We're gonna be in the book of
Acts again this morning. The book of Acts, chapter four. Did anyone notice the daffodils
coming up outside? Oh man, I took pictures yesterday
when I was out here and sent them to Nancy. That's a good
sign. Now I hope they don't get frozen
down to the bottom, but anyway, it's a good sign. It reminded
me, as we're going through the book of Acts here, it reminded
me, and my youngest brother still lives down in the area where
I grew up. Mr. King used to live there.
He was our neighbor, but Robert has bought it, and he's lived
there for 25 or 30 years now. And I visit with him quite often.
And he shared with me that in the book, in the month of February
alone, they've got three and a half inches of moisture with
more predicted, and he's been shoveling a lot of snow. And
that is a good sign there's going to be a lot more daffodils. I
remember the years without much moisture down there that my dad
and later myself, when we were mowing hay, we could go in a
pretty high gear. And it didn't take very long
to rake it up. It didn't take very long to let
it dry. And it didn't take very long to get it baled. And it
didn't take very long to haul it, because there just wasn't
much there. But when we did have a good year, when there was lots
of moisture, it slowed down everything. You had to cut it slower, you
had to let it dry longer, it took longer to rake, it took
longer to bale, it took longer to haul, but the barn was fuller. Now I said all that to say this,
I hope you it's been okay to choose a lower gear going through
the Book of Acts. I hope our barn gets fuller as
we go through it. I've just got so slowed down
here because there is so much in this wonderful book, this
Book of Acts. And so we're going to be this
morning, we're going to be in the book of Acts chapter four,
and I'd like to begin and read again verse 10, and we hope to
get through that wonderful verse of scripture, verse 12. There's
none other name given under heaven. All right, chapter 10, or chapter
four, verse 10, it says, be it known unto you all and to all
the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth
this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which
was set at naught of you builders, which has become the head of
the corner. Neither is there salvation in
any other for there is none other name under heaven given among
men whereby we must be saved. Now, whether or not we realize
the boldness of Peter in bringing up this subject to these people,
this council understood that because verse 13, now when they
heard the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they
were unlearned and ignorant, I have a good friend that was
pastoring down in Southern Oregon, and he had, you know, not very
many people were attending, and he had his family come in, and
the first question they asked him after the service was, where
did you go to school? And he said, the kitchen table. Oh, we can't come back here.
We need someone that's educated. Well, I have a book in my library
that was written about 200 years ago about a bunch of preachers
here in the United States, or the colonies at that time probably,
that were found fault with because they didn't have a lot of education.
They didn't have a lot of letters after their name. And the author
of that book shared with those people finding fault, we determined
we'd rather have a born-again pastor than an educated pastor. Now, if we're born again, we're
going to be educated. And we heard that this morning, how
good that was, that the Holy Spirit educates his people. And
by the Holy Spirit and by the new birth, there is a lot given
to us. And we spend the rest of our
life discovering what God gave to us. But there are some things
we just cannot go against because it has been ingrained in us,
especially about the holiness of Christ and about his person
and about his being and about his salvation. And so there's
no deviation to the right hand or to the left hand. It is this
way, and that's what we find in the scripture. It's this way.
Verse 12, we just read that. Neither is there salvation in
any other. For there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now
those Jews that they were talking to believed that they were saved
by their works. It was not by a name, it was by their works.
Well, let's finish verse 13. And when they saw the boldness
of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and
ignorant men, they marveled. How can these guys say this?
How can these guys do this? How can this happen right in
front of us? And they took knowledge of them. Now, I would just love
to have anybody confess this about any of us. That they had been with Jesus. What a difference that made.
