Look inside this book.Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]

Tag: Acts 4
Preparing to Worship

Preparing to Worship

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Worship Service 9:30 am

10900 Huron Street

Northglenn, CO

Scripture:  Acts 4: 8-22

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 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. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, 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 and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But 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.” 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.”  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. 

Sermon:  Christ’s Courageous People – Tomm Tice

  1. What had they seen and heard?
  2. What did they have to say about what they had seen and heard?
  3. What made them courageous enough to speak of what they had seen and heard?

Catechism:  Westminster Shorter Catechism Question #8

How doth God execute his decrees?

God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.

1 Psalm 148:8. Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Isaiah 40:26. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Daniel 4:35. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Acts 4:24-28. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Revelation 4:11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Worship

In Christ Alone

There is a Redeemer

It Is Well
‘You Judge’

‘You Judge’

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‘You Judge’

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.

Acts 4:19

The mission of the Gospel has always encountered opposition. In the days of the rapid spread of the Gospel in Jerusalem, this opposition was constant and intense. The context of our text is Peter preaching Christ to the religious rulers. They were madly against the preaching of Christ, and against the disciples for doing it. Therefore, we read, ‘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.’”  Our text today is Peter’s response to that opposition. Here is his logic: ‘The choice you are presenting us is to stop preaching Christ, which is what He told us to do, or continue to preach Christ regardless of what you say. You judge whose will is more important.’  There is only one right conclusion.  Christ’s Word and Will supercedes the word and will of human authority. So it has ever been, so it is, and so it will ever be. If we proclaim Christ, we will receive opposition. It will come in various forms and from multiple directions. Some of the worst critics will be the most overtly religious. In spite of this opposition, here is the crunch issue:  Will we obey Christ, and be loyal to Him and His clear directive, or will we ‘go along to get along?’ There is no real alternative which will allow us to keep our integrity. ‘We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’ Christ, not man, is King. We have His Word, and know His Will. Therefore, we look to Him, and make much of Him.

Our All-Powerful and All-Wise God,
we praise You that You have clearly revealed Your Will.
We rejoice that it is our great privilege to carry out Your Will
by making much of Christ.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
Divine Compulsion

Divine Compulsion

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Divine Compulsion

For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Acts 4:20

As we continue to consider how Christ uses us to accomplish His greater Purpose, we come to consider how the disciples spoke the message of Christ during the days which followed Pentecost. What is quite fascinating, is that these ‘uneducated and untrained,’ men were speaking Christ in spite of all the threatenings of the religious authorities. ‘So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.’ Our text is part of the disciples’ response. Let us concentrate on this portion today: ‘For we cannot but speak….’ The disciples are reflecting a Divine Compulsion. They had ‘seen and heard’ life-transforming things because ‘they had been with Jesus.’ The Message which they preached was Christ Himself. This was what compelled them to continue in the face of all opposition. In essence, they were saying, ‘We have to do this, not because we are being forced, but because it has changed us, and will change the world. Christ is the answer to every question that is worth asking.’  For us, this Message is exactly the same. It has not changed in the intervening years. There is no other message that supercedes it. We who have seen Christ clearly are also Divinely compelled. We also can say, ‘we cannot but speak.’ Christ lays before us opportunity after opportunity to make much of Him. We have a high privilege and a holy compulsion. Now is our hour. Here is our field. The world is our audience.

Our Good and Glorious God,
we praise You that Your Message will go forth to the ends of the earth.
We rejoice that we have the high and holy privilege of making Christ known
and that You, by Your Holy Spirit, compel us so to do.

Tomm Tice
Where The Bush is Burning
‘The Things Which We Have Seen And Heard’

‘The Things Which We Have Seen And Heard’

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‘The Things Which We Have Seen And Heard’

‘For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’

Acts 4:20

Personal experiences are exciting to hear and to tell. The religious leaders were putting pressure on the disciples. In fact, verse 18 tells us, ‘So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.’ Our text for today is part of Peter and John’s response to them. Our text is the final word against which there could be no successful argument. The disciples had ‘seen and heard’ the words and works of Jesus for three years. They had been there to see His arrest, His trials, His sufferings, His death throes, and His resurrection. They had seen Him as He ‘presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many infallible proofs.’ They had seen Him ascend back to heaven, and heard His promise of ‘I will come again.’ These were life-transforming experiences for the disciples. These were the most exciting personal experiences of their entire lives. So it is for us. When God prepares us for our role in the Body of Christ, and in the world at large, He provides for us the spiritually exciting personal experiences about which we can speak with authority for the rest of our life. We have seen Christ in the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit has taken the things of Christ and shown them unto us. He has fired our souls with the glory of Christ. He has dealt with us in intimate personal ways. We have much that ‘we have seen and heard.’ Therefore, we have much to say of Christ.’

Our most Glorious God,
we rejoice in all the things which You reveal.
We praise You that we see Christ clearly through the Scriptures;
We hear His Words and therefore speak of Him.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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