Get my subject out of there in
verse, my title out of verse 19, whether it be right, whether
it be right, whether it be right. Now these two apostles, John
and James, or John and Simon Peter were arrested. They were
arrested for teaching the people, for preaching to the saints,
to preaching to the Lord's people. And that really what upset them
was that they was preaching the resurrection of the dead by the
Lord Jesus Christ, by Jesus and Nazareth. And Peter, filled with
the Holy Ghost, preached the gospel in answer to their question,
which was verse seven. This is what they asked him after
they arrested him, set him in their midst. There was probably
over 70 people in this group of people gathered around. And
when they had set them in the midst, they asked him, by what
power or by what name have you done this? Well, Peter with the
Holy Ghost, he preached the gospel to them in answer to their question. And that's what they wanted to
know, what name, what authority, where'd you get this power? Where'd
you get the authority? How did you do this? This happened
here. Well, the first thing he told
him was, I'll tell you where the authority comes, I'll tell
you where the power's at, and I'll tell you whose name it is.
And that's what he says, that the Lord Jesus Christ, be it
known unto you, and he says, and oh my, he's the one, he's
the one who's authority. He's the one armed with authority. And so Peter preached the gospel
to him. And he said that there's no other
name. This man stands here before you because of this name, this
man who's raised from the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ. So these
authorities here, all these people who thought they had the authority
and had these men arrested, look what they realized when they
got to they had arrested them. Now when they saw the boldness,
of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and
ignorant men, they marveled, and they took knowledge of them
that they had been with Jesus. They realized this is the first
thing they perceived. They said, these fellows are
bold. They're not scared of us. They're
not intimidated by us. They're not afraid of us. Oh,
their boldness, and then it says they had such freedom of speech.
That's what we pray for when a man's going to preach. Lord, quicken his speech, quicken
his tongue, bless him to preach the gospel. And I tell you what,
and look what it says there, the next thing, it said, not
only do they see their boldness, these fellas not intimidated,
they're not afraid. And they perceived something.
They understood something. They said they looked at these
fellas and they perceived something that they had never perceived
before. Here's the first thing they perceived, that they were
unlearned. These fellas ain't got no education. These fellas
ain't got no education. What in the world are they doing
here? They got no education, then look what else is said about
them. And they were ignorant. Not only unlearned, but they
were also ignorant. Ignorant men. And what that means
is in the margin, and I looked it up, it said a person without
any professional knowledge, unskilled, unlearned. That's what these
fellows was. And let me show you what they
said about our Master. You keep this and look in John
7, 14. Look in John 7, verse 14. Look what it said about our
Master. You know, And really what they're
saying was that these fellas were idiots. They're ignorant
men, unlearned men. They didn't attend any of our
schools. But look what they said here about our master. In John
7, 14. Now about the midst of the feast,
Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled,
saying, how knoweth this man letters? Where did he learn this? Having never learned. That's
what they're saying over here. These fellows are unlearned.
That's what they're saying about Christ. Where did He learn? How
did He learn this? Sin that He's unlearned. Sin
that He's unlearned. And let me ask you this. Back
over here in Acts. Who is the really unlearned people
in this situation? Who really is the ignorant in
this situation? I'll tell you some things. They
were ignorant of Christ. They were ignorant of the Scriptures.
They were ignorant of the truth. They hadn't been taught of God. They'd been taught in some school,
but they hadn't been taught of God. So who is the unlearned
here? Who is the ignorant here? Who
is the people? And I mean, who's really the
unlearned? The Scriptures tells us plainly that they all shall
be taught of God. Who is? God's people, God's elect. And these fellas here, they were
the ones that's ignorant. They were the ones unlearned.
They was the one who didn't care anything at all about the Scriptures
and what the Scriptures taught. And that's why the Scripture
said, our Lord said, these things are hidden from the wise and
prudent. But I've revealed them, who to
who? To babes, to babes. People ain't got no, people that's
unlearned. And then look what else it says
here in verse, Verse 13, Acts 4. Now they saw the boldness
in John and perceived that they were unlearned as ignorant men.
And look what else it said, they marveled. They marveled. How could these men that's so
ignorant and unlearned, how in the world possibly? They marveled
that these fellows was this way. And then they started thinking,
said, I'll tell you what's different about these fellas. I'll tell
you why they're so bold. They took knowledge that they
had been with Jesus. They were saying what they were
doing was they were saying what Christ had taught them. They
was preaching the same doctrine as the Lord Jesus Christ. You
know what school these men had been in? James and John, they'd
been in the school of Christ for three years. That's the best
place you can get an education anywhere is in the school of
Christ. You sit before Christ and learn of Him, and I'll tell
you what, you'll get an education. Said this years and years ago.
