We Cannot Stop Speaking

This is our second week back in the book of Acts, and this morning we'll be continuing in Acts chapter 4.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

! So if you're using one of the Bibles from the seat around you, hopefully you'll find that on page 912.

912. And I would encourage you to open a copy of the Bible to follow along this morning.

But before we begin in verse 13, let's briefly remind ourselves where we are.

Acts is ultimately a book about Jesus.

And you remember that Luke's gospel recorded what Jesus began to do and teach during his earthly ministry.

The book of Acts records what the risen and exalted Jesus continues to do and teach from heaven by his spirit through the witnesses he's commissioned.

So in Acts 1, we saw Jesus commission his witnesses.

In Acts 2, he empowers them by pouring out his Holy Spirit.

And then in Acts 3, hopefully you remember, the risen Jesus works through Peter and John to heal a man who has been lame from birth.

And when a crowd gathers, Peter immediately directs their attention toward Jesus.

He proclaims that the Jesus they crucified has been raised from the dead and he calls the people to repent and turn to him.

But that message also draws opposition.

The first official opposition that we see in the book of Acts.

So at the beginning of Acts 4, the temple authorities arrest Peter and John and bring them before the Sanhedrin, Jerusalem's supreme governing council.

And you hopefully remember that the council demands, by what power or by what name did you do this?

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter answers boldly, this man was healed by the name of Jesus, the Messiah from Nazareth, the one they had crucified, but whom God had raised from the dead.

And then Peter concludes with the precious and powerful words in verse 12.

When he says,

There is salvation in no one else.

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

So, last week we heard what Peter said to the council.

This morning, beginning in verse 13, Luke shows us how the council responds.

So, as we step back into the council room with Peter, John, and the lame man who's been healed,

remember that everything seems to favor the council.

They have the position, the education, the authority, the power to punish.

Peter and John stand before them with none of those advantages.

But, the council is about to discover that the decisive power in the room does not belong to them.

Because the risen Jesus is still at work.

And as these powerful men search for a way to stop the message about this name,

they will repeatedly discover what they cannot do.

They cannot explain the witnesses, answer the evidence, deny the miracle, or prevent the name from spreading.

And before the scene ends, we'll hear the witnesses declare what they cannot do.

They cannot stop speaking because no one can stop Jesus.

Now, before we jump right into it, would you just allow me to pray again one more time?

Let's pray.

Father, we come to your word.

And we know that if your spirit does not take your word and apply it in our lives,

that we're unable naturally to discern the truth.

So, Father, we ask that you would do that very work.

The work we cannot do.

That you would take the words of life and speak them by your spirit to our souls.

Help us to see Jesus more clearly.

Help our hearts to be filled with adoration for him.

Father, bring life out of death.

And may we bring glory to your name.

Father, we ask these things that Christ might be exalted.

That we might see him anew.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

So, Acts 4, starting in verse 13.

Acts 4, 13.

And the first response that we're going to see from the council is not repentance, but astonishment.

We cannot believe it.

We cannot believe it.

Follow along verse 13.

It says,

Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John,

and they perceived that they were uneducated common men,

they were astonished,

and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

The religious leaders see the boldness of Peter and John,

and they're astonished.

They can't believe what's happening before their very eyes.

Now, we know from verse 8,

that the boldness comes from them being filled with the Holy Spirit.

But the Sanhedrin's caught off guard.

You see, Peter and John have no formal religious training.

They haven't been to any of the Sanhedrin-approved religious schools.

Yet, they handle Scripture with confidence and authority.

Surrounded by the most powerful religious leaders in Israel,

they speak plainly.

They feel no need to soften their message or to defend themselves.

And the council wasn't expecting such extraordinary response

for men of such ordinary status.

You remember, these common fishermen are not speaking in a group of their friends,

surrounded by people who are rooting for them,

that want them to succeed.

They're on trial in front of the most powerful,

most highly trained religious leaders in all of Israel.

Yet, Peter and John are not evasive.

They're not defensive.

