Mar 09, 2014

Acts 4:12-24

Acts 4:13, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” 

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Luke tells us that when the Sanhedrin heard the explanation of Peter and John as to “what power” this lame man had been healed “they marveled” (they had a begrudging admiration). It would appear in evaluating these men 3 things caught their eye:

1. “They saw the boldness of Peter and John.”

“Boldness” - Greek word “parrêsia” meaning “unreservedness in speech, without concealment, without ambiguity, free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage.” In the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter, the cowardly lion roared as if he were Aslan! 

2. “They perceived they were uneducated and untrained men.”

To be fair, they were correct in the perception that they were “uneducated.” Peter and John were both fishermen by trade and would have had marginal education. These men had not been formally trained in the rabbinical schools of the day. Their clerical collars were dusky blue as opposed to pretentious white.

And yet, we would disagree with the assertion they were “untrained men.” For 3.5 years both Peter and John had been personally mentored by Jesus. The benefits of on-the-job training were obvious! By watching Jesus they were well versed in the Scriptures. They knew how to practically minister to the needs of people. They knew how to handle detractors. 

It should also be pointed out that they had also been filled with the Spirit and had therefore been equipped by the Spirit for ministry! Note: The Spirit doesn’t always call the equipped, but He always equips the called! All you need for ministry is to be mentored by Jesus and filled with His Spirit!

3. “They realized they had been with Jesus.”

“They realized” - Greek verb “epiginôskô” meaning “to become thoroughly acquainted with, to find out, ascertain.” The KJV translates, “they took knowledge.” The idea is that their first two observations created a curiosity to find out who these men really were. Then after doing a little research they soon discovered Peter and John “had been with Jesus.” 

Did you catch that? An unbeliever encounters a witness. This encounter set them upon a quest to discover a reason why the witness is so different. Then this quest ultimately leads them to the person of Jesus! This is textbook evangelism! 

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Question: Why did it make sense that Peter and John had been with Jesus?

1. What they heard sounded like Jesus! The substance of their answer didn’t produce anything new concepts. They were simply repeating what had been previously taught by Jesus. Though men spoke it was Jesus’ Word coming through them by the power of the Holy Spirit.... Further evidence of the resurrected Christ!

2. What they saw remind them of Jesus! Based upon their plea for even these men to be saved, I am convinced the motivation behind their strong words was not one of condemnation, but one of persuasion! Though Peter and John’s eyes burned of fire, it was a fire of passion, not hate - of love, not judgment!

Understand: If Christians are going to preach the exclusive message of salvation in Jesus alone we need to make sure the people listening not only hear His voice but also see His love in the way we present this message! 

Ravi Zacharias issues this stark warning, “If truth is not undergirded by love, it makes the possessor of that truth obnoxious and the truth repulsive.”

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Acts 4:14, “And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.” 

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They wanted to know by what authority this man had been healed and the answer was undeniably straightforward.... He was healed by Jesus! Though you can imagine these men wanted to deny the obvious, how could you argue with the results?

“They could say nothing against it....” The change in this man was so undeniable they literally had nothing to say! No one could argue against it! Note: Your testimony (of a life crippled by sin set free by the power of Jesus) is just as equally difficult to argue against! 

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Acts 4:15-17, “When they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

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Though they could not deny the miracle had taken place, the pressing question still remained “what shall we do to these men?” Sadly, their remedy was to “severely threaten them” hoping this would keep the lid on the reality Jesus was alive and active!

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Acts 4:18-20, “So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” 

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Problem: Jesus was clear in His commanded they “go onto all the world and preach the Gospel in His Name.” Now the civil authorities are “commanding them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” 

Question: What do we do when the commands of God and the commands of our governing, civil authorities arrive at an unavoidable crossroads? 

Answer: As demonstrated by Peter and John, we choose to obey the higher court of God even if it means we’re found in contempt of the lower court of man.

