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Acts 4 | The Upward Way | Bible Study with A. Z. Adams — Transcript

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0:00Acts chapter 4 verse [music] 1. As they
0:02were speaking to the people, the priests
0:05and the captain of the temple guard and
0:08the Sadducees came [music] up to them,
0:10being greatly disturbed because they
0:13were teaching the people
0:14>> [music]
0:14>> and proclaiming in Jesus the
0:16resurrection from the dead.
0:20And they laid hands on them and put them
0:23in jail until the next [music] day, for
0:26it was already evening.
0:28But many of those who had heard the
0:31message believed.
0:33And the number of the men came to
0:36[music] be about 5,000.
0:39On the next day, their rulers and elders
0:43and scribes were gathered together in
0:45Jerusalem.
0:47And Annas, the high priest, was there
0:51and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and
0:55all who were of high priestly descent.
0:59When they had placed them in the center
1:02when they had placed the disciples in
1:04the center
1:06they began to inquire
1:09"By what power or in what name have you
1:13done this?"
1:16So, notice that they're equating power
1:19with name.
1:21Authority
1:23is always tied to name.
1:26"By what power or in what name?"
1:30It's two ways of saying the same thing.
1:33These are the same people who killed
1:34Jesus.
1:36This is the same Sanhedrin. This is the
1:38same Annas
1:40the father-in-law of Caiaphas. This is
1:42the same Caiaphas. These are the same
1:45people who murdered Jesus just a few
1:48weeks ago.
1:50And so now the disciples are
1:52standing in the midst of a circular
1:56senatorial hearing.
1:58"By what power or in what name have you
2:01done this?"
2:03Then Peter
2:06filled with the Holy Spirit said to them
2:11Now, the last time Peter was in the
2:12presence of Caiaphas,
2:14>> [music]
2:15>> what did he say?
2:16"I do not know the man." And he cursed
2:21and he swore.
2:23Now, Luke tells us it's the same Peter,
2:26but Luke puts this little caveat.
2:30Peter
2:31filled with the Holy Spirit is a
2:33different Peter.
2:35Peter was not filled with the Holy
2:37Spirit before.
2:39But here, Peter filled with the Holy
2:42Spirit said to them, "Rulers and elders
2:46of the people
2:48if we are on trial today
2:50for a benefit done to a sick man
2:54as to how this man has been made well,
2:57let it be known to all of you and to all
3:01the people of Israel that by the name of
3:04Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you
3:08crucified, whom God raised from the dead
3:12by this name this man stands here before
3:16you in good health.
3:19Does this sound like a different Peter?
3:22This is a Peter who has received power
3:25when the Holy Spirit came upon him.
3:28"He, Jesus, is the stone which was
3:33rejected by you the builders
3:36but which became the chief cornerstone.
3:41And there is salvation in no one else.
3:47For there is no other name under heaven
3:51that has been given among men by which
3:55we must be saved."
4:00This is a different Peter.
4:03This is Peter with power.
4:06His whole point
4:08is that
4:09Jesus has been given the name, the
4:13authority. He's answering their question
4:17by what name or by what power.
4:21And he's telling them the power is still
4:24here because the name is still with us.
4:29"By this name this man stands before you
4:32in good health.
4:34He is the stone which was rejected by
4:36you the builders.
4:39You said that's the one stone we can't
4:42use. You disowned him.
4:45But that's the stone that God chose to
4:48make the cornerstone of a new house that
4:50he's building.
4:52And he goes on and he says there is
4:53salvation in no one else.
4:57I want you to notice that he does not
4:59say there is salvation by no one else
5:03because Jesus is not only the way of
5:06salvation, he is the place of salvation.
5:10We need to get in Jesus
5:14in his presence, under his name, in the
5:18body of Christ.
5:20It is positional salvation, not
5:23formulaic salvation.
5:26There is salvation in no one else, for
5:29there is no other name under heaven
5:32that has been given among men whereby we
5:35must be saved.
5:39That is the singular name.
5:42This is fulfilling what Isaiah spoke in
5:44Isaiah 9:6, "Unto us a child is born, a
5:48son is given." That's Jesus, right? "And
5:52the government shall be upon his
5:53shoulders.
5:55And his name, the [clears throat] son's
5:58name, shall be called wonderful
6:00counselor mighty God everlasting father
6:06prince of peace.
6:09Of the increase of his government and
6:11peace there will be no end." So, Jesus'
6:14name
6:15is the name of the son, it's the name of
6:17the father, and it's the name of the
6:19Holy Spirit. There is only one name and
6:22it is the name Jesus Christ. There is no
6:26other name under heaven. That is why
6:28every baptism was done in the name of
6:30Jesus. Every healing was done in the
6:33name of Jesus. Every demon was cast out
6:36in the name of Jesus. Every prayer was
6:38prayed in the name of Jesus. Whatever
6:41you do in word or deed, do all in the
6:45name of Jesus Christ.