I said if you want a good strong education Something that up this
best for your intellect is is the scriptures you start with
creation you start with God who in the world can comprehend God
any intellectual can comprehend God That's not a genius on the
face of the earth it can comprehend God and then you comprehend God
being made a man and Two natures in one person. One of them God
and one of them man. How can that be? And then you start talking about
creation. Where did all this stuff on the earth come from?
Where did the materials in this building come from? God Almighty,
who can figure this out? No wonder they said there's ignorant,
unlearned men. Because they did not know Christ,
they did not know God. The best thing for your intellect,
you start thinking about God and your mind will just go, oh,
he's too big, he's too great, he's too glorious. What can I
do? Bow down and worship. Bow down
and worship. Oh my. And then it says what
it says there. No, I tell you, you know the
best education you can have. I mean, I'm an ignorant unlearned
man. I tell you all, I've told you this before, I believe. I
quit school in the ninth grade. I quit school in the ninth grade.
Lord had mercy on me and taught me how to learn. And I would
rather, He enabled me just to read just so I could read the
Bible. I learned how to read so I could
read the Bible. But I couldn't understand it without the new
birth, without Christ teaching me. And then look what it says
there in verse 14. And they looked over there and
they beheld, they looked standing there with Peter and John, and
they also seen this, the man, they said, they looked and said,
look at this fella, he's here with them. And behold, the man
which was healed standing with them, and they said, well, there
he stands. Ain't a thing in the world we
can say about that. I mean, it's real, it's just a thing that's
happened. He was standing with them. And
down in verse 22, look what it says down here in verse 22. For
the man was above 40 years old on whom this miracle of healing
was shown. Now back over in Acts 3, when
they was going to the temple, this man had been born lame from
his mother's womb. He had been carried about all
of his life And they laid him at that temple every day so he
could beg. And then all of a sudden somebody
walks up and he had not taken a step, he had not walked, not
one day in his life had to be carried. And they spoke in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ and Christ and his power to show
the signs and wonders and power he had. That man got up and walked.
And there's the evidence of it standing right there before him. And then look at their response.
Look at their response. It says there in verse 15, but
when they had commanded them, see, they still think they're
in control. They commanded them. They commanded
them. They had a problem. They had
a real problem. They commanded them to go aside.
And look what it says, and they conferred, get away from it,
they conferred. You know what that word conferred
means? There's over a debate in how we gonna deal with this
situation. Well, how do we do it? All these fellows got around
and got in a big huddle and they was having a meeting trying to
decide what in the world can we do with these men? What can
we do? They debated among themselves,
conferred among themselves. And they said, what shall we
do? Ain't that what they said? What shall we do to these men?
For that indeed, listen to this, a notable miracle hath been done
by them as manifest to everybody in Jerusalem. Everybody knows
it. We can't deny it. And let me
tell you something, they had the same, same identical problem
with the Lord Jesus Christ. Look in John 11, same problem. They had the same issue with
Christ. Look over here in John 11. And look in verse 46. Oh, this is after he'd raised
Lazarus from the dead. So they had a real problem. This
is the same problem they had with Christ. What are we gonna
do? He does a miracle. But some of
them went their ways to the Pharisees and told them what things Jesus
had done when he had raised Lazarus from the dead. Then gathered
the chief priests and the Pharisees And the counselor said, what
do we for this man doth many miracles? Oh, I have trouble
with that really, Bob. And if we just let him alone,
all will believe on him and the Romans will come and take away
both our place and our nation. If we let this fella go on, said,
man, we're gonna be in a mess. Look what they said down in verse
57. Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a
commandment that if any man knew where he were, should show it
that they might take him. They didn't like him doing these
miracles. They didn't like him doing that,
and that's what they had the same problem with the Lord. Well,
what's their solution gonna be? Well, they had a problem, and
they got a real, now, they got a problem. This is what the solution's
gonna be. He said, I'll tell you what,
this is the decision they came to after they conferred and debated
about. Here's what they said before
they even come and spoke to the men. But that is spread no further
among the people. Let us straightly threaten them
that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they
called them and commanded them, that's twice now they've commanded
these fellows, not to speak at all or teach in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. But it says there in verse 17,
but that it, what it are they talking about? What it are they
talking about? That is spreading no further.
What is it? What is it they don't want to spread among the people?
Is it the knowledge of the miracle? No, no, no. They can't deny that. You know what it is? It's the
teaching and the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's the
teaching and preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. That everything
goes on in this world is by His authority. These fellows are
standing up there by His authority. They had told them that there's
no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be
saved. God, you said him it's nothing.
