Who Do You Obey?
WHO Do You Obey?
Acts 4:1-22
S- “They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.
For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say.
So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves. “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”
So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.”
O- Peter and John are confronted by the hierarchy of the Temple about the teachings they were offering to the people. Peter and John were arrested and jailed for the night as a result of their preaching the message of Jesus death and resurrection is the only salvation for lost people. 5000 believers have now gathered to support Peter and John-
When Peter and John are called before the council to defend the healing of the lame man in the name of Jesus, Peter speaks boldly with the power of the Holy Spirit to all who were within the court.
Peter says- “Let me CLEARLY state...he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene...” Peter is not going to back down. He then states “There is salvation in no one else!”
The council is amazed at Peter’s boldness. They could see they had been with Jesus. They could see the power of Jesus name to heal because the man was standing there.
Following the council’s discussion of how to handle this situation the council came to the conclusion that a reprimand to NEVER again speak or teach in the name of Jesus was in order.
Peter and John are not backing down! WE CANNOT STOP TELLING ABOUT JESUS!!
Peter and John were threatened but eventually let go because the council did not want a riot to start.
A- In today’s world I keep hearing complaints about how we have lost our rights as believers to have prayer in school, Bibles in school, saying Christmas, and on and on. So I have this question - Who is responsible for this?
Government leaders have been blamed at the local, state, and federal levels. But is it really because of them? Or were we Christians afraid to be BOLD like Peter and John- “DO you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him?”
Maybe it’s time for Christians to rise up and regardless of what the government leaders say or don’t say, we are not in a political debate- we are in a spiritual crisis!! Paul reminds me in Ephesians 5 to WAKE UP! O Sleeper. It is time for believers to take their responsibility and rightful place and continue to be BOLD for the sake of the cross and use Peter and John’s defense- We will OBEY God and “we will NOT STOP telling everything we have seen and heard”
P- Jesus, prepare my heart and mind to be BOLD for You! Raise up an army of believers all over the world who will be bold and not back down but will respond like Peter and John- We will NOT STOP telling and sharing Jesus! As one of Your ambassadors of the gospel message let me stay steady and focused on the truths you impart to me. Then impart those truths to Your church so we all will see miraculous signs and wonders You do in our midst. Empower Your church with Your love to reach lost people and make disciples of all nations. Amen.
Acts 4:1-22
S- “They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.
For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say.
So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves. “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”
So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.”
O- Peter and John are confronted by the hierarchy of the Temple about the teachings they were offering to the people. Peter and John were arrested and jailed for the night as a result of their preaching the message of Jesus death and resurrection is the only salvation for lost people. 5000 believers have now gathered to support Peter and John-
When Peter and John are called before the council to defend the healing of the lame man in the name of Jesus, Peter speaks boldly with the power of the Holy Spirit to all who were within the court.
Peter says- “Let me CLEARLY state...he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene...” Peter is not going to back down. He then states “There is salvation in no one else!”
The council is amazed at Peter’s boldness. They could see they had been with Jesus. They could see the power of Jesus name to heal because the man was standing there.
Following the council’s discussion of how to handle this situation the council came to the conclusion that a reprimand to NEVER again speak or teach in the name of Jesus was in order.
Peter and John are not backing down! WE CANNOT STOP TELLING ABOUT JESUS!!
Peter and John were threatened but eventually let go because the council did not want a riot to start.
A- In today’s world I keep hearing complaints about how we have lost our rights as believers to have prayer in school, Bibles in school, saying Christmas, and on and on. So I have this question - Who is responsible for this?
Government leaders have been blamed at the local, state, and federal levels. But is it really because of them? Or were we Christians afraid to be BOLD like Peter and John- “DO you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him?”
Maybe it’s time for Christians to rise up and regardless of what the government leaders say or don’t say, we are not in a political debate- we are in a spiritual crisis!! Paul reminds me in Ephesians 5 to WAKE UP! O Sleeper. It is time for believers to take their responsibility and rightful place and continue to be BOLD for the sake of the cross and use Peter and John’s defense- We will OBEY God and “we will NOT STOP telling everything we have seen and heard”
P- Jesus, prepare my heart and mind to be BOLD for You! Raise up an army of believers all over the world who will be bold and not back down but will respond like Peter and John- We will NOT STOP telling and sharing Jesus! As one of Your ambassadors of the gospel message let me stay steady and focused on the truths you impart to me. Then impart those truths to Your church so we all will see miraculous signs and wonders You do in our midst. Empower Your church with Your love to reach lost people and make disciples of all nations. Amen.
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