“Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand,” Acts 4:4.
THE RESULT OF PETER’S PREACHING WAS MOST WONDERFUL!
1. Despite its strident denunciation of the sin of the hearers, there were many converts. Girls and boys, the Lord can and does work irrespective of the views and attitudes of the world! The Gospel does not need the world’s approval in order that sinners are saved! How wrong are those preachers who hold back from preaching that which they feel might offend public opinion. The GOSPEL will always offend public opinion! The Saviour offended many but He did not curtail His message in order to avoid offence!
“Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch,” Matthew 15:12-14.
2. Note that it was ‘the word’ that Peter preached! Sin was denounced for that is GOD’S WORD. Peter also had set forth the means by which deliverance is possible! There can be no repentance without a convincing and convicting of sin!
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,”Acts 3:19.
3. There was a wonderful response. Here is proof that the Holy Spirit owned Peter’s message! “Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand,” Acts 4:4. Peter’s sermon is a model of what preaching should be in a day of rebellion against God! Note his use of the pronoun: “ye”, verses 13-14, 17, 19. He boldly faced them up with their terrible sin!
4. Sadly, that was not the only response. As is ALWAYS the case, the devil reacted violently when his kingdom is threatened by the Gospel. “And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide,” Acts 4:1-3.
The message of Peter was approved of by God and used to the salvation of thousands, YET the religious leaders, the PRIESTS, the CAPTAIN of the temple, and the SADDUCEES put Peter and John in prison.
Boys and girls, this world is at WAR with the Lord!
On which side are you? Can you say with the hymn writer,
‘We are on the Lord’s side, we will serve the King!