Title: We Will Not Comply

Text: Acts 4:13-22

FCF: We often struggle obeying the commands of God when they conflict with the commands of men.

Prop: Because the gospel is our unpopular mission, we must make disciples of all nations.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 4.

We began this narrative section back in the beginning of chapter 3. Since then, we’ve seen a lame man healed by the power and authority of Jesus of Nazareth. We’ve heard Peter preach the gospel as receiving Christ alone by faith alone. We’ve seen the Sanhedrin assemble to test the apostles, only to reveal the depth of their own depravity in their self-righteousness and wickedness.

Now we’ll enter into this next episode of the narrative where the Sanhedrin will move to sentence Peter and John. Will they be convicted of a crime? Will they be imprisoned? Killed? What will happen to them? That is what we’ll discover today.

I’m in Acts chapter 4 and I’ll begin reading in verse 13. I am reading once again from the LSB but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1233 or in your preferred version.

Transition:

[Slide 2] What do you do when you are given two conflicting commands? When the whole dugout is screaming go, go, go and your third base coach is giving you the stop sign. What are some determining factors in deciding which command you will obey? Do you try to obey both? In a computer program if you put in two conflicting commands it throws an error, because the computer attempts to obey both and cannot. Today, we’ll see the apostles given a command. Unfortunately, the command they are given is a command that conflicts directly to a previous command they were given. The narrative before us reveals more about the heart of natural man, and also gives us direction on what to do when we as God’s people are told to do something God has forbidden or not do something God has commanded.

I.) The gospel itself is offensive to ungodly men, but we must make disciples of all nations. (13-18)

a. [Slide 3] 13 – Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and comprehended that they were uneducated and ordinary men,

i. Notice what they observed.

ii. First, they observed their confidence or their courage.

iii. They observed that these men seemed to be willing to risk their lives and their safety in order to teach and do all they had taught and done.

iv. They were bold. This is a positive trait. And one that even the Sanhedrin could appreciate.

v. However, they also comprehended or seized on or grabbed onto an understanding of these men – that they were uneducated and ordinary men.

vi. What does this mean?

vii. Sometimes uneducated can mean that they were illiterate. They could neither read nor write. However, illiteracy in 1st century Judea was a fairly rare occurrence. Because of the synagogue schools, many young Jewish men would have been taught to read and write.

viii. Also, how could the Sanhedrin have come to understand that these men could neither read or write from what Peter… said?

ix. This indicates to us that we should look for an alternate interpretation of uneducated.

x. And since “uneducated” is connected to another description by the word “and” we should look to that word to help us understand this one.

xi. Ordinary means that they lacked any professional skill or formal training.

xii. Putting these two words together, it means that the Sanhedrin realized that they were not formally educated in the Rabbinical traditions and Hebrew writings.

xiii. In other words, the Sanhedrin recognized that they were not qualified to speak with any authority regarding the teachings of the law, the prophets, the psalms, or any religious matters whatsoever.

b. [Slide 4] They were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.

i. Why were they marveling?

ii. Well looking at what is being said, the marveling comes from the confidence displayed despite the formal training they did not receive.

iii. You would expect someone with no formal training or education to be less authoritative and less definitive. This is why the Sanhedrin marveled at Peter and John.

iv. This of course was enough to remind them of a similar preacher they dealt with only a few short months prior.

v. A carpenter of no formal training, speaking dogmatically and by His own authority in matters He was not qualified to speak on.

vi. This allowed them to connect the dots that these two men, Peter and John, were disciples of Jesus.

vii. As for the teaching of Peter and John – the Sanhedrin almost had all they needed to completely dismiss anything these apostles said. Because, after all, the person in whose name they are preaching… is dead. A failed Messiah. Indeed, a Messiah they are claiming failed on purpose. How ridiculous!

viii. Now they are claiming he arose from the dead! Ridiculous!

ix. It was all so silly! It was easy to dismiss….

x. Except for one rather pesky problem…

c. [Slide 5] 14 – And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply

i. Ah yes. The man who could walk.

ii. They had no answer. They had nothing to say counter to the miracle.

iii. Truly, miraculous signs tend to authenticate the message of any who teach it.

