Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Acts

Who were the Sadducee's?

They were a very different group to the Pharisees.

Sadducee’s were what we would call “Liberals”, while the Pharisees were “conservatives.”

Their philosophical persuasions were quite opposite.

Theologically they were different as the Sadducee’s did not believe in a resurrection, or in life after death, and they did not look for a Messiah.

They thought that the Messianic Age had already begun in the revolution of the Maccabees.

This leads to viewing the kingdom of God in a strictly earthly, political, and humanistic way.

Because they did not believe in an after life, they co-operated with the Romans and took high positions in the colonial government.

Pharisees were opposite in that they strong among the party as “teachers of the law”.

They were legalistic and conservative and much more middle class than the Sadducee’s.

They did not approve in co-operation with the Roman government; they believed the Bible very literally and hoped both for a Messiah and for an after-life.

Peter Defends the Gospel

Acts 4

The church experienced both suffering and sharp persecution and they experienced enormous favor with the people.

They were both attractive and growing, yet hated and attacked.

This truth cuts us two ways:

If we are not experiencing any attacks or persecution on account of the gospel, we are most likely not living up to the calling that God wants from us.

We are not taking enough risks in witnessing for Christ.

If we are experiencing attacks and persecution without fruitfulness and attractiveness, we are only being persecuted for being harsh, insensitive, or strident Christians.

Jesus said in that we are only blessed if we are persecuted “for righteousness’ sake.”

It is unfortunate that many Christians “suffer” persecution for being discourteous, imbalanced, insensitive, and lack warmth and respect in their dealings with others.

Christians who are not bold for Christ will have praise, but not persecution.

Harsh, insensitive Christians will have persecution, but not praise.

Most Christians actually have neither persecution, nor praise, and this is because our walk with God is weak.

Christians and the church need to strive to come closer to Jesus, imitating His example, and the more closely we do this, the more we will experience a right blend of attractive Christianity with persecution.

By what power, or by what name, have you done this?

So we learn that, in general, the powerful and influential are more confused and threatened by the gospel than the masses of people.

In people of influence and status, there is a particularly strong resistance to the idea that we are saved by sheer grace.

threatened by the gospel than the masses of people.

In people of influence and

status, there is a particularly strong resistence to the idea that we are saved

sheerly by grace.

Inner Witness

18

What was the central part of the disciple’s witnessing program?

Personal Testimony!

They spoke the things which they saw and heard.

This is a very important point to understand from examining the book of Acts.

The most powerful witness of Jesus’ grace and power is the witness of a personal testimony.

When a testimony is shared with someone with a heart overflowing with grace it has power to affect the life of the one who is listening to you.

Here are some other verses related to personal testimony:

The work of redemption involves consequences of which it is difficult for man to have any conception.

“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9.

As the sinner, drawn by the power of Christ, approaches the uplifted cross, and prostrates himself before it, there is a new creation.

A new heart is given him.

He becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus.

Holiness finds that it has nothing more to require.

God Himself is “the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Romans 3:26.

And “whom He justified, them He also glorified.”

Romans 8:30.

Great as is the shame and degradation through sin, even greater will be the honor and exaltation through redeeming love.

To human beings striving for conformity to the divine image there is imparted an outlay of heaven’s treasure, an excellency of power, that will place them higher than even the angels who have never fallen.

Referring to ; especially .

The two restored demoniacs were the first missionaries whom Christ sent to preach the gospel in the region of Decapolis.

For a few moments only these men had been privileged to hear the teachings of Christ.

Not one sermon from His lips had ever fallen upon their ears.

They could not instruct the people as the disciples who had been daily with Christ were able to do.

But they bore in their own persons the evidence that Jesus was the Messiah.

They could tell what they knew; what they themselves had seen, and heard, and felt of the power of Christ.

This is what everyone can do whose heart has been touched by the grace of God.

John, the beloved disciple, wrote: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; … that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you.” 1 John 1:1–3.

As witnesses for Christ, we are to tell what we know, what we ourselves have seen and heard and felt.

If we have been following Jesus step by step, we shall have something right to the point to tell concerning the way in which He has led us.

We can tell how we have tested His promise, and found the promise true.

We can bear witness to what we have known of the grace of Christ.

This is the witness for which our Lord calls, and for want of which the world is perishing.

1 jn

This form of witnessing is actually following the example of Christ:

jn 3 31-

When Power Attends Prayer

To be justified by God means to be forgiven by God, and through this experience we have peace with God.

There are a few points to gain for the prayer of the apostles and believers:

1.

There is a connection between their human weakness and God’s omnipotence.

They are sharing the gospel in the first few chapters of Acts with great success and demonstration of the power of the Spirit.

In they encounter persecution and opposition.

Now they are truly beginning to follow in the steps of Christ and this acknowledge when they quote , how the kings of the earth and rulers assemble together against God and His Christ.

They are here acknowledging that what they are encountering, God and Christ have already encountered.

God is identified with their current situation.

The work of righteousness is peace and the effect of righteousness is quietness and assurance forever.

In the Songs of Solomon, he writes that this experience of peace is the result of finding favour in God's eyes.

So then to be justified means to experience peace, and peace is the result of knowing that we have favour with God, or assurance that we are His children, all through the offering of the Son of God.

The disciples are not only asking for boldness but before they ask, they praying to have a change of heart to endure the hardships in front of them.

It is through Christ that we have access, by faith, into this 'grace' as the Paul puts it, wherein we stand.

They are praying to remove any fears and weaknesses in them in order that they might pray to be bold.

The word grace that he uses has many different variations of meanings in English, but all can quite easily fit into the meaning he wants to get across when looking at the context, and it can mean steadfast love, compassion, kindness, favour, good will (as was declared by he angels to the shepherds at Jesus' birth).

They look away from ourselves, our weaknesses, and look to God and pray to receive His strength.

So we can read the text in various ways;

2. They connect their current situation with God’s omniscience.

"By whom we have access by faith into this steadfast love...

As mentioned already, the believers connect with with their current situation.

Just as the leaders in Jerusalem were breathing down threats on the disciples, so the kings and rulers of earth have risen up against God and Christ.

Not only do they quote , but in they acknowledge how Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together “against Thy holy child Jesus.”

But in verse 28 they are divinely enlightened that everything that had been connected with the persecution and crucifixion of Christ was done only with the counsel determined before to be done.

They realize that the persecution they are now suffering and especially their fate is all in the hands of God, and so whether they live, or whether they die, as their Lord did, that everything is in the hands of God to control and to bring His purpose according to His “counsel determined before to do.”

Whether they live or die, if they are living or dying in God’s will, God will love and honor, and use them for His glory and eternal purpose, and they will triumph with God.

This spirit was made manifest in the life of Paul.

He said, “For to me to live is Christ;” for his life revealed Christ to men; “and to die is gain,”—gain to Christ; death itself would make manifest the power of His grace, and gather souls to Him. “Christ shall be magnified in my body,” he said, “whether it be by life or by death.”

Philippians 1:21, 20.