Acts 4:1-12 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this? ”Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all 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. Jesus is“‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
In the above verses Peter fulfills Jesus’ request of him to feed his sheep. Jesus went to the house of Israel to reveal himself as the Messiah, the anointed One. He came to them to fulfill God’s promise to Abraham, a man who believed God’s words regardless of his rational mind and his own experiences. This promise was that he would be the father of many nations. Now Peter begins In Judea to tell of this wonderful Messiah and that He will give people eternal life if they turn their hearts toward God through faith in the Christ. He tells them that Immanuel has come to earth to dwell with them through the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of God has come to them because the voice of God can dwell in their innermost being. Many thousands of people in Jerusalem were accepting this message that they were hearing from Peter and the apostles’ lips: the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. Now once again the Sadducees, the high priest, and the ruling elite of Israel were hearing a message that was drawing thousands away from their control and leadership. They thought the death of Jesus would quell this movement, but instead, because of the apostles’ teaching, they were seeing many Israelites convinced to follow The Way. As the word says, faith comes by hearing. Definitely, the disciples were expounding the message in Jerusalem that Jesus saves, and He, the resurrected Messiah, would deliver people who believe in his name from their bondage to sin--a salvation message that gives people a right relationship with the everlasting God. Peter was feeding the Lambs of Israel. As Paul, an apostle to the Gentiles, wrote to the Romans, If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:915) Peter in Jerusalem was fulfilling the great commission. He had been sent to the Jewish people and now before all the governing elite of Jerusalem he was boldly exclaiming the message that Jesus saves, the one they crucified so readily, believing they would snuff out this light that God sent to Israel. But now Christ who was THE LIGHT has many other lights proclaiming the Good News to whomever would listen.
This salvation revival spread like wildfire through the community of Jerusalem, scaring the ruling elite. Their authority, power, and control over the Israelites was being threatened by this message of Jesus the Messiah. If this message took hold of the majority of the Jews, the elite's position of deference would disappear. A huge number of Israelites were flocking to the disciples, listening to their teachings and also finding healing through their prayers. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed. Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. (Acts 5:16-17) When Pilate received Jesus from the hands of the Sanhedrin, he understood their reason for letting him murder this Jew, Jesus. He knew they feared Jesus’ influence with the public. The leadership feared the power that Jesus garnered through his healing and teaching. Of course, Jesus did not seek secular power, but the people wanted him to be the king of Israel. They honored Jesus greatly, anticipating that He, a man of authority from God, would deliver them from the hated Romans. As Jesus entered Jerusalem they cried, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9) Pilate understood well the theocrats' fears of Jesus. Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. (Mark 15:9-10) But the priests encouraged the crowd to shout for the release of a foe to Roman rule: Barabbas. Barabbas was no threat to the Jewish leadership; however, they considered Jesus a threat to their rule. Pilate was so angered by their willingness to have a foe of the Roman rule released that he had Jesus whipped severely. He knew the Sanhedrin had given him a man of peace to be executed, freeing a man of murder, a foe to his own rule.
Large crowds did follow Jesus. But the way of the cross was tantamount to everything Jesus taught. To follow Jesus was to be a difficult journey. Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:23-26) Crowds did follow him, for they were seeking healing and sometimes being fed by Jesus. But knowing Jesus as their personal savior would be costly to them. Peter understood this when he told the crowd, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” He was opening up to them a very narrow road. He knew as his own life revealed that many of them would lose their fortunes, their families, their positions of favor within their communities. To be baptized in the name of Jesus would cost them everything in a Jewish culture. Now in the above focus for today’s breakfast we see Peter and John arrested because they were ministering to the crowd about the power in the name of Jesus, healing a crippled man. This act of kindness irritated the leadership. Consequently, They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this? They did not want the name of Jesus ever to be heard of again in Israel. But Jesus had warned his believers that they would have to forsake the world and everything in it. If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-27) Now Peter and John were experiencing the full effects of being Jesus’ disciples. The secular leadership would hate them, and as with Stephen and James, murder them. They would experience visceral hatred toward them and their message of the Good News. Even in their families and with their friends, they would become outcasts, excommunicated from their previous relationships. However, the disciples knew who Jesus really was: He was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Savior, the Immanuel. He was sent to earth so God could dwell within man. Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am? Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” (Luke 9:18-20) The disciples knew the cross would clear the deck within the hearts of men and women. The blood of Christ ransomed our souls; forever we would be right with God. The Spirit of God would now indwell us because of the cleansing blood of the Lamb. The Kingdom of God has come to dwell in our hearts. Each believer would experience Immanuel, (God with us). Now men and women of faith would know the intimate presence of God: I know when you sit down or stand up, your thoughts, your travel, your resting time. I know everything you do. I know what you are going to say even before you say it. (See Psalm 137) The thousands who turned to the Lord because of Peter’s preaching had the blessings of God on their lives. No adversity would turn their heads away from God; no ostracizing would discourage them, for the love of God had come into their lives. Even as Peter and John who went to prison for the sake of Christ, Christians now everywhere will follow Christ with the same dedication. Amen! May the blessing of God be upon you as you follow him today.
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