iv. This was the paradox they were facing. This was their catch 22.

v. On the one hand, they had every reason to dismiss what these men said as the ravings of fanatics of a failed Messiah, all of whom had no authority to say anything they’ve said.

vi. But on the other hand, these men were able to cause the lame to leap by the authority and at the command of this same dead man – Jesus of Nazareth.

vii. They were befuddled. They were trapped.

viii. So… they sent them away.

d. [Slide 6] 15 – But when they and ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they began to confer with one another.

i. They needed time to consider the perplexing problem they all had.

ii. What do we do with two men who teach things that they are not qualified to teach, from a Messiah we were able to kill, while at the same time being able to heal someone in the power of that same dead Messiah?

iii. Luke reveals to us a little bit about their discussions.

e. [Slide 7] 16 – saying, “what should we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy sign has happened through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it.

i. First, we must address a logical and source critique in the text.

ii. How did Luke have access to what was said inside the closed chambers of the Sanhedrin? There are several reasonable explanations.

1. Joseph of Arimathea was on the Sanhedrin council. Perhaps he still was. He was also a Christ Follower.

2. Nicodemus was a Christ follower also, and on the Sanhedrin council.

3. There is also some indication that Saul, who would later become Paul the apostle, was on the Sanhedrin council too. Perhaps he was on the council at this time and relayed the story to Luke later?

4. Or perhaps Luke surmises what they discussed based on their response.

5. Or perhaps the Spirit of God simply revealed it to Luke.

6. In any case – there is no reason to doubt Luke’s accuracy even though he wasn’t in the room.

iii. But what do they discuss?

iv. One the one hand – they cannot deny that a miraculous sign has been done.

v. The man was lame – everyone knew it – and now he walks.

vi. Not only this, but he was commanded to walk in the name of Jesus of Nazareth – which is the subject of the teaching of these men.

vii. And if this were a secret that no one knew, things would be much easier – but the miracle was done publicly over several hours at the temple mount.

viii. All of Jerusalem knew about this.

ix. “All” of course not meaning every single person but rather a very large number.

x. So, they can’t hide it. They can’t bury it.

xi. So, what are their options?

f. [Slide 8] 17 – but lest is spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.

i. Intimidation. That is their only option.

ii. They are careful not to deny the miracle by simply ignoring it completely.

iii. But the teaching they can’t abide. That is the real problem. The teaching.

iv. They cannot allow them to speak with the authority of Jesus of Nazareth.

g. [Slide 9] 18 – And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

i. So, they execute their plan.

ii. They summon them before the Sanhedrin – the ruling body in Judea – and command them - not suggest, not ask, command – to not speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

iii. Any teaching that is done in the authority of, for the sake of, or by the power of Jesus is not permitted.

iv. Whether that is privately or publicly.

h. [Slide 10] Summary of the point: Though the ungodly may appreciate our logic, our argumentation, our winsomeness, our honesty, our confidence, our good deeds done, our love and our peacefulness – though we be a perfect and accurate defender of the gospel of Jesus Christ – we will still be muzzled, cancelled, shunned, imprisoned, persecuted, martyred, and silenced. Why? Because the world hates the gospel. It doesn’t matter how well educated, how confident, how well spoken, how kind, how loving, or how approachable we are… because the gospel itself is offensive to sinful men. The gospel tells them they need to be saved from something they very much love… sin. The gospel tells them they must stop worshipping a god they very much love… themselves. The gospel is good news that they do not want. It is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the gentiles.

Transition:

[Slide 11] So, we have seen the hardness of the hearts of these men. We have seen that the gospel is the only thing men do not want about the Christian faith. They will gladly accept the miracles, the benevolence, even the confidence. But what will not do, is the message of Christ crucified for sinners. So how do Peter and John respond to the unbelief of the Sanhedrin? How do they respond to this command to not speak in Jesus’ name?

