ. They said, “All of Jerusalem has heard about this, so even we cannot deny it.” But they threatened Peter and John to not talk about this so that it would not spread even more.
(3) Prevented them from speaking in the name of Jesus Christ
They said, “Do not testify of the name of Jesus Christ.” This is the strategy of the devil. You must know the essence. Even if you are working or in a business, if you don’t know what is truly essential, you cannot do it. There is a big difference between someone who knows the essence of how the business flows, versus someone who doesn’t. Even for people who are studying, if they know the essence of the material, they can continue to study well. So, through our academics, we can discover the essence of what we’re learning. Even the doctors who can look at symptoms and know the essence of the disease will become renowned. But people who just work really hard without knowing the essence will not amount to much. Even if you’re exercising, there is an answer to that. Because there is an essential way God has created and moved all things in the world, and discovering that essence is science. For example, what is the essential principle of gravity? Most people will see an object fall from the sky to the ground and not even think about it, but there was someone who researched that, and then they discovered these principles or these laws of gravity. So, that scientist was able to discover the fundamental principles by which God moves this world.
Same thing with our faith. For the people who’ve lived their walk of faith diligently but don’t know the essence or what is essential, they will face their limitation because the essence is the name of Jesus Christ. Everything else, they work so hard to do. People who study like that will not get good grades. But, if you know the essence in the name of Jesus Christ, then you will receive answers. “Wow, the entire Bible is talking about the name of Jesus Christ,” so yes, we can talk about different things, but all of that is not essential. The main core of the Old Testament is the name of Jesus Christ. Even right now when we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, God answers us. Then, we must discover this essence. But the devil only stops that essence. The devil allows us to do everything else, to do this, to do that, to do everything, but “Do not reveal the name of Jesus Christ.” But for us, we have only Jesus Christ; that is how the darkness breaks down. And then when people like this rise up in their family lines, in their regions, or in their fields, these are the bartizans who will break down the darkness.
So in Acts 4:18, the leaders called the men and commanded them to not speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. In your walk of faith, you must know this. We call this a “mystery.” A “mystery” is something you can have, even though you don’t talk about it. Even if you don’t speak about Christ, if you enjoy Christ inside of you, the darkness will be broken down. So, make today victorious. How will you make today victorious? When you pray in the name of Jesus Christ, holding onto the covenant God gives you, then the answers are already on their way. That’s how we were created to live, that is the image of God, and when that takes place, we rule over and subdue the world. The world tells you to live diligently, the world tells you to work hard, the world tells you to do your best and stake your life. But the “Image of God” means we were created so we cannot exist on this earth without God.
Then, how do I make today victorious? There is a kid who studies really diligently, and there is another kid who studies, holding onto the covenant. There are people who work really hard, and there are people who are praying, holding onto the covenant. This entire world is filled with people who work hard, but the one who receives answers to prayer from God is the victorious one. Will you be successful this week, or will you be a failure this week? It depends on today. Today, at this time, if I pray, holding onto the Word that God promised me, He is already giving me answers. Isaac received the answer of 100 years at one time. He couldn’t even live 100 years, but even if he lived 100 years working every day, he received that answer in one day. I’m not saying to not work your hardest or not try your best, but I’m saying that is the most common-sense level, that just with your best, it will not be enough. Musicians cannot compete with Michael Jackson. You have to already come to that conclusion, isn’t that right? People who are in literature or writing cannot compete with Hemingway, and for people who are athletic, you have to come to the conclusion that you cannot compete with the most athletic person in America. All of these great leaders of culture like Tolstoy, they died a pitiful death, so what are we saying? We’re saying that is the result and the limitation of the hard work of mankind. All of our studies and our work must receive answers from the throne of heaven.
3. Before God
1) Peter and John before God
(1) Whether it is right before God to listen to you (Acts 4:19)
(2) Or to listen to God’s Word before God (Acts 4:19)
(3) Judge for yourselves what is right (Acts 4:19)
When the leaders told them this in Acts 4:19, Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s sight, to listen to you or to Him?” There are people who are afraid to reveal the name of Jesus Christ because it might hurt their chances of a promotion or hurt their relationships. There are some people who are ashamed of the name of Jesus Christ. A person like that can never change themselves or the world. But the people who stand before God today, in the scripture, it says, “In God’s eyes,” and we talk about “Standing before God,” or “Coram Deo.” What does it mean to stand before God? That the center of my life, all of my thoughts, are centered before God’s Word. Only God is the Judge. Heb. 4:12 says He already knows the thoughts and attitudes of my heart, that is the God whom we stand. We don’t stand before people. Will you fear God, or will you fear people?
