For We Cannot But Speak | Acts 4:1-22

Welcome to Sermons from the Way Church KC, a community of listening saints in Kansas City, following the way of Jesus and pushing back darkness together.

Good morning, everybody.

Go ahead and find your seats.

This is our time to read the word.

So if you wouldn't stand with me while we read, we will read out of Acts 4.

It's verses 1 through 22.

Feel free to follow along.

It'll be up on the sc on the screen.

Verse 1 of chapter 4 says, And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem.

And Annas and High Priest Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high priestly family.

And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power or by what name do you do this?

Then Peter, filled with the Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 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, this Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

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.

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.

But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying, What shall we do with these men?

For what a notable sign has been done, has been performed through them, is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

But in order that in that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.

So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

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.

For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because the people, for all who were praising God for what had happened.

For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

That is the reading of the word.

You may be seated.

Amen, amen.

Well, welcome everyone to the Waychurch KC.

Uh my name is Zach.

I'm one of the pastors here.

Um if this is your first time here, your first time in a while, we are a year and a half old-ish church plant.

And come on now.

We exist to follow the way of Jesus and push back darkness together.

Um I say this often, uh, but what I really believe is that the reason like people come to this church plant is not because of the worship.

Although Ashton is an anointed worship leader, um, they're not coming for the preaching, although we are going to faithfully preach God's word week in and week out.

Uh, what I believe is people uh come to this church and choose to be a part of this church family because of just that, because of the family that God is building here.

Uh men and women who are there to celebrate in those mountaintop moments and to cry with you in those valleys.

And that's what I've seen in my own life.

Chelsea and I both have.

Um, and we're just so grateful for that and grateful to see God build his church.

Um, so today we're continuing in our series through Acts.

Um, it's entitled Living by the Spirit and Following the Way.

Living by the Spirit, following the way.

Um, last week we looked at Acts chapter 3, verses 11 through 26, and we were reminded that there is power.

Acts 3:11–26

There is power in the mighty name of Jesus.

Um, just before uh that section of text in Acts 3, 1 through 10, uh we see the lame beggar healed by Peter and John.

Um Peter then preaches a sermon on the mighty name of Jesus.

And then today in Acts chapter 4, 1 through 22, uh we see the aftermath of that.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

Despite the fact that there's like in your Bibles, there's a chapter division between chapters 3 and 4, like these two stories are interconnected.

Um they're stories that go together.

Um, today, what we look at today, it's the direct result of what occurs after Peter's sermon at Solomon's Portico.

Um what we see today, and I think what you see throughout the entirety of the book of Acts, is that the early church was born into a hostile environment.

The early church was not living in a time of cultural acceptance, but of persecution.

The reality is that for followers of the way, as they were known as in the book of Acts, for followers of the way to follow Christ was to swim upstream in the current of Rome and of the religious establishment.

So if you've got your Bible this morning, you can go ahead and open it to Acts chapter 4.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

Uh, if you don't have a Bible, we'd love to give one to you just outside of the sanctuary doors behind my uh mother-in-law and super cute daughter.

Um, it's right back there.

Um but yeah, you can uh have a Bible, keep it, mark it up, use it in your own personal quiet time.

Um, there are gifts to you.

And if you don't have something to take notes with, we have a little fillable sermon guide that's um on your phones.

You can tap that sticker in front of you and go to our kind of fillable sermon notes um online.

Um before we dig in, I just kind of want to take a moment and like, hey, let's let's sit in the the cultural moment of our time, what we're what we're living in.

You know, regardless of where you sit uh politically, where you sit um religiously, if you're Christian or not, I think we can all agree that we live in like dark, difficult times, right?

Oh, see?

Louis agrees.

Amen.

Um I think that as I as we look at the world, there's so much brokenness, right?

Uh there's such depravity in this world.

Um, you know, the reality is, like, let's call a spade a spade.

In the past two weeks alone, the news cycle's been heartbreaking, right?

Um, you have the stabbing of the woman in North Carolina, you have the school shooting in Colorado, and you have the uh assassination of Charlie Kirk.

But like, even more so, you don't even have to turn on the news to see the brokenness in the world.

Like, for me, I have friends outside of this church dealing with tremendous pain, dealing with loss, dealing with heartache, dealing with relapse.

And even within this church, right?

Like, we have family within this church that are walking through some of the toughest days of their lives.

Pain, loss, brokenness, relapse, heartache.