They're not even slightly apologetic about Jesus.

I think the council expected them to shrink under their scrutiny.

But instead, it's the leaders that are taken aback.

And although this is extraordinary,

the leaders had encountered something like it before.

In Jesus himself, you remember,

he too had no formal religious training,

yet handled Scripture with astonishing boldness and absolute authority.

And now the leaders are seeing something remarkably familiar in Peter and John.

But notice how the council naturally thinks of their association with Jesus in the past tense.

These men had been with Jesus.

Which I think that shows us they missed the whole point of what Peter has just told them.

Jesus is not merely a dead teacher whose influence can continue to be seen in his former disciples.

The Jesus that Peter has just proclaimed is alive.

He's still at work.

The boldness that the religious leaders are witnessing in Peter and John

is the evidence that the risen Christ is presently working in these ordinary men by his Spirit.

Now, I believe Luke wants us to see that Christ's witness is not confined to those who are highly educated

or to those who are practiced and polished or to those who are naturally impressive.

You see, some of us remain silent because we imagine that we need one more answer.

We need to read one more book.

We need to take one more course.

We need just a little bit more self-confidence, assurance,

and then Jesus can use us.

But the most important qualification is not that people be impressed with us.

It's that they recognize that we belong to Jesus.

That we're being formed by his Word, by his Spirit.

The second reaction that we see from the leaders is we cannot oppose it.

We cannot oppose it.

Continuing in Acts 4.14, it reads,

But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them,

they had nothing to say in opposition.

So in verse 13, the council's astonished by the witnesses,

but in verse 14, they're silenced by the evidence.

Now, remember, Peter has just said in verse 10 that this man is standing before you well.

And now Luke again repeats this when he tells us the council saw the man who was healed standing beside them.

The religious leaders don't just have Peter's testimony to contend with.

They have the man.

The man who's been lame from birth.

The man who is well known and recognized.

And who's now standing right there in their courtroom, completely healed.

The man doesn't have to say anything.

He simply stands beside Peter and John.

His presence, its own powerful testimony.

Now, the council can question Peter's interpretation.

They can resent the name that Peter's proclaimed.

But every time they look for an answer, the evidence is standing directly in front of them.

They want to dismiss Peter's message, but there he stands.

They want to deny the miracle, but there he stands.

They want to stop the name of Jesus from spreading.

But there he stands.

His body has become evidence that they cannot explain away.

So, before the council can silence the witnesses, they must somehow account for the man that's now standing right there before them.

And Luke tells us plainly, they have nothing to say.

The third response that we see from the Sanhedrin is, we cannot deny it.

We cannot deny it.

Continuing in verse 15.

It reads,

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.

So, in verse 14, we see the religious leaders' public silence.

They have no answer to give.

But now, in verses 15 and 16, we see their private admission.

They cannot deny the sign.

The council's problems, no longer whether something's happened.

It's, what are they going to do about what they cannot deny?

Now, once Peter and John are dismissed, the council kind of erupts in deliberation back and forth.

What shall we do with these men?

But I think it's worth noticing what they're not asking.

They're not asking, is Jesus really the risen Messiah?

Does salvation really depend on him?

What must we do in response to the great and glorious thing God has done?

No, and instead of reconsidering Peter's interpretation of the scripture and the evidence is standing right before them,

they begin devising a response, a plan.

So the council has the miracle, the healed man, they have the apostles' testimony,

they have Peter's explanation, and they even have the scriptures.

Yet, they still refuse to believe.

The evidence has silenced their objections, but it has not softened their hearts.

If you remember back to Acts 2, when Peter preaches to the crowd,

the crowd asks, what shall we do?

And that question leads them to repentance.

But here, the council asks, what shall we do with these men?

And their response leads them towards hiding or suppressing the truth.

You see, the problem is not that the evidence is unclear.

The problem is that the conclusion's unwelcome.

A heart determined not to submit to Jesus will eventually stop asking, is this true?

And start asking, how can I keep this truth from disrupting my life?