We must stand before God. The Bible keeps on telling us to fear God. There are many people who live, rejecting God or denying God. But standing before God is strength. We can deceive people with lies, but our lies become our future, because the forces of darkness are listening to our lies. The devil knows these lies and uses them in the future. God knows our thoughts, so our thoughts are revealed. All of our bad or incorrect thoughts, they are recorded inside of us, and the devil knows this and uses them. So, what does it mean to stand before God? It means to change all of our thoughts to prayers before God. If you continuously think lustful thoughts, then you will ultimately commit acts of lust. If your thoughts are always unnecessarily competitive, then one day, you will be overburdened by competition, because these are thoughts that are not standing before God. But all of the thoughts we do raise before God will come as answers. We are in a democratic nation so we speak our opinions freely because of our freedom of expression, but we must speak before God. Then, that means you will speak while you pray, because my words will become effective when my words are aligned with God’s Word. Yes, you might be able to learn a lot and persuade people, but if someone is not aligned with the Word of God, then they will be destroyed. I hope you will stop trying to change people with your words, but instead, stand before the Word of God and speak with the Word of God.
2) Witness
(1) What we have heard and seen (Acts 4:20)
(2) Cannot help speaking about it (Acts 4:20)
(3) Holy Spirit was with them
Then Peter and John say, “As for us, we cannot help but speak about what we have seen and what we have heard. We saw Jesus Christ die on the cross and resurrect, we heard His words; how can we not speak about that?” Then, what can we speak about that we have seen and heard? What have you seen? What have you heard? We stand as witnesses of that. Did you see the resurrected and living Lord Jesus Christ working upon you last week? Did you see the Word God gave you being fulfilled? If that is not taking place throughout the week, it means you are living your walk of faith with just knowledge. For example, if there are thousands of people who gather for the knowledge of the Bible but not the living active Christ, then it’s useless. But let’s say somebody says, “Last week, God worked upon me like this, and this is the Word God gave me that was fulfilled, and I testify of that as a witness.” There is nothing more powerful than that. Nonbelievers don’t know that the Lord is alive, so God is telling us to stand as a witness that Christ is alive. How can I stand as a witness that the Lord is alive now? That’s our walk of faith, that is the mystery to change this world.
You must be able to see the way the Lord has worked, even in our last week at this church. See it and speak of it. All circumstances, everything, God gave us His Word and He fulfills this Word. Nonbelievers don’t know this. “Oh, the God I believe in worked upon me in this way and led me to this circumstance,” you can tell people like that. That is how nonbelievers will see that God is alive now. It doesn’t matter how much you tell them with the knowledge of the Bible you have, they’re not going to believe it. Do you know how they think about you? “Okay, so you’re Christian, what does that have to do with me? You believe in what you believe in,” that’s what they’ll say. But if you testify of the way God has worked in your life they will say, “God is alive,” and that is what we call a “witness.” When the Word of God comes upon you right now during worship and you hold onto that in prayer, then it will be revealed in your life.
3) Glory to God (Acts 4:21)
(1) Peter and John were released (Acts 4:21)
(2) Healed man – over 40 years old (Acts 4:22)
So after Peter and John were released, all the people were praising God for what had happened, for the man who was miraculously healed was over forty. What is the reason he was healed? The disease was healed as evidence that the Kingdom of God has come upon them. Even shamans can heal diseases, so that’s not the main point, but the reason this person was healed was because he prayed in the name of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God was established there. The evil spirit being cast out is not the important point; the important point was that when they prayed in the name of Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God was established.
(3) Name of Jesus Christ – Life, healing, evangelism
We are people who do not live for ourselves; we live for Christ, for the glory of God. What is the point of evangelism? Those who are sick, everyone avoids them. In your job, in your school, or in your family, there is somebody undergoing a crisis, and everybody avoids that person because they are living for their own benefit and, “That person cannot help me.” Somebody who is going through hardship, most people want to avoid them, they don’t want to help them, but that is an opportunity for the name of Christ to be testified. At your company, there are people who have mental illnesses or spiritual illnesses, and most people avoid them because it’s hard to make a relationship with them, but it’s an opportunity for you to relay the gospel. God will give the evidence to save that company or that region, so we go into the crisis, we go to those with difficulty, we go towards the people who have diseases or problems. It is Peter and John who went towards the crippled beggar of 40 years. Because of the evidence of that one person, many people came to believe in Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
1. Only the name of Jesus Christ – Salvation
In conclusion, salvation is only in the name of Jesus Christ and we must be able to testify of the name of Jesus Christ by the power the Holy Spirit gives us.
2. Filling of the Holy Spirit – Preach the gospel before God
3. Give glory to God alone
We do not do that for ourselves; we do it all for the glory of God. I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ that we may stand before God throughout the week and glorify God by revealing the name of Christ. If there is a Word of God you have received today, then pray holding onto it.
Message Prayer
Let us pray holding onto the Word we have received.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We have returned Your materials as offering. Everywhere it is used, may lives be saved, and allow us to raise up and find the disciples, region by region. We pray You will give the answer of the economy of light upon the hands that have given the offering. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.
Closing Prayer and Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, the indwelling, working, guidance, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be upon the heads of all the people of God who desire to stand as a witness of what they have seen and heard before God, upon all of the work of God in the purchase of the church building, be with them now and forevermore always, amen.