6:49And that's what he's telling them. Jesus
6:51is the name.
6:53Now
6:56Peter's been preaching to them
6:58and they've been observing. So, Luke
7:00says verse 13, "Now, as they observed
7:04the confidence
7:06of Peter and John
7:08and understood
7:10that they were uneducated and untrained
7:13men they were amazed
7:18and began to recognize them as having
7:21been with Jesus."
7:26Now, when they were with Jesus in the
7:27flesh
7:29they didn't have this confidence.
7:32Did they?
7:34But when they were with Jesus and when
7:36Jesus came inside of them
7:38they gained the confidence.
7:41Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit and he
7:43said, "He, the spirit, has been with
7:46you." Speaking of himself with them.
7:48[snorts] But he said, "He will be in
7:50you."
7:51And when they saw the confidence
7:54the anointing, the boldness, the power
7:58they recognized "Oh, we've encountered
8:01this before. This is that guy who
8:03cleansed the temple.
8:04This is that guy who wasn't afraid of
8:07all of our intimidations,
8:09who wouldn't play our games.
8:12He's still here.
8:15He's just in his people.
8:18And seeing the man who had been healed
8:21standing with them
8:23they had nothing to say in reply.
8:29But when they had ordered them to leave
8:31the council, they began to confer with
8:34one another
8:36saying, "What shall we do with these
8:40men? For the fact that a noteworthy
8:43miracle has taken place through them is
8:46apparent to all who live in Jerusalem
8:48and we cannot deny it."
8:51They wish they could, but they can't. It
8:54happened in front of everybody.
8:56Oh, shucks.
8:59"But so that it will not spread any
9:02further among the people, let us warn
9:04them to speak no longer to any man in
9:08this name."
9:11And when they had summoned them, they
9:13commanded them not to speak or teach at
9:17all in the name of Jesus.
9:21The first act of the power of Satan to
9:26kill the church
9:28is to take the name out of its usage.
9:33Obscure the name. Stop [clears throat]
9:36using the name. Replace the name.
9:39You can do whatever you're doing, just
9:42don't use the name.
9:46Commanded them not to speak or teach at
9:50all in the name of Jesus.
9:54But Peter and John answered and said to
9:57them,
9:58"Whether it is right in the sight of God
10:01to give heed to you rather than to God,
10:05you be the judge.
10:07For we cannot stop speaking about what
10:11we have seen and heard."
10:17They didn't make any such promises that
10:20they would comply.
10:22They said, "You've set up a difficult
10:24equation.
10:26You've put yourself on the opposite end
10:28of God. And you decide whether we're
10:30going to do his will or yours."
10:34When they had threatened them further,
10:36they let them go, finding no basis on
10:39which to punish them on account of the
10:42people because they were all glorifying
10:45God for what had happened.
10:49For the man was more than 40 years old
10:52on whom this miracle of healing had been
10:54performed.
10:57When they had been released, they went
10:59to their own companions
11:03and reported all that the chief priests
11:05and the elders had said to them.
11:08And when they heard this, they lifted
11:10their voices to God with one accord
11:14and said, "Oh Lord, it is you who made
11:19the heaven and the earth and the sea and
11:22all that is in them.
11:25Who by the Holy Spirit through the mouth
11:27of our father David, your servant, said,
11:30'Why did the Gentiles rage and the
11:33peoples devise futile things?
11:37The kings of the earth took their stand
11:40and the rulers were gathered together
11:42against the Lord and against his Christ,
11:47his anointed one.'
11:49For truly, in this city,
11:52there were gathered together against
11:54your holy servant Jesus, whom you
11:56anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate,
12:00along with the Gentiles and the peoples
12:03of Israel, to do whatever your hand and
12:07your purpose predestined to occur.
12:10And now, Lord, take note of their
12:13threats
12:15and grant that your servants may speak
12:19your word with all confidence.
12:24While you extend your hand to heal and
12:30signs and wonders take place through the
12:33name of your holy servant Jesus."
12:38And when they had prayed, the place
12:40where they had gathered together was
12:42shaken.
12:43And they were all filled with the Holy
12:45Spirit and began to speak the word of
12:48God with boldness.
12:52So, the rulers
12:55who killed Jesus
12:57tell them, "No more may you speak in
13:00this name." And they say, "We're We're
13:02not going to stop." And then they gather
13:04together
13:06and they don't shake in fear or decide
13:09to calm things down until the storm
13:12passes over. They double down.
13:15And their prayer is, "God, listen to
13:18what they're saying and grant that your
13:22servants may speak with more boldness
13:25while you stretch out your hand."
13:28Now, listen to this.
13:30From the time of Moses until this day,
13:34there are two ways that God's power is
13:38most consistently expressed or typified
13:42in the earth.