Like that's that's the reality of what we live in.

And I don't know about you guys, but for me, it can be overwhelming at times.

It can be completely heartbreaking at times.

It can be seemingly hopeless in many instances.

And as I really sat with that this past week, like, I was just, God brought me back to, and I was overwhelmed with this reality that there will be a day that Jesus returns.

And when he returns, he will make all things new.

And that's what we hope for.

That is where our hope lies.

Our hope does not lie in the things of this world.

Our hope lies in Jesus Christ's return.

And because of that, there is reason to hope.

Amen.

And so, kind of the phrase I've been uttering to myself lately is just simply, come Jesus come.

Come, Jesus come.

I sent James and Chris, one of my favorite worship songs this week, that is called titled that Come Jesus Come.

And it points us to this reality that God will return, that Jesus Christ will return, and make all things new.

But still, in the here and now, if you're anything like me, you may wrestle with the question of how can this be?

How can there be so much brokenness and darkness in this world?

Well, I think that like this isn't anything new.

Like, scripture speaks to this.

There's this rhythm that we see throughout scripture of God creating, humanity rebelling, and God restoring.

God creating, humanity rebelling, and God restoring.

Like all throughout scripture, you see this rhythm, right?

And I think like it is made super clear in the book of Judges.

As the Israelites are in the midst of complete and utter rebellion.

And the book of Judges then ends with a crushing statement that I think we could argue speaks to our cultural moment.

So, just to go back a second, to go on a little aside, Judges 19, there's this gruesome story of the Levite and the concubine.

And um, crazily enough, this is actually one of the first sermons I preached, which is just wild.

Like, Pastor Randy, you get it.

Like, preaching that to a group of college students as your first sermon to preach is just wild.

Um, but it's a I won't go into the details, but it's an incredibly like dark story, right?

It ends in just complete and utter darkness.

And then the book of Judges ends with this like shaking statement.

Judges 21, 25, the word says, In those days there was no king in Israel.

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

And as I read this and studied for the sermon this week and just kind of marinated on the world we live in, I can't help but to think that the same could be said about our day and age.

In those days, there was no king in America.

Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.

But what if, but what if the story that was written about us here was different?

What if people were able to say, in those days, Jesus was king at the Way KC, and everyone did what was right in his eyes?

Or even more so, what if what we're praying for is that people would say, in those days, Jesus was king in America, and everyone did what was right in his eyes.

I don't know about you guys, but that that's my prayer.

And despite the hopelessness that it may seem, like the fact that we're living in dark and broken times, and like scripture tells us that that's what's gonna happen.

But despite this, can I just tell you this morning that Jesus is still King?

That Jesus is still on the throne?

I I had a friend back um in Oklahoma that I used to work with in the nonprofit world, and whenever like things would get tough, that would be a phrase, kind of a mantra we'd we'd utter to each other.

Hey, hey, bro, Jesus is still on the throne.

Jesus is still on the throne.

And may that be our phrase as well.

Jesus is still king, Jesus is still on the throne.

I think that in our current climate, we need a bold gospel gospel witness in our day and age.

We need this posture that we see in Acts chapter 4.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

This this posture of, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

That's the title of this morning's sermon.

For we cannot but speak.

For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

And I think that we can all agree, like we live in a time when speaking the name of Jesus is increasingly costly.

But like Peter and John in today's text, we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

Because the reality is this, Jeremy, if you have encountered the risen Christ, then you cannot but speak of what he's done in your life.

So here's our big idea this morning.

Our big idea and where we're going.

It's this that true boldness is sharing the the true boldness in sharing the gospel comes from a deep awareness of who Christ is, which empowers us to face opposition with courage and conviction.

With this, today, what we're going to look at are two encouragements and one truth from this text.

So the first two encouragements, expect opposition.

That may not seem encouraging, but it is.

The second encouragement is to be filled with holy boldness.

And the one truth we'll look at is that the gospel cannot be silenced.

The gospel cannot be silenced.

I'll pray and then let's dig in.

Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing us here today to sit under the preaching of your word.

Lord, I pray that you move me out of the way this morning, that you make your words clear, Father.

I am but a vessel, Lord.

Holy Spirit, I pray that you move in the hearts and in the ears of the people within this room, Lord, that we would encounter you, that we would encounter the risen Christ.

Lord, I pray that today you don't show us what we want to hear, but you show us what we need to hear, Lord.

