Acts 7:1-7

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1 The high priest said to Stephen, “Are these things true?” 2 Stephen answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to Abraham, our ancestor, in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran. 3 God said to Abraham, 'Leave your country and your relatives, and go to the land I will show you.' 4 So Abraham left the country of Chaldea and went to live in Haran. After Abraham’s father died, God sent him to this place where you now live. 5 God did not give Abraham any of this land, not even a foot of it. But God promised that he would give this land to him and his descendants, even before Abraham had a child. 6 This is what God said to him: 'Your descendants will be strangers in a land they don’t own. The people there will make them slaves and will mistreat them for four hundred years. 7 But I will punish the nation where they are slaves. Then your descendants will leave that land and will worship me in this place.'" ~ Acts 7:1-7

Today, we begin our study of Acts 7 where the religious leaders of first century Israel were questioning Stephen who had been raised up by God to tend to the practical needs of those whom God was adding to the Church daily. Due to Stephen's determination to obey God and thus be defined by Him, God showed him favor by granting him the filling of the Holy Spirit and of His wisdom. As a result, the unbelieving Jews were envious of Stephen and they wanted to keep him from being successful at leading others to the Lord Jesus. So, a group came together and falsely accused him of blasphemy. It is into this part of the narrative that we re-enter today.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "The high priest said to Stephen, 'Are these things true?'"

Acts 6 ended with Stephen being charged with blasphemy. In fact, he was charge with four kinds of blasphemy; blasphemy against God, against Moses, against the law, and against the temple. And, as he heard this verdict, Stephen stood confidently with his face reflecting the very peace of God. Stephen had nothing to fear because the truth was on his side, even if he was falsely accused. And even if the false accusations prevailed, they could not prevail over his security in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Acts 7 opens with the high priest who asked Stephen a simple question, anticipating a plea of guilt or innocence. To which Stephen spoke in his own defense. In fact, his defense covers 52 verses, none of which directly answers the high priest’s question. Instead, Stephen offered a history of Israel’s continued rejection of the Lord Jesus. This is the longest sermon in the book of Acts. It's the longest chapter in the book of Acts. Stephen preached a sermon longer than Peter, Paul, or anybody else. It was through Stephen’s words that God was offering the religious leaders of Israel yet another opportunity to repent and receive His free gift of forgiveness for themselves. While Stephen could have defended himself against the false charges, his response served a greater purpose.

In v.2-5 of today's passage we read, "2 Stephen answered, 'Brothers and fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to Abraham, our ancestor, in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran. 3 God said to Abraham, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and go to the land I will show you.’ 4 So Abraham left the country of Chaldea and went to live in Haran. After Abraham’s father died, God sent him to this place where you now live. 5 God did not give Abraham any of this land, not even a foot of it. But God promised that he would give this land to him and his descendants, even before Abraham had a child. 

Stephen highlighted Abraham who clearly was a man of faith in the God of the Bible. Abraham, who was intercepted by God, chose to follow and obey God. He left his country and even his father's house and went out into a land he had never seen before. There, though he never owned a foot of ground in the land, he believed that God would do what he had said. Though he had no child he believed that God would give him descendants. God, of course, honored that promise and eventually gave him a child, Isaac, and in time, fulfilled all His promises to Abraham. Stephen gave the religious leaders of first century Israel a clear contrast. Abraham, the father of the Jews, was a man of faith who dared to make changes in obedience to God. Throughout his message, Stephen established that he believed in the very same God who called father Abraham who never made it to the promised land. 

In v.6-7 of today's passage we read, "6 This is what God said to him: ‘Your descendants will be strangers in a land they don’t own. The people there will make them slaves and will mistreat them for four hundred years. 7 But I will punish the nation where they are slaves. Then your descendants will leave that land and will worship me in this place.'"

Here, Stephen reminded his hearers of what God did in the lives of the Patriarchs of Israel, Abraham, Isaac and Joseph. His point was that the destiny of Israel was in the faithful hands of God just as ours are. With all of the Scripture that he quotes here, it is obvious that Stephen knew the Old Testament. He also obviously understood what it meant. And he obviously understood that all of the Old Testament point all who read it to its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. That's what Stephen revealed throughout this sermon. 

