Salvation Nowhere Else

Welcome to Verse by Verse. Thank you so much for joining us as we take a look at the book of Acts. We take things nice and slowly as we look and see what God is doing in the big picture of expanding the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea and to Samaria and to the ends of the earth. My name is David Humphrey and I'm the pastoral care and missions pastor here at United City Church in Humboldt, Texas. We're excited to be your church family while you're incarcerated, but we're going to be even more excited when you get out and you can come and be a part of our church in person. We love you very much. Please grab your Bible and a journal, perhaps a pen, and be ready to take some notes and let's learn together through the book of Acts. All right, for those of you who are joining us online, we're so glad that you will be with us as you watch with us. It's been a couple of weeks, so if you've been missing our content, those of you that are watching it regularly, we're back and we should be every week for quite a while now. We're in Acts chapter four. We are going to be starting in verse one, but just to give us a little bit of reorientation when we're out for a few weeks, I want to be sure we're all still on the same page. One thing I want to see if I'll do a little test. I wonder if anybody will pass. I gave four words to describe how we ought to read the Bible. Okay, I'm gonna give you the first one. Read it slowly. Remember we've talked about one of the best ways to take in the Bible is not by just going as fast as you can. Actually, go as slow as you can. There's a time like it is good to read the book of Acts like a novel. Just go straight through. You know what I mean? Just taking it in like a story, but as you know, the way we find all the really good stuff is by taking it slowly. So the first one was read it slowly. Some of you guys can look back in your notes. Do you remember what the second one was? Yes, Brenda. Prayerfully. That's another way. We want to read it prayerfully. So we're looking for ways to talk to God about what we see. Yes. Imaginatively. There you go. Imaginatively means it doesn't mean that we're trying to think of things that aren't there. It's just we're opening our minds to the fact that the Bible cannot and does not include every single

detail of every single thing that happened. So think about, I wonder what she was thinking about? Or I wonder what it was like to be in that? So it's just kind of we're just using our holy imagination. And then there was a last one. What is it? Obediently. Guys, that's what I was just praying about. You know, the Sadducees were full of Bible information. Guys, they were experts in the Bible. And it's good to be an expert in the Bible. But guys, we can't. Like there is, it could, we could sit in here and we could learn everything there is to know about the book of Acts. And if we're not obeying, then we are missing the point. Okay? God wants us to know our Bibles. Because if we know our Bibles, the benefit is we're gonna, we're gonna learn from the faith of others. But God wants us to use our Bibles to show us how to live. Right? So that when you go to work, you're different because you came to church. Because you see things through a different lens. Or, you know, you're now thinking, just to go back to the what we've talked about already, I can pray for someone. If someone is in front of me in need, I can stop wherever I am and pray for them. So we want to read it slowly, imaginatively, prayerfully, and obediently. And I just want to keep that before you. So when we left before Christmas, that's been several weeks ago, Peter and John, as you remember in chapter 3, had been used to heal a lame man when they were on their way into the temple. That man had been lame from birth. He was fully and immediately healed. He headed out, remember walking and jumping and praising God, into the temple. And he was just so excited. And he was telling everybody about what happened. And then we saw that he was clinging to them. And that's when Peter gives this super bold sermon. Okay? Sharing the gospel, making sure that it was crystal clear that they had done this not in their names, but they had done it in the name of who? Jesus. And they said, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you killed. That's whose name we did this in. So Peter was as bold as a lion. And we're gonna see him bold again tonight in chapter 4, as we see what happens when they did that. It says in chapter 4, verse 1, as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed, because they were teaching the

people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. They arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, because it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about 5,000. Now on the next day, Their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and all who were of the high priestly family. That's a big crowd, isn't it? And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power or by what name did you do this? 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. He said, This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated common men, they were astonished, and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. When they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying, What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name. So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge. For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people who were all praising God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing was