And that you right now, in this moment, would prepare our hearts, prepare our minds for those words.

Lord, I pray that whatever we walked in here with this morning, whatever our lives are looking like right now, Lord, that we can can in this place find hope in you.

God, thank you for sending your son Jesus to live, to die, and to be resurrected, Lord.

We love you, we praise you.

It's in your son's Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.

Amen.

So point number one this morning is expect opposition.

Expect opposition.

So Acts chapter 4, verses 1 through 4.

Acts 4:1–4

The word says, And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed, because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day.

But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

So what we're seeing in this text, the lame beggar has now been healed.

Peter then preaches on the power that is in the mighty name of Jesus.

And now we see this response of the priest, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees.

And right off the rip, what we see is that this response is while they were still preaching.

They didn't like wait for the for Peter to finish preaching.

No, it's like as though they interrupted them.

And as they were speaking to the people, as they were speaking to the people, proclaiming the mighty name of Jesus, the priest, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees entered in.

And what the text shows us is that these men they were greatly annoyed with Peter.

Why?

Well, because they were because Peter was proclaiming the risen Christ.

Peter was teaching the people about Jesus Christ life, death, and resurrection.

And the priest, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, they didn't like that.

Because you see, the Sadducees, they they denied the resurrection.

So Peter's proclamation, it cut against their core beliefs.

This was more than just like theological disagreement.

The Sadducees they were deeply tied to the temple economy and to political peace in Rome.

So if Jesus was truly risen, which Peter and John and the apostles believed, and we do as well, if Jesus were truly risen, then their entire religious and political system was bankrupt.

And this word annoyance, their annoyance, it implies deep grief or indignation, showing simply that they were offended by gospel truth.

One commentary I read by Patrick Schreiner, it has this great quote that speaks to this.

It says this the name of God is invading their space.

A seismic shift has occurred.

The old shepherds are not pleased about these Jesus simpletons.

They want to keep the status quo.

In addition, Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, he noted that the Sadducees were few in number but powerful in influence.

Their annoyance here was fueled not by doctrine, but by fear of losing power.

So much so that they arrest Peter and John for this proclamation that they're giving.

So what does this show us?

Well, it shows us that they're being persecuted and that the persecutors hated the apostles because they hated Jesus.

And these men, the apostles, love Jesus.

I think the reality for us is that so too, people may hate you because they hate Jesus and you love Jesus.

So, family, if our church is to have and to live out a faithful witness, the reality is we should expect cultural pushback.

Sometimes it's it's subtle mockery, exclusion, dismissal.

Sometimes it may be overt pressure to be silent about sin.

Pressure to be silent about salvation, pressure to be silent about these things that the word of God speaks to.

The name of Jesus is folly to those who do not believe.

Peter and the apostles, they expected opposition.

So as Christians, we too should expect opposition.

Here's the reality for us this morning.

Spiritual opposition can arise when we are bold in proclaiming our faith.

We shouldn't be surprised when biblical truth offends.

Jesus said in John chapter 15, verse 20, if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

John 15:20

So Peter and John, they are arrested, they're put in prison.

But the word shows us that nonetheless, many heard the word and believed.

The text says that the number of men who believed came to about 5,000.

So that means about 2,000 new converts believed as a result of Peter and John's bold witness, plus women and children.

Like that's a radical amount of people.

That's revival in the early church.

And what I want us to see, I want us to be encouraged by this.

This should encourage us that even when we face opposition, God is still at work.

Even when it seems hopeless, God is still at work, and there's still a reason to hope.

So we should be encouraged to trust God's power to work through us.

Even when facing hostility, even when walking through brokenness, even through walking through the toughest days of your life.

Trust God's power to work in and through you.

Ultimately, like to summarize, to put a bow on this section, Peter and John didn't shrink back when faced with resistance.

What gave them such courage?

Well, let's look at their source of boldness.

Point number two, filled with holy boldness, filled with holy boldness.

Verses five through twelve of Acts chapter four, the word says, On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high priestly family.

And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power or by what name did you do this?

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 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.

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

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.

Amen.

So Peter and John spend the night in jail.

And then the next day, the rulers, the elders, the scribes gather everyone together and they bring Peter and John out.

Caiaphas and Annas were the same high priests who were involved in Jesus' crucifixion.

This is a repeat trial of sorts.

They ask the question by what power, by what name, did you do this?