Interestingly, as we work through this chapter, we will realize that it opens with the God of glory and it ends with the glory of God. Like Stephen, when our lives are surrendered to the God of glory, we will see the glory of God. This is what sustained Stephen and this is what keeps us filled with the Spirit and with the wisdom of God. When he could have preached a sermon defending Himself, Stephen chose to bring glory to God. Stephen understood the key to all of life is bringing glory to God. In fact, he understood that we all long for the glory of God, not for the glory of ourselves. No one goes to the Swiss Alps to increase their self-esteem. No, we go to the Swiss Alps because there is greater healing for the soul in beholding the splendor of God's creation than there is in beholding ourselves. This is what made Stephen the man he was, a man filled with the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of God.

Acts 6:8-15

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8 Stephen was richly blessed by God who gave him the power to do great miracles and signs among the people. 9 But some people were against him. They belonged to the synagogue of Free Men (as it was called), which included people from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia. They all came and argued with Stephen. 10 But the Spirit was helping him to speak with wisdom, and his words were so strong that they could not argue with him. 11 So they secretly urged some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak against Moses and against God.” 12 This upset the people, the elders, and the teachers of the law. They came and grabbed Stephen and brought him to a meeting of the leaders. 13 They brought in some people to tell lies about Stephen, saying, “This man is always speaking against this holy place and the law of Moses. 14 We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and that Jesus will change the customs Moses gave us.” 15 All the people in the meeting were watching Stephen closely and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel. ~ Acts 6:8-15

Today, we conclude our study of Acts 6 where we have been following the growth of the first century church. As with any meaningful undertaking, there will always be adversity because we live in such a fallen world. Given the case, the Lord has always been able to use this tool of adversity for the growth of our faith in the God of the Bible. I have discovered that God is the master at using today’s difficulties to strengthen us for tomorrow's victories. There are always those times when He seems to be absent during our adversity only to discover that He caused or allowed that adversity for our growth in Him. It is almost always that when we find ourselves on the edge of disbelief that our adversity gives God the platform to prove to us that He is bigger than any problem we encounter.

In v.8-10 of today's passage we read, "8 Stephen was richly blessed by God who gave him the power to do great miracles and signs among the people. 9 But some people were against him. They belonged to the synagogue of Free Men (as it was called), which included people from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia. They all came and argued with Stephen. 10 But the Spirit was helping him to speak with wisdom, and his words were so strong that they could not argue with him."

Stephen was richly blessed by God because he was yielded to the Holy Spirit who filled him with the wisdom of God. The concept of being "filled with the Spirit" is not a command to empty Christians who haven't been born again. Each born-again believer in Christ has the Holy Spirit from the moment we believe. The goal, according to Ephesians 5:18, is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit who Himself does not push the will of God upon us. The experience of "being filled with the Spirit" is not an experience we initiate. This command was written in the passive voice which means that we receive the action from the Holy Spirit. 

To "be filled with the Spirit" delivers the idea of pressure from the blowing wind. In the spiritual realm, this concept depicts the Holy Spirit providing the thrust to move the believer down the pathway of obedience to God. A Spirit-filled Christian isn't motivated by his own desires or his own will or his own obedience. Instead, he is yielded to the Holy Spirit who leads him in the proper direction of obedience to God for the moment. The idea is that we are giving control over our lives to the Holy Spirit and this is done through our obedience to God's Word.

It is most often in the context of adversity that we see best the control of the Holy Spirit over our lives. How we respond to the adversity will echo more profoundly in the lives of others than any good we can produce for the moment. It was Brennan Manning who said, "The temptation of the age is to look good without being good."  Our greatest life lessons come out of our deepest wounds. Stephen found this to be true as he had such a deep walk with the Lord that he was known to be a man who was full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a passive thing. It is through our determination to obey God's Word that we are prepared to receive the filling of the Holy Spirit. Stephen was a man of faith, thus the Holy Spirit filled Him. It really isn't that we get more of the Spirit, it is that He is getting more of us. If we lack faith and obedience, we will not receive the filling of the Spirit. When we live our lives in accord with the Word of God, in a state of being opened up to God, then we will be filled by His Spirit. The more opened we are to God's control, the more we will be filled by His Spirit's control. God deepens us most often through our adversities.