I love their response.... “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Peter and John are saying that what they were being asked to do would be fundamentally impossible for them to obey! “For we cannot but speak....” Don’t forget Christians are commissioned to “be a witness of Jesus Christ” which describes who the believer is not necessarily what the believer does! It’s as though they’re saying, “We can’t obey you because you’re not asking us to refrain from doing something. You’re asking that we stop being who we are!”

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Acts 4:21-24a, “So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said....”

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Imagine the flood of emotions Peter and John experienced when they are “let go....” Joy, relief, maybe even confusion over the fact they were being freed and not punished?

Upon their release Luke tells us they immediately go to “their own companions” (Greek word “idois” meaning “those in whom they belong”) to “report” (Greek word “apaggellô” meaning “bring back word”) on everything that had happened over the last 24 hours. God has just done an amazing work in and through their lives and both Peter and John couldn’t wait to get back to their own to share what had happened!

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Did you catch that.... The church community provided both Peter and John opportunities for fellowship, and these opportunities had yielded genuine “companions.” 

Question: What kind of companions did genuine Church community provide?

Answer: Peter and John had friends....

1. Who cared for them. I’m sure these folks were incredibly concerned when they heard what had taken place in the Temple the day before. 

2. Who were vested in what was happening in their lives. If it didn’t matter to them, why would Peter and John feel inclined to bring back a report? 

3. Who were likeminded in that they were also followers of Jesus. Luke tells us that following their report “with one accord they raised their voice to God!”

Question: Do you have genuine companions who care for you, are vested in what’s happening in your life, and are likeminded in that they are also followers of Jesus?

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It’s a sad reality, but stats reveal that most Americans and Christians do not!

In just the last 25 years: Playing cards with friends has decreased 25%. The number of people who have friends over for dinner is down 35%. The number of restaurants and bars has decreased 40% with the number of fast-food restaurants doubling. The number of bowlers has increased 10%, but those participating in a bowling league down 40%.

Today: 28% of American households consist of one person living alone. In Atlanta this number is an astounding 40%. In 2013, there are actually more “single-person households” in America than there are “married-with-children households.” 

This cultural shift can be best illustrated by looking at the decline in what sociologists call “Discussion Confidants.” (This is a person you trust enough to talk about anything). In 1985, American’s averaged 2.94 discussion confidants. In 2004, the number decreased about 30% to 2.08. In 2008, that number dropped another 8% to 1.93. This alarming decline indicates that most people today are living without genuine community!

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Tragically, Christians are not immune to these trending stats: While  a majority of American’s claim to be Christian, nearly 50% of Americans today have no church home. Of those who do attend church, “unaffiliated” has become the the fastest growing denominational category among Protestant Christians. 

Over the last 2 years an astounding 50% of all churches in America did not add one new members. Since 1980 church membership dropped more than 25% with the 10 year period from 1992 to 2003 seeing the greatest decline of 13% in church attendance while the overall population of America boomed by over 9%. 

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Though America is trending towards being a loner society and this sociological shift has also effected Christians, it shouldn’t be this way because Jesus didn’t design the Christian experience to be a go-it-alone proposition! As we see with Peter and John, everyone of us desperately needs “companions” for 3 basic reasons!

1. You need Christian companions for spiritual health.

It’s interesting Luke describes Peter and John’s friends as “their own companions.” As mentioned this is actually one Greek word “idois” meaning “those in whom they belong.” Understand, these people were “companions” not in that they belonged to each other. They were “companions” in that they all belonged to Jesus! The bond that tethered them was the single reality they all had a common Savior and served a common Lord.

In the great masterpiece of cinema “Toy Story 2” Buzz and Woody were companions for only one reason.... They were both property of the same master - a boy named Andy! Though Buzz and Woody wouldn’t always agree, they were genuine companions because this singular commonality created an unbreakable bond.