II.) God commands His people to make disciples of all nations, so we must make disciples of all nations. (19-22)

a. [Slide 12] 19 – But Peter and John answered, and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to hear you rather than God, you be the judge.

i. Peter’s words remain bold.

ii. Again, this council attempts to act like they are the judges, so Peter wants them to judge something else.

iii. Is it right in the sight of God to listen to men, even religious men, even powerful men, even such men as the Sanhedrin, rather than to obey God?

iv. The answer to this question is quite obvious.

v. We must obey God rather than men.

vi. In a sense, Peter claims that he and John are speaking by the authority of Yahweh.

vii. Although it is subtle, he already answered the question as to who’s authority they spoke.

viii. Now he says – you judge if we should obey you or God.

ix. So what authority are you speaking in, God or Jesus? Exactly! Yes!

x. And this is the exact conclusion that Peter assumes and the reason that they cannot obey the command of the Sanhedrin.

b. [Slide 13] 20 – for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

i. Peter says, unfortunately we cannot obey your command because it conflicts with one from God.

ii. God has commanded us to speak and therefore we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.

iii. The Greek here is a double negative which would be used for emphatic force.

iv. We cannot NOT speak.

v. In other words, we MUST speak about what we’ve seen and heard. Why?

vi. Because it is from God and has been commanded to us by God.

c. [Slide 14] 21a – And when they had threatened them further, they let them go

i. Well, the intimidation wasn’t working, but I guess they figured that anything worth trying was worth trying twice.

ii. So, they again warned them not to speak in Jesus’ name. Why would they do this?

iii. Because the apostles announced to the entire council their intent to violate the command, the Sanhedrin is probably laying out for Peter and John the punishments they would incur upon themselves should they disobey the command.

iv. But ultimately, the Sanhedrin had to let Peter and John go.

v. Why?

vi. Two reasons actually…

d. [Slide 15] (finding no basis on which to punish them)

i. First, although they were the judges of Israel and free to settle matters such as these themselves, they could not invent crimes against people.

ii. Even with Jesus, they had to get him to admit that He was the Messiah. Jesus said, I AM. He claimed to be God. That is blasphemy – an actual punishable crime… if it weren’t true.

iii. Peter and John had broken no obvious law and there were two witnesses there to substantiate Peter’s words. Both John and the formerly lame man.

iv. But the Sanhedrin did issue a command now, and if the apostles disobeyed this command then the Sanhedrin could charge them with the crime of contempt of court.

v. But there is another reason they cannot punish them, that probably cuts much closer to the bone…

e. [Slide 16] 21b-22 - on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened. for the man was more than forty years old on whom the sign of healing had occurred.

i. The thing they could not deny, the thing they could not dismiss, the thing they tried to ignore, is the very thing keeping them from truly punishing the apostles.

ii. This was an undeniably miraculous event. One that had no other explanation.

iii. This man was crippled since birth for 40 years. Now he is walking, running, jumping.

iv. And what makes matters worse – he is standing next to the men who have claimed to do this in Jesus’ name, affirming everything they said.

v. In the end, to ignore such a sign and the certainty that it was by God’s power, would be to leave them without the backing of the people. It would reveal that the leadership has no intention of listening to God.

vi. They simply could not risk that.

f. [Slide 17] Summary of the point: Jesus commands His people to go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that Jesus has commanded. Even though the world will hate the message we bring – we have no other option but to bring it to the world. Some will hear and believe. Many will reject it and many will reject us. And many will be persecuted for preaching it. That doesn’t mean we can be needlessly obnoxious in our presenting what is already a despicable thing for the ungodly to hear. But we must be faithful in bearing witness to our King and all that we have seen and heard.

Conclusion:

Pulling together all that we have seen today, it is easy for us to understand the doctrinal takeaway we have from this passage of scripture. What does God say and how then shall we live?

[Slide 18] God has commanded us to make disciples of all nations even though the gospel is good news that natural man does not want. But the same Lord who gives this command tells us two things in that same passage in which He commands it. First, that He has all authority in heaven and earth. This makes His command of the utmost and highest importance. It comes down from the top. Second, he tells us to our comfort, that He will be with us to the end of the age. In another place He tells us that He sends us as sheep out among the wolves. My friends, our Lord sends us to a world that rejected Him. A world that will also reject us. Even if we are delightful, winsome, courageous, logical, and full of love toward them, they will reject us because we come to them in the name of Christ. It is a mission in which we should expect to be rejected by men. For Jesus was rejected by men. But it is one in which our Savior promises to go forth with us.