In v.11-14 of today's passage we read, "11 So they secretly urged some men to say, 'We heard Stephen speak against Moses and against God.' 12 This upset the people, the elders, and the teachers of the law. They came and grabbed Stephen and brought him to a meeting of the leaders. 13 They brought in some people to tell lies about Stephen, saying, 'This man is always speaking against this holy place and the law of Moses. 14 We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and that Jesus will change the customs Moses gave us.'"

Those of the Synagogue of the Freedmen were not able to resist the wisdom of Stephen. This led to them being filled with jealousy. The word translated "secretly urged" is only found here in the Bible. It literally means "to cast down." It provides a picture of a carpet under one’s feet. Hence, the idea of putting one person in place of another. These deceivers brought a false accusation against Stephen, replacing the true intent of his words with a different meaning. 

In order to make a charge of blasphemy against another, the words that are claimed to have been said must be presented and proven. Further, according to the Law of Moses, there had to be at least two witnesses in order for the words to be accepted as true. Even though these false witnesses combined their voices into one accusation, their attempts failed because everything Stephen said was the truth, even the statement that the Lord Jesus said He would destroy the temple. Of course, in 70 AD the temple was destroyed by Titus and the Romans. It wasn't that the Lord had not told Israel in Jeremiah 26 that this would happen. In response, the people who were not even in a personal relationship with God wanted to stone Stephen. The flesh was winning the day.

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "All the people in the meeting were watching Stephen closely and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel."

The religious leaders of Israel sat there staring at the accused Stephen as if he were a content angel who had the perspective of time from the view of eternity. Due to having been filled by the Spirit Stephen had confidence, peace, and wisdom from God. Since God was in control of Stephen, he was in control of his emotions and his disposition. According to Acts 7:55, moments before Stephen was stoned to death, as the Jewish leaders were grinding their teeth and shaking their fists in rage, we are told these words: "Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." Without even speaking a word, Stephen’s countenance gave witness that he was filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the key to being effective for God in this world and this was the key to Stephen's life and death.

Acts 6:1-7

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1 The number of followers was growing. But during this same time, the Greek-speaking followers had an argument with the other followers. The Greek-speaking widows were not getting their share of the food that was given out every day. 2 The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, “It is not right for us to stop our work of teaching God’s word in order to serve tables. 3 So, brothers and sisters, choose seven of your own men who are good, full of the Spirit and full of wisdom. We will put them in charge of this work. 4 Then we can continue to pray and to teach the word of God.” 5 The whole group liked the idea, so they chose these seven men: Stephen (a man with great faith and full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (a man from Antioch who had become a follower of the Jewish religion). 6 Then they put these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 The word of God was continuing to spread. The group of followers in Jerusalem increased, and a great number of the Jewish priests believed and obeyed. ~ Acts 6:1-7

Today, we transition into Acts 6 where the growth of the early church was due to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though He was not physically present, He via those who were His followers were spreading the truth and God added to their numbers daily. The church is made up of people and even though each born again believer is on their way to heaven they have spent a lot of time being influenced by Hell. And, we do not change over night. Many are bothered by the word "church" because in the church there are those who are not of the church. They are not of the church because they are not of God. To be of God one must come to the place where he is no longer trying to garner his salvation for himself and turn to the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of his sin.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "The number of followers was growing. But during this same time, the Greek-speaking followers had an argument with the other followers. The Greek-speaking widows were not getting their share of the food that was given out every day."

Anytime a group of people come together whether they are followers the Lord Jesus or not, there will be friction. Even though our sin has been forgiven, we still struggle with sin. This was the case in the early days while the church was being formed. The problem rose up in the church between the Hebrew speaking Jews and the Greek-speaking Jews. The problem was that the Greek speaking widows were not receiving their share of the food that was daily distributed. Being overlooked would not be unexpected in such a situation. A person who didn’t speak the language and who was alone and without anyone to speak for her, would have a difficult time communicating. The Hebrew widows were receiving what they needed, but the Greek-speaking widows were being habitually overlooked.

In v.2-4 of today's passage we read, "2 The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, 'It is not right for us to stop our work of teaching God’s word in order to serve tables. 3 So, brothers and sisters, choose seven of your own men who are good, full of the Spirit and full of wisdom. We will put them in charge of this work. 4 Then we can continue to pray and to teach the word of God.'"