Consider the implications of this idea.... Though you can have friends that aren’t Christians (and I would encourage you do), can you really have a “companion” who isn’t following Jesus? Can you really be a “companion” with someone if you are, in actuality, embarked on two separate journeys heading towards two different destinations?

As human beings God has created us with a deep desire to belong. And while this is ultimately satisfied in being part of the family of God, it is for our own benefit that we find other believers to connect with in meaningful relationships!

A few years ago a landmark paper was written titled, “The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation.” In this paper psychologists present what is know as the “belongingness hypothesis” which stated that people need close, caring, intimate relationships, and are therefore deeply effected when they don’t have them.

Example: For years scientist believed depression was the motivating factor of loneliness; however, in 2006, a report was published by the University of Chicago that presented evidence that loneliness was actually the motivator of depression.

2. You need Christian companions for spiritual support.

Part of the benefits of having “companions” is that with these relationships comes the opportunity to both “depend on” and be “relied upon” depending on the circumstance!

Example: Aron Ralston learned the hard way the importance of having companions. As depicted in the movie based on his story “127 Hours” Aron was forced to cut off his own arm in order to save his life after getting stuck while hiking alone!

Have you ever noticed the physical and emotional effects that occur when a close friend gives you a big hug when you’re down and out? It’s interesting, but scientist have actually been able to show that the embrace of a friend triggers in the brain an initial release of oxytocin (a hormone that creates a sensation of trust) while also reducing the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Because of the release of these two chemicals the touch of a caring person literally helps the brain relax and focus on its primary purposes of problem solving. 

James A. Coan, a psychologist at the University of Virginia, stated, “Our brains have been wired to literally share the processing load with one another, and this is the signal we’re getting when we receive support through touch.” In effect, the body interprets a supportive touch as “I’ll share the load with you.” 

3. You need Christian companions for spiritual strength.

In Ecclesiastes Solomon presents the benefits of friendship using the analogy of a threefold cord not being easily broken. Scripture is constantly presenting examples of people who relied on friends for strength.... Moses had Aaron! Ruth had Naomi! David had Jonathan! Elijah had Elisha! Daniel had the 3 Amigos! And that’s just the OT!

In analyzing the interactions of professional basketball players scientists at Berkeley were able to show that human touch is actually a driving force behind individual performance. Players who were constantly touching and being touched by their teammates rated higher on almost all measures of physical performance than those who didn’t. Their study discovered that good teams tended to be “touchier” than bad ones.

Apparently, a handshake when you enter church - a jubilation hug or five - or an old fashioned “attaboy” goes a lot farther than any of us would have ever imagined!

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As a Christian you will not make it if you do not have Christian companions! (Not even Rambo came back for a 5th movie!) You need companions for spiritual health, support, and strength. Now the critical question is.... How do you get those kind of companions?

1. Attend church! 

Thom Rainer, who’s field focuses on statistical research related to church growth, made this interesting observation concerning the decline we’ve seen in church attendance. He said, “The number one reason for the decline in church attendance is that members attend with less frequency than they did just a few years ago. If the frequency of attendance changes, then attendance will respond accordingly. For example, if 200 members attend every week the average attendance is, obviously, 200. But if one-half of those members miss one out of four weeks, the attendance drops 12.5% to 175.” His study revealed that church attendance is in decline because people are simply attending less frequently. He finished his example by saying that while “no members left this church and everyone was still relatively active, attendance still declined because half the members changed their attendance behavior slightly.”

And we wonder why statistics show that so many people are struggling to plug into the church community! If everyone attended church only once a month, you’d stand a 6% chance to see the same people each week. If everyone only attend half the time you only stand a 25% chance to see the same people each week. If everyone attended 3 out of 4 Sundays you’d still only have a 56% chance to see the same people week to week.

It’s rather simple.... It really is impossible for a person to take advantage of the opportunities to develop companions within the church community if that person is not first willing to make it a priority to come to church every Sunday! 