Well, as we find there that this man was been made whole by the
person and work of Jesus Christ. And there in verse 11, it tells
us, and this is the stone. This is a stone. And one translation
says, this Jesus is the stone. And another one, he is the stone. So we look at this, we know what
that means. We understand that Peter is talking
about Jesus Christ as the stone. And he goes on to tell us there
in verse 11, this is the stone which was set at nought of you
builders. Now, we're going to look here
in just a moment. These guys were supposed to be
builders. These guys had a responsibility, but they had failed in their
responsibility so greatly. Why? Because they did not know
the gospel. That's why they failed. They
had no alternative. They couldn't go anywhere else
with it. So this is the stone which was said it not of you
builders. This particular Greek word is
used here, that is here translated builders is used four other times. That's used a number of other
times, but four other times as builders. And I'd like to take
time just to read through here because the Lord Jesus Christ
brings these verses up, three of them. And then first Peter
brings up one of them. So if you turn with me back to
the book of Matthew for just a moment, The book of Matthew
chapter 21. Matthew chapter 21, verse 42. Matthew chapter 21, verse 42,
the Lord brings this subject up. And I think we read this
before, I just want to go over it. There's a lot, it's thicker
hay, it's thicker hay. All right, Matthew chapter one,
verse 42. Jesus said unto them, did ye
never read in the scriptures? The stone which the builders
rejected, the same has become the head of the corner. This
is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. Mark chapter 12, would you turn
there with me? Mark chapter 12. Mark chapter
12 and verse 10, we read almost similar words, same occasion,
but the Lord brings the subject up again and he gives us just
a little bit more. As we look at these passages,
we see that the Lord adds a little more in each of these passages.
Verse 10 of Mark chapter 12, and have you not read in this
scripture, Jesus said in the other one, in the scriptures,
in this scripture, the stone which the builders rejected is
become the head of the corner. Peter brought that up on that
day before that council. All right, in the book of Luke
chapter 20, Luke chapter 20, as we find that this subject
again is brought up of the Lord. So if it's brought up three times
in the gospel, we have the right to preach on it several times.
All right, Luke chapter 20, verse 17. Luke chapter 20 verse 17,
and he beheld them and said, what is this then that is written? The scriptures, the scripture,
and what has been written? The stone which the builders
rejected, the same has become the head of the corner. Now that's
going to be so important as we look into the scriptures and
find out that Jesus Christ became the head of the corner. Now he
was determined to be the head of the corner before the foundation
of the world. He was determined in the covenant
of grace to be the head of the corner. Well, let's look at one
other verse of scripture in the book of 1 Peter 2. I think it's
interesting that the Holy Spirit gave this verse of scripture
to Peter here in this book, his second epistle, 1 Peter, excuse
me, his first epistle, chapter two, verse seven. Because he
has mentioned this verse of scripture almost identical on there at
just after Pentecost in Jerusalem. Now unto you therefore which
believe he is precious. Now he's going to bring that
up there. He said there's none of the name under heaven given
among men. whereby you must be saved. He
is precious. He was precious to Peter. We
heard this morning again that reading over the book of Matthew
chapter 16. Who am I? Thou art the Christ, the son
of the living God. Flesh and blood hath not revealed
this unto you. Verse seven of first Peter chapter
two, unto you therefore which believe, he is precious. You know, he's so precious you
can't talk him out. You can't just talk people out
of him. People will bring that contrary passages and contrary
scripture up or things that do not agree. I mean, they say they
don't agree with the great truths about the gospel. They very seldom. The other day, I was in a conversation
with a young preacher and all he wanted to talk about was rewards.
And he took me to a passage of scripture over in the book of
Matthew. And we started here and I got home and I said, I
made a terrible mistake. I didn't take him back two verses
because it said, this is a parable. Now when I meet with him again,
we're going to go back two verses because a parable cannot walk
on all four feet. They're symbolic. They're instructing
us about things that are spiritual and not by literal things. I
ask you, are you telling me that God's gonna have granted somebody
that's faithful with 10 talents, they're gonna be over 10 literal
cities? Oh, yes. No, no, no, not gonna happen. Not in the kingdom of God. He's
over the whole city. All right, this is the builder.
