After Peter and John healed the beggar at the temple something strange happened. They got arrested.
Luke records that, as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees heard them teaching and proclaiming Jesus’ resurrection and the power of his resurrection to raise us from the dead as well, and they became greatly annoyed.
Have you ever had that happen to you? Have you ever had a conversation where you said something about Jesus and someone became greatly annoyed? Sometimes when we proclaim Jesus’ name or when we speak God’s truth – no matter how casually – it brings a response that is not logical. We can understand that the hearer disagrees with us, but the violence of their response doesn’t make sense. That apparently is nothing new.
After spending the night in jail, Peter and John were brought before the Jewish High Council – the same group that tried Jesus and had him executed. They want to know by what name or what power they healed the man. Their question is an interesting one. They are implying that Peter and John performed some kind of sorcery to heal the man. They cannot deny that the man has been healed. They’ve seen him jumping, running and going about. So they’re trying to attack the power by which Peter and John worked, to accuse them of being of the devil.
Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Peter rises to the challenge and proclaims the name of Jesus to them so powerfully that the council was astonished. His message is much the same as it was in his other two messages: Jesus is the messiah, whom you crucified, but God raised, so repent. He is very blunt with the council, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Peter’s focus never strays from the main thing here. He is very clear that what he is about is the proclamation of Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. We, however, sometimes struggle with that. All too often I hear the complaint, “Pastor, you talk about sin too much. I know Jesus died and rose. I don’t need to hear that.” Sin and grace is the heart of our mission. Proclaiming forgiveness in Jesus’ name is our raison d'être – our reason for being. We are not here to make people feel good or to help people be their best self – not that there’s anything wrong with those things, it’s just not our main thing. If anything, those are side affects of being forgiven and having our relationship to God restored.
It is when we stand on the firm foundation of Jesus’ resurrection that we can boldly declare God’s love in the face of opposition. It is when we focus on Jesus that we “cannot but speak of what we’ve seen and heard,” for we have seen the glory of the Lord and His salvation. It is in the certainty of the resurrection – our resurrection through Jesus – that we can make the right choice between listening to God and listening people. It is in the forgiveness of sins that we can have boldness to live the life of faith.
Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, look upon the troubles of your servants and give us boldness to speak your Word, while you extend your hand to work through us in ways that show your love to the world for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Luke records that, as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees heard them teaching and proclaiming Jesus’ resurrection and the power of his resurrection to raise us from the dead as well, and they became greatly annoyed.
Have you ever had that happen to you? Have you ever had a conversation where you said something about Jesus and someone became greatly annoyed? Sometimes when we proclaim Jesus’ name or when we speak God’s truth – no matter how casually – it brings a response that is not logical. We can understand that the hearer disagrees with us, but the violence of their response doesn’t make sense. That apparently is nothing new.
After spending the night in jail, Peter and John were brought before the Jewish High Council – the same group that tried Jesus and had him executed. They want to know by what name or what power they healed the man. Their question is an interesting one. They are implying that Peter and John performed some kind of sorcery to heal the man. They cannot deny that the man has been healed. They’ve seen him jumping, running and going about. So they’re trying to attack the power by which Peter and John worked, to accuse them of being of the devil.
Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Peter rises to the challenge and proclaims the name of Jesus to them so powerfully that the council was astonished. His message is much the same as it was in his other two messages: Jesus is the messiah, whom you crucified, but God raised, so repent. He is very blunt with the council, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Peter’s focus never strays from the main thing here. He is very clear that what he is about is the proclamation of Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. We, however, sometimes struggle with that. All too often I hear the complaint, “Pastor, you talk about sin too much. I know Jesus died and rose. I don’t need to hear that.” Sin and grace is the heart of our mission. Proclaiming forgiveness in Jesus’ name is our raison d'être – our reason for being. We are not here to make people feel good or to help people be their best self – not that there’s anything wrong with those things, it’s just not our main thing. If anything, those are side affects of being forgiven and having our relationship to God restored.
It is when we stand on the firm foundation of Jesus’ resurrection that we can boldly declare God’s love in the face of opposition. It is when we focus on Jesus that we “cannot but speak of what we’ve seen and heard,” for we have seen the glory of the Lord and His salvation. It is in the certainty of the resurrection – our resurrection through Jesus – that we can make the right choice between listening to God and listening people. It is in the forgiveness of sins that we can have boldness to live the life of faith.
Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, look upon the troubles of your servants and give us boldness to speak your Word, while you extend your hand to work through us in ways that show your love to the world for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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