PEOPLE OF HIS PRESENCE
Let me remind us of God's heart for the salvation of this world: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus himself said in Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Ephesians 2:7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. Our salvation, sanctification, overall, our transforming experience with God is a billboard of the goodness and grace of God so others may seek and experience His grace too. Our relationship and experience with God can and should overflow to everyone around us. A great example of this is found in Acts 4. Please turn to Acts 4 and hang tight for a moment. I want to look at Peter and John’s experience in Acts 4, but we need some important context that leads to our story today, first.
Context:
The gospel of Luke ends with the disciples having a first-hand witness of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. The end of Luke and the beginning of Acts begin with the promised gift of the Holy Spirit to come to fill His people with power to be witnesses.
Luke 24:49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” NIV: “Clothed with power from on high.”
Acts 1 begins with Acts 1:4-8 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus commanded his disciples and followers to wait in the city for the Holy Spirit to fill them, and so they obeyed this command and waited in prayer and expectation together.
Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Acts 2:1-4 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Immediately, Peter has an opportunity to be a witness of the Gospel because of this Pentecostal experience…
Acts 2:37-41 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
Sometime later, Peter and John are walking to go pray but are also walking in the faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit…They encounter a beggar at a gate and heal him…which got the attention of another crowd…
Acts 3:12-20 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. 14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact! 16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes. 17 “Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things. 19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.
This brings us to Acts 4, where Peter and John are being questioned for their teaching and witnessing…
Acts 4
Vs. 1-7
We need to consider who Peter and John stand before. This is the same council who believed Jesus was a threat and one of their reasons for falsely accusing and having Jesus crucified. Now you have two of Jesus’ followers going around sharing a message about Jesus being alive and healing in His name; this is going to get the attention of the opposition. So they bring them in for questioning and demand, by what authority and right do they have to do what they are doing? Peter replies:
Vs. 8-12
Luke purposely mentions here that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has filled Peter and is now flowing through Peter.
Peter receives a special inspiration from the Spirit to enable him to reply effectively in the court. Marshall, I. H. (1980). Acts: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 5, p. 106). InterVarsity Press.
The promise of Jesus:
Luke 12:11 “And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”
Luke 21:14-15 So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, 15 for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!
Peter bears witness to the gospel. He does not get intimidated or shrink back. Peter boldly proclaims in the face of the same people who sentenced Jesus to death. This is the boldness that comes from the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
V. 13
And then the council pays Peter and John one of the greatest compliments and awards we all should seek to receive: They recognized “these men had been with Jesus.”
Vs. 14-22
The Jewish council seeks to silence the name of Jesus
Peter and John’s resolve is tested, and they do not give in to the threats
I fear we don’t need the opposition to silence our witness and testimony of Jesus. I fear we have silenced ourselves too much by being preoccupied with our own presence and the things and concerns of this world.
Vs. 23-31
The church has CHURCH! The church is fired up with praise and filled up with the power of the Holy Spirit because they are witnesses and witnessing what God can do with people of His presence. The church experiences God because of their obedience in the mission of spreading the gospel and building the kingdom of God.
You can experience the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit while worshipping and praying with the church
Application
Application: Acts 4 didn’t happen overnight. Acts 4 happened because of Matthew 4: Peter and John, fishermen from Galilee, chose to follow Jesus for three and a half years. Acts 4 happened because of Luke 24: they witnessed the death and resurrection of Jesus. Acts 4 happened because Acts 1 and 2 happened: They waited, prayed, and experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 4 happened because the boldness and faith in Acts 2 and 3 happened: They seized opportunities to share the gospel and heal a lame beggar, leading thousands of people to salvation. Acts 4 happened because they were people of God’s presence.
People of His presence are first people in His presence
Acts 4:13 says: “They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”
What a statement. Of all the things that could be said about us, wouldn’t that be one of the greatest? “I can tell they’ve been with Jesus.”
