D E F E N S E I S A G O O D O F F E N S E ACTS 4:1-12 Acts 4:1 "And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,"    2 "Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead."     3 "And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide."    4 "Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand."     5 "And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,"     6 "And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem."     7 "And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?"
8 "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,"
9 "If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;"     10 "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole."   11 "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner."    12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

INTRODUCTION: This is the playoff season of the year for football.   Today I saw the best offensive team in pro-football loose. At one point they were loosing 34 to 0. The commentators say "play off games are won by defense. Some football people say the best offense is a good defense. However in the text Simon and John had a good defense because they went on the offense. They reverse the situation and made the sanhedrin go on the defense.

I. THE SADDUCEES v 1

A. CLOSED MINDS.
1. NO RESURRECTION--NO SUPERNATURAL--NO ANGELS

B. HARD HEARTS
1. NO SALVATION--ROM.10:9-10
a. Sad--U--See

II. THE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL v 4

A. 5,000 MEN SAVED

B. SOME -- TOTAL NUMBER OF BELIEVERS NOW EQUALS 5,000

ILLUSTRATION
WE'LL PUT YOU TO DEATH-- YOU KILL BEST-I DIE BEST

III. THE SANHEDREN v 5-7

A. HIGHEST COURT OF JEWS
        1. 71 MEMBERS
                a.    24 chief priest (sadducees)
                b.    24 elders (pharisees)
                c.    22 scribes d.chief priest

B. QUESTIONS
1. WHAT POWER OR AUTHORITY®)4

IV. SIMON'S OFFENSE FOR A DEFENSE v 8-11

A. DEFENSE IS AN OFFENSE -- WITNESSED UNTO JESUS
LUKE 21:12-15 "But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. 13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist."

        1. DEFENDED WITH SPIRIT FULLNESS v8a
        2. DEFENDED WITH SAVVY "YE RULERS" v8b
        3. DEFENDED WITH SUPPORT FROM THEIR WITNESS v10
        4. DEFENDED WITH SHOWING THE HEALED MAN v10
        5. DEFENDED WITH SCRIPTURE v11

V. THE STONE OF SALVATION v 12

Introduction:
Christ is compared to a Rock more than 50 times. A shepherd only 20 times but a rock 50

FOLLOW WHAT DAVID SAID ABOUT THE ROCK:
Psa 40:2 "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." 2 "He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved." 6 "He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved."
7 "In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God."

Psa 95:1 "O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation."

LISTEN WHAT ISAIAH SAID ABOUT THE ROCK:
Isa 32:2 "And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."

CONSIDER CAREFULLY WHAT PAUL SAID ABOUT THE ROCK:
1 Cor 10:4 "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."

THIS ROCK HAS A NAME AND IT IS "JESUS"
        A. THE PRECIOUS NAME -- SAY IT --
        B. THE POWERFUL NAME
        C. THE PRE-ORDAINED NAME
        D. THE PRE-CLUDING NAME
        E. THE PRECISE NAME®)4-- Say JESUS Rom. 10:9

CONCLUSION

I AM THE WAY--GOING

I AM THE TRUTH--KNOWING

I AM THE LIFE --LIVING

PARABLE OF THE GATE KEEPER WHO DESIRES ENTRANCE AND BY WHAT NAME AND ACTIONS

HUMANITARIAN---IN THE NAME OF HUMANISM -- WORKS OF EDUCATION DEPART

MORAL MAN -- IN THE NAME OF GOOD MORALS -- WORKS OF PURITY DEPART

RELIGIOUS MAN -- IN THE NAME OF THE CHURCH -- WORKS OF GOOD DEEDS DEPART

BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN -- IN THE NAME OF JESUS -- NOTHING IN MY HAND I BRING
SIMPLY TO THE CROSS I CLING

OPEN WIDE THE GATE ! OPEN WIDE THE GATE ! OPEN WIDE THE GATE !

SONG TO GOD BE THE GLORY

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And Beyond. Amen? Amen!