That's exactly what these leaders have done.

They've moved on from evaluating evidence to managing the problem, to damage control.

But maybe the more alarming truth is how often this very thing happens in our own hearts.

Right?

A person can stop asking, is Jesus truly Lord?

Because the more frightening question is, if he is Lord, what will he require of me?

What will happen to my plans?

To my relationships?

To my reputation?

To my control over my own life?

And often, at that point, unbelief may no longer be an honest search for the truth.

It can easily become an effort to keep unwelcome truth at a safe distance.

You see, the council doesn't need another sign or better evidence.

It needs to be willing to humbly accept the truth that's undeniable.

And then turn to the risen Christ.

Now, the next response we see from the leaders is, we cannot allow it.

We cannot allow it.

Continuing in verse 17.

It says,

But in order 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.

So having failed to answer the apostles or deny the evidence, the council now turns from argument to coercion.

The message, Peter's just proclaimed, that the crucified Jesus is alive and that salvation is found in him alone.

In the leaders' minds, this cannot be allowed to spread.

So the council does the only thing they really can do.

They warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.

But did you notice how comprehensive the order is?

To speak no more to anyone at all in the name of Jesus.

So not to the crowd and not to another person.

Not in public teaching, not in private conversation.

The council's not asking them to change their messaging or to repackage it or to make it more acceptable.

It's demanding the disappearance of the name of Jesus from their lips.

Now, most of us have never received an official order forbidding us to speak about Christ.

Often, the pressure that we have is quieter.

We know which friend might think less of us or which family conversation will be uncomfortable

or which room will suddenly feel colder if we speak plainly about Jesus.

So really, no one has to command us to be silent if fear or anxiety or embarrassment can persuade us to silence ourselves.

So the conflict between the apostles and the religious leaders has become explicit.

It's become very clear.

Will the name of Jesus be silenced?

You see, Jesus has commissioned Peter and John to be his witnesses.

And the religious leaders now command them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Now, Peter and John cannot obey both.

The council demands, you must not speak.

But we see Peter and John answer, we cannot remain silent.

We cannot stop speaking.

We cannot stop speaking.

Continuing in verse 19, it says,

But Peter and John answered them,

Whether it's 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.

Now, although Peter's been portrayed as the primary speaker throughout this whole scene,

Notice that Peter and John now answer the council with a single unified voice.

From the council's perspective, rejecting its command meant rejecting the recognized religious authority in Israel.

But Peter and John know that the council has placed itself in direct opposition to God's command.

For to obey Jesus is to obey God.

So, in turn, they call the council to judge for itself.

Can it ever be right in God's sight to obey a human authority when that authority requires disobedience to God?

I think the text gives us a very clear principle that's worth remembering.

When a human authority commands what God has forbidden,

or forbids what God has commanded,

God must be obeyed.

Let me say that again.

When a human authority commands what God has forbidden,

or forbids what God has commanded,

God must be obeyed.

But it's important to notice what obedience to God looks like here.

Right?

Peter and John do not attack the council.

They don't threaten violence.

They don't organize a rally or an uprising.

And they don't even reject their authority altogether.

Honestly, I think if this confrontation happened in our own day,

we would recognize that their example would not even give us permission to respond with contempt.

To mock our opponents or misrepresent them or use public outrage to humiliate them.

The very things that we Christians are too often tempted to do these days on social media.

No, Peter and John respectfully and openly refuse one particular command.

Because it directly contradicts Christ's command.

Jesus explicitly commissioned them to be his witnesses.

The council explicitly commands them not to witness.

So this isn't personal preference versus submission to a legitimate authority.

It's God's clear, revealed command versus a contradictory human command.

Peter and John aren't merely saying,

Hey, we have the right to speak.

They're saying,

We cannot stop speaking.

Or literally, they're saying,

We are not able to not speak.

And the explicit pronoun really adds even more emphasis.

So it's more like,

As for us, we must speak.

There's no hesitation.

There's no attempt at evasion.