performed was more than 40 years old. So we got this picture. We've got Peter and John who've now been arrested, but anybody want to tell us what charges, what were they charged with? Well, there's nothing illegal that they've done, but what are they mad at him about? Teaching on the resurrection. Absolutely. They are saying that this Jesus guy resurrected from the dead. So yes, that was the charge. And then they were put in jail because the religious leaders were, I like it, annoyed by the message. I thought that was kind of funny, right? They were really upset by the message that they gave. But as you can see in these first few verses, the gospel, which cannot be chained, of course, had already had its effect. And the best number we could guess at this exact turning would have been maybe a thousand plus were likely added at this time because we already had that there were about 3,000 that were saved. So we don't know exactly, but what we see is you can put the people in jail, but you cannot put the gospel in jail, okay? The gospel cannot be chained, and I believe that's actually in Acts a little bit later, something very much to that effect. So now I want us to take a look, we've already looked at those first few verses, at what was happening starting in verse 5. Now we've got this huge convergence, all right? We have got religious leaders of all types, and they are converging to offer an official response to all of this. I wonder if some of them had some little side meetings during the night. What are we going to do with these guys? How are we going to stop these guys? But anyway, they finally they've converged in a very public spot, and they list them as the rulers, the elders, the scribes, and the high priestly family, okay? So just pretty much you can say this, everybody religious of anything important that had been around were all there. The rulers most likely were the those senior priests, the highest of the high, that were of course those who were responsible for Jesus's crucifixion. You've got the elders, those were probably like civic leaders, either like family unit leaders, literally, probably older men. Greg? That were the ones that were calling for his crucifixion?

It's probably some, yes, there's definitely some carryover. We don't know if it's exactly the same group, but I guarantee you there were some of them, as you'll see with some of the names. The scribes who were listed there, anybody know who the scribes were? Lawyers, exactly. They were they were experts in the law. They studied the law. They interpreted the law. They had a lot up here, and that's what we're talking about. They didn't have a transformation. They knew the information. They didn't have the transformation. and then you've got the high priestly family. Now these are some names that you probably have heard before. Okay, where had you heard the name Annas and Caiaphas? Remember those guys? Yeah, remember at the crucifixion and the trials and all those things? Annas has been the high priest for a good long period of time and he still held the title of honor because he's like the family patriarch but Caiaphas was the current high priest at the time of this incident. Okay, the next guy is John. Scholars think that's referring to Jonathan who was the one who ended up replacing him so it's kind of like you you know got the whole family unit everybody that that's next in line and then Alexander is a mysterious character. We don't know who he is maybe that's an extra brother or something but he's not anywhere else in the scripture to know who that guy was but what we know is they had brought in the big guns. Okay, they've brought in the top, the elite, all the people with all the religious power. These are the power players who can make the decisions to do something about this and the funny thing to me is no matter how much power they think they have they just can't stop the gospel guys. They're not going to be able to because you can't legislate, you can't do anything that will stop it and so they're gonna try and they are here to render a judgment on Peter and John and then that's when we get down to verse 7 where they ask the question. They set them in the midst so obviously you can kind of get a mental picture there's this large kind of tribunal of all these religious leaders and there they are in front of them and as they set them in the midst it says by what power or by what name did you do this? Okay, I find that to be an interesting question because Peter and John were very

explicit about in what name they had done this so I don't think they're asking an informational question. I think they're trying to let them speak again aloud before that entire crowd because they had already said when they healed the man did they just say be healed? No, they called out the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth okay in Peter's last sermon which many of the people had heard. He's giving all of the glory and all of the power we did this in the name of Jesus so I think they're just getting them to confess this in front of this crowd as they have already confessed it. They're not looking for information they're looking for are you still gonna confess the name of Jesus okay so as we as we see what they've done here basically the this is the perfect setup okay you know what a layup is in basketball it's just like you just just drop it right in guys I mean this was the perfect question Peter's like oh well I'm so glad you asked right I'm like okay let me just tell you I'm gonna tell you by what name one more time because I'm not backing down in fact he's gonna say more about the name than he had already said in his prior sermon he's gonna back it up with even more Old Testament scripture. Why do you think he might use Old Testament allusions and and scriptural references in addressing this crowd? Yeah they've got some of this religious information and so I think Peter's just kind of let's water a little bit of that a little bit of that religion that you've got there because you know sometimes many probably some of us in this room had a lot of religion before we had a relationship with Jesus is there anybody because I did I since I was in the womb I promise I was I was in the church so I had a lot of religious information for a lot of time before I had I would had a rebirth right before I was saved I was born again and that information then changed my heart so I think that's part of what's happening so basically he begins his his question well let's let's let's look at verse 8 I don't want us to miss this it says it describes him how does it describe Peter in verse 8 filled with the Holy Spirit all right that Holy Spirit that we've been talking about has filled him and he is filled with the Holy Spirit and now the Holy Spirit is just pouring through his is through his speech it's pouring