You said he's nobody, he's nothing. Well, God took him and made him
the head of the corner. Huh? And oh, listen, you still,
and that's what they done. They looked him square in the
face, and you still got to face this Jesus of Nazareth. You still
got to face the one that you crucified. You got to face the
one you hated. You got to face the one you despised. You got to face the one you rejected. And I'll tell you something else.
He rose from the dead, and right now he sits in God's right hand.
You're going to have to deal with him. And all those fellas
didn't like that. Now they gotta face this Jesus
of Nazareth. And where they gonna face him
at? Through his people. Through his people. Oh my. I tell you. You know how many people would
get angry? You know, all over town right
now. Let me say this. Every, every,
all over town. These manger scenes and all that stuff. And they
build a great big one up here and they gonna have live, they
gonna have people doing it. But let me tell you something.
The only birthday that was ever celebrated in the scriptures,
you know who it was? It was Herod. You know what happened? John
the Baptist had his head cut off. And I tell you what, if
you get up in the average place, you go in one of these places
where they're doing all this rigamarole and talking about
Jesus. They call it the Advent season. Now I don't know what
that means, but I do know this. I do know this, you go into every
church and you preach what these fellas right here preach, and
look them square in the eye and say, this is who you gotta face,
this is who you gotta deal with. And it won't be long, but you
only get to preach there one time. And they may physically
take you out. That's what they've done with
this thing. And what is going on here is an issue over authority. They commanded them twice, commanded
them, commanded God's service, commanded them. Now you fellas
got to do what we tell you. Huh? And what did they threaten
them to do? Not ever. Listen to this. Threatened
them in verse 17 that they speak henceforth to no man in what
name? The name that they just said
said there's no other name. There's no other person. There's
no other name. This man stands here before you
by this man's name, by Christ's name, by the Lord Jesus' name.
Oh my. I'm not here, I don't want you
to speak it. I don't want you to teach nobody about it either.
Huh? Oh my. Don't you dare. Can you imagine being told that
you couldn't preach or teach in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ? Could you imagine that being happened? And oh my, and
it was an issue. Don't you even teach in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ? And then look what they said.
And they called him after they decided to make that, and they
called him and commanded them, told them, commanded them, don't
you teach or speak, don't even speak the name of Jesus Christ. Don't speak it, don't teach it. That's pretty bold, ain't it?
Well, how in the world you reckon these men gonna react? Now, this is what the Lord Jesus
Christ meant, said, when the Holy Ghost comes upon you, then
you'll have power to witness of me, to witness of me. Well,
this is what's happened. That's why Peter was filled with
the Holy Ghost. Look at Peter and John's reaction.
These men had just spent the night in jail. They spent the
night in jail. They were under arrest. And there
were all these great and powerful people that had them arrested.
And these great and powerful people, that man, Heaton and
everybody else was against them. But look what Peter said. But
Peter and John answered him. You tell us not to speak no more
in His name? Tell us not to speak His name,
teach in His name, do anything in His name? But Peter said it
this way, whether it be right, and listen to this, in the sight
of God. That's where everything happens, in the sight of God.
What we're doing right now is in the sight of God. What everybody
in this world is doing right now is in the sight of God. God sees everything, God knows
everything, and look what he says there. He said, that's what,
whether it be right in the sight of God. That's where everything's
done. Todd was telling me today, he gonna preach out of Hebrews
chapter four, verse 12 and 13. And it says, the word of God
is quick, it's living, sharper than any two-edged sword. And
what it does, it pierces asunder, it divides between the soul and
the spirit. It divides, it divides between,
your flesh and the Spirit. And I tell you, everything's
open and naked before Him with whom we have to do. And that's
what the Word of God does. It exposes men. It's just like
laying them open. And then look what He says. Now,
whether it be right in the sight of God. Now listen, He asked
them this question. To listen to you, to hearken
unto you, and do what you tell us to do. Then under God, he said, I'll
tell you what, you fellas judge. What would you do? That's what
they're saying. What would you do? We're gonna speak in the
sight of God, we're gonna listen to you. We're gonna hear what
God said, and we're gonna do it in the sight of God, and we're
gonna listen to you. You judge. You judge, you be the judge. We're gonna listen to you and
we're gonna listen to God, you know? And then look what they
said. Oh, you judge, huh? He said in verse 20, we cannot
bespeak the things which we've seen and heard. There's nothing
else we can do. And we have to speak what we've
seen, we have to speak what we've heard. What have they seen? They've
seen the Lord Jesus Christ. Keep Acts 4 and look over with
me in 2 Peter chapter 1. Let me show you something over
here. You know, they was with the Lord
Jesus Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration when Christ,
when His manifestation as God Almighty, the way we'll see when
we get to glory and the way He'll come back in all of His glory,
He was glistening white, bright as the sun. They've seen Christ,
they've seen his miracle, they saw his transfiguration. Now
look what he said here in 2 Peter 1 in verse 15. Moreover, I will endeavor that
you may be able after my decease, after I'm dead and gone, to have
these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly
devised fables. We've made known unto you the
power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, by our witnesses
of his majesty. Now he's talking about the transfiguration. For he received from God the
Father, honoring glory, when there came from such a voice
to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son, in whom
I'm well pleased. And this voice which came from
heaven, we heard it when we were with him in the Holy Land. He
said, I was right there. I was right there with Moses
and Elijah. And I was right there when I saw Christ transfigured.