We’ve talked about seeking God. Hungering for God. Dwelling in His presence. Becoming aware of His presence. Being led and filled by His Spirit. Why? Because time with God transforms us. When we spend time with God in His Word, prayer, worship, obedience, and fellowship with Him, the Holy Spirit works in us. He changes our hearts. He renews our minds. He produces His fruit in us. He makes us more like Jesus. And eventually, what happens in His presence is evident in our presence!
Can people tell that I have been with Jesus? Not because I wear Christian clothing. Not because I post Bible verses. Not because I attend church. Can they see Jesus in my character? My peace? My compassion? My courage? My holiness? My generosity? The way I treat difficult people? The fruit of the Spirit in my life?
People of His presence make His presence known
As much as we would like to stay in those personal moments or mountaintop experiences with God… we are not meant to stay there!
Everything we’ve studied in this series has been leading us somewhere. The goal was never simply to have more experiences with God. The goal was to become people of His presence, people who have been with Jesus, are being transformed by Jesus, are filled with the Spirit of Jesus, and now make Jesus known wherever we go.
God’s presence isn’t just a place we retreat to; His presence prepares us for the places He sends us to.
Peter was a witness for Jesus! Pentecost created an opportunity, and Peter shares Jesus. Healing creates an opportunity, and Peter shares Jesus. Opposition creates an opportunity, and Peter shares Jesus. Peter keeps finding a way to make Jesus known.
Here’s something I learned. God is already working, and opportunities are already around us. We just need to be ready to be people of His presence.
Am I an active witness of Christ?
A coworker tells you their marriage is struggling; that’s an opportunity. Someone tells you they’re afraid of a diagnosis; that’s an opportunity. A neighbor tells you they’re sick; that’s an opportunity to pray and help. Someone asks why you handled a difficult situation with ease; that’s an opportunity. Someone needs a hand around their house; that’s an opportunity. Are we people of His presence in our workplaces, text threads, social media accounts, during lunch, on the sidelines, on the bus, or in our schools?
People of His presence see opportunities to be a witness and share the love and hope of Christ in ordinary moments.
Am I silent about Jesus or am I bold about Jesus?
Let me repeat what I said earlier… I fear we don’t need any opposition to silence our witness and testimony of Jesus. I fear we have silenced it ourselves.
But let us have the boldness that comes from the Spirit of God, the presence of God in us that Peter and John expressed in Acts 4:20: “We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” That’s what people of His presence sound like. “I’ve experienced Jesus, and I can’t keep Him to myself.”
Ask yourself this question, “When was the last time I personally told someone about Jesus?” Not invited someone to church. Not posted something, Christian. Not hoped someone noticed I was different. When did I actually talk to someone about Jesus?
That question challenges me too. Because if Jesus really is the hope of the world…If Jesus really saves…If Jesus really forgives…If Jesus really heals broken lives…If Jesus really gives eternal life…then we cannot keep Him to ourselves.
This week, make it a goal to tell one person what Jesus has done in your life.
Closing
How do we end this series?... Like the end of Acts 4. By asking Him to fill us with His presence so we can make Jesus known. Acts 4:29–31: “Lord, give us boldness. Fill us with your Spirit. Help us recognize opportunities. Make us people who have been with Jesus and cannot stop telling what we have seen and heard.”
Discussion
What part of the sermon resonated with you the most?
Pastor Ryan says, “People of His presence are first people in His presence.” What does being “in God’s presence” look like in your everyday life, not just at church?
What do you think the religious leaders saw in Peter and John that made it evident they had “been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13)?
If someone spent a week around you, what characteristics might they see that point them toward Jesus? Dare to humbly admit what may turn them away?
God has placed you where you are right now at work, in your neighborhood, church, etc. So how could you be a witness for Jesus and impact those around you?
What is one practical step you can take this week to become a person who carries God’s presence into the lives of others?
What additional notes did you make during the sermon?
How can we pray together for you today?
The most important decision you will ever make!
If you’re ready to trust in Jesus for salvation and eternal life, we encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and, when you’re ready, say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways, and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, Amen!
We would love to know if you decided to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hope you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!