If you haven't, please turn to Acts chapter 4, and we'll be looking at these verses 1 through 20. And our text begins today by telling us that the Sadducees were greatly annoyed. The King James Version actually says they were grieved, or the NIV says greatly disturbed. Now, I don't know about some of you mothers here, maybe you have little kids and sometimes they're like, mommy, mommy, mommy, right? And you might get a little annoyed, but you're never greatly annoyed with your child, are you? Well, I don't know, I don't know your child. These Sadducees were greatly annoyed, they were greatly disturbed, they were grieved. But what is actually going on? And we need to think back to the earlier scripture reading we heard from chapter three of Acts, where Peter had healed a man who had been lame from birth. And this man was walking, he was leaping, and he was praising God. But the religious leaders, the Sadducees, are annoyed. A crippled man who was more than 40 years old, lame from birth, who had been brought to the exact same spot every day to beg, had been healed. And he was a well-known man. Those going to worship would have seen him repeatedly. They may have helped him by even giving him a little bit of money. This wasn't a man that Peter and John just brought to this town and then all of a sudden healed him. He was a known commodity. Now, I have a grandson, and he loves the Premier League soccer, right? I can't even stand to watch it anymore because you guys fall down on the ground, they're writhing in pain, and next thing you know, they're up and they sprint the entire distance of the field. I think they're faking it. This man was not faking it. He had been at this gate for over 40 years. This was a man crippled for over 40 years who the people knew from birth, now leaping. All in attendance know that this was a miracle. And from chapter three that we just heard in our reading, in our hearing, it tells us the people were filled with wonder and amazement. Well, doesn't it seem odd to you that the Sadducees were annoyed, that they were greatly disturbed? I mean, why weren't they rejoicing? They too knew Him. They too saw Him leaping and praising God. Well, you already know the answer, and it's there in our text today, chapter four and verse two, It says because they were teaching and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. It wasn't about the healing. It wasn't about this man who had just been healed that they were so annoyed. But wait a second. Don't they care about, why do they care? Why do the Sadducees care about proclaiming Jesus? I mean, these were the men who were just influential in his death a few months before. These were the religious leaders that led their people then, why can't they lead their people now? What are these religious leaders so worried about? Well, it could be that Jesus threatened their erroneous beliefs that denied the immortality of the soul and bodily resurrection after death. Do you know what Jesus called them? He called them a wicked and adulterous generation. Or perhaps they were afraid that if this movement gained traction, they would lose their cozy relationship with Rome, losing their power. I mean, 5,000 men had just been saved. Or was it wealth? You know, wealth for these religious leaders was really their God. And they made a lot of money from the temple services. But I do wonder this morning, Is there someone here, and maybe this actually describes you. You don't care about Jesus. And you live your life kind of as a, you just don't care attitude, because there's no life after death. And this world's gain is really all you have, or money is what you seek, that's all you're looking for. Well, that described the Sadducees. That was really their life. But what was the real reason? Why were they really annoyed? Why were they worried? You know what the real reason is? Jesus Christ is risen. That's the real reason. He is not dead. He's ascended into heaven. He is ruling and reigning in heaven at the right hand of the Father. And this undermined their theology and their teaching, and it undermined their status and their wealth. But Christian, aren't you glad that Sadducees were wrong? He is risen. He lives, Jesus Christ lives. And 1 Corinthians 15, 14 says that if Christ had not been raised, then our very preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. The resurrection is critical. Now we may have a relative or perhaps a close friend who dies, and it may be weeks, it could be weeks, depending on how close you were to that individual, maybe months, sometimes years before memory fades. But typically, right, memory will start to fade about that individual, but not so with Jesus. In fact, there's actually more excitement about him after his death. Again, 5,000 men were just saved. Jesus is working. Jesus is changing lives. Jesus is saving sinners. And the Sadducees didn't like it. They had to do something, and we see it there in verse three. They had to do something. They put Peter and John in prison. They put them in custody. They were at a loss as to what to do. You know, it's no wonder when men and women fight against the truth of God's word that they are at a loss as to what to do. Well, there was opposition that Peter and John obviously had, and it's with that background, knowing the Sadducees are so annoyed that I'd like to look at this text today with you, and basically through these three points. Number one, a bold dependence, a bold message, and a bold obedience. There was a bold dependence that these men had. It says the next day, they just came out of prison. The next day, the rulers, the elders, the scribes, the Sadducees, all these religious leaders, and in verse seven, it says, here comes this question, by what power or by what name do you do this? Now, I want to read again verses 8 to 10 because I think it's so critical to what we're talking about here. In verse 8 of chapter 4, it says, 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. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? This must be a different Peter, right? This is not the same one who said when that servant girl asked him to the simple question, do you know Jesus? And he says, woman, I don't know him. And then he was asked again and he goes, man, I do not know. one of them, or, man, I do not know what you're talking about. Now look, Peter's a pretty popular name, right? So maybe it was a different Peter. Well, it wasn't. It is the same Peter. And he stood up to these rulers. You might expect him to say, well, you know, I don't know this lame man you're talking about, the guy that was just healed. Hey, hey, I don't know him. I don't know what you're talking about. But Peter had a bold dependence on the Holy Spirit. And look at verse eight there, this is really the key. It says, then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit. This was the indwelling Holy Spirit that Jesus had promised, that was foretold by the prophet Joel, when God declares, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. If you drop down all the way to verse 31 of chapter four, it's not part of our text right now, it will be this afternoon. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. And Jesus promised it in Acts chapter one, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. Now, the coming of the Holy Spirit was not a reward for the disciples' hard work and effort, that's not what it was. God gave it, he promised it, and that's why Peter had such a bold dependence on it. All believers have the Spirit, and if we don't, we're not believers. When we are converted, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. And in that hour of need, the Spirit enables us to hold up under opposition, to persevere under trial, to have boldness to witness to the lost. I was witnessing to a friend of mine, I had been witnessing him for a couple years probably, and I took him out to Panera one day, we had lunch, and we were just talking about these things. He said, you know Phil, if I had the knowledge of the scriptures, if I had been raised in a Christian home, then I would be a Christian. And I feel like You've got to understand, I've been witnessing this guy for a couple of years. I was getting frustrated, I have to admit. I put my hand down on the table and I said, do you know what your problem is? You need to get right with God. Now, I had prayed before that, in my mind, I prayed, Lord, give me the right words to say. I didn't know what to say to this man anymore. And I said, you need to get right with God. God saved him. And I didn't even know this, but in the waters of baptism, his testimony, he said, there was a friend of mine who said to me, I need to get right with God. And God used that to work in his heart. Now look, I say that, but I know many of you have experienced it. I'm talking about this bold dependence on the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts and to direct your speech. He fills us in our time of need. You see, Peter didn't call his life coach, did he? He didn't read some self-esteem book. No, the difference was his bold dependence on the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5, 18 exhorts us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, which implies an ongoing and continual filling. of the Spirit. And we need to pray that God would fill us with His Spirit in that hour of need. But not only was there this bold dependence, it's a bold message. And we see this in this, what I'm calling the two-part question there in verse seven, by what power? Well, we already have the answer to that. It's the Holy Spirit. That's the answer to by what power. But then it says by what name? And Peter answers the name question there in verse 10 when he says, let it be known to all people of Israel that by what? The name of Jesus Christ, this man is standing before you. Well, there is so much more going on here than just the healing of a crippled man. So Peter comes to this bold message in verse 12 when he says, and there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name. He's answering the name question for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. I don't know if any of you fly. I don't like to fly anymore. It's just a real hassle. But sometimes when you fly, you've got to use connecting flights. So if I fly and I have to connect, I go in. I'm old, so I look at the monitors. You guys are all looking at the apps on your phone. But I'm looking at the monitors. What's the connecting flight? Has it been canceled? Has it been delayed? I've got to make sure I get there. You wouldn't go into an airport and just say, I'm going to get on any plane I want to, right, to get me to my destination. If that's what you said, we'd say, well, that's just foolishness. That's absurd. If you think any plane is going to get you to your destination. But many people believe that to be true when it comes to spending eternity with God in heaven, that all religions lead to God, to eternal life. And some people say, why