I was right there. I heard the voice of God speak
from heaven about His Son. Not only they saw His transfiguration,
saw His miracles, walked with Him, but they saw His dead body.
They saw Him dead on the cross. They saw Him crucified. And then
after he was dead, they saw him three days later when he was
raised from the dead and he appeared to them. Huh? Peter and John, you know, they
went to the tomb. And then Christ appeared to them
and said, here I am. And then they saw His ascension.
They was all standing there when our Lord went up and they said,
then those two angels said, why you look gazing up this same
Jesus who you see ascending, He gonna come back? They saw
Him dead. They saw Him raised. They saw
Him ascend. And they said, all we can do
is tell you what we've seen. And then they said, now we're
gonna tell you not only what we've seen, but we're gonna tell
you what we heard. What did they hear? The Lord Jesus Christ teaching
them, instructing them, preaching to them. And then they was on
the road to Emmaus, and then when he appeared unto them in
the room, and he opened the scriptures to their understanding. Christ
teaching them, opening the scriptures. When he told them, feed my sheep,
And I'll tell you, he opened the scriptures to their understanding.
So I say, we're not gonna stop. I don't care what you fellas
do, but look what happens now. He said, oh my, we only speak
what we've seen and heard. So when they had further threatened,
verse 21, they let him go, but look what happens. They had to
let him go, but it says, for when they had further threatened
him, let them go. Why? Because they didn't find anything
they could punish him for. They wanted to punish him. They
wanted him to suffer. What would you punish a man for?
For performing a miracle? For preaching? What would they
punish him for? Finding nothing to punish him
for. And listen to this. The real reason it happened is
because of the people. Because of the people. They feared
the people. Let me show you this, and I think
it's Mark 12, 12. Look at this. Oh my. You know, when we see things
like this, you can just find a Mark 12 Mark 12, 12. Look what it says
here. And they sought to lay hold on
him, but feared the people. Feared the people. For they knew
that he had spoken this parable against them. And all the scribes and Pharisees
heard it, and they feared the people because of his doctrine. They feared the people. That's
why, I'll tell you something, they didn't fear God. They did
not fear God. They didn't fear the judgment.
They didn't fear lying. They didn't fear murder. But
they feared the people. You know, Let me say this, you
know why they came and got Christ at night? And why they came to
the Garden of Gethsemane it was night? Because there wouldn't
be a group of people around Him. Just be Him and His disciples. You know why they never took
Him sooner? Because they was afraid of the people. The people
would be in an uproar if He was to take Him. So what'd they do?
They waited. to weigh up in the night, and
our Lord was over in the garden of Gethsemane praying. And they came and got him at
night. Nobody there would be there to bother him. Wouldn't
have to worry about the crowd. Wouldn't have to worry about
the people. And that's, you think, and these fellas did, they feared
the people, but they didn't fear God. Didn't fear judgment. Wasn't afraid of lying, wasn't
afraid of murder, wasn't afraid of cheating, wasn't afraid of
hiring false witnesses. But I'll tell you one thing they
knew without a shadow of a doubt. These fellows may be ignorant
and unlearned, but there's somebody who's taught them something.
And we sure didn't teach it to them. We've got to stop them.
We've got to stop them. Well, I'll tell you what, the
gospel does that to people. I'll tell you, it does one of
two things. It'll give you life. or it'll leave you in darkness,
no middle ground. Our Father, oh, blessed be your
holy name. Thank you for allowing us to
meet here tonight. Thank you for your precious word.
Oh, Lord, it has so much power and has so much truth and just
a little few verses, so much truth. And Lord, bless these
dear saints as they go on their way in this old rainy night Bless
them, and keep them, and preserve them, and encourage them. And
Lord Jesus, please, if it would please you to restore people's
health, that they can come be with us again. Forgive us of
everything that's unlike you. Bring glory to yourself through
this congregation of believers. For Christ's sake, we pray. Amen. Amen. Well, good night and God
bless you.