Sermon Idea: When our faith is opposed, we can remain faithful with the power of the Spirit and in the fear of the Lord.
Introduction: One of Jesus’ most confrontational parables is the parable of the wicked tenants (Matthew 21:33–46, Mark 12:1–12, and Luke 20:9–19). It is essentially an allegory that tells the story of Israel’s rejection of God’s prophets and ultimately the rejection of God’s Messiah, his very Son. As the parable goes, a man plants a vineyard and hires tenants to work it. Three different times, he sends servants to gather fruit from the vineyard, and each time the wicked tenants beat the servants and send them away empty-handed.
Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17 But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? (Lk 20:13–17)
When Jesus tells this parable, he always ends by quoting Psalm 118:22. Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected as he was put to death, but by raising him from the dead, God has made Jesus the cornerstone, the foundation on which everything else is built.
Given the gravity of this parable, it no doubt would have been a topic of discussion as Jesus sat with his disciples. Israel was going to reject God’s Son just as they had rejected the prophets who came before him. Jesus taught his disciples how to read and interpret Scripture in light of who he was. We will come back to this later, but for now, I want to let that simmer a bit. The disciples were people who were shaped and formed by Jesus Christ himself in how they interpreted Scripture, and that made a world of difference when things got hard.
Jesus also prepared the disciples for opposition and persecution. As his followers, they would experience suffering just as he had. The mere association with Jesus would attract those who wish to do them harm.
For example, in Luke 21:1, Jesus tells the disciples that they will be imprisoned becasue of the name of Jesus.
12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. (Lk 21:12)
Our text this morning is the first unfolding of this hard promise. The healing of the lame beggar was a miracle, but what gets the disciples into trouble is their preaching that it was by faith in the name of Jesus that the man was healed. It was their preaching of Jesus as the resurrected Lord, in whose name salvation is found, that was the problem.
This morning, we will see that Peter and John were arrested and commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus Christ. What does a man do when faced with such a threat? What would you do? If the name of Jesus actually cost you something, would you still find him worth following?
Peter and John remain faithful in the face of opposition, not becasue they were the smartest, strongest, and toughest. They stay faithful with the power of the Holy Spirit and in the fear of the Lord.
We will not soon have our faith challenged to this degree, but we should prepare our hearts for it anyway. When our faith is opposed, we can remain faithful with the power of the Spirit and in the fear of the Lord.
I want first to set the scene with verses 1-4, and then learn from Peter and John’s example about how to stand firm while being tempted to compromise their faith in Jesus.
Chapter four opens mid-scene as Peter is preaching in Jerusalem.
And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. (Ac 4:1–3)
This is precisely the type of opposition that Jesus prepared the disciples for.
In Matthew 10:19-20, Jesus said, “But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time, you’ll be given what to say for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
Listen to Luke 21:14-15, “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves, for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”
Then in Mark 13:11, Jesus says, “Whenever you’re arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”
Pastor Andy Davis, a former professor and one of my favorite preachers of God’s Word, highlighted something about these passages I hadn’t noticed before. When considered together, Jesus is promising the grace of the triune God. In Matthew 10, it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks and is promised to speak through the disciples. In Luke 21, it is the Son, Jesus, who promises to give words of wisdom. Finally, in Mark, it is the Holy Spirit who will speak through the disciples.
Jesus promises the presence of God, the Holy Trinity, to those who face persecution. God never abandons his people even in the most difficult of times. He did not leave the apostles, and he will not abandon us.
Jesus has promised, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20)
Even though the apostles have been arrested, the Sadducees cannot stop the spread of the gospel. Many who had heard Peter preach repented and believed in Jesus Christ.
4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. (Ac 4:4)
Now let’s see how the disciples remain faithful. First, with the power of the Spirit in verses 5-12 and then in the fear of the Lord in verses 13-22.
I.) Remain faithful with the power of the Spirit (Acts 4:1-12)
The next day, Peter and John find themselves before several high-profile Jewish leaders.
On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Ac 4:5–7)
At this moment, Peter does not stand alone. He doesn’t have to stall, allowing him to come up with the right words to get out of this situation. He is not alone, but he is filled with the Spirit.
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Ac 4:8–12)
In the Old Testament, the filling of the Spirit was given to particular people for a specific purpose or task.
The LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft (Ex 31:1–5)
In the New Testament, this is possible becasue of the New Covenant and the fulfillment of God’s promise to send the Holy Spirit. Every born-again believer is indwelt by the Spirit and continually filled by the Spirit for godliness, holy living, and faithful ministry.
It is important to note that we should not interpret this narrative as if Peter and John were spiritual superheroes. They are men empowered by the Spirit of God. The same Spirit that fills Peter, so that he preaches Jesus Christ with boldness and clarity, is the same Spirit that indwells us.
This is why Paul can command us to be filled with the Spirit as we worship together.
but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Eph 5:18–21)
As Peter is filled with the Spirit, he answers the Jewish leaders’ questions by highlighting the centrality of Jesus in God’s plan and the exclusivity of Jesus for salvation.
- The Centrality of Jesus
10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. (Acts 4:10-11)
As Jesus taught him, Peter preaches Scriptures centered on Jesus Christ. In particular, he quotes Psalm 118:22 just as Jesus did in the parable of the wicked tenants.
What the Jewish leaders stumble over is the stone that is Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord.
8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. (1 Pe 2:8)
In our own ministry, we want to make so much of Jesus that if the lost stumble, they stumble over the gospel. We don’t want to put before them in other stumbling block with how we speak, act, or treat one another. If the lost stumble, let them stumble over Christ and Christ alone.
2. The Exclusivity of Jesus
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
II.) Remain faithful in the fear of the Lord (Acts 4:13-22)
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” (Ac 4:13–17)
The boldness came from the empowering of the Spirit, and their reading of Scripture came from being with Jesus. What an observation! They recognized that they had been with Jesus. We should spend time in the Word and in prayer so that we become a people who resemble being with Jesus.
The Jewish leaders are conflicted. They act here not out of conviction, but out of fear. They cannot deny that the man was healed by faith in Jesus’ name. So, they simply command the disciples to stop preaching in the name of Jesus.
The disciples’ response is the exact opposite of fearing man. They respond in fear of the Lord.
19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. (Ac 4:19–20)
The fear of the Lord is a significant theme in Scripture. All true believers fear the Lord and long to deepen that fear. What is meant by “fear of the Lord” is not terror or dread. It is not the type of fear that Halloween movies try to incite. Listen to the Word.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the
knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Pr 9:10)
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (Ec 12:13)
Ed Welch explains well what biblical fear of the Lord is.
“Genuine fear of the Lord is reserved for those who know Jesus. This fear of the Lord means reverent submission that leads to obedience, and it is interchangeable with worship of God, reliance on Him, trust in him, and hope in him. You will find it when you can come to the Lord and are a humble listener to his words.”
Remaining faithful in the face of opposition is by the power of the Spirit and in the fear of the Lord.
Nathaniel R. Martin 