St Louis UBF UBF Bible Study : Acta 4:1-31

Bible Materials

Acta 4:1-31

by Paul Choi 05/20/2012 Acts 4:1~31

Message

SALVATION IS FOUND ONLY IN JESUS

Acts 4:1-31

Key Verse:4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

In the last passage we learned that Peter and John healed a man crippled from birth in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (3:6) On hearing Peter’s words, the crippled man walked, jumped, and praised God. Indeed, there was mighty healing power in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Last Friday night, there was a world mission report at Midwest Univ. Wentzville. In his mission report, one Korean missionary in Laos prayed for a demon-possessed woman in the name of Jesus Christ. The missionary said that after his intensive prayer, the demon went out from her and she was completely healed. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we can drive out demons. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we can heal the sick and speak in new tongues. May God help us to experience the power of the name of Jesus while we teach the Bible one to one and pray on campus. Amen.

In today’s passage Peter’s message continues before the Sanhedrin. In his message Peter proclaims that Jesus is the Promised Messiah and that salvation is found only in Jesus. Let us listen carefully today about why Jesus is the only way for the salvation of the world.

First, Peter’s trail before the Sanhedrin (1-3) Look at verse 1. “The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.” Where there was the work of God, there was also the work of Satan. Peter and John confronted opposition after healing the sick. The religious leaders including the Sadducees and the temple police came to arrest Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. There were two main leading groups in Israel at Jesus’ time; the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees were lay-man ministers who taught their people the Old Testament, oral laws, and regulations whereas the Sadducees were aristocratic elites who only held to the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses. The Sadducees didn’t believe in angels, or the resurrection of the body, or the afterlife while the Pharisees believed all these. At that time, the Sadducees were influenced by Greek philosophy such as Agnosticism, Stoicism, and Epicureanism. In modern terms, the Sadducees were secular humanists.

Look at verse 2. “They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.” The Apostles’ teaching about the resurrection of Jesus disturbed the religious leaders greatly, especially the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection of the body. So, they seized Peter and John and put them in jail until the next day.(3) Peter and John were the top disciples of Jesus. The Sadducees and the religious leaders thought that they could stop Peter and John if they put them in jail. However, what happened next? Look at verse 4. “But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.” The Sadducees and the temple police couldn’t stop the work of God. Satan couldn’t stop the work of God. There were great persecutions against Christians in Turkey in 2007. Two Turkish Christians and one missionary from Germany were killed by a Muslim mob. The Muslims thought that they could stop the work of God in Turkey by killing these three Christians. But, it did not work that way. After their martyrdom, the number of Christians increased 1,200 more, and the number of churches also increased 30 more in 4 years. Satan could not stop the work of God. As Satan opposes mightily, God works more powerfully still for world salvation.

In this post-modern era, We Christians confront secular humanism and pluralistic relativism as a big challenge. Humanism focuses on human value or concerns more than the truth of God. In a word, humanism is man-centered, not God-centered. As the Greek philosopher Protagoras said, “Man is the measure of all things.” But, the Bible does not say so. In the beginning God created men in his own image and in his own likeness. (Ge 1:26,27) God is the author of our lives, so he should be in the center of our lives. However, people don’t like to put God in their hearts. Romans 1:21 says, “Although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.” When they leave God out from their lives, they become corrupted and their thinking becomes futile. They think they are wise, but have become fools in that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served idols rather than God. These secular humanists put human rights above the truth of God and morality. They exchange natural relations for unnatural ones. They say that same-sex marriage is a civil right and their lifestyle. However, the Bible clearly says that they are perverted and they received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. (Ro 1:27)

Since they don’t want to believe in God’s divine judgment, they become materialistic and hedonistic. Their life motto is “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1Cor 15:32) As the Apostle Paul said, their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. (Php 3:19) But, our citizenship is in heaven. We are not the modern Sadducees. We believe in the Bible as the absolute truth of God. We put our hope in our glorious resurrection and in eternal life in God’s kingdom. Amen.

