The Integrity of Righteous Resistance, Part 1

In a showdown with his crew.

The apostle Peter's juices water what you want to believe it or not. Peter goes on to say there is salvation in no one else, God is given no other name under heaven by which we must be say great statement of salvation northerly no other source. No other check.

Only Jesus in the deeply agitated critics who become openly cynical toward Christians. How do we know what is time to speak up when it's time to remain silent. Baldness is a virtue but so is restraint. So how do we determine which to exercise today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll recounts a story in acts chapter 4 provides answers to those questions is when Peter and John were put on the spot whether adversaries titled his message the integrity of righteous resistance store were considering the glory of true ordinary man involved in an extraordinary experience, not because of them.

Because of the power Christ Jesus gave them as she empowered them to do and to say extraordinary things story is found in the fourth chapter of the book of acts I'll be reading for you the first 22 verses as we continue our series on walking and integrity in times of adversity. Jesus has been crucified, resurrected and ascended. He is off the earth physically his disciples were carrying on in his absence as we do today is a classic example of integrity, working its way out with great courage or without courage, integrity simply lies dormant but in these lives.

It makes an impact ask for verse one. I'll be reading from the new living translation. While Peter and John were speaking to the people they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the temple guard and some of the Sadducees.

These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus.

There is a resurrection of the dead. They arrested them. And since it was already evening, they put them in jail until morning, but many of the people who heard their message believed it. So the number of men who believe now total about 5000 that would not count the women and children, so the number must've been more like 12,000 or more.

The next day, the Council of all the elders and rulers and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem and this the high priest was there along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander and other relatives of the high priest they brought in the true disciples and demanded by what power or in whose name have you done this, then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, rulers and elders of our people are more weeping question today because we've done a good deed for a crippled man, do you want to know how he was healed clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful team of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, for Jesus is the one who is referred to in the Scriptures word says the stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone there is salvation in no one else, God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. The members of the Council were the maids when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see they were ordinary man with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognize them as men who had been with Jesus since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them. There was nothing the Council could say. So they ordered Peter and John out of the Council chamber and conferred among themselves. What should we do with these men.

They asked each other. We can't deny that they have performed miraculous sign that everybody in Jerusalem knows about it but to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus again so they call the apostles back in and commanded them, never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied you think God wants us to obey you rather than him. We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.

The Council didn't threaten them further they finally let them go because they didn't know how to punish them without starting a riot for everyone was praising God for this miraculous sign.

The healing of a man who had been laying for more than 40 years for moment. Put yourself in the place of John Peter.

What would you have said what would you have done sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to Insight world.org/studies Chuck titled his message the integrity of righteous resistance. Jesus never promised us a rose garden. He never told his followers that if if we walk in his footsteps will have it made like a downhill slide like I walked toward a playground just to have fun. On the contrary, he warned his followers that it would be like entering into a battleground. The fight is on. It wouldn't be easy. I took the time to look through the Gospels and the notes statements made by Jesus recorded by each of the gospel writers pretty powerful Matthew records the words of Jesus when he says this in his sermon on the Mount Blessed are you when people block you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you, because you are my followers.

Matthew 511 and another time Mark writes Jesus words, everyone will hate you because you you are my followers.

Mark 1313 Luke add still another is Jesus look for head you will be dragged into prison and you will stand trial because you're my followers. Luke 2112 and John records more of the details regarding the Last Supper than the other three gospel writers comes to the very end of that Last Supper before they made their way across the Kidron Valley up to the garden of Gethsemane and then the arrest trials crucifixion. But before they left the room. Jesus said to his followers here on earth you will have many trials and many small buzzwords must've wrong in the ears of Peter and John when their cell door slam shut that night they spent in the fortress of Antonio having been arrested, what, what are they doing that was so wrong what what crime they committed what law had been broken will actually not there was this lame man who is over 40 years old, has never walked in his life.

Imagine that. Who is carried to the gate of the temple every day known no doubt by all the city of Jerusalem who darkened the door of the temple pass right by the man begging for alms. He's now walking. He is in fact leaping and dancing.

He can't stop smiling immediately. He has been healed but not Peter and John all they did was tell them they had neither silver nor gold and Peter reached out his hand and and and took it in the power of the resurrected Christ gave life to his limbs, put his ankles in the shape it is knees of his legs and for the first time he stood erect them.

They had also seen that as an occasion to deliver.

The reason for that healing and that is Christ is been raised. He is alive and if you can change this man he can change you. And there were 5000 men not to count the women and children who believe the problem with those who arrested them. They couldn't deny the miracle he's dancing right there in front level having a great time.

Furthermore, if they did something to harm the two men that are varietal in their hands, for they were these thousands of people in the city who now found hope through these men truly thrive enjoy. They face real public relations problems and realized it so they had to go about this carefully. Verse seven of chapter 4, box catches up the story. Morning came and and they are now ready for the hearing.

By the way, let me catch you up on who was there first. This was this, this was a Sanhedrin meeting the Jewish Supreme Court, not nine people is in our court but 70 Jewish statesmen 70 and along with them. There were the Sadducees who stood against what it happened. They are on a there bent out of shape. I don't believe in the supernatural and who believe in angels. They don't believe in miracles. Flavor said you see, I couldn't pass that up on the news is laying out there in front of their frowning, ready to throw something at these guys by way of punishment and then there was Annis think of them as the Godfather of these religious thugs and along with banisters's son-in-law mean Caiaphas who had the first thought of crucifying Jesus. Caiaphas said let's killing he's there along with 2 million. We know nothing more about maybe Alexander and a guy named John, and I should add that unlike our Supreme Court, the general public was invited anytime the Sanhedrin met anybody among the Jews could, so you can believe the court room is packed with a majority of those who believe in the accused in there watching with a great deal of interest. What's going to be said. What's going to be done so Annis Caiaphas, the Sadducees, the Sanhedrin decide they will fall back on some of their favorite methods, one of which is tradition.

