ACTS: ALIGNING WITH GOD'S SOVEREIGN WORK OF DISCIPLING

IX. Responding To Strong Threats Against Discipling

(Acts 4:18-31)

I. Introduction

A. The book of Acts explains "the orderly and sovereignly directed progress of the kingdom message from Jews to Gentiles, and from Jerusalem to Rome," Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, p. 351.

B. Accordingly, we can learn much about aligning our ministry efforts with God's sovereign work from studying the Early Church era as presented in the book of Acts.

C. Acts 4:18-31 reports how the apostles responded to strong threats by Israel's national governing religious body not to disciple people to follow Christ, and it provides insight and application for us (as follows):

II. Responding To Strong Threats Against Discipling, Acts 4:18-31.

A. Peter and John faced a strong threat were they to keep discipling people for Christ, Acts 4:18:

1. When the "Sanhedrin" met to decide how to punish Peter and John for teaching through Jesus the resurrection from the dead (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Acts 4:15; Acts 4:1-2), Peter and John faced opposition from the "Jewish council of supreme authority . . . composed largely of members of the aristocracy (the chief priests and Sadducees), which under the leadership of the high priest" exercised "considerable judicial authority," Zon. Pict. Ency. of the Bib., Vol. Five, p. 269-270.

2. This powerful body ordered Peter and John not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus, Acts 4:18.

B. However, Peter and John answered that whether it was right in God's view for them as Christ's apostles to heed the Sanhedrin than God, the members of the Sanhedrin should be the judge, Acts 4:19. As for Peter and John, they explained that they could not disobey God's command to disciple in Jesus' name regardless of the Sanhedrin's command to cease this discipling effort, Acts 4:20.

C. The Sanhedrin found itself in a difficult position in the matter: the crowds of Hebrews all believed that the healing of the lame man by Peter and John had been the work of God, so the Sanhedrin was afraid to punish Peter and John lest they create a powerful negative reaction from the people, but they still strongly wanted the apostles to stop their discipling activities, Acts 4:21b-22. Accordingly, the Sanhedrin further threatened the apostles against continuing to disciple in Jesus' name and then they released them, Acts 4:21a.

D. Responding to the repeated threat from the powerful Sanhedrin, Peter and John met with the rest of the Church for direction and edification from the Lord, Acts 4:23-30:

1. Upon meeting with the rest of the Church, the whole body unitedly went to God in prayer, Acts 4:23-24a.

2. In the process of praying, the body of believers addressed the threat of the Sanhedrin by acknowledging the infinitely superior authority of God as Creator of heaven and earth, Acts 4:24b.

3. In addition, the believers relied on the prophecy of Psalm 2:1-2 about the opposition to Christ that will occur by unbelievers in the Tribulation Period that the body of Christians might draw application from that event to the opposition that had already occurred in Israel to Jesus the Messiah in Israel's rejection of Him as their King, Acts 4:25-28; Ibid., Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 364.

4. They then applied this timeless opposition to God's Messiah to what they as a Church were facing from the Sanhedrin, asserting that the threats of the Sanhedrin were as ungodly as was Israel's opposition to Jesus in His passion and death and would also be fulfilled in the actions of the wicked against God and His people in the future Tribulation Period. The body of believers thus asked God to behold the threats of the ungodly Sanhedrin and thus grant them boldness to keep speaking God's message and performing mighty miracles in the name of Christ as they continued to obey God in discipling the people of Israel, Acts 4:29-30.

E. When they had prayed this prayer, the place where they had assembled was shaken, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke God's Word with boldness, Acts 4:31. God had answered their prayer.

Lesson: When facing a strong threat against their discipling ministry, the apostles (1) respectfully clarified to their foes that they ought to obey God rather than their foes. (2) The whole Church then prayed (a) acknowledging God's authority as Creator as being infinitely superior to the authority of their foes, (b) they relied on applicable Scripture to affirm that they were in the right and their opponents were in the wrong and (c) they asked God for boldness to keep discipling in obedience to God's command. (3) As the result, God answered their prayer, giving them boldness to speak the Word of God and shaking the place where they met to signal God's strong approval.

Application: If we face opposition to God's ministry calling for us, may we heed the example of the Early Church.