And as a matter of fact,

there really isn't even an inference

that the apostles will consider the religious leader's command.

Peter and John are saying,

You must judge what you believe is right.

But as for us,

we know what we must do.

We must speak about what we have seen and heard.

And we're willing to accept the consequences.

So we need to see that at the heart of this verse,

it's not primarily political liberty.

It's gospel compulsion.

I also think it's worth recognizing,

Who is saying we cannot stop speaking?

Right?

This is Peter.

The man who once insisted that he'd never deny Jesus,

and then before the night was over,

denied three times that he even knew him.

Right?

Fear compelling him to say,

I don't know the man.

But now,

before the highest religious court in the land,

in front of the council that actually condemned Jesus,

we see the risen Christ

and the Holy Spirit

having transformed Peter into a man who says,

I cannot stop speaking about him.

Now,

can I just be a little transparent for a minute?

This section of the sermon

was really the most challenging and humbling

and ultimately encouraging

part of my sermon preparation.

You see, as I worked through it,

I started by focusing on my own performance

in light of this gospel compulsion

that makes Peter and John not able to not speak.

Asking myself questions like,

why does speaking about Jesus feel so optional to me?

What makes me so reluctant

to make his name known in certain situations?

Do I see the gospel merely as information to affirm

or as news that's too good to keep silent?

Or maybe the worst question,

why are there so many other things,

so many lesser things

that I'm more excited and eager to talk about

than Jesus?

You know, wrestling with those questions,

I felt pretty convicted.

I feel ashamed about how easily

I can want to talk about other things

when what I really want to talk about is Jesus.

But the more I studied it,

the more I realized Luke doesn't want

to leave us staring at ourselves,

measuring our courage,

counting our failures,

and promising that we're going to try harder

the next time.

Because if we leave here merely saying,

I need to be braver,

then we've missed the deepest source

of Peter and John's boldness.

You see, they cannot stop speaking

because they knew without a shadow of a doubt

that Jesus was alive.

They'd walked with him.

They'd heard his teaching.

They'd seen his miraculous works.

They knew he had been crucified and buried.

And yet, they saw him alive again.

And for 40 days,

Jesus gives them proof after proof

that he'd been raised from the dead.

They'd heard him commission them

to be his witnesses.

They watched him ascend into heaven.

They received the Holy Spirit

just as he promised.

And now, everywhere,

everywhere they looked,

they could see that Jesus was still working.

Saving sinners,

healing the helpless,

building his church.

So how could they remain silent?

You see, they're not trying

to manufacture excitement

about a religious idea.

They're bearing witness

to a living Savior,

the risen Christ.

And although we can never be eyewitnesses

in the same unique way

that Peter and John were,

we have their testimony.

Right?

In the Scriptures,

we hear what they heard.

We see what they saw.

We behold the crucified

and risen Christ.

And through his word

and by his spirit,

we come to know

without a shadow of a doubt

that he's still alive,

that he's still reigning,

that he's still saving sinners,

and that he's still building his church.

So,

our greatest need

is not to stare harder

at our failures.

Our greatest need

is to see

more of Jesus.

Because when Christ

becomes real to us,

more real to us

than our fear,

and his glory

becomes greater,

greater than our embarrassment,

and his salvation

becomes more precious

than the approval

of the people around us,

we'll be excited

to speak more

about him.

Now,

that speaking

will not always look like

preaching to a crowd.

It may just be

naming the hope of Christ

when a neighbor tells you

that they're struggling

or they're afraid.

It might be answering

your children's questions

with more than just

a moral lesson.

It might be telling

a grieving friend

why death

does not have to have

the last word.

Or maybe

it'll just be saying

gently,

but clearly,

Jesus

has been

so merciful

to me.

The council

thought its problem

was Peter and John.

they thought

perhaps

if they threatened

these two men

severely enough,

they could frighten

them into silence.

That perhaps

if they silenced

the witnesses,

they could silence

the name.

But

the council

had greatly

misunderstood

the situation

because the power

behind the witness

was not Peter

and John,

it was Jesus.