But unto them which are, be disobedient. Now that just covers everything
that that council had there that day when Peter's talking to them.
Unto them which be disobedient. Now they had a call. They were
given a position that goes clear back to the book of Deuteronomy.
They were to help in the building of the church. They were to help
Moses and Israel in the building of the church. And they failed
miserably because they did not know the gospel. And God Almighty
shows with us how terrible things, how terrible things can go awry
when people don't know the gospel. They'll fall for anything. All
right, goes on to tell us here, but unto them which be disobedient,
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made
the head of the corner. So this verse of scripture quoted
from the Old Testament a number of times in our New Testament,
there in the book of Acts chapter four, we just read about it.
And yet we find that the Lord is the head of the corner. Now,
what was it that these people should have been presenting to
the people and failed to do so? Well, they had good examples
found in the Old Testament. They were in the Old Testament
era. Christ hadn't died on the cross yet. We don't have the
beginning of what we know as the New Testament when he said
it's finished. All the sacrifices are done. All the observances
are done. All the holy days are done. Everything
is put aside because it was finished in Christ Jesus. Now, turn with
me, if you would, to the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 3,
as we begin to look at this subject of being made the head of the
corner, the head of the corner. In the book of Hebrews chapter
3, we read these words that the Holy Spirit left to us, Hebrews
chapter 3, verses 1 through 6. And he brings up Moses. Brings up Moses here, and the
law, and says, wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly
calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession,
Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, as
also Moses was faithful in all his house. Now this house is
people. He's not out there in the middle
of the desert building a home. They're living in tents. They're
on mobile. He's not building a literal house. He is a type and a shadow and
a picture of building a spiritual house. Now, he was incapable
of doing that because he is a man. But we're going to read here
in just a moment, for this man was counted worthy of more glory
than Moses. Jesus Christ, inasmuch as he
who hath built the house hath more honor than the house. For
every house is built by some man, but he that built all things
is God. And Moses verily was faithful
in all his house as a servant for a testimony to those things
which were to be spoken after. but Christ as the son over his
own house." He became the head of the corner. And we'll look
at several verses in just a moment. If we hold fast, oh, but Christ
as the son over his own house, whose house are we? The church. if we hold fast the confidence
and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. Now it's not
going to be very long here in the book of Acts in chapter five,
we're going to find some people that did not hold fast because
they didn't have anything to hold fast to. Ananias and Sapphira. an illustration of what lost
people will do. All right. So as we look at this,
now these 71 council members had an assignment given to them
by of old, by God. The same admonition was given
to them as was given to Ezekiel. Now when we go through the Old
Testament and just bring up some of the Old Testament prophets
and find out the commission that God had given to them, his commission
has never changed. His commission to his prophets,
his commission to his preachers, his commission to his church
has never been altered. Here in the book of Ezekiel chapter
37, the Valley of Dry Bones, but notice what the Lord mentions
here to Ezekiel. This is the commission that these
71 members had, but they failed because they could not, did not
have any idea what this meant. They're only basing all their
religion upon their own righteousness. Now, they were Pharisees in many
respects. They would tell us what to do,
but they failed to do it themselves. That's just the way it was. Here
in the book of Ezekiel, Ezekiel chapter 37. Now I'm gonna only
read one verse over here, and that is verse four. Ezekiel chapter
37, verse four. Again he said unto me. Now this
is the Lord speaking unto Ezekiel. He's already asked Ezekiel, can
these dead bones live? And he said to him, only you
know. But this is what he said, thus
saith the Lord God unto these bones. Oh, excuse me, verse four. Again, he said unto me, prophesy
upon these bones. What does that word prophesy
mean? Declare, preach, minister, all
of the word of God, prophesy unto these bones. Now, a lot
of people have the idea that prophesying is telling the future.
Very few times in the Old Testament do we have that application.