13:44When God is at work, it's called his
13:46mighty hand.
13:50This is what it says in Exodus
13:5215. This is what it says in Psalms 44
13:55and Jeremiah 32 and chapter 16, Isaiah
13:5963, Daniel 9.
14:02This is what Ephesians 1:21 is talking
14:04about. God brought them forth with a
14:07mighty right hand, with an outstretched
14:10arm. And it always ties God's name,
14:15which is the power he's given us to
14:17release his will into the world. God's
14:21name is tied to God's right hand.
14:24Does that make sense? Because when we
14:26are using God's name, it's as if God's
14:30own strong hand starts acting in our
14:33world.
14:35And his power is real. His arm is laid
14:37bare before all nations. So, they say,
14:41"We're not going to stop speaking in his
14:44name."
14:45And they say,
14:47"While they're raging, we pray that you
14:50would extend your hand
14:53to heal and that signs and wonders take
14:56place through the name of your holy
14:58servant Jesus." Do you see the
15:00connection? The name of God is the hand
15:04of God. But who is he going to be
15:07reaching through?
15:09He's going to be reaching through the
15:11church. He's going to be reaching
15:13through these apostles. So, as these
15:15apostles begin to act and pray and
15:18preach and speak and witness and teach,
15:22they're saying,
15:23"It's going to be like God's own hand,
15:26the mighty hand of Yahweh that led the
15:29children of Israel out of Egypt. That
15:31hand is going to be at work again in the
15:33world through a people,
15:36a people who are invoking and expressing
15:40his name
15:42in the earth."
15:43And when they had prayed, the place
15:45where they were gathered together was
15:47shaken.
15:50When people surrender themselves to the
15:53will of God, to the name of God, to be
15:56the vessels of God like this, the human
16:00constructs begin to shake. Even the
16:03house where they were gathered started
16:05to rattle because the spirit inside was
16:09saying, "Flesh and blood can't contain
16:11this. Human institutions can't restrain
16:15this. The boxes of man-made religion
16:19won't stop this. Something exciting is
16:21about to happen."
16:24So, the shaking of the house was just a
16:26sign
16:27that the edifices of man-made systems
16:30was about to crumble before them.
16:33And the congregation of those who
16:34believed were of one heart and soul.
16:39And not one of them claimed that
16:41anything belonging to him was his own,
16:44but all things were common property to
16:47them.
16:48So, they had possessions,
16:50but they didn't claim it as if it was
16:52just theirs.
16:54There were things that were belonging to
16:56them, but the things that belonged to
16:58them as private property, they treated
17:01as for the common good.
17:04And with great power, the apostles were
17:07giving testimony to the resurrection of
17:09the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was
17:12upon them all.
17:14For there was not a needy person among
17:17them.
17:18For all who were owners of land or
17:21houses would sell them and bring the
17:23proceeds of the sales
17:25>> [music]
17:25>> and lay them at the apostles' feet.
17:28And they would be distributed to each as
17:31any [music] had need.
17:33Now, Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth,
17:36who was also called Barnabas by the
17:38apostles, which translated [music] means
17:40son of encouragement, and who owned a
17:43tract of land, sold it and brought the
17:46money and laid it at the apostles'
17:48[music] feet.
17:50So, here we have this scene where the
17:53church is getting started.
17:55This isn't some universal pattern that
17:58[music] always happens where nobody
18:00keeps their private property.
18:03But this is an exciting launch of a
18:06work.
18:07And we have people [music] saying,
18:10"Even the things that belong to me, I'm
18:12going to let people use them.
18:14And I'm going to not treat them as if
18:17they're only mine. I'm going to share
18:19them with the body.
18:21If I've got a a horse, you can use him.
18:24If I've got a house, we can meet there.
18:26If I've got a meal, let's share it."
18:29And in some instances, people who had
18:32greater wealth,
18:33they were prompted to sell their wealth,
18:36to sell their property, and bring the
18:38money and say to the apostles, "What
18:40should we do with this [music]
18:42together?" And they laid it at the
18:44apostles' feet.
18:45And they tell the story [music] of this
18:47this man named Joseph, who's also called
18:50Barnabas, which means son of
18:52encouragement, and he does this.
18:55This is so that new things can happen.
18:58Maybe something [music] else can be
19:00acquired or something can be done that
19:02helps the whole community. There was a
19:05vision that was bigger than me. There
19:07was a vision that was bigger than what I
19:09have or what I want to do. It was,
19:12"Let's do this together." And I think
19:14the apostles have a vision. I think they
19:16have a sense of what God wants to do
19:18with all of us. So, there's an
19:19excitement here. There's not a pressure
19:22and an or an obligation. There's an
19:24excitement to be part of something
19:26that's bigger [music] than all of us.
19:40>> [music]

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