I. The Believers
A. Spoke The Word Of God Verses 1a, 20
1. Their message was from God, not man.
2. 1 Co. 2:1-5
3. They spoke about that which they had experienced.
4. Christians today experience the presence and indwelling of Jesus Christ.
B. Salvation Came Through God’s Word Verse 4
1. The message of salvation comes via the written and spoken word. God’s design.
2. It is a message, to understand with the mind, be moved in the emotions, and believe in the heart.
3. The preaching of the Gospel message is powerful to save.
4. Romans 1:16a 16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,…
C. Filled With The Holy Spirit Verse 8a
1. 1 Thess. 5:19 19Do not quench the Spirit.
2. Eph. 4:20 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit…
3. Eph. 5:18 18And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,…
4. Spirit filled living is a matter of choice.
5. It is God who fills us, but we can choose to seek and desire that filling, or reject it.
6. Matt. 10:18-20 18You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
D. Had Been With Jesus Verse 13
1. Uneducated and untrained in ways of man. Not orators or philosophers.
2. Boldness and strength in speech. Includes the idea of assurance.
3. Their credentials and training came from spending time with Jesus.
4. Luke 6:40 40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.
5. Perfectly trained-to complete thoroughly, that is, repair, or adjust:Used in medical language of setting a bone or joint.
6. Jesus had stood before this same group just 2 months earlier. The religious rulers see Jesus’ likeness in Peter and John.
7. They had learned from Jesus, were committed to Jesus, and were now indwelt by the Spirit of God, who was conforming them into the image of Jesus.
E. Feared God, Not Man Verse 19
1. The Sadducees would never say that it was right to obey God more than man.
2. They were faced with that very dilemma, for there was no denying this miracle.
3. The religious rulers were self-promoting men who feared popular opinion.
4. The Apostles did not fear man, but feared God.
5. Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.
6. Matt. 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
II. The Unbelieving Opposition-Sadducees
A. No Belief In Afterlife Verse 1b, 2
1. Did not believe in immortality of the soul, nor resurrection. Settled conviction.
2. They were greatly disturbed at the preaching of a resurrection, and the fact that I resurrected Jesus was the one who healed this lame man.
3. How sad to have hope only in this life. That was why they were sad, you see. (c:
B. Hypocritical Verse 3
1. Jewish law stated that a trial could not take place at night. Therefore, they jailed them since this event started at 3 p.m., and it was now getting dark.
2. The hypocrisy is that this same group, when confronting Jesus, was so filled with hate that they broke this law, and put Jesus on trial at night.
3. Hypocritical religion is moved more by emotions that by principles.
C. Insincere Questioning Verse 7
1. It was their job to monitor teaching around the Temple area. They were correct in asking.
2. Their desire was not to find truth, but to find a way to disqualify & punish the opposition. 3. This was the line of questioning they would put to a sorcerer, occultist, etc.
4. Who gave you the power to do this? We will then judge you; it goes against what we believe.
5. The evidence was before them, the Apostles had done a great miracle. Verse 14
D. Their Response Verses 15-18, 21, 22
1. They cannot deny the evidence of the healed man.
2. They cannot deny the boldness, power and wisdom of Peter and John.
3. They realize that Peter and John were changed because they had been with Jesus.
4. They seek to silence the message about Jesus.
5. They also fear the multitudes, and find themselves restrained from punishing them as they would wish to do.
6. Summary- They cannot deny the truth, they just choose to reject it.
7. Their denial of truth described in John 3:18-21.
III. Jesus Verses 9-12
A. The Work Of Jesus
1. Helpless men made well- Verse 9
a. helpless- asthenace– without strength, feeble, sick, impotent.
2. Lost men saved and made whole.- sozo. Verse 12
a. well- sozo- to save, deliver, protect, heal, make whole.
3. Rom. 5:6 For when we were still without strength, (asthenace) in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
B. The Name Of Jesus Verse 10
1. The name signifies the source of power.
2. Stop in the name of Bill has no power. Stop in the name of the law has power.
3. Source of power has to be greater than the one speaking the name, (unless you are Jesus).
4. No power in a dead man, but Jesus was resurrected, defeated death, and has all power.
C. Jesus Is The Cornerstone For Life Verse 11
1. Peter quotes Psalm 118, a Messianic psalm predicting the Jews’ rejection of Jesus.
2. Of all people, the builders should have recognized the Cornerstone.
3. How many of us rejected Jesus, the Cornerstone? Setting Him aside, only to discover later that He was what we needed? Set aside as a stone, received again as the Cornerstone.
4. How long will some of you build on the wrong foundation, using the wrong cornerstone?
5. Luke 16:15b For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
D. Salvation Only Through Jesus Verse 12
1. Jesus is God’s chosen way for men to be saved, made whole. Jesus- Jehovah is salvation.
2. His uniqueness is validated by His resurrection.
3. 1 Peter 2:4-8