Sermon Audio: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ministrybymail

In the name of Christ Jesus who says, “you shall be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8),

If you’ve ever been seated as a juror on a trial, sat in on a trial, or simply watched on television, you know how important it is to have good witnesses. A witness is there to testify to what they saw or heard. A good witness can swing the jury one way or another. A good witness is one who is bold in their testimony and doesn’t waver when a lawyer cross-examines them.

Throughout the Bible and Church History you can find records of bold witnesses. Think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When powerful King Nebuchadnezzar ordered them to bow down and worship his god or be thrown into a fiery furnace, what was their answer? “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.” (Daniel 3:17) Or think of Daniel, Stephen, or Martin Luther who boldly witnessed their faith in Christ in hostile settings. What a bold witness!

We have another bold witness before us this morning, as two fishermen from Galilee boldly witness a crucified and risen Jesus as the only Savior for sinners. Where did this boldness come from? How can we be bolder in our witness of Christ? Listen to the Word of God in Acts chapter 4 and consider how bold witnesses of Christ have been healed by Jesus and spent time with Jesus, and thus could not keep silent about Him.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, ⁹ if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. ¹² 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.”

¹³ 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. ¹⁴ But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. ¹⁵ But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, ¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ 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.” ¹⁸ So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ 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, ²⁰ for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (ESV)

This is the Word of God. May the Holy Spirit strengthen us that we may be emboldened to share Christ with others. Amen.

Have been healed by Christ

In Acts chapter 4, Peter and John have been brought before the Sanhedrin because a day earlier they had healed a man in his 40’s who had been crippled from birth. As that well-known crippled man jumped around the temple praising God, it drew a crowd. Peter and John used this healing as an opportunity to testify about the crucified and risen Christ.

And now Peter and John had been brought before the Sanhedrin for questioning. The Sanhedrin consisted of 70 men among whom were elders, some Pharisees, Scribes, and the High Priest. These were the most powerful men in the Jewish religion.

Months earlier when Jesus stood before this same group of men, Peter had been there too. At that time, Peter had been approached as to whether he was with Jesus. Peter, fearing what would happen to him, denied three different times, even cursing and swearing that he didn’t know who Jesus was. And that was when he was questioned by a servant girl! That was not a very bold witness for Christ.

But now, in our text, he is standing before the high priest and Jewish council. Far from denying Christ, Peter boldly points the finger at the Sanhedrin saying that they crucified the cornerstone of their salvation. He says that they had rejected the one God had sent to save them. Peter tells them that he cannot keep silent about Jesus. The boldness of Peter is so evident that even these professional church people are astonished.

Where did this boldness come from? How could Peter go from cowering as a Christ denier before a servant girl to bold Christ confessor before the Sanhedrin? Well, consider how the crippled man isn’t the only one in our text that has been healed—Peter had been healed too.

After denying Christ three times, the Bible tells us that Peter went out and wept bitterly. He was crushed by what he had done. He was sorrowing over his sins against Jesus. Jesus, Peter’s Lord and friend, was suffering for him, and Peter denied knowing who Jesus was.

That guilt and sorrow was healed three days after his three-fold denial. When God raised Jesus from the dead on Easter, the angels told the women to go and tell Jesus’ disciples AND PETER that the tomb was empty because Jesus had risen. Go tell Peter.

Now why do you suppose Peter especially needed to hear that Christ had risen?

I think you know why. If you have ever felt the guilt and shame that Peter felt, you know why Peter needed to be told Jesus was risen. If you sat silent, while friends or coworkers mocked the Lord who died for you; if you were afraid to tell someone that you go to a Bible-teaching church, believed in Jesus and know that He is the only way to heaven; if, like Peter, you have ever vowed that you would never do a sin, but then gave into that sin, you know why Peter needed to hear Jesus is risen.

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is God’s announcement to the world that your sins truly have been paid for by Jesus. Isaiah writes of Jesus, “By His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) The wounds of Jesus heal you because on the cross God is punishing Jesus to forgive you. When God raised Jesus from the dead He was healing you—you are redeemed, restored, and forgiven. Like the lame man jumping up and down, praising God for his healing, Peter was a bold witness for Christ because Christ had healed him. Let us be bold witnesses for Christ who has healed us.

Have spent time with Christ

Listen again to the reaction of the Sanhedrin to Peter’s testimony. Verse 13, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished.” Where did these blue collar fishermen from Galilee get this boldness to preach Christ before this group of educated, wealthy, and powerful Jewish men? “They recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

Peter and John had been with Jesus. Jesus had taught them. They were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. They had seen Him heal the sick and raise the dead. And both had spent time with the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, alive from the dead. Having been with the Lord, Peter and John were empowered to boldly confess the risen Christ.

Jesus invites you to spend time with Him as well. “Come to me,” (Matthew 11:28) and “Follow Me,” (John 1:43) He says to you. “Abide in My Word…and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32) Spending time with Jesus in His word, Jesus tells us the truth about Him and the truth about us. Spending time with Jesus in His word frees us. It frees us from the fear of death as He says, “Because I live, you too will live.” (John 14:19) Spending time with Jesus in His Word frees us from the fear of the devil as He says to His Church, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.” (Matthew 16:18) Spending time with Jesus in His Word we are freed from fear of what man can do to us knowing the truth with Paul that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) Having spent time with Jesus, we can say with Paul, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13)— including being bold witnesses for Him.

CANNOT KEEP SILENT ABOUT JESUS

Four year olds aren’t very good at keeping secrets. One little four year old had a surprise present for her Mom, and it took all of the strength she had to keep quiet about it. “I FEEL LIKE I’M GOING TO EXPLODE!” she told her Dad.

That’s the case with good news, isn’t it. We have trouble keeping silent about it—someone had a baby, got engaged, or found out the cancer was in remission. When it comes to good news, we feel like we are going to explode if we keep it in; we can’t wait to find someone to tell.

Is there any better news you can share with someone than what Peter and John say in our text? “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) You and I have the answer to so many of the questions your neighbors are wrestling with—the answer is JESUS. Salvation is found in Him alone. Only by His name - not Mohammed, not Moses, not Martin Luther—only in Jesus’ name MUST we be saved. We must be saved in Jesus’ name because only His death can ransom you from your sins. We must be saved in Jesus’ name because only He can reconcile us to God. We must be saved in Jesus’ name because only He has overcome death. How can we keep silent about this good news?!

Having been healed by Jesus and having spent time with Jesus in His Word and Sacraments, let us join Peter and John, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and countless other Christians in being bold witnesses of Christ. May the Holy Spirit help us to do so. Amen.

—Pastor Nathan Pfeiffer

Berea Ev. Lutheran Church
Inver Grove Heights, MN

---

Ministry by Mail is a weekly publication of the Church of the Lutheran Confession. Subscription and staff information may be found online at www.clclutheran.org/ministrybymail.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.