Peter responds, but before that we see that Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, that shows us like this isn't his own personality, this isn't his own strength, his own might.

No, it is the Holy Spirit's power working in and through him.

Like, notice the passive verb here.

Peter was filled.

Peter didn't fill himself.

Peter was filled.

So boldness, Holy Spirit boldness, Holy Spirit unction is not manufactured by personality, but it is imparted by the Holy Spirit.

Even the timid can be brave when God's Spirit fills them.

Do you feel as though you don't have a voice?

Well, God's Spirit can indwell you and will fill you and give you the words and the boldness to speak.

Then we see verse 9 through 12, it's Peter's response.

Verse 9, Peter, he frames the miracle as an act of mercy, not of rebellion.

This shows the heart of the gospel.

Love being expressed in tangible healing.

And Peter, he's not like defensive.

He's not on his heels trying to like fight back.

He's not trying to chop the guy's ears off like he was at the end of the gospels.

He's pastoral.

He says, This man standing before you is well.

He points to living evidence, living proof, a living witness.

The healed man himself is a sermon of flesh and blood.

In verse 10, Peter quickly moves from this pastoral tone to like prophetic boldness.

Says, by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.

He names Jesus specifically.

Not like vague spirituality, but the crucified and risen Christ.

And he confronts their guilt.

He said, You crucified.

You crucified this man.

You crucified the Christ.

These are the same leaders who condemned Jesus only weeks earlier.

And then he proclaims God's vindication.

He says, God raised him.

You crucified, God raised.

The resurrection is the ultimate rebuttal to human rejection.

Then we see verse 11, Peter, he quotes Psalm 118, verse 22, which reads, The stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

Psalms 118:22

This was a verse that was traditionally sung during Jewish festivals, and he applies it directly to Christ.

The imagery is striking.

The religious leaders, they saw Jesus as like useless rubble.

But God had made him the cornerstone of salvation history upon the word of Christ.

The builders here in this section, they're Israel's leaders.

But what we see is that their rejection of Jesus, it did not thwart God's plan.

It fulfilled it.

Then verse 12, Peter he just drops the hammer.

He drops the hammer.

And there is salvation in no one else.

There is salvation in no one else.

For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

This is the heart of apostolic preaching.

Christ alone saves.

Christ alone saves.

There is salvation in Christ alone.

By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

And this echoes Jesus' own words in John chapter 14, verse 6, where he says, I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the life.

John 14:6

No one comes to the Father except through me.

The reality is, Christianity is not one option amongst many.

It is the only hope for humanity.

It is the only hope for humanity.

There is nothing else that can save you.

Only Jesus Christ.

And just a couple things I want us to pull out of this little section.

First, this little phrase, no other name under heaven.

So that shows us that no cultural, no national, no personal exception, there's no other name under heaven but the name of Jesus Christ that can save you.

And then also notice the necessity by which we must be saved.

Salvation isn't optional.

It is urgent.

It's an urgent need.

Money won't save you, popularity won't save you, influence won't save you, the perfect spouse won't save you, drugs won't save you, alcohol won't save you, sex won't save you.

Nothing apart from Christ will save you.

Church, this is why we cannot water down our message.

To preach a gospel of self-help or moral improvement is to deny the exclusive sufficiency of Jesus Christ.

It is only Jesus Christ, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, which saves.

And I think that this statement here in particular, and his statement throughout these four verses, it shows that Peter, John, and the apostles, they are filled with holy boldness.

They are filled with holy boldness.

And where does this boldness come from?

Well, I think to put it simply, boldness comes from presence.

Boldness comes from the presence of the Spirit in your life.

True boldness, it comes not from personality, not from being a gifted speaker.

No.

It comes from proximity to Christ and fullness of the Holy Spirit.

So I ask you this morning: are you walking in step with the Spirit in such a way that you could speak with that same clarity?

Are you walking in step with the Holy Spirit?

Amen.

The Spirit gave Peter courage, but it was also the undeniable power of the gospel that cannot be silenced, even by courts or threats.

Bringing us to point number three.

The gospel cannot be silenced.

The gospel of Jesus Christ cannot be silenced.

Let's read the remainder of this section, verses 13 through 22.

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.

But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 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.

But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to any one in this name.

So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

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.

For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

And when they have further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.

For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

So, if opposition is expected, like we talked about in point one, and boldness is spirit given, like we talked about in point number two, then the outcome is inevitable.