through it's giving him strength it's giving him courage to do what he's doing and I love how he begins his address in verse 9 when he says rulers of the people and elders he is respecting them right he's not he's not gonna he's not gonna drop the bomb yet now he's about to Okay, but he starts out a really nice, respectful thing. Now he begins to put it into perspective when he says, 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, then he goes on and we'll continue with that. Why do you think he said, are we being examined about a good deed done to a crippled man? Well, how can you complain about it? Exactly, he's like, are you really complaining that we've helped a man who was crippled? Like, let's just leave Jesus out of it for a second. We just did a good thing to help a person. But you see, they couldn't see through that. They're so focused on this little jot and this little tittle and did you do something wrong on the Sabbath and all those Sabbath, you know, all the rules and things. So he basically says, you know, we've done a good deed to a crippled man, but he said, you know, you want to know by what means this man has been healed. And here he goes, he's just kind of winding up. Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel.

So who is he talking to? He's not just talking to this religious crowd. He said, I want you to know who it was and I want all of Israel to know who it was because I want them to understand that there is power in the name of Jesus. Guys, and so he goes on, he says, it was in the name, it was, I want all of you to know that it was by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, who got raised from the dead by him, this man is standing before you well. All right, so he's starting to get clear. He's actually going to make it even clearer as he goes. I want us to dissect everything that he said about Jesus. He called him Jesus Christ. Remind us, what does it mean when he says Christ? Well, it's another word for Christ, Messiah. Okay, this was Jesus. You know that guy that named Jesus down the street? You know, the one from Nazareth, the one who is the Messiah? He said, that's who it was. It was in the name of Jesus, Messiah, that would kind of translate even into son of God, of Nazareth, well, that reflects him being son of who? Man, right, son of God, son of man, whom you crucified. Well, now there's, he's dropping an accusation now. Now he's saying, yeah, you're the ones that killed him, whom God raised from the dead. Look, you thought you killed him,

but there's no killing Jesus, right? There's no keeping him dead. He said, you couldn't keep him down. You see how much he packed into that one little phrase right there? Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, he said, by him, this man is standing before you well. Peter and John did not want any glory for what had happened. They are not trying to say, look, we've got all this spiritual power. We can do this, we can do that. They said, it's by his name. It's not by my name. He didn't even bring up his name. He just over and over points to Jesus. He says, this Jesus is the reason this man was healed. You asked us how, by what power, by what name? He's like, it was Jesus's power. It was Jesus's name. That's how this happened. And he says, I like verse 11. We could almost put a little interjection here. He said, well, let me tell you a little bit more about this Jesus. I'm gonna fill in a few more blanks for you. Let me fill in some of the, who this guy was. I've already said that he's the Messiah, that he's the son of God. He's the one that you've been waiting for.

But he goes on to say in verse 11, this Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. Okay, now I bet there's some of you that already know where these scriptural, because there are several scriptural references, two from the Old Testament specifically. Does anybody have a cross-reference or something that can tell you what these at least two Old Testament references are? Psalm 118, 22. Very good, Psalm 118, verse 22. Will somebody read that for us? Psalm 118, verse 22. Read it nice and loud when you get there, somebody. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. It's beautiful. You hear that? Peter knew that scriptural prophecy. The stone the builders rejected has become the, is it chief cornerstone? Is that what it says in that one? Has become the chief cornerstone. I know you've heard, sometimes we'll sing a song about Jesus the cornerstone. But guys, cornerstone is a beautiful word picture for who Jesus is. is because if you know anything at all about a cornerstone in in when you're building like with masonry especially in dates and times like this that's that