Once in a while, we have a prophet coming and saying, this is going
to happen. But most of the time, their responsibility was to tell
what has happened, ruined by the fall. redeemed by the Messiah
and regenerated by the Holy Spirit did not change when we get to
the New Testament. Again, he said unto me, prophesy
unto these bones and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the
word of Jehovah. That's the commission they were
given. A bunch of dry bones. This is the message that he was
to preach to those dry bones. Hear the word of Jehovah. Hear the word of the Lord. Well,
from our standpoint, that's an impossibility. From God's standpoint,
it is very possible because he does it all the time when he
saves his people from their sins. When he gives us and equates
us with the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace, he's dealing
with dead people. And so someone came along, God
commissioned someone to come along and preach the word of
the Lord. No giving to the right hand or
to the left. All right, turn with me if you
would on the same vein as we look in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah
chapter one, what was his calling? What was his commission? Chapter
one, verse two. Hear, O heavens, Isaiah chapter
one, verse two. Hear, O heavens, and give ear,
O earth, for the Lord has spoken. I have nourished and brought
up children, and they have rebelled against me. The Lord has spoken. There's no room for derivation
here, no room, not even a tenth of a degree. There is no alteration
of this. The ox knoweth his owner, and
his ass his master's crib, but Israel doth not know, my people
doth not consider. Ah, sinful nation, a people laden
with iniquity. Do you think for a moment that
the prophet Isaiah was making points with the children of Israel
when he brought this message to them? It's just like hearing
that we died in Adam and there's not one good thing that we could
possibly do that would ever cause us to be made better with God. And we say, let me tell you,
just a moment, I've taught Bible school four times. That's just
one of the things that people bring up. All of the service
that they've gone through. Well, service has nothing to
do with our position before God. We are His workmanship in Christ
Jesus after we're born again. All right, goes on to say, all
sinful nation of people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers. Children that are corruptors,
they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One
of Israel unto anger, they have gone away backward. Why should
ye be stricken anymore? Ye will revolt more and more,
the whole head is sick, the whole heart faint from the sole of
the foot, even into the head. There is no soundness in it,
but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores. They have not been closed
up, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. What
a commission Isaiah was given to declare to Israel, to God's
people, if you please. It takes, God had to give him
the gumption to bring that up. And you know, He is brought up
in chapter six, how long am I supposed to do this? And he said, until
the city's begun. This message does not change.
The prophets of the Old Testament were not given the responsibility
of predicting the future most of the time. Their primary role
was to declare the holiness of God, declare the covenant of
God, who had been an everlasting covenant, an everlasting obligation
to denounce injustice, idolatry, and empty, ritualism, and to
call God's covenant people to repentance and faith. That was
their commission. In 1 Kings 18, there's a question
that this prophet Elijah brings up. I read this last week and
I just stood in awe. The book of 1 Kings, if you turn
there with me, 1 Kings, this is the commission, 1 Kings 18. Peter said, the stone, you have
rejected the stone. You builders have rejected the
stone. What terrible builders they were. I remember I had some kids in
wood shopping, you know, they were just tickled to death to
get a D or C their passing. They're passing. That's all I
need to do. I had an electrician come in
and he needed some people to go into that line of work, apprentices. So I shared with him their attitude
towards their grades. He just brought up, he said,
how many of you would be happy with 60 percent of your house
correct when it was built? How many of you would be happy
with 60% of your plumbing working? How many would be happy with
60% of your electricity working? And you know those kids that
were getting their 60%, their D, and happy with it, they begin
to look at each other, I wouldn't buy that house, I wouldn't buy
that house. Well, why are you satisfied with that then? Here
we have a whole loft of people that are satisfied with nothing. because they don't know anything
else. That whole group. Now, notice with me here in 1
Kings 18, I cannot explain all that was going on here, even
as I read it, all that was going on here, that this would even
be a necessary demonstration, because there's going to be a
demonstration between the prophets of Baal. It's not a contest.
