Persecution for a Miracle?-17
No one wants to be persecuted. Perhaps some of you have beesn or are being persecuted. There are many reasons people are being persecuted, but how many are for doing good? Well, Satan will make sure anyone serving the only true and living GOD are both persecuted and silenced. Let us study one such example.
Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 3:2 And a man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.
3:3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms.
3:4 But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, "Look at us!" 3:5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
3:6 But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!" 3:7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.
3:8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
3:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 3:10 and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
This should have been an opportunity for a community celebration! This man had been lame from birth, which means he had never walked. His years of lameness had left his legs thin and without muscle or real physical size. You may have seen pictures from Africa or India of men who had never walked. A very sad condition to live with in those countries. At least in the U.S. there are many ways to continue to live even with this problem.
But, Peter took hold of his hand and the man immediately leaped up. What also happened immediately? He gained muscle and nerves, coordination, and the ability to stand. All of this in a instant. He, who had never walked, leaped to his feet. Feet he had never used, balance he had never learned, and strength he never felt all in an instant. This was an undeniable miracle from GOD!
Acts 4:1 As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 4:2 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 4:3 And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.
4:4 But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
What was the charge? What was the problem? A miracle that could not be denied and one none of the rulers, elders, or scribes had ever performed, was this really such a problem that all of the elders gathered together?
4:5 On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; 4:6 and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent. 4:7 When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, "By what power, or in what name, have you done this?"
Do you have to put people in prison because they healed someone miraculously? Couldn’t they just ask them to appear the next day? Did they really want to know?
4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people, 4:9 if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, 4:10 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 this name this man stands here before you in good health. 4:11 "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
Peter, who denied Jesus three times, is no longer afraid. He boldly declared the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He reminded them that they brought Him to Pilate and insisted in having Jesus crucified. Instead of the elders having the secret and power to ‘save’ people, Peter said it was only possible and available in the name of Jesus.
Act 4:13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. 4:14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.
4:15 But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, 4:16 saying, "What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
How could they get another message out when everyone already knew of the miracle? Just like the ‘fake’ news today, they want their version to be the only version, their message being the only message, and their ‘truth’ being the only ‘truth’!
4:17 "But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name."
4:18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Satan will persecute and silence anyone who speaks the truth. First, threaten them into silence. Remember, these same elders crucified Jesus and had put them in prison for a night. They had the power to make Peter and John’s lives miserable.
4:19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 4:20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Can’t stop speaking what they had personally experienced! We must obey our authorities, unless they insist we obey in direct disobedience to GOD.
4:21 When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; 4:22 for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
More threats! They were somewhat constrained by the people, but were not in any way convicted to acknowledge GOD’s miracle right in front of their faces. This man was 40 years old! Some of you may have been injured or sick which had required weeks in a bed. Physical atrophy starts to seriously affect us within 2 weeks. Imagine 40 years of very limited physical activity!
Do you remember how you felt when you first were saved? Was your joy so overwhelming that you jumped with joy?
What have we learned?
Satan will persecute all who are bold enough to proclaim the truth.
Satan has many schemes and the first is often threats.
Satan will throw us into prison for not breaking the country law, but for fighting against him.
Satan doesn’t need witnesses, proof of violations of a known law, or agreements of a council to put us in prison.
Our response is to serve GOD!
More next Saturday.