huge stone on the corner on which the engineers all the weight went on to the cornerstone and if the cornerstone fell out the whole thing is down okay we build in different you know we have different ways of holding buildings up in in 2026 then what they had back in these times guys but the cornerstone they're saying they're thinking about the stone the builders rejected let's think about that why would builders let's let's think about just in the natural why would builders reject a certain stone to from that from being the cornerstone that they would choose they didn't think is strong enough right they didn't think it would hold things up yes yeah yeah just there's something about it didn't look like what they thought it needed to look like yeah flawed or defective yes like a blemished lamb do can we not think about Jesus who came to his own and was despised and rejected that he was despised and rejected because they he didn't look like what they thought he ought to look like he didn't look as big and strong and running in on a stallion to come and save the world see they rejected him because they didn't think he was strong enough but the Old Testament Psalm 118 says the stone the builders rejected became the cornerstone now look at look at where he said it look back here now in Acts chapter 4 this Jesus is the stone that was rejected by who you the builders so who is he calling them he's saying they are the builders in other words you guys have been a part of trying to build this whole religious system so if the problem is you threw out you tried to reject the cornerstone that holds the whole thing up okay like you've got your religious system and all your bricks and all the things that are but if you pull Jesus out of it guys it's it's just empty it's not gonna work it's just religion and so they said this stone whom the builders rejected he said and you are the builders so you see what this is this is a second accusation you're the ones that killed him and you are the ones in the Old Testament just as much as Jesus is the cornerstone the chief cornerstone that the Old Testament talks about you are the builders that rejected him guys he's speaking super boldly to them about who Jesus is and about who they are does anyone know another reference to that

very same idea as cornerstone yes that's right Isaiah 28 16 somebody read that nice and loud for us guys that is a beautiful beautiful prophecy of Jesus Christ how did it describe Jesus as that cornerstone a precious cornerstone what kind of foundation was he a sure foundation yes absolutely he said I lay in Zion a foundation stone a precious cornerstone and then what does it say you have to do you have to believe in that cornerstone did you hear that in the Old Testament that's pretty much the very same thing that Peter is saying here you have to believe in that cornerstone and whoever does believe will be blessed what was the like what's the last thing that it said whoever believes in him will not be in haste it's like it's like you're not gonna regret believing in this pure precious cornerstone that is Jesus Christ he is the one that holds the whole thing together all of the Old Testament all of the all of the laws all Leviticus and all that stuff that you get in there and you start reading you're like what what is all this like what is guys it everything in the entire Bible points to Jesus that's everything the Bible is one unified story that points to Jesus I talk a lot about the Bible project some of you guys know of them and maybe you have have dabbled around in some of their resources online they do a great job of teaching this whole idea of the Bible as a unified story that points to Jesus guys that was always the point when Genesis chapter 3 came along remember when the fall of man happened and then and then then we see the the curse that's going out over the enemy and he says you will bruise his what remember healed and he will do what to your head? Crush it. Guys, it's pointing to Jesus. It's already saying, you know, your offspring speaking, you know, it's just a beautiful, beautiful picture. We need to see that the Bible is always pointing ahead to Jesus. So, basically what Peter is saying here is, guys, this is the one that God foresaw and God sent and that you rejected. Now, I want you to see what Paul said about the precious cornerstone in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 20. You see, this, this word picture is all over the Bible. That's why we sing about it. That's why we, we look to it because it is, it is a powerful picture of the centrality of Christ to the whole project. Guys, if you, if you take Christ out, everything crumbles. Ephesians