Look at verses 5-7. “The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” The people who appeared in these verses were Sanhedrin members. The Sanhedrin was the Jewish ruling council. The council had 71 members and was presided over by the high priest. At that time, the Sanhedrin exerted its authority in arrests, trials, and condemnation. All these Sanhedrin members gathered early in the morning to bring Peter and John to trial. They asked, “by what power or what name did you do this?”

How did Peter answer them? Look at verses 8-10. “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.” People are daunted or disheartened in front of judges on their trial. Peter stood on trial before the Sanhedrin. However, he was not dispirited at all. He boldly testified them that they had healed the crippled man in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Who was Jesus Christ of Nazareth? Jesus was the one whom they had condemned to death and handed over to Pilate to be crucified. But, God raised this Jesus of Nazareth from the dead. The Sanhedrin brought Peter to be tried. But, they were tried by Peter who accused them as a murderer of the Messiah.

Peter also said that the suffering, rejection, and death of Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s prophecy. Peter quoted Psalm 118:22, which says, “the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.” (11). In building a house, the cornerstone is the beginning stone for its foundation, and a capstone is the finishing stone for its completion. Here, the capstone or the cornerstone indicates Jesus Christ of Nazareth. As the stone was thrown away by the builders, Jesus was despised and rejected by men. As the prophet Isaiah said, Jesus became a man of sorrows, and familiar with sufferings. He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. Finally, he was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. (Isa 53:3-6) But, God raised him from the dead and took him into heaven and had him sit at his right hand. God the Father exalted Jesus to the highest place that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Php 2:9-11) It is amazing to see how Peter was teaching the Bible to the judges in such a life-threatening situation.

Second, salvation is found only in Jesus. (12-22) Peter’s message continued. Look at verse 12. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Wow! Peter proclaimed that Jesus is the only Savior of the world. Peter said that God did not give any other name for our salvation under heaven but Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Wait a minute! Someone may ask: how about Buddha or Mohammad or Confucius? How can those who follow them be saved? We live in the age of pluralistic relativism. In other words, people create many religions and they have their own way of salvation. When we preach that Jesus is the only way of salvation, they reject us right away saying, “You are so exclusive”. Then, why is Jesus the only way of salvation? Why is Jesus the true and only Savior of the world?

There is a major difference between Christianity and other religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism. In my judgment, the big difference is the way of salvation. In Christianity salvation comes from outside, particularly speaking, from above, from God, whereas in other religions it comes from inside or from oneself. In Christianity, we have a Savior, Jesus Christ, but in other religion there is no savior, no mediator between God and man. For example, to Hindu people salvation is liberation from Karma, the endless cycle of death and rebirths caused by the destiny of their previous life. They believe that they can enter into Nirvana, paradise, when their souls are free from Karma by doing good and living right at the present. However, they are sorrowful because their destiny was set up and it is impossible for them to escape from their fate.

However, Buddha didn’t think so. When Buddha, an Indian prince, saw people suffering and dying on the streets, he had compassion on them. While struggling and meditating under a fig tree to be free from agony of life, he was enlightened. “Empty yourself and give up all your desires.” According to Buddha, people can reach to Nirvana, the state of being perfect peace and happiness, through their unceasing meditation and purification of their soul. However, how can we live only by sitting down and meditating all day long without work? How can we give up desire to make ourselves better off? A half century after Buddha had died, Socrates appeared and said to people, “Know yourself. (gnothi seauton)” Socrates meant that ‘I only know that I know nothing.” In other words, it is impossible for him to know the way of salvation by his wisdom and ability. He needed Jesus who could teach him the truth of God.

Around AD 600, a young Arabian man, who married a wealthy 40 years-old widow, called himself the greatest prophet who had received God’s revelation from the angel Gabriel. His name was Muhammad, and the book which recorded his revelation is called the ‘Koran’. Muhammad called Allah the only true God, and urged devotion and flawless life according to his revelation. In Arabic, Islam means ‘surrender’ or ‘submission’. Muslim means ‘those who submit.” They believe that they can enter into paradise by submitting to Allah and fulfilling all the requirements of certain doctrines written in Koran. (Five pillars of faith) In some respect, Islam was not much different from Judaism regarding the way of becoming righteous; by observing the law. As history proves, Muslims have mercilessly killed those who would not submit to Allah or surrender to them. Those who do not keep the strict Islamic rules, they are condemned and punished.

