Encourage so we can be In Courage
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Peter and John were walking into the temple for prayer to God as it was the time of prayer. As they pass through the Beautiful gate they see a man who has never walked and he is about 40 and they command him to walk In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Because of this action they were able to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ, convicting of sin, asking for repentance, and pointing to the Hope of Jesus Christ.
This action, however, has caught the eye of the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and the Sadducees.
Acts 4:1-22
Acts 4:1-22
And while they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees approached them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day, because it was already evening. But many of those who listened to the message believed, and the number of the men was approximately five thousand.
And it happened that on the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes came together in Jerusalem, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all those who were from the high priest’s family. And they made them stand in their midst and began to ask, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a sick man—by what means this man was healed—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, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man stands before you healthy! This one is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among people by which we must be saved.”
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were astonished, and recognized them, that they had been with Jesus. And because they saw the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in return. But after they had ordered them to go outside the Sanhedrin, they began to confer with one another, saying, “What should we do with these men? For that a remarkable sign has taken place through them is evident to all those who live in Jerusalem, and we are not able to deny it! But in order that it may not spread much further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more in this name to anyone at all.” And they called them back and commanded them not to speak or to 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 listen to you rather than God, you decide! For we are not able to refrain from speaking about the things that we have seen and heard.” So after threatening them further, they released them, finding no way to punish them on account of the people, because they were all praising God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.
Pray
The Captain of the temple guard was the commanding officer of the temple police force. He was considered inferior in rank only to the high priest and had the responsibility of maintaining order in the temple precincts. The Sadducees were descendants of the Hasmoneans. Who looked back to Mattathias, Judas, Jonathan, and Simon. People in Jewish military men found in that period between the old and the new testaments in Jewish History. They looked at these men as starting the Messianic Age. The rejected what they considered to be vain hopes for God’s heavenly intervention in the life of the nation of Israel and for a coming Messiah, since the Messiah had already come. Not a perfect person, but like David a chosen military leader. Not some guy who didn’t even pick up a sword and yet managed to still die on a cross.
These men were greatly disturbed when they heard these men proclaiming Jesus. Notice it’s not the healing that they are questioning, It’s the teaching that goes with it.
They seized Peter and John, but the message had already reached the ears of those who heard and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
Peter and John the next day (they spent the night in prison) were taken to the Sanhedrin. Which is the senate and the supreme court of the nation. Which consisted of a High priest, who, by virtue of his office, was president, And 70 others. Made up of members of the high priestly families. A few influential persons of various formal ideological allegiances. Professional experts in law. As this time dominated by the Sadducees but also had Pharisees as well.
It was for teaching Jesus that they caught the eye of the priest. But it was for the healing that they were questioned. And once again they were able to bring the message of Jesus Christ. Taking imagery from the Old Testament to speak to this Jewish Group, such as the Foundation stone Isaiah 28. But they spoke with imagery that the audience could understand and see that Jesus was a promised Messiah. A Messiah that the Sanhedrin had rejected.
When they saw the courage of Peter and John, These uneducated ordinary men, they were astonished. And you thought you couldn’t do it because you are unschooled and ordinary. So are they.
And with this courage the Sanhedrin was at a loss
What to do? They can’t deny the work of God, but can’t keep them from teaching Jesus. So they just give them a warning and condemned them. But Peter and John stayed in Courage.
We cannot help but speak the Word of Christ. What we have heard. What we have seen. What he has done for me. So they warned them that next time they wouldn’t be so nice and released them. What else could they do. These men were in God though teaching something they didn’t agree with because of their ignorance.
I want to draw your attention to Acts 4:13
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were astonished, and recognized them, that they had been with Jesus.
Encourage leads to being In Courage
Encourage leads to being In Courage
When they saw the courage of Peter and John from these uneducated ordinary men in the face of these Giants in the nation of Israel, They were in courage. When accept that we are Christian we must be in courage. God is with us and we have the power of the Holy Spirit in us. Why should we not be in courage? But often we aren’t we are shy, We are afraid, We are pretending to be humble so we can hide instead of being in courage and actually being humble.
I think one of the reasons we have trouble being in courage is because we don’t encourage. We have trouble being courageous because we don’t encourage one another. We don’t encourage each other. We beat each other. We back stab. Be Judge and I am not talking about calling out sin. I am talking about prejudging a person based on non biblical matters. We gossip. We hurt.
We need to be supporting each other. Encouraging each other to be in the word. Encouraging by saying You did good. I like the way you did that. It isn’t just enough not be not negative. When we encourage people they are able to be in courage through the strength of others. The Holy Spirit / God has chosen to work through people for better or worse. Will you let the spirit work through you today and be the strength they need? Or will you help tare them down?
We need to encourage, So we can be in courage
Next steps
Next steps
Challenge
Say at least 3 encouraging things to a brother or sister in Christ this week
Pray