Within any operation there are many tasks to be accomplished and the church is no different. The problem that had come about in the early church had to be addressed but it was not incumbent upon the apostles to be bogged down in the minutia of the everyday happenings because if they had the teaching of the Word of God would have been neglected. As a result the apostles directed the adults to pick the first seven deacons of the first century church. These seven men were to be servants to the needs of the people in their gathering. The word translated "serve" literally means "to kick up the dust." The picture is that these guys were busy helping to meet the needs of others. 

The qualifications for these early deacons included that they had to have a good reputation, full of the Spirit and full of wisdom. This meant they had to have a good witness in the congregation. They were to be men of good character who could be trusted, men who had already won the confidence of others. They were also to be spiritual men, that it they had to be men who had the reputation of being led by the Holy Spirit. And then, these men had to have the gift of wisdom which is the ability to read the Scriptures and understand it to the point of being able to see how the discovered truth is to be applied. 

In v.5-7 of today's passage we read, "5 The whole group liked the idea, so they chose these seven men: Stephen (a man with great faith and full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (a man from Antioch who had become a follower of the Jewish religion). 6 Then they put these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 The word of God was continuing to spread. The group of followers in Jerusalem increased, and a great number of the Jewish priests believed and obeyed."

All of these names are Greek names. That means they were probably chosen from among the complaining party, the Greek-speaking Jews. When the far larger majority of Hebrew-speaking Christians were asked to choose men they chose them from the very group that was issuing the complaint. That ended the dissension because this decision created a context where it was easier to trust. As soon as they chose these men there was no longer any dissension. They entrusted them with the responsibility to work it out within their own ranks, and thus they indicated their trust of them and of their ability to solve this problem.

As a result, "the Word of God continued to spread" because the apostles didn’t get caught up doing something other than preaching the Word of God. They understood that the Bible is the truth of God. We live in a world ruled by illusion and fantasy where people are confused and deceived. As the Word of God spread, disciples multiplied. The people wanted to know what was right and real, what was honest and genuine. These priests who were the ones who had to kill the animals that were offered as sacrifices on the altars of the temple, as they heard the gospel from the Apostles, the truth about the Lord Jesus, they believed. The priests began to be obedient to the truth as they heard and saw the application of these sacrifices to themselves.

As the Word of God spread, the number of the followers of the Lord Jesus continued to increase greatly. When the Word of God is taught and its influence spreads, people get convicted of their sin and then they believe on the Lord Jesus as their Savior. This led to, not a few, but a great many of priests became followers of the Lord Jesus. Literally, Luke wrote concerning these priests: "The priests had faith in the faith." And, of course, when we believe something strongly enough, we will be defined by it when we obey it. These priests came to understand that the truth is that falsehoods enslave us. They shackle us to beliefs, biases, and inaccuracies that limit our ability to thrive. If we are sharing falsehoods, we become trapped in the lie that must be perpetuated but will ultimately come to light. If we are accepting falsehoods by looking the other way or allowing ourselves to be deceived, we are ensnared in someone’s web of deceit that will also eventually reveal itself. This, for many years, was the story of these priests. But, when the Holy Spirit had His way in their hearts, they could not resist the truth.

Acts 5:40-42

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40 And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. ~ Acts 5:40-42

Today, we complete our study of Acts 5 which began with the tragic story about Ananias and Sapphire who died due to their deceit. Their sin was not that they didn't give all of their money from the sale of some of their land, their sin was they made it appear that they gave all of the money but they held back some of it for themselves. From that tragic story our attention was turned to the opposition of the religious leaders of Israel to the gospel of the Lord Jesus and His apostles abilities to heal. Their opposition was so great the religious leaders wanted to disobey God's Word and murder the apostles. After an angel freed the apostles from prison, Gamaliel admonished his colleagues to leave the apostles alone for if their message was not of God they would come to nothing.

In v.40 of today's passage we read, "And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go."

The religious leaders of Israel agreed with Gamaliel to leave the apostles alone based upon the assumption that if their movement was simply the work of man, it would die out. But, they still could not let the apostles go away without a demonstration of their authority. Hence, they beat the apostles with rods. In Deuteronomy 25:1-3 which reads, "If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that the judges may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, 2 then it shall be, if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, that the judge will cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence, according to his guilt, with a certain number of blows. 3 Forty blows he may give him and no more, lest he should exceed this and beat him with many blows above these, and your brother be humiliated in your sight."

