When, because of your faith in Jesus, have you done/said something which got you into trouble with those in authority? What happened? When was the last time you felt like you were under some kind of attack or in some sort of crisis? How did you handle it? How does this account of Peter’s and John’s refusal to cow to the pressure, and later persecution, of human authorities encourage you?

2. Acts 1
8 You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me
in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to
the end of the earth.”

3. Acts 1
21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied
us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out
among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John
to that day when He was taken up from us, one of
these must become a witness with us of His
resurrection.”
Matthias
chosen to replace
Judas Iscariot

4. Acts 2
APOSTLES’ WITNESS AT PENTECOST
32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are
all witnesses.

5. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s
womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the
gate of the temple which is called Beautiful,
PETER’S & JOHN’S WITNESS TO A LAME MAN
Acts 3

6. 3:6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not
have, but what I do have I give you: In the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
Though the man asked for money Peter and John gave the
man what he really needed, the healing power of God.
PETER’S & JOHN’S WITNESS TO A LAME MAN

7. 3:12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the
people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at
this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by
our own power or godliness we had made this
man walk?
Peter was more concerned about the needs of the people
and the religious leaders than he was of his own welfare.
PETER’S WITNESS
TO THE PEOPLE & THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS

8. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just,
and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised
from the dead, of which we are witnesses.
PETER’S & JOHN’S WITNESS TO RELIGIOUS LEADERS
Acts 3

9. John 15:19
If you were of the world,
the world would love its
own. Yet because you
are not of the world, but
I chose you out of the
world, therefore the
world hates you.

10. John 16:1–4 “These things I have spoken to you,
that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They
will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time
is coming that whoever kills you will think that
he offers God service. 3 And these things they
will do to you because they have not known the
Father nor Me.

11. Mark 13:9 “But watch out for yourselves, for
they will deliver you up to councils, and you will
be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought
before rulers and kings for My sake, for a
testimony to them.

12. Christianity is Waning Worldwide

13. 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,
said to them, “Rulers of the people and
elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are
judged for a good deed done to a
helpless man, by what means he has
been made well, 10 let it be known to
you all, 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 stands here before you whole.

14. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected
by you builders, which has become the
chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there
salvation in any other, for there is no
other name under heaven given among
men by which we must be saved.”

15. 1 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the
captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon
them, 2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the
people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from
the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put
them in custody until the next day, for it was already
evening.
Attacks from
religious leaders:
1. Unlearned & non-credentialed
2. Teaching the resurrection of Jesus
3. Good works

16. John 15:20–21 …If they persecuted Me, they
will also persecute you. …all these things they
will do to you for My name’s sake, because they
do not know Him who sent Me.

17. Christian Persecution Worldwide

18. 4 However, many of those who heard the word
believed; and the number of the men came to be
about five thousand.
➢ Acts 2:41 – Peter’s 1st sermon 3000 were saved
➢ Acts 3-4:4 – Peter’s 2nd sermon 5000 men were saved

19. 5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their
rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 as well as Annas the high
priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as
were of the family of the high priest, were gathered
together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them
in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what
name have you done this?”

20. “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
1. Lack integrity to acknowledge what happened
2. Lack power
“power” – δύναμις (dynamis) ability, strength
Matthew 21:23 Now when He came into the
temple, the chief priests and the elders of the
people confronted Him as He was teaching, and
said, “By what authority are You doing these
things? And who gave You this authority?”
3. Lack humility

21. 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them,
“Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a
helpless man, by what means he has been made well,
10 let it be known to you all, 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 stands here before you whole.

22. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you
builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’
Archaeologists discovered in
2017 the quarry King Herod is
believed to have used during
a renovation of the biblical
Second Temple.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1564053/King-Herods-temple-quarry-unearthed.html

23. 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is
no other name under heaven given among men
by which we must be saved.”

24. 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. 14 And
seeing the man who had been healed standing with
them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But
when they had commanded them to go aside out
of the council, they conferred among themselves,
16 saying, “What shall we do to these men?

25. For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done
through them is evident to all who dwell in
Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 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.” 18 So they called
them and commanded them not to speak at all nor
teach in the name of Jesus.
Jesus:
“make disciples of all
nations”
World:
“do not teach in the
name of Jesus”

26. 19 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. 20 For we cannot
but speak the things which we have seen and
heard.”

27. 21 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. 22 For the man was over
forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had
been performed.

28. 23 And being let go, they went to their own
companions and reported all that the chief priests
and elders had said to them.

29. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice
to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are
God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and
all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your
servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the
earth took their stand, and the rulers were
gathered together against the LORD and against His
Christ.’

30. Prayer in the book of Acts
1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer
and supplication, with the women and Mary the
mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’
doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread,
and in prayers.
3:1 Now Peter and John went up together to the
temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
4:24 So when they heard that, they raised their
voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You
are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea,
and all that is in them,

31. 27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom
You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with
the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were
gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and
Your purpose determined before to be done.
We can have courage because
God is in control!

32. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to
Your servants that with all boldness they may
speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to
heal, and that signs and wonders may be done
through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31
And when they had prayed, the place where they
were assembled together was shaken; and they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke
the word of God with boldness.

33. 32 Now the multitude of those who believed were
of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say
that any of the things he possessed was his own,
but they had all things in common. 33 And with
great power the apostles gave witness to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was
upon them all.

34. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked;
for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold
them, and brought the proceeds of the things that
were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet;
and they distributed to each as anyone had need. 36
And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the
apostles (which is translated Son of
Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus,

36. 941-729-6600
941-981-5387
http://faithbiblechurchefc.com
http://TRUTHtransforms.com
sanctitas@aol.com