chapter 2 verse 20. I'd love for someone to read that nice and loud for us. Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. Yes. Do you see it again? This thing, it's built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. The prophets, of course we know, are those old Testament prophets who had been prophesying over all time that the Messiah would come and he would look like this, he would look like this. This is how you'll know when he comes. It's built on the foundation of the apostles, the teaching, those who walked alongside Jesus. And then of course you've got the precious cornerstone, which is Jesus Christ. So guys, that's just an important passage. Those are three important passages for you to get. Psalm 118, 22, Isaiah 28, 16, and Ephesians 2, 20. One last one that I just want to, anytime I get a chance, I just like to go to Colossians chapter 1. When in doubt, if you ever want to know where to read scripture, just read Colossians chapter 1 over and over and over. It just never gets old. But Colossians chapter 1 also, it does not use the word cornerstone, but it fits beautifully together with this. Colossians chapter 1, I'm going to begin reading in verse 15. He, of course, is speaking of Jesus, is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authority, all things were created through him and for him, and he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Do you see the cornerstone idea right there? It's another way that we can see Jesus is the center of it all. He's the head, it just goes on. He's the head of the body, the church, the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Guys, that last phrase right there, that ought to be the theme of our lives, that in everything he, Jesus, might be preeminent. Everything. That Jesus is always over everything. He is the one. So, I just wanted you to see these ideas that Jesus is the one that is the precious cornerstone holding all things together, and just when you thought Peter was getting wound up, he just goes even stronger. Look at verse 12. Peter says, And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. That was the jaw-dropper, I think. I mean, he'd been saying a lot, but guys, that is the exclusive statement. Who can think of a statement that Jesus himself made that compares to that statement that Peter made about Jesus?

There it is. One of the most famous sayings of Jesus, and it should be. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and then what? That's right. There's no other way to the Father but by me. I'm the only one. So, guys, that is another way of saying pretty much what Peter is saying here. There is salvation in no one else. Religious system, not enough. There's no other name given among men by which we must be saved. Guys, this is strong, strong statements, and these are the kind of statements, guys, there may be things in the scripture about which we may have differences. You know, we may interpret one thing a little different than one local church or different things like that, but guys, this is the thing we have to get right every time. Only one way. It is Jesus Christ. He is not a way. He is the way. Greg? I have three verses here. John 14, 6. Yes, sir. That might be the one you... That was the one. That's it. I'm the way, truth, and the life. John 3, 18. 3, 18. What is that one? John 3, 16. Okay, we know John 3, 16, which says, God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. I think 17 says he did not send his son into the world. I'm not looking it up But yeah, but to condemn but just simple did you say what is John 3 18 say somebody got it? So really what we're seeing here from Peter is Peter is just reiterating the things that Jesus has already said Alright, Jesus had already declared. I am look. I'm standing you're looking at me. I'm the only way to God and So he had taught his disciples Now known as Apostles and now what's happening is the Holy Spirit that he's so full of is Doing what? Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would do is bringing to remembrance All the things you see that's one of the jobs of the Holy Spirit in your life is to remind you of the things that Jesus has taught you

That's why you just have to sit under the word, right? That's why we need to be under good sound preaching We need to be under good teaching we need to open our Bibles every day because it's the Holy Spirit will bring that back to you when you need it and Peter needed it. And so he's like, oh, I've got this crystal clear. I know who my Jesus is I know who this was who was walking among us. That was the precious cornerstone and I remember the promises from Psalm 118 You wonder if Jesus ever in quiet moments with Peter and James and John his very closest friends. You wonder did he ever say? explicitly I Am the precious cornerstone. We don't know But even if he didn't even if he never said those specific words The Holy Spirit you see who was working within them who is God? Living in them just like he lives in us was reminding them and they just like putting it all together. Oh I see it now and that's what when he says you're the builders that rejected him He is being so clear in his accusation of them and it's just a just an astounding astounding moment I love this whole idea of salvation coming in the name of Jesus and In no other name now salvation are being saved. What are we being saved from? We're being saved from our sin Basically from the paycheck of our sin Yeah, the penalty of sin, you know paycheck is what you earn Romans chapter 3 calls it the wages, but most of us don't use the word wages We use we like paychecks right? But we earn things by what by what we do, right? I earn a paycheck because I show up at work and I do the thing that I'm supposed to do but the paycheck for sin is death and So we are saved it through the name of Jesus only from the payment for what we have earned We don't have to take that Punishment Jesus took it on. We are also saved from what many have said is the just wrath of a holy God God is absolutely just He would be just in wiping every one of us out Because he is holy and we are not