Jesus.

So,

they could threaten

those who spoke

his name,

but they had no power

over the one

whose name

they spoke.

And

they could command

Peter and John

to be silent,

but they could not

silence the one

who had called

them.

And they could

attempt to

stop the witnesses,

but to stop

their witness,

they would have

to stop Jesus.

And

just honestly,

Jesus had already

passed through

their rejection,

through their

crucifixion,

through death

itself and the grave.

They had tried

to stop him

before,

and they couldn't

stop him then.

And they can't

stop him now.

And that brings

us to the final,

the greatest

cannot

in the passage.

We cannot

stop Jesus.

We cannot

stop

Jesus.

Acts 4,

21 and 22

says,

And when they

had 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

40 years old.

You see,

Peter and John

have plainly

declared they

will continue

speaking about

Jesus regardless

of the consequences.

And how does

the council

respond?

With more

threats.

But threats

are all they

have.

They can't

refute the

apostles'

message.

They can't

deny the

miraculous sign.

And we see

here they

cannot punish

Peter and

John without

placing themselves

against a

crowd of people

who are

praising God

for what's

happened.

So they

threaten them

again.

And they

let him

go.

Now,

notice then

that Luke

reminds us

that the man

who had been

healed was

more than

40 years

old.

I don't

think that

detail is

incidental.

I don't

think that

Luke got to

this point in

the story

and was like,

oh, I

better remember

to add that

detail here.

It's that 40

years is not

merely a number.

it's a

lifetime.

That year

after year

this man

had struggled

with the

same weakness,

the same

inability,

and year

after year

he had lived

his life

in the same

dependence

upon others.

And year

after year

the people

passed him

at the

temple gate,

including

the religious

leaders

themselves

in this

very room.

and all

of them

knew there

was nothing

they could

do to

make this

man walk.

But then,

then the

name,

the name

that the

council

once silenced

made him

stand.

And now

his standing

body testifies

to the power

of the risen

Jesus.

So the

council can

threaten the

witnesses,

but it can't

erase the

sign.

And they

can try

to command

silence,

but they

can't even

prevent the

people from

praising God.

And even

though they

might oppose

the name

of Jesus,

they cannot

stop Jesus

from continuing

his work.

So,

as the scene

closes,

look at what

remains.

The witnesses

are still going

to speak.

The healed

man is still

standing.

The people

are still

praising God,

and Jesus

is still

building his

church.

Now,

I don't

mean to

imply that

opposition is

not real.

You see,

following Jesus

has always been

costly throughout

history.

And for many

of our brothers

and sisters in

Christ around

the world,

it's extremely

costly even

today.

And the

truth is,

it might not

be long

before it's

costly for

us.

Because

authorities

possess enough

power to

threaten and

to imprison

and to

inflict great

suffering on

Christ's

people.

But they

never possess

enough power

to stop

the risen

Christ.

That should

be the

deepest source

of confidence

that we

draw from

this passage.

It's not

that Peter

and John

are unusually

impressive men.

The council

has already

said,

these are

just some

ordinary

guys.

No,

our confidence

is that

Jesus is

alive.

And the

gospel continues

advancing,

not because of

the impressiveness

of its

messengers or

the condition

of the

church.

It continues

advancing because

Jesus is

alive.

And through

his spirit,

he continues

to empower

his people.

So the

answer to

our own

temptation

towards silence

is not

merely gritting

our teeth

and trying

harder.

It's certainly

not waiting

for greater

confidence in

ourselves.

So we

can't end

this passage

admiring the

apostles'

courage,

but we need

to look

where they

looked to

the crucified

Jesus,

the one

whom God

raised from

the dead,

to the

reigning

Christ who

poured out

his spirit,

who saved

sinners,

who's building

his church.

Now,

these leaders

knew that

the miracle

had happened.

They admitted

they couldn't

deny it,

but instead

of submitting

to Jesus,

they tried

to silence

his name.

Perhaps

this morning

you might

recognize

something of

yourself in

them.