Such a strong command and promise against such terrible odds culminates and expands itself into several applications for us today. And rather than simply listing them out, I have categorized them into five different kinds of applications.

Applications:

1.) [Slide 19] First, Mind Transformation which answers the question, “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?”: Even undeniable miracles will not pierce the hardness of natural man’s heart.

a. Last week we dove deeply into the plight of natural man’s heart. How he is both unwilling and unable to receive the truth of God’s Word.

b. I won’t retread the same ground we did.

c. But we will see several more layers this morning helping us to further see how lost natural man truly is.

d. The first of these layers is that even the most evident and plain miracles done in God’s power are not enough to convert them to Christ.

e. We notice that the Sanhedrin could not deny, nor did they have any argument against the healing of the lame man.

f. There was no natural explanation. There was no accounting for it. Nevertheless, they simply ignored it and rejected the message given by those who performed the miracle.

g. Some modern preachers continually harp on the need for the church to press our advantage concerning the resurrection. That the resurrection is the key to wooing unbelievers to confess Christ.

h. My friends it didn’t work for the Sanhedrin who were searching all of Judea for the body of Jesus, when Peter and John stood before them that day.

i. Yes, even the resurrection is a sign that does not defeat the stony heart of the unbeliever.

j. So once again, we must conclude, that God must replace the stony heart with a heart of flesh in order to receive Spiritual truth. (Ezekiel 36:26)

k. In order to call on the name of Jesus for salvation, they must believe. In order to believe, they must hear the word of God. In order to hear the Word of God, they need a preacher. But in order to understand the Word of God, they need God’s Spirit showing it to them. (Romans 10 and I Corinthians 2)

l. No mere miracle is enough. God must save us. God must prepare the heart to be given the gifts of repentance and faith. (Matthew 13:1-9; Acts 16:13-15)

m. True the Lord MAY use a miracle to do this. After all, that is how the great number on the temple mount the previous day came to Christ. By the authenticating miracle. But these Sanhedrin who saw the same miracle – do not yield. That is why we must believe that miracles are not enough to bring a man to Christ.

2.) [Slide 20] Refutation: which answers the question, “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” : People couldn’t care less about the good things Christianity does for the world. They’ll at worst just ignore those things. What they cannot abide is the teaching of the exclusiveness of Jesus Christ.

a. There is an aging philosophy that has had several children and grandchildren since its creation.

b. The philosophy was named “The social gospel”

c. In the social gospel it was espoused that if we simply do good to those around us and live lives that are just and pure and holy and loving, then people will come to Christ because of our good works.

d. Going woke or becoming a woke Christian is a descendant of this philosophy.

e. While it is true that the scriptures stress that our good works are often the means God uses to draw the attention of the world, and it is true that racism and favoritism are vile sins that God hates, the fact of the matter is that men are drawn to God by God. God draws and calls those whom He wills.

f. Therefore, we should not expect our logical and passionate arguments for a creator, a Savior, or God’s existence to be able to break through the stony hearts of men.

g. We should not expect our charity, our winsomeness, our kindness, or our peacefulness to win over and melt the wicked hearts of children of wrath.

h. We should not expect all our good deeds to be reciprocated by the world.

i. Instead, we should realize that they will still hate us no matter how kind and loving we are. They will still despise us no matter how well we defend our arguments. They will still reject us no matter how much good we do for the world. Why?

j. Because they rejected Christ. And what we are preaching to them is Christ crucified for sinners. We are preaching that Christ was killed and the wrath of God poured out on Him to pay for their sin and free them from it.

k. In essence we are telling them, as Peter told every single group of people he’s spoken to so far in Acts, You Killed The Lord of Glory!

l. This is a message that is great beauty to those who believe… but a terrible offense to those who desire to love their sin and be their own god.

m. Certainly, we should have well-reasoned arguments, be winsome, kind, loving, compassionate, and do good deeds for all the world to see. But not because these actions will draw men to faith. But rather because that is what our Lord has commanded us to do.

n. So we must stop believing the lies that our good works will somehow convince people to convert to Christ or even that it will convince them to treat us well.