It is the just wrath of God that fell on the Sun So that we could be saved and we are also saved from an eternity of separation from God So guys, this is this isn't this is this is super important stuff when we look at this because you know ever since in Adam I was thinking about this this morning We were thrown out of the garden Because we turned our backs on God And we went on our own way doing what we wanted to do You know what? I'm just gonna try this my way God because you know what? I think I might know a little better way But you know where God has wanted us back in the garden He's wanted us back with him What did Adam and Eve have with God in the garden? They had fellowship, what does it say they did with what does it say happened between God and Adam and Eve in the garden? Yeah in the cool of the evening they just walked and talked and spent time together before The whole thing fell apart. Well, God didn't fall apart. We know that They're the ones that you know that broke broke the relational bond that was there, but then God Banished them from the garden Even with the promise already in place I'm coming for you. I still want so you see God still wants Us to know his presence to know his friendship. He wants that from people and so that's why we must be saved That is why he sent his son to show us the way back to the garden to pay the penalty, to clear our records, so that we could be with Him again. They sent Him to die in our place, so we could be back in that relationship with God again. That is what God wants. He wants a two-way love relationship with us. Because guess what? He already loves us.

Whether we love Him or not, doesn't change His love for us. But He wants to be loved back. He wants us to respond and to show our love. And when we accept His free gift, that's when we're saved. And guys, when Peter and John stood up to proclaim at this level of boldness, that is because they had experienced the transformation of Jesus Christ in their lives. He was not just a friend. Their friend had become their Savior. And they believed with their whole hearts. And that is where, once you truly believe, they are unstoppable. There were no prison bars that were gonna stop them. We're just getting started, guys. I know you know this. I know some of you guys have, you know the punchline, right? You've read the rest of the book of Acts. You know this is just the first time, right? The original's been one night here. It's gonna get even more interesting as we go. Nothing's gonna stop them. They're like, okay, throw us in jail. That's fine with me. As we see, you judge whether yourselves, whether it's right for me to obey God over you. But we're just gonna obey God.

Let it go, come what may. So they're standing up, proclaiming salvation in Jesus' name. Look at verse 13. I think this is just so amazing. When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Friends, you know what the preacher says? That'll preach right there. Just that verse right there could preach a thousand sermons, guys. They saw there's nothing, these guys are uneducated. All the guys that are seeing them are super educated. You know what I mean? These are the elite. These are the guys, they've been to all the right schools. They know all the right stuff. They probably got the Old Testament memorized backwards and forwards. I mean, these are the smart guys, the religiously smart guys. And they're like, Peter and John? They're not even educated. Peter did, they were educated. They had a better education than the religious leaders. And then they're like, they are common men. You understand, we've already had the conversation about who this crowd is that they're around.

Guys, this is the elite. This is the cream of the crop. These are the respected people in the society. These are the men to whom everyone looks with their religious questions. These guys are looking down on these guys. They're going, you are talking to me like that? Guys, I just see the religious leaders with their mouths just dropped. Like, I just think they're just kind of flabbergasted. You know what I mean? Just like, how could you speak without authority? Does that remind you, it reminds me, of Jesus at the age of 12? What did they say about Jesus when he was in the temple at the age of 12? You might remember? He was teaching. Yeah, he was teaching with authority. And they were just kind of like, what? Who's this little boy? What, you know what I mean? You just can't only imagine, Jesus was coming into his own, right? He's 12 years old, but he already, the scripture is just evidently kind of oozing out of him. And we don't even know specifically what he said. Don't you wish, don't you want to, don't you wish that was recorded? I mean, I just want to hear them just kind of going.

Didn't you see them looking at each other? And now what they see is Peter and John acting like their savior. Just bold in the face of religious leaders, full of the Holy Spirit, full of the scripture, but not just the scripture. They're speaking with authority, right? They're speaking not only with just saying the words, but applying it. You see, a lot of the authority that you hear spoken from the platform, with Pastor Chris, or Pastor Josh, or Jason, or preaching, or anybody else, they're speaking with an authority because they're applying the word. They're putting it together, right? It's not just religious information. It's spoken. spoken in a way that helps us experience this transformation. So the accusation, of course, is they're just thinking, these are uneducated, common men, and it says these men were just astonished. And then, I like how they got a whole other sentence here, and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. They're like, that must be the difference, because it's not because they went to the right schools. It's not because they got the right pedigree. Only thing we can figure is Jesus makes all the difference, and guys, that's it. You see, that's the point. If you know, and you love, and you believe Jesus is who he says he is, then what have you to fear? Right?