are you so restricted? Why don't you just loosen up? Why is this a bold message? It's a bold message because it's an exclusive message. No other name except the name of Jesus. No other way of salvation except faith alone in Christ alone. Sounds arrogant, doesn't it? It seems unloving. But this is the most loving statement to all mankind in a fallen world because it's the truth. And a dying world needs the truth, not false promises. It's not enough to say Jesus saves, but we must declare that he's the only one who saves. And it is a bold message. And I know you're thinking it already because Jesus said it to doubting Thomas. He said, I am the way. and the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except what? Through any way you choose? No, except through me. And the problem all mankind has is we were born with an anti-God allergy. We don't want anything to do with God. I'll do it my way. You know what that's called? It's sin. Children's catechism asks the question, what is sin? The answer is any one of conformity unto or what transgression of the law of God. It's not like being allergic to peanuts and somehow you jab yourself with an EpiPen to cure you. No, this is an allergy that can only be cured by calling on the one name given under heaven by which we must be saved and that name is Jesus Christ. It's a bold message, but it's a message that will save you from hell and its utter destruction. Don't leave this building this morning if you're an unbeliever without trusting in that name, Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins. Well, it's a bold message, but it's also bold obedience that we see in this text. And now it's kind of like the Sanhedrin and it's all the Sadducees, the rulers, I guess we could call it the Sanhedrin, they're at a loss. And look at verse 15, I think it's got, they conferred together. I just wonder what that might look like. All these religious leaders getting together in a room, they're gonna talk it out. What are we gonna do? We don't know what to do with these guys. I wonder what that dialogue was like. I just wonder about that. So they cook up this plan and they lay it out to them in all their great wisdom. And there it is in verse 18, here it comes, don't speak about Jesus. That was what it was. They got together, conferred, and that's where they landed. In verse 19, Peter and John. Notice it's Peter and John. They were unified. It may have only been one responding, but they were unified in their response. Peter and John unified in their response. In verse 20 said, No, we can't do it. Threaten us all you want, it doesn't matter. And their response was immediate. And remember, they were filled with the Holy Spirit. And when it comes to defending the gospel, our response should be quick and decisive. And this was bold obedience to Jesus who said, go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And they were being obedient. Do you know we sing that hymn sometimes, trust and obey? I'd like to flip it around. I'd like to turn it upside down and say obey and trust. Obey and trust because you know that you must to be happy in Jesus. Because I believe we ought to obey God and trust Him for the results. Let's be obedient to God and trust Him for what those results may be. Okay, some might be objecting, some might be saying, wait a second, what about submitting to civil authorities? I mean, we're so good, aren't we? We're so good about quoting Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, and the scripture is clear on this, but our obedience to civil authorities must never go beyond our obligation to obey God's command, to obey God's word. It's not always easy, is it? It's not always black and white. All I have to say is COVID, that's all I have to say. I mean, at our church, people had, can you imagine this? They had different opinions on how we should deal with COVID. Imagine that. I know it never happened here at this church. You know, the elders even had different ideas as to how we should handle it, and churches in our community definitely had different ideas. But when we're told, don't preach the saving power of Jesus Christ to a dying world, the answer is crystal clear, we cannot but speak. I wonder, what if Peter had caved? I just wonder, what if he had caved? What if he didn't take a stand? Okay, Sadducees, let me get this straight. This sound reasonable to us. Look, you won't put us in jail. You won't threaten us. You won't kill us. Hey, that sounds like a plan. All we have to do is just not talk about Jesus. I do wonder what effect that would have had on the early church. Now, Jesus is building his church, don't misunderstand me, but I do wonder what effect that would have had. Peter and John had a bold obedience in the midst of opposition. And remember, they were speaking to the leaders that put Jesus on the cross and arrested them and put them in prison. And there may be a time coming faster than you think, when you will need to boldly depend on the Holy Spirit as you boldly proclaim the message of Jesus Christ in bold obedience to Him. And it starts now, Christian. This really isn't our way to proclaim this message. I mean, if we shrink back from this when there's little threat that exists, what's gonna happen when the threat is great? I've heard some people say, well, I'm just praying for opportunities. They're all around us. We ought to be praying for boldness. That's what we should be praying for. Ephesians 5, 16 says, make the most of every opportunity. Those