3.) [Slide 21] Exhortation: This application answers the question, “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don’t naturally do or aren’t currently doing?” : Whenever there is a command given to us that is against God’s commands, we must obey God not men. Therefore, we must obey the Lord and make disciples of all nations.

a. Jesus Himself gave this great command to make disciples of all nations.

b. He has commanded us to do this while going, baptizing and teaching.

c. We go because we cannot possibly reach all the nations if we stay in Jerusalem.

d. We baptize because it is the church’s mission to administer the sacraments and adopt and hold accountable new members of Christ’s body.

e. We teach all that Christ has commanded because He is our pattern, our mold, our standard that all disciples must follow and grow up into. And it is the church’s job to grow one another in the knowledge of Christ.

f. We must do all of this because the Son of Man who has been given all authority has commanded it.

g. And we must do so with the comfort that He goes with us until He returns to bring us home.

h. But why do we need His comforting presence with us to obey this command? Because natural man is evil and wicked and desperately despises the preaching of the gospel of Christ.

i. Natural men, who become authority figures, will eventually make it illegal to follow the explicit commands God. Why? Because God’s laws contradict and demonize the very things that natural man loves and desires.

j. The scriptures tell us that there is no fellowship with light and darkness. There is no harmony with the flesh and the Spirit. (II Corinthians 6:14)

k. The light of God’s word and law will always make those who dwell in darkness hiss and hide their eyes at the light. (John 3:19)

l. And so, my friends, we should expect a nation led by the ungodly will eventually craft ungodly laws.

m. What then is our choice? When pressed, what shall we do?

n. We must do as the apostles did. We must obey God and disobey the ungodly laws of men while submitting ourselves to their unjust punishment for doing so.

o. Peter and John do not lead a revolution. They submitted to going to prison. They will submit in chapter 5 to even more. What they cannot submit to, is laws that contradict what God has commanded.

p. So must we also passively obey our ungodly rulers. We must disobey their ungodly laws that directly contradict God’s laws – but in so doing, submit to their perverted justice and the punishment that they have decreed against us for disobedience.

q. This is the only pattern we have in scripture. We are never taught to revolt. We are taught to passively submit.

4.) [Slide 22] De-Exhortation: This application answers the question, “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” : We must be careful not to disobey when we should obey, or to obey when we should disobey.

a. Since leading an outright revolt or revolution is not an option, that limits greatly what we should disobey.

b. When the stakes are set to being punished by our governing authorities for disobedience, we must think critically about when it the proper time to disobey and therefore be punished.

c. But this naturally leads us to two specific things we should not do. Two sides of the same coin.

d. First, we should not rebel or disobey our governing authorities for things that are not clearly defined as a command of God in scripture.

i. The apostles had a clear command from Christ to make disciples.

ii. They were clearly directed by Christ in Acts chapter 1 that they will be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.

iii. The Sanhedrin told them directly to not teach in his name.

iv. These are mutually exclusive commands. And because of this, the apostles must obey God rather than men.

v. But Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael give us another example. (Daniel 2:7;49)

1. Most people don’t even recognize these names because these were their Hebrew names. Most of us know them as Shadrach, Meshack, and Abed-nego.

2. But all three of these names mean blasphemous things.

3. Hananiah whose name meant beloved of the Lord was now named Shadrach meaning illuminated by Rak the sun god, or possibly commanded of Aku the moon god.

4. Mishael whose name meant “who is as God?” is now called Meshach. The meaning of his name is uncertain but some guesses are “who is like Shak” which is the Babylonian fertility God like Venus. Or perhaps Who is like Aku the moon god.

5. And Azariah, whose name meant The Lord is my help is now named Abednego which means the servant of Nebo or Nego or Nebu who is the god of intelligence and teaching.

6. Thus, each Babylonian name is not only blasphemous but a direct attack on the meaning of their Hebrew name. It is the antithesis of their Hebrew name.

7. Why do I bring up their example?

8. Even though these three young men refused to obey the edict of Nebuchadnezzar and to worship the statue (Dan 3). Even though they passively obeyed by submitting to be punished for this. They did not resist being renamed with blasphemous names. Why? Because there was no direct command of God in question here.

