2nd August 2010

Acts 4:1-22 – Peter and John before the Sanhedrin.

• "An impersonal life leads to an impervious heart"
• A classic story of a group with control issues stifling a move of God.
• The Sadducees were God’s main enemy – more so than the Pharisees. They rarely supported Jesus whilst some members of the Pharisees did.
1. They did not believe in the resurrection.
2. They were from the Jewish aristocracy and looked down on anyone who did not have the same training as them.
3. They did not believe in a personal Messiah but instead they believed in a messianic age that they had to preserve.
• It is this third fact that I believe gives us the greatest insight into those with real control and power issues – everything was very impersonal with them.
• Those with control issues that I have noticed often lack relationship – real authentic relationship.
• Many are socially awkward.
• This is what the Jewish historian Josephus said of the Sadducees;
• The Sadducees one towards another is in some degree wild, and their conversation with those that are of their own party is as barbarous as if they were strangers to them.Josephus says they did not emphasize God’s interest in man’s decisions.

• Being impersonal led them to be impervious.
• They could not see God’s move because they could not see people for who they truly were. They were full of doubt and distrust.
• As a leader I must be careful to make sure that I practice authentic relationship.
• It is when I lose sight of relationship that I lose sight of the thing that grounds my religion.
• I must regularly practice forgiveness, honesty, kindness, gentleness etc.
• Are we in danger of impersonal leaders that lead to impervious hearts?