Along with their beating, the apostles were also given the charge to not speak in the name of the Lord Jesus again. This was the same command the religious leaders had previously given to Peter and John. Unlike their charge in Acts 4, this time the directive of the religious leaders of first century Israel came with a beating in order to hopefully ensure the compliance of the apostles. In addition, the apostles were shamed and humiliated. As they endured that humiliation the apostles no doubt  pondered the greatest humility ever to be put on display, the humility of Christ as He hung on His cross.

In v.41 of today's passage we read, "So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."

The apostles had been beaten but not for wrongdoing. Even though they had been disgraced through the beatings, the apostles went away joyful. They had been undeservedly beaten and yet the truth of the gospel was valued and held high. This incident informed Peter's later writing in 1 Peter 3:15-17 which reads, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

The apostles rejoiced because they knew the truth which had been substantiated by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. As a result they had set apart the Lord to be the God of their hearts. They fulfilled the command the Lord Jesus had left them in Acts 1:8 which reads, "When the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive power. You will be my witnesses—in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world."

The apostles counted it worthy to suffer shame for the Lord. The word "counted" means that had concluded precisely after careful calculation. It was the resurrection of the Lord Jesus that enabled them to conclude as they did. Given the reality of the resurrection, the value system of the disciples had been altered. Before the resurrection death was the end. After the resurrection death is now the beginning. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus makes sense out of His cross. I love the words of Max Lucado who said, "Never were those arms opened so wide as they were on the Roman cross. One arm extending back into history and the other reaching into the future. An embrace of forgiveness offered for anyone who’ll come."

The word "worthy" is a contraction of two Greek words meaning "to deem entirely deserving." The root word for this Greek word is the word from which we get our English word "axis" which connects us to the concept of balancing a scale. The greatest axis ever was provided at a place they called "the skull" where the Lord Jesus Christ was humiliated and crucified. The God of the Bible is the only One who has ever given Himself up for His creation. It is He who forgives His enemies. It is He who makes strength out of weakness, who brings life out of death. 

In v.42 of today's passage we read, "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."

This chapter closes with the apostles keeping their resolve to obey God rather than men. Convinced of its utter truthfulness, the apostles kept preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ everywhere they went. In the end, they signed their resolve with their own blood. They loved sharing the gospel more than they hated getting a beating for it. There is no greater validation of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus than the fact that all but one of the apostles were martyred for their faith. And the one who wasn't, he is known as the disciple whom Jesus loved.

Acts 5:33-39

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33 When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. 34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” ~ Acts 5:33-39

Today, we return to Acts 5 where the Apostles of the Lord Jesus have been thrown into jail by the religious leaders of first century Israel. But, during the night the Lord send an angel who miraculously freed them from the jail, all the while the doors remained locked and the guards stood guard. It was a metaphor for the much deeper work the Lord was doing in the lives of all who came to believe that He was the long promised Messiah of Israel.

In v.33 of today's passage we read, "When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them."

These so-called "spiritual leaders" searched the Scriptures for something other than God. Otherwise, they would have loved people for when we seek God through His Word, He always gives us His heart which is for all mankind. The Lord Jesus said in John 5:39, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me." Somewhere along the way the religious leaders stopped seeking the Lord, so much so that they missed Him when He came. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Living Word of whom the written word speaks.  

When the religious leaders of Israel heard the words of Peter that they were responsible for the death of the Messiah, they were so angry they planned how they might murder the apostles. Again, these "religious leaders" knew the Old Testament like the backs of their hands, and yet, they lack an encounter with the One who wrote it. The irony in this narrative is that these "religious leaders" were willing to violate the very law they had dedicated their lives to protect. 

The word "furious" is a compound of two word meaning "sawn in two." This is what the Word of God does to us, it cuts into us deeply resulting in us either embracing God through it or we are found running from Him. Not one word we read in the Bible is dead. It is energized by the Holy Spirit and is alive. The very One who spoke the worlds into existence longs to speak the truth into our souls. It was A.W. Tozer who once said, "The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring us to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that we may enter into Him, that we might delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of our hearts."

In v.34-39 of today's passage we read, "34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God."