They need to conduct this. This trial based on long-standing policies, not a genuine investigation and then of course there is intimidation. You can't miss that. If you've ever been in the courtroom. You understand intimidation, but all of these people. All of these sewer there ready to accuse them intimidation is is a technique used for the purpose of striking fear in the hearts of those who are on trial and then along with that methadone uses coercion they're going to set the setting and set these men straight so that Peter and John stop it and I got I have more this Jesus stuff going on. They dealt with that Jesus is been crucified and they're spreading the rumor that he has been raised from the dead, difficulty is the talking about his power now and in the gut standing in front of them. An example of that power in the life of one who is been healed and in walked Peter and John knelt. Let's not be impressed with Peter and John. If it helps their Pete and John pick, Peter knows more about fishing than he ever will know about theology. John he spread his youth fight with his brother. They were known as sons of thunder.

We had a temper go crazy and and ended Peter John had been disciples of Jesus so they walk in. The first thing we read about them is that there just ordinary men that you know we we not done a real service for the disciples we we have made them into city's statutes. Most of met halos in understanding and great cathedrals now St. John St. Peter St. Matthew that they would never want to pose for anything like that. They just meant it. If it wouldn't offend anyone. And even if it does, it would be like a couple of high school dropouts being brought before this august body. They even finished their first year, for they dropped out in and they began to run with the group that was a rogue group in the eyes of the official people of Israel another standing trial, but the problem his the people who have them on trial or a loss to know what to do about got detail the crack Habakkuk of the really do more than threaten them with Mariah Soto marching in front of them and in the asked by what power and in whose name have you done this, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them about rulers and elders of our people are being questioned today because we we done a good deed when did you notice this Ms. man is healed by the way, neither here nor anywhere else. Do any of these official religious leaders ever once applaud our path and on the back or say to him or someone else and that this is remarkable is look right past so Peter, John or Pete and John point to them and say your girl a real trial because he's been healed of his role honey. It is not a good deed is not a good thing but we John not, do you want to know how he was healed window. It we happen to be there and I held out my hand and told him I didn't have any money but I do know Jesus and he shames our life changers was lifted them up by the head and and he stood up the cc of iconic pictures teenagers reminds me of a country-western song with teenagers as you can lock me up in jail in the faces still breakout the these guys are said you can you can lock me up but you can lock us up, but I gotta tell you face can break out. You can stop that you can't, as a matter fact, Jesus is alive with you want to believe it or not in the loop in the faces of theologically trained official people. In fact, Peter goes on to say there is salvation in no one else, God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. Great statement of salvation northerly no other source. No other channel only Jesus look at the response of the members of the Council. I love sections like this because it gives us into some of their feelings and reactions. The members of the Council were made. They were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, not the arrogance is a difference arrogance stems from insecurity.

It's a sign of a trying to cover up a lot of weakness. Boldness is confidence that only Christ could give and they were amazed to see it in these fact, look at it look read on, because they could see that they were ordinary man with no special training in in the Scriptures they had never been in a Jewish seminary. They had never been taught the finer details of philosophy date. They couldn't quote Pillai over shall I or Gamaliel.

I was in their stuff. They only knew Jesus and there was there there there was nothing the Council could say you know why. Verse 13 tells us that they notice they were men who would been with Jesus. They were Jesus people sounded just like Jesus. There doing the work Jesus did. We thought we were through with all at no going on then know what to do. They were strictly at a loss and Pete and John are saying we only live once right so far arrested so over judges don't know exactly what to do they call recess and so they've they're the call recess and they put them back behind bars in the asked among themselves. Verse 16. What what are we going to do with they ask each other what we can deny that they have performed mirrored miraculous sign and and and everybody in Jerusalem knows about. To keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to's peak anymore and that name again is no stopping momentum of excitement about Jesus disciples and walk with Christ and the spiritual revolution had been ignited. Your listening to Insight for living and were midway through a message from Bible teacher Chuck Swindoll called the integrity of righteous resistance. It's the 10th message in a 12 part teaching series titled walking with integrity in times of adversity and if you like to learn more about this ministry.

Visit us online@insightworld.org well when these moments of conflict arise when there's a public outcry against the ways of Jesus hi we know when to speak up and when to be silent when we choose boldness and when do we choose restraint. These are tough questions to answer and Chuck Swindoll believes that this kind of discernment comes from wisdom, because as the writer of Proverbs said it is the Lord who grants wisdom along these lines, we are very pleased to let you know that insight for living is making available a daily devotional book from Chuck called wisdom for the way as you walk with Jesus in 2022. This 365 day devotional will help you discover how to overcome the drag of human opinion how to exude the loving grace of Christ is contained in the letter softcover is available for purchase right now. When you ask for the devotional called wisdom for the Way by Chuck Swindoll to scholars listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go to Insight.org/offer ethics, remembering that these daily visits which are made possible through your voluntary donations to give a contribution today online, go to Insight.org/donate or listening in the United States. Call 1-800-772-8888 of righteous resistance inside for living.

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