Maybe you

know what

the evidence

says,

but you're

unwilling to

follow where

it leads.

perhaps you're

trying to

silence the

truth in

your own

heart,

or maybe

even trying

to keep

others from

speaking it.

Perhaps you

haven't rejected

Jesus outright.

Maybe you

simply tried to

keep him at a

manageable distance.

You're willing

to allow him to

comfort you,

but not to

rule you.

You're willing

to admire him,

but not to

entrust your

life to him.

You know

what the

evidence says,

but you fear

what his

lordship might

change.

Let me

challenge you,

don't make

the same

mistake these

leaders made.

Knowing the

truth about

Jesus is not

the same as

trusting him.

Recognizing

the evidence

is not the

same as

receiving the

Savior.

You see,

the Jesus

whom they

rejected

is alive.

He did

die for

sinners,

but he

rose from

the grave,

and he's

promised to

save everyone

who comes to

him in

repentance and

faith.

Now,

the good news

is that means

you don't have

to clean

yourself up

first.

You don't

have to prove

yourself worthy.

You don't have

to earn his

mercy.

Turn from

your sin,

your selfishness,

your pride.

Place your

trust in

him.

You know,

the Lord,

whose authority

you might

fear,

is also the

Savior who

gave himself

so that

sinners like

you and

me could be

saved.

So come to

him and he

will save

you.

The truth

is there's

no other

Savior to

whom you

can turn,

and there's

no other

name in

which salvation

can be

found.

So don't

harden your

hearts or

postpone the

decision.

Stop trusting

your own

goodness and

entrust

yourself to

Jesus.

Come to

him as the

Savior that

you need

and the

Lord that

he truly

is.

And if

you're here

this morning

and you're

not sure

about what

the next

step in

your relationship

with Jesus

looks like,

we'd love

to answer

that.

We'd love

to walk

with you

and help

you.

Don't

leave without

talking to

me or

someone around

you,

because we

want you to

know the

hope we've

found in

Christ.

But if

you're here

this morning

and you've

come to

Christ and

you belong

to him,

then let me

encourage you,

don't merely

ask, how

can I become

less afraid?

Or how

can I be

more bold?

Instead,

ask, how

can I more

clearly see

the Savior

who is

greater than

my fear?

And then

as you

gaze on

him, ask,

who has

God placed

before me?

Who needs

to hear

who Christ

is, what

he's done,

and what

he's done

for me?

You see,

throughout

history,

there have

been plenty

of people

who have

tried to

stop him

that have

opposed the

name, and

they couldn't

stop him,

and they

can't stop

him today.

And because

the risen

Jesus cannot

be stopped,

then his

people cannot

remain silent.

Let's pray.

Father, we

come and

we confess

we do not

love you as

we should.

We do not

cherish

Christ as

we should.

Father,

fuel the

fire in our

lives and our

hearts and

minds,

that as we

see Christ

more clearly,

our faith

would be

built up,

as your

spirit applies

the truth of

your word in

our lives,

that we

wouldn't push

it away,

but let it

do its

work,

fueling our

devotion,

our pursuit

of Jesus.

And as we

see him

clearly,

Father,

enable us,

give us a

passion to

make him

known,

make him the

most important

thing in our

hearts and

minds and

our lives.

Enable us to

set all other

things aside,

and to

hold him

up in

every

situation.

Father,

we thank

you that we

have the

opportunity to

be here today.

We thank

you that the

gospel is

true, that

Jesus is

alive, that

our hope is

in him, and

that you are

always to be

found faithful to

your promises.

promises.

As we go

out now, we

ask that you

would give us

eyes to see

those that you

place in our

life, wherever

they might be,

that we would

have an

opportunity to

share with

them the

love that we

have found in

Christ, the

hope that we

have in him,

that we would

know how best

to share with

them who he

is and what

he's done,

that we'd see

more and more

people come to

love him, to

worship him, to

make much of

him.

Lord, be

glorified in

our lives.

In Jesus' name

we ask, amen.