Note: As a deliberate ministry model for C316, we believe that one organized meeting a week is all people really need in order to make a real connection with another person (one that manifests into interactions outside the church which is genuine koinonia). 

Tragically, so many churches end up compelled to fill their calendar with other activities to foster community when the basic solution to the “community issue” is actually nothing more than encouraging consistent Sunday attendance!

Here’s the honest truth.... As we evaluate Calvary316 in order to plan for the future one simple reality is unavoidable! We have found there to be only one singular difference between the people engaged in the church community of C316 (people who have found and are developing real Christian companions) and the people who are struggling to make these important connections.... Consistent attendance on Sunday morning! 

2. Be friendly!

Though coming to church is a critical first step because it presents a person with opportunities to develop genuine Christian companions, it is also a reality that a person must be willing to take advantage of these opportunities in order to develop friends! 

Calvary316 can be the friendliest place on the planet, but if a person is not willing to put in the effort to make a friend there is very little we can do to help! If a person genuinely desires church community, it’s ultimately on that person to find an avenue to initiate, create, and develop friendships with other believers! 

It might take a bold effort to say hello to someone you don’t know before the service. It might require a step of faith to invite someone to lunch following church. But understand, some of the greatest companions you will ever have in your Christian experience are those you had to work hard to develop and even harder to maintain!

Qualifier: We all should do every thing we can to make it as easy as possible for a person who wants companions and church community to find these things at C316!

3. Utilize resources!

Though Calvary316 cannot force a person to attend every week and it’s impossible for us to create companions for you, we do recognize that some people need a smaller more intimate environment to connect with others than the corporate gathering can afford.

This is why every week we offer a Sunday Prayer Meeting and a Free Cereal & Coffee Bar before the service. It’s why we invest energy in hosting monthly Church Fellowships, Sisterhood Events, Band of Brothers, and activities for Moms & Kids. 

By design everything we do beyond our Sunday service is design with one specific purpose in mind: Help people connect so that they can develop companions! But once again.... These things are only beneficial if you choose to take advantage of them!

Another way Calvary316 is working to help foster community within the church is through our internet and social media resources.... As you know every Sunday we take time to encourage you to “follow Calvary316 on Twitter” and “like us on Facebook” and we do this for a very specific reason....

I mentioned earlier how we have seen a drastic decrease in the average number of discussion confidants over the last 25 years (2.94 in 1985 to 1.93 in 2008). What’s interesting is that according to Pew Research, in 2013, the number of discussion confidants actually rose 11% in the 5 years since 2008 to 2.16. 

Though some older folks hate to hear it, Pew was able to directly attribute this increase to two factors (1). Increase internet usage, and (2). Increase social media use. 

Today, if you use the internet on a daily basis you have 2.27 discussion confidants (15% more than the low in 2008). If you rarely use the internet that number drops an astounding 14% to 1.75 (down 10% from the low in 2008).

Those who use some form of instant messaging on the net end up having 12% more confidants than those use the internet but don’t instant message.... 25% more than those who don’t use the internet at all!

The average discussion confidant for someone actively on a social network of some kind (Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Google+) is 2.45 (up 22% from the low in 2008 and up 12% from the average in 2013). Ironically, studies are proving the notion of social networks destroying society is categorically false! 

Pew summarizes their findings.... “The use of social networks in general was not found to have a negative relationship with the number of overall close ties. However, frequent users of Facebook have larger core networks. For example, someone who uses Facebook a few times per day tends to have about 9% more strong ties.”

Personally, I have found these resources to be extremely helpful when it comes to connecting with the C316 community. Sure social media doesn’t substitute for a face to face conversation, but it’s definitely a tool to help people stay engaged and connected.  

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In conclusion.... Since you need companions who will care for you, are vested in what’s happening with you, and are likeminded in that they also follow Jesus.... Since you need companions for spiritual health, support, and strength.... Make your Sunday attendance a priority, be friendly by seeking to initiate these connections, and utilize the resources Calvary316 has made available to help in the process.