A contest usually has opponents. There's no opponent to the gospel. It's just the gospel. I remember hearing Brother Henry
say one time, one of his preacher friends says, Brother Henry,
they're building a false church right next door to mine. Brother
Henry says, you're not even in competition. There's no competition with the
gospel. All right. Then Elisha said unto the people,
he's met here, he's got this whole group of Israelites. And he says, I, even I, I want
to back up to verse 21, excuse me. And Elijah came unto all
the people and said, how long, how long, halt you, how long
are you going to deny it? halts you between two opinions.
If God be God, follow him. If Baal, then follow him. Now
read that last sentence. And the people answered him,
not a word. You know, that struck me. Well, I'm sure someone says,
what's he talking about? Instead, someone said, why is
he talking like that to us? And what are we doing here anyway?
But he was faithful to declare unto them the Lord God of heaven. And the demonstration that came
as a result of that was dramatic. The sacrifice that Elijah presented
was consumed completely. and all of the nonsense that
that religion went through couldn't get even a spark going because
there's no life in it. What was it that this 71 group of people that were having Peter
and John in front of them, what was their responsibility? And they failed miserably on
it. Their purpose as the Sanhedrin
court was to build the church of God. And yet they didn't have
any mortar. They didn't have any brick. All
they had was daubed mud and it wouldn't hold up. To build a
church of God. Now, we find with regard to the
Lord Jesus, Now, before I get to that point,
turn with me to the book of Matthew, the book of Matthew 23. This
is brought up to this group of people, the religious people
in the days the Lord walked this earth in his public ministry
in the book of Matthew chapter 23 and verse 31. What did the people in the Old
Testament, Israel, due to those who were called of God to be
prophets. What was their reaction? Oh, thank you, Lord, for bringing
this message unto me. The Lord said himself, wherefore
ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them
which killed the prophets. You didn't agree with them. You
didn't want them around. You didn't want them talking to you.
You know, these people that Peter and John are meeting with, if
they could have that day, they would have had that happen also.
But they feared the people because here's a man that's been healed.
Well, turn with me one other place here in the book of Luke
chapter 13. Luke chapter 13, verse 34. What happened in the
Old Testament of all of these, and it has not changed at all
by this Sanhedrin court of 71 people. Jesus said here, oh,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem. which killeth the prophets. Luke
chapter 13, verse 34. Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which
killeth the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee. How often would I have gathered
you, thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under
her wings, and ye would not. Well, I'm so thankful that we
find in the Bible, the very thought of God in a day of his power,
he makes us willing. They would not, they would not,
they would not. But to God's people, he makes
them willing in the day of his power. Now, just a couple of
verses before we go to our coming to the table of the Lord. Peter
brings a charge against them. This Jesus is the stone which
was set of not of you builders. Yet the God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, that he brings up to them, the God of heaven, the
only true God, has made Jesus the head. I'm just gonna read
one verse, Ephesians chapter one. And we'll pick this up,
Lord willing, next time. Ephesians chapter one. In Ephesians
chapter one, we find these wonderful verses of scripture about what
God did with his son. You would not. You couldn't. Your responsibility, you denied
him. You builders denied him. But here in the book of Ephesians
chapter one and verse 22, this is what God does. And have put
all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all
things to the church. He is the head of the church.
He has become the head of the corner. He's become the foundation,
the walls, and the building roof system of the church. He has
covered them completely in every direction. He has become the
head of the corner. You builders denied him, but
God hath made him the head of the corner. And we find that
the scriptures are so filled with this very subject of how
God promoted him to that position, how God put him as head. And
it wasn't left up to that Sanhedrin court because they would have
never done that. But under his people, they recognize him as
the head, the head of the church, the head of the body. He's the
head of the body. We are complete in him, which
is the head. We have nothing to work for.
We have been given everything by His grace. We'll stop there
this morning and we'll pick this up, Lord willing, next time.