That the gospel cannot be silenced, that the gospel will not be muzzled.

Let's watch it, let's look at it and see how it unfolds.

First, the the men recognized that they had been with Jesus, that Peter and John had been with Jesus.

Their boldness wasn't from schooling, it wasn't from knowing the most about something.

No, it was it was from intimacy.

It was from their intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

It wasn't credentials, no, it was sitting at the feet of Jesus.

It wasn't polish, no, it was being in the presence of the living God.

So here they stand in front of these men, and they have the healed man, the lame beggar standing right next to him, and that's like exhibit A for proof that Jesus Christ was risen.

Transformed people are irrefutable arguments.

It's truth embodied in like real life, tangible transformation.

And I think for us, the most persuasive witness, the most persuasive apologetic is a changed life.

It's a changed life sitting at your dinner table.

So think about wherever it is you work, wherever it is you live, wherever it is you know spend time with throughout the week?

Would your co-workers conclude that you have been with Jesus?

Would your next door next door neighbor conclude that you have been with Jesus?

Would the barista at the coffee shop conclude that you have been with Jesus?

I don't know about you guys, but oftentimes, for me, it probably doesn't appear that way.

Right?

Like I try my best, I ask for the Holy Spirit to fill me with boldness.

But oftentimes I fall short.

I want people to be able to see me, to look at me and say, that man has been with Jesus.

Is that your prayer as well?

Then we look at verse 15 and 16.

The men they have this little side conversation.

They're like, oh, we cannot deny it.

They're acknowledging the truth, but they're still resisting Christ.

Then verse 18, they give a public command.

They tell Peter and John publicly in front of others, do not speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

So the issue is not like faith in general.

No, it's the name.

It's the name of Jesus, it's the name of the risen Christ.

And I think we see that in our world.

Like culture's fine with spirituality until you say the word Jesus.

So I think we should expect the modern equivalent.

Keep it private.

Don't use the J word.

Let's talk values, let's talk morality, not salvation.

And I think it's in those ways that we must, we must live counterculturally.

As people who are living by the Spirit and following the way of Jesus.

Then verse 19, and where we'll we'll begin to land the plane, is the apostle's answer.

Verse 19, they say, whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge.

They politely relocate the court to God's court.

Verse 20, we see this like holy compulsion.

They say, we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

And Peter's statement here in verse 20, it echoes Jeremiah 20, verse 9.

Jeremiah 20:9

His word is in my heart like a fire.

I am weary of holding it in.

Indeed, I cannot.

Like Jeremiah, Peter cannot hold back the fire of God's word.

He feels like the gospel necessity.

And I think that like if you've encountered Christ, if you've encountered the risen Christ, then it's like the same should be true of us.

We cannot help but speak of what we have seen and heard.

Like the Lord Jesus 10 years ago plucked me out of the muck and the mire and set my feet upon solid ground.

And I cannot help but to speak of what I've seen and heard.

You know, I think for the apostles, like they had seen Jesus' death, Jesus' resurrection.

Then they see this man be healed, this lame beggar who for 40 years had been crippled.

They see him healed.

They saw all the miracles and healings throughout the gospels, throughout the life and ministry of Jesus.

And they cannot help but to speak of what they have seen and heard.

When you see Christ move, you cannot help but to speak.

You cannot help but to speak about it.

The reality is, like, to publicly disobey the Sanhedrin, it was dangerous, right?

They were putting their own very lives at risk.

But spirit-filled boldness, it trumps cultural pressure.

It overpowers cultural pressure.

So tangibly, like, what does this look like for us?

Like, application-wise, what does this look like for us?

What is having a bold gospel witness in the face of opposition look like?

Well, just a few kind of like notes for you to take with you.

I think number one, pray first, speak second.

The word of God says in James, be slow to speak, slow to anger, and quick to listen.

May that be our posture as well.

Pray first, speak second.

Secondly, like, let's name the name.

Let's not be afraid to speak the name of Jesus.

Don't settle for like spiritual talk.

No, let's do Jesus talk here.

I think just like real practical application, like go short and clear.

Like, have a little like 10-second gospel story you can share.

Like, it could be the story of the gospel.

Um, it could be, you know, there's all these tools online.

It could simply be your faith story.

I once was like this, then I met Jesus, now I'm like this.

You know?

Or maybe like fourthly, I think, I think that's fourthly.

Yeah, fourthly, ask for a step, right?