9. God specifically says to not make idols to not bow down before them and to not worship any God but Him. For this they refuse. But they accepted blasphemous names.

vi. Therefore, we must be careful to obey laws that though they may be corrupt, are not directly contrary to God’s laws.

vii. An example of this would be if our government mandated that we no longer have bathrooms assigned to specific genders.

viii. In the letter, such a law does not violate any commands we have as believers.

ix. We are not blind to the spirit of this law. That the ideology of the LGBTQA+ community is being pushed on the church.

x. Yet we can creatively obey this law by turning each bathroom in our church into a family bathroom with a lock. This way, we obey the letter of the law, but resist the spirit which is antithetical to the truth of scripture.

e. But at the other extreme of this, we must be careful not to bow to pressure and give in to disobeying God so that we can escape punishment from our governing authorities, or to mitigate unpleasant outcomes.

i. Do you realize how easy it would have been for the apostles to have not taught in Jesus’ name?

ii. They could teach the same concepts about having faith alone in the Messiah alone without mentioning the name of Jesus.

iii. But the law itself was ungodly because it directly contradicted God’s command.

iv. God told them to preach Jesus Christ crucified for sinners. Jesus said, and I quote “You shall be MY witnesses in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the end of the earth.”

v. How can they truly be His witnesses if they never use His authority or preach in His name?

vi. Therefore, we must be courageous enough to disobey the laws of our governing officials when they directly contradict what the Lord has commanded us.

vii. An example of this would be, as they did in California, the prohibition of singing in churches for fear of spreading an infectious disease.

viii. How easy it would be to compromise on this. And many churches did. “We can sing in our heads. We can hum the tune. We can pray the words. We can be fully mentally engaged! We don’t need to sing.”

ix. And yet the scriptures command us …TO SING psalms hymns and spiritual songs to God and to one another!

x. Therefore, such a command issued by a governing body, no matter the reason, is an unjust and unlawful law – and must be disobeyed regardless of the cost. And that cost could be either punishment by authorities or even the spread of a communicable disease.

xi. Would you risk contracting a disease so you can obey the command of God?

xii. I find it interesting that some might easily be thrown in jail to obey – but to get sick, they would balk.

f. And so, on both sides of the coin we must be careful and courageous to only disobey a command that clearly contradicts a direct command from the Lord.

5.) [Slide 23 (end)] The final application concerns our own peace and comfort. It answer the question, “What comfort can we find here?” or “What storm of concern does Jesus calm with this passage of scripture?” : It is not up to us to save men. God does the saving. This is a comfort.

a. This sermon has still focused greatly on the depth of natural man’s depravity.

b. I hope in these last two sermons you have seen the Sanhedrin with great pity – but have also come to realize that the Sanhedrin are an example of how sinful we really are from birth. How scarred we are by sin right out of the womb. How far we are from God before we can even speak.

c. But even amid the depravity of natural man – God gives us comfort here.

d. If man’s heart is so wicked and so far from God that

i. Miracles will not break them

ii. Good deeds, kindness, logic, and charity will not woo them

iii. That they would create laws specifically against God’s laws

iv. That they would punish those who would disobey their unjust laws

e. Yet in all this we still must obey the command of our Savior to make disciples, we may conclude that if man’s wickedness is so great – we cannot possibly do anything that would draw them to Christ.

f. And if we conclude this… we are right.

g. I saw a post this week from a friend. It helps us greatly, I think. The post said…

i. It is not our job to convert people.

ii. It is not our job to save people.

iii. It is not our job to convict people.

iv. It is not our job to convince people.

v. Our job is simply… to tell people

vi. The convincing, convicting, converting, and saving is the work of the Holy Spirit.

h. That is why Christ does not command us to make converts or to secure salvations. For we are incapable of this. Instead, we are His witnesses, reporting what we have seen and heard. We tell others what Christ has done. And if God moves upon them and changes their heart… that is when we make a disciple out of them.

i. So, take comfort my friends. The saving is not up to you. God will bring what was dead to life. God will birth His children. God will restore sight to the blind. God will make lame men leap. He simply commands us to care for His dear children and help them grow into the full stature of His Son.

j. And since that is where we all should be going anyway… we can simply have them walk with us on the way.