Bible Text: Acts 4:1-22 | Preacher: Rev. Dr. Lou Saldiveri | Series: Sunday Morning Worship | Intro: Would you agree that there is increasing pressure on evangelicals to conform to our culture in a number of areas? Not only is there increasing pressure from our culture, but also increasing pressure from some mainline religions.
In this passage, Luke reveals to us how we should respond when the pressure is on. It has been well said that our faults and weaknesses in character will be revealed when we are under pressure. For a Christ follower, the only way we can do the right thing according to the Scripture when under pressure is when we are controlled by the Holy Spirit.

The Prosecution’s Strategy: Pressure and Accusations From the Religious Establishment vs. 1-7

The root of the charges and accusations is pride, power, bad theology, status, and politics

They were arrested for presenting the person and work of Jesus Christ

They were arrested as they were speaking in public

Picture how rude this was

Note that 5,000 became Christ followers that day

They were speaking the truth in love

Therefore, there was no evidence of a legitimate crime

The Sadducees  didn’t believe in the resurrection and they wanted the final say

Notice the corruption in this group of leaders

Their interrogation revealed their own pride and their blatant rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ

“By what power or what name did you do this?”

In other words, how dare you defy us and teach something without our authority?

The Advocate’s Power : The Holy Spirit and the Truth

Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit

In other words, he was submitted and controlled by the Holy Spirit

His authority came from the living Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit

Christ’s authority is the highest in all the universe

Notice that Peter and John didn’t become defensive, but show respect even under great pressure

Again they spoke the truth in love without compromise and they spoke it boldly

Peter quoted psalm 118:22 to show the rulers elders that this cornerstone is Jesus Christ who they rejected

They unequivocally said that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which me must be saved”

Therefore, the very theology and power of the religious leaders was challenged and they didn’t like it one bit

Since Peter and John were uneducated and ordinary men. why would Jesus want them?

What Jesus can do in and through Christ followers when we submit to Him and learn from Him? This is an amazing truth.

They were amazed at the courage of  these two men to stand up for Christ and the gospel knowing that they could get a harsh sentence from this kangaroo court

The Powerless Sentence:  No Barriers for the Gospel

The lame man who was miraculously healed was standing there with Peter and Paul

Instead of the rulers looking at the real evidence, they stayed with a political solution

They knew many people saw this miracle and heard the gospel

For no good reason, they said they want to stop this message from spreading, because, in their minds, this message might cause riots and the Roman government would intercede and take the power away from the rulers

Therefore, they used a tactic that is commonly used today when people are trying to protect their power, authority, status, and control: intimidation

Peter and John replied with courage

They will obey and listen to what is right in God’s eyes

Therefore, they will not be intimidated and they will not be silent

This sentence was absolutely powerless

No matter what the powers to be might do or say, the gospel of Jesus Christ will not be stopped.

Closing: So, what does this mean for us? I believe that our culture and many of our government leaders are trying to control and intimidate the evangelical church for the same reasons of the rulers and elder of Israel did with Peter and John. It seems to me that this pressure is going to increase in the very near future. How will you and I respond when the pressure is on? Will we allow ourselves to:

Be controlled and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit?

Be obedient to the Word of God and the Great Commission even at the risk of persecution?

Be respectful of religious and government authorities who try to stop the spread of the gospel

Speak the truth in love with courage