Like, hey, would you be willing to grab coffee and talk about Jesus?

Would you be willing to willing to read the story of Jesus with me in one of the gospels?

Those are just kind of like some applicable things that we can take with us.

Because the reality is we all need to have a bold gospel witness.

We all need to be speaking the name of Jesus because the gospel of Jesus Christ cannot be silenced.

So, like I said, the Sanhedrin, speaking boldly like that, it was risky.

They were the same counsel that had handed Jesus over to be crucified.

The threat of death was real.

Yet the same Spirit who raised Jesus Christ emboldened his followers to declare his name in the face of opposition.

And how does this story end?

Well, the public's praise prevented further punishment.

God used public response to preserve gospel momentum.

So for us, what would it look like to live in such a way that silence is not an option?

What would it look like to live in such a way that silence is not an option in Shawnee Mission North?

What would it look like to live in such a way that silence is not an option at Jackstack?

I just think about like all of us going to Jackstack and preaching the gospel.

Crystal works at Jackstack, that's why I threw it out there.

But if we all went to Jackstack and preached the gospel, that'd be cool.

Amen.

Amen.

But no, wherever you live, work and play, what does it look like to not be silent in that place?

I don't think it's about being loud on social media, but I think it's about being faithful in everyday conversations.

In the workplace, around the table, with neighbors.

I think that's what Jesus Christ modeled for us.

So what if we were so saturated with Christ that speaking of him was as natural as breathing?

We don't even I don't know about you guys, but I don't like think about breathing, right?

Like it's just naturally our bodies do it.

What if that was how we spoke Jesus?

As natural as breathing.

The authorities here in this text, they tried to stop the message.

But those who have seen the risen Christ cannot keep quiet.

And I think that that same message now calls us to respond.

The gospel cannot be silenced.

Family, the gospel cannot be silenced.

So in our day and age, neutrality is not an option.

If we've been with Jesus and filled by his spirit, we will, we must speak of Jesus.

The only question is where and to whom.

Not even like, oh, I'll get to it in a month.

No, where and to whom this week.

So I'll invite Ashton up to close us in worship.

It's three weeks out of the month.

It's usually how we end our services, is in worship and praise to God.

And the first Sunday of the month we take communion together as a church family.

But it's the second Sunday of the month, so we're we'll close in worship.

But I just what I just want to say to you guys is that the reality, the truth of the gospel, the truth that the apostles and the book of Acts are hinging their entire life on is that Jesus lived the life you didn't have to, died the death that you deserve, and rose to give you the life that you cannot earn.

Brothers and sisters, today can be the day that you turn and trust in Him.

That you believe in your heart of hearts that there is salvation in no other name.

Maybe you've been looking for salvation in things of this world.

Today can be the day that you say there's salvation in no other name but Jesus Christ.

The Sanhedrin thought threats could muzzle the gospel.

But Peter and John stood tall, ten toes down, and said, We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

And that's the choice before every one of us today.

Neutrality is not an option.

Silence is not an option.

You will either stand with Christ now, or you will stand before him at the end of times.

You will either confess his name as Savior or you will face him as judge.

The good news is this: if Christ is your Savior, his spirit will make you bold.

Fear doesn't get the last word.

The world, the ways of this world may try to silence us, but the gospel, it cannot be chained.

So my hope for us as a church family is that we would be a people that go out into a world desperate for hope and live in such a way that people recognize they've been with Jesus.

James has been with Jesus.

Poe has been with Jesus.

Duane has been with Jesus.

Rachel, Kelly has been with Jesus.

And when the pressure comes, and it will.

We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

I'll pray and let's close the portion.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for this day.

I praise you that you are the name above every other name.

Jesus, I praise you that you are Lord and Savior of our lives, that you are King of Kings.

Lord, and I pray that for those of us who have confessed your Son Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives, that we could live lives that are marked by gospel centrality, that all of our lives are marked by living with and for Jesus.

That we recognize and realize that it's that salvation is in Christ alone.

Lord, would you fill our hearts?

Would you fill our spirits?

Lord, would you allow us to boldly declare the name of Jesus today?

Step into spirit-empowered worship and boldness as we go about our days and we go about our weeks.

Lord, would these not just be words that we hear on a Sunday, but they would they be words that we live by?

We love you, Jesus.

Thanks for listening.

Join us Sundays at 10 30 a.m.

in the Rosedale neighborhood of Kansas City.