opportunities are there. Let's pray for boldness to speak for Jesus Christ. Well, a bold dependence on the Holy Spirit, a bold message, a bold obedience. What should we do? What can we do? I'm sure many of you are familiar with Rosaria Butterfield, a tenured professor at Syracuse University at age 37, owned two homes with her lesbian partner. She published an article in a local newspaper about gender politics. On her desk she had two boxes, hate mail, fan mail. And one particular pastor wrote to her and she didn't know what box to put it in. That thing sat on her desk, I think it fell in the trash maybe, I don't know, and she had to pull it back out. And the pastor wrote to her, and in kindness asking her to explore how she arrived at her interpretations. He asked her, How do you know you're right? Do you believe in God? And then through kindness and hospitality and sharing God's word through these efforts, God saved her. Look, we're not all Peter and John. We're not all called to take up a megaphone and preach on the street corner. We have different gifts, we have different energies, we're at different stages of our life. We have different personalities, but if we belong to Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit in us and we should be proclaiming his name, the saving name. Is it a card? Is it a note? Is it a text to someone? Is it an invitation for dinner? Do you know one thing? When Rosaria went to dinner the first time at that pastor's house, do you know what she was struck by? His prayer. His prayer at the meal. Can you imagine that? Invite someone over to your home, and maybe the prayer that you pray will have an influence on that person. Maybe it's a Bible study. Maybe it's an invitation to church. You know, I wanna speak to moms here a little bit this morning. If you're raising young children, I just wanna encourage you in the work that you're doing. I mean, to be able to talk to your young children about God, to point them to Jesus Christ, what a high calling. And dads, look, man, you gotta be the leaders. You gotta be the spiritual leaders in your home. Don't give up on that. Do you realize the impact that you have on your children? And look, grandparents, I mean, what influence are you having on your grandchildren? I don't know why, why is it our grandchildren love us? It's really crazy. We were out in Kentucky. We have a daughter, son-in-law, two grandkids live out there. Maybe it's because we were beside the fire doing s'mores in Hadassah. She's two years old. She says, Papa, can I have a marshmallow? I'm like, here, sweetheart, take the whole bag. I don't know, maybe that's why they love us. Grandparents, you have a great task before you as well. What are you doing? Are you talking to your grandchildren about Jesus Christ? I'm not here to bind your conscience this morning. If you're not witnessing that people are gonna go to hell, that's not what we believe. We believe that God is sovereign in these things. He is the one that saves. What is impossible with man is possible with God. Jesus alone saves, but we should do it out of love. If we have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, then he sacrificed for us out of love for him. we should proclaim the saving power of his name. I kind of skipped over this, but when they saw the power of Peter and John, this is actually verse 13, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. You don't need a seminary degree to witness for Jesus Christ. And these men knew it. My father lived to the age of 98, godly man. He was actually saved when he was nine years old and baptized at that age. He was 95 years old at this point in his life, living in a nursing home. And if you went to visit my dad, he would say, I don't care who you were, if any one of you, he's with the Lord now, but if any one of you ever wanted to visit him, he'd say, hey, have you heard my story? What's your story? He said, well, when I was nine years old, I was baptized in this creek, because I trusted in Jesus Christ for the salvation of my sins. And as it came up out of the water, they were singing this song. Happy am I, Jesus loves me. He took my sins and he made me free. Now I'm singing all day long, so happy am I. And every nurse, and every doctor, and every person that visited that nursing home knew my dad's story. So at 95 years old, we had this birthday party for him over at the nursing home. And there's probably 40 people in the wing that he lived in that come to this dining hall. They're all in there. And they know it's my dad's birthday. And I was there with my brother, sister, and wives. And my dad stands up. And he says to everyone in the room, have you heard my story? I'm like, I wanted to crawl under the table. It was bad, it's not good. Here's my dad. And he told them again about what Jesus Christ had done for him. And he sang the song, Happy Am I. He could not but speak. Well, ask the Lord to fill you with the Holy Spirit so that you cannot but speak about his saving name. Let's do that. Let's pray together. Father, when we come to a text like this, oftentimes we think about how how weak we are, how we have sinned in this area. Think about our lethargy. Think about times when we should have spoken and we didn't. We pray this morning, Lord, that this will help us all to remember to depend on the Holy Spirit to speak this bold message and bold obedience to you. We ask that you would help us for your honor and glory and for the salvation of sinners. We pray this in Christ's name.