We are sinners not because we have sinned, but because we were born as sinners. As long as we have sinful nature, we continue to sin. Men are sinful. The Bible says that there is no one righteous, not even one.(Ro 3:11) All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.(Ro 3:23) It is impossible for men to be saved by themselves. No matter how Hindu people struggle to liberate themselves from the cycles of reincarnation, they die to their sins. No matter how Buddhists empty themselves to have peace of mind, they surrender to the power of death. No matter how Muslims submit themselves to Allah by praying five times a day, they are not free from self-condemnation. All human beings are condemned and sentenced to death according to their own law and religion. We all need a Savior, someone who pays the penalty of our sins, who liberates us from the agony of death.

Jesus said to a Samaritan woman, “for salvation is from the Jews.” This woman was dying in her sin. She married five times and divorced five times. Her body and soul were crushed by betrayal, despair, anger and lust. Who could understand this woman? Who dares to teach her about life? Jesus loved her and gave this sinful woman the living water welling up to eternal life.(Jn 4:13,14) Jesus also taught her about the truth of God and the way of salvation. The woman said, “I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.” (Jn 4:25,26)

One day his disciples asked about the way. They meant the way of salvation. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn 14:6) Who dares to say on this earth that he himself is the way and the truth and the life except God alone? Jesus is God himself. He is the Alpha and the Omega, and who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.(Rev 1:8) He is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15), and the exact representation of his being. (Heb 1:3) Our God is a personal God who judges, loves, and saves. God is love. For God so loved the world that he gave his One and Only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (Jn 3:16) God did not send his Son to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (Jn 3:17) It is impossible for men to save themselves. But, God made what was impossible with men possible through Jesus Christ. Jesus died for our sins on the cross and rose again for our eternal life. By his precious blood on the cross, God paid the penalty for our sins. By punishing his Son Jesus on the cross, God himself satisfied his justice. For helpless and powerless sinners like you and me God made his Son Jesus an atoning sacrifice. In other words, Jesus is the only mediator between God and sinner. Through his death on the cross, God and sinners are reconciled. Jesus is the Savior of the world. He is the only one who died for our sins. He is the only one who rose again from the dead. Buddha didn’t die for me. Socrates or Muhammad didn’t suffer in my place. They all died in their own sins and were buried. No one rose again from the dead. No one came out from their tomb. But, Jesus died for me, and Jesus rose again from the dead and opened the way to heaven.

Louis Lapides was a promising Jewish young man. Even though he was a Jew, he ignored all his Jewish traditions and lived a wayward life by drinking, smoking, vandalizing other’s properties and so on. When he did not find any reason and meaning of his life, he attempted to commit suicide several times. He was desperate to find someone who could save himself and lead him to the truth. One day he happened to read Isaiah 53:5,6 and found the Messiah in these verses. Soon, he came to know that the man who was afflicted and pierced for his sins was Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The moment he received Jesus as his Savior and Lord, he became a new creation. All his sins were forgiven and he saw the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ. Later, he became a prominent Jewish pastor and theologian who boldly witnesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Only Savior of the world. The Indian Christian pastor and apologist, Ravi Zacharias has a similar life testimony. I also have such a dramatic life-changing testimony as Louis Lapides and Ravi Zacharias have. Indeed, salvation is found only in Jesus, because there is no other name under heaven which God gave us for our salvation except ‘Jesus Christ of Nazareth.’ Amen.

After delivering this message, Peter and John were threatened by the Sanhedrin not to teach in Jesus’ name any longer. But, Peter and John said, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (4:19,20) May God help us to live before God not before men, and to preach the word in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth boldly and diligently like Peter and John. Amen.

Today we learned that Jesus is the only way for our salvation. Jesus is the only way out and he is the only answer for all human agonies and challenges. Let us receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior and share this good news with others, especially young college students on campus. Amen.

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