You got nothing. I remember a missionary friend of mine talking about that the problem with Christians, in kind of a negative sense, is that you can't kill them, because they're already dead. You know, they've died to themselves. They're like, what do I have to lose? To live as Christ, to die as Gain? I mean, look, I'm good. I'll be glad to go spend my eternity with Jesus. So when people are convicted at the level that Peter and John were convicted of the truths of which they were speaking, they're like, kill me. Do whatever you want to. I see what happened when my Savior got killed. He resurrected on the third day. I'm just going to follow in his train. That's what he's told me, right? I'm good. I'm bold as a lion, because I am convicted by the Holy Spirit. So this is a beautiful passage, especially this verse. The reason why I say it will preach is because, guys, this ought to be said of us, that people look at us and they go, I don't really know what it is, but she talks a lot about Jesus. It must be that Jesus. You know, it's not because she's necessarily, or he is the richest man in town, but when they speak, they speak with authority. They live with conviction. There's something different about them, right? Maybe we're not standing up and preaching like Peter and John were, but people can look at us and just go, I guess it's got to be Jesus. I've had the privilege, there's a friend of mine, a lost friend, and I've been praying for him, and he's got a family situation that's really tough, and some things are going in the right direction.

He is still lost, I really believe. Some things are going in the right direction with that family relationship. And I keep telling him, well, I've been praying. He said, I think it's working. And so this is a friend that I gave the Gospel of John to, and so he's going back through that Gospel of John again. See, he's trying to figure it out, and he's curious, and so I'm not trying to compare myself to Peter any more than I would compare you to Peter and John, okay? There's got to be something, there's got to be some little edge to our lives that just points people to somebody bigger than us, right? Peter and John were not looking for glory. They could have had a following. Do you understand? Let's think about what, Peter and John are doing miracles. They could have started gathering the crowds, look what we can do. We'll see that later in the book of Acts. Remember that? Magician, it's going to get really, he was wanting some of the credit that some of those guys are getting. And he's like, hey, can I, will you tell me how to do some of that stuff? But Peter and John are just simple men, just like we in this room, maybe simple people, guys. You don't have to have a seminary degree like I happen to have, okay, to preach Jesus. You do not. Sometimes they get in the way, okay? Sometimes what Jesus wants is just a simple person like you, just loving a neighbor and speaking up in the name of Jesus, or praying for a person in need, right, and doing so in the name of Jesus Christ. And for them to start saying, oh, something happened when we prayed in Jesus' name, right? So guys, this is an incredible passage.

As you can see, we're still just right in the middle of it. There's a lot more that we will look at next week, and we'll see some of the other responses. But I want to thank you guys for joining us tonight. Thank you for those of you who are online and who are with us through our Zoom tonight. I want to pray for us, and then we will be dismissed. Father in heaven, we just thank you so much for your son, who is more beautiful than we even realized. Jesus. You are the precious cornerstone. You are the sure foundation of our lives, God. We are building everything on you, Jesus. God, help us. Forgive us when we try to lay our own foundations. You are the sure foundation. You're the only one we need. And God, I pray that people who know the men and women in this room and the men and women behind bars who are listening to this message and those who are on Zoom tonight, I pray that people around us would look and say, I don't know what it is, but I know one thing, they've been with Jesus. And there's something different about them, God. Use us as channels of your grace and mercy, for we love you and pray in Jesus' name, amen. All right, thanks for joining us tonight. Thanks again for joining us verse by verse through the book of Acts. I hope that you have learned a lot.

More importantly, I hope that you'll apply these things to your life this week. Share it with a friend. Great thing for you to just have some discussion with the other people around you, share the things that God is doing in your life. Again, remember the Bible is a book about God, far more than it is a book about us. So let's learn about him. Let's grow to love him more and more. Here at United City, this is not the only thing that we have on the Pando app. We would love for you to follow some of our other content, watch some of our worship services along with music and the messages, as well as podcasts. We've got a lot of great content and we would love for you to follow that. Also, if you would like to be in touch with us here at United City, the best way to do that is by writing us a letter. You can address that to Prison Ministry at United City Church, 19901 Townsend Boulevard, Humble, Texas 77338. We'll read that, we'll pray for you and somebody will write you back. God bless you and we'll see you in the word.