Undoubtedly, Gamaliel heard the grumblings of the other religious leaders and knew that their words were contrary to both reason and the Law of Moses. He knew their violence had led to the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, and now His followers were standing before the council with the same type of anger being cast towards them. As a Pharisee, Gamaliel accepted the biblical teaching of the resurrection and angels. As a result, he was tempted to actually accept that the apostles had been released from the prison by an angel. Thus, Gamaliel reasoned with the council. By the way, this was the same Gamaliel under whom the Apostle Paul studied before he became a believer in the Lord Jesus. 

It was then that Gamaliel used the examples of Theudas and Judas of Galilee who both claimed to be the messiah. They were both seen by the Romans as insurrectionists. Theudas and Judas were both false fads which soon died out with their deaths. Given the fate of these two false messiahs, Gamaliel advised the council to let this Jesus thing run its course. Gamaliel's advice was brilliant since if the Lord Jesus was just another false messiah, His work would come to nothing.

Gamaliel's last words reveals that he thought this Jesus movement could have been of God. Though there is no evidence that he ever came to faith in the Lord Jesus, the words of Gamaliel seem to indicate that he thought that the message of the apostles was possibly true. His words demonstrate the thoughts of a person who was carefully watching the unfolding events before him to see if the Lord Jesus was actually the promised Messiah. Sadly Gamaliel sought to be spiritual most of his life and he missed a real encounter with God. It was Mike Yaconelli who said, "Accepting the reality of our broken, flawed lives is the beginning of spirituality not because the spiritual life will remove our flaws but because we let go of seeking perfection and, instead, seek God, the one who is present in the tangles of our lives."

Acts 5:22-32

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22 But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, 23 saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” 24 Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. 25 So one came and told them, saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” 26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” ~ Acts 5:22-32

Today, we continue our study of Acts 5 where the religious leaders of first century Israel have jailed the apostles for preaching about the Lord Jesus Christ at the Temple in Jerusalem. Unbeknown to them, the apostles had been set free from the prison by an angel of the Lord. This is the picture of the gospel when believed upon by the sinful human heart. It is set free from the clutches of sin and death and it now sees anew. Oh, it doesn't see completely and perfectly anew. But, having been made alive to God by His indwelling Holy Spirit, the believer in Christ has now been set on a path that is lit by the truth of God.

In v.22-23 of today's passage we read, "22 But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, 23 saying, 'Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!'"

When the officers arrived at the prison they discovered it was, as always locked up tight. They found the guards on duty keeping their watch over their subjects. But, when they entered the bowels of the prison, they discovered the apostles were not there. Not only had every physical measure remained secure, the guards were completely unaware of any change in the status of the apostles in the cell. The apostles had been taken into the cell, the guards had been posted, and they remained stationed all night just where they were posted. And yet, the apostles were not inside. The utter impossibility of getting out of such a place, especially in just a few hours, did not even seem a possibility. And yet, the dungeon where they had been was empty. This means that the apostles had been supernaturally transported out of the prison. 

In v.24-28 of today's passage we read, "24 Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. 25 So one came and told them, saying, 'Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!' 26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, 'Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!'"

While the religious leaders had been home safely sleeping all night, the apostles had been brought out of a locked and guarded cell. And instead of running home or fleeing to Galilee, the apostles stood in the temple that the religious leaders were responsible for. Luke’s narrative of these events is certainly precise, but it was almost like a comedy. These were the leaders of the religious life of the people of Israel. They had the authority of the law of Moses behind them. And yet, they were completely unaware of what was happening and ineffective in controlling what was going on. 

As a result, the religious leaders were at their wits end at the news that the apostles could not be found in the prison. Deep in their hearts they knew they would not be able to stop the advancement of the gospel. Their every effort to stop the apostles and their message had failed. In Matthew 16 the Lord Jesus Himself reminded us: "Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Gates are known to provide a defense for the encroaching armies. Every unbelieving heart has a gate guarding their heart of unbelief. Even though there will be many who will resist the precious truth of the Gospel, there will be many who will willingly lower the gate so that their heart can go from unbelief to belief.

After the sun had risen, the religious leaders learned that the apostles were "standing in the temple." The word "standing" paints a picture of fearlessness. It was Zig Ziglar who once said, "FEAR can be either: 'Forget Everything And Run' or 'Face Everything And Rise.' We must choose." Interestingly, the apostles did not run for safety. No, they like their Savior they rose to the occasion. They could not deny the joy of obeying the One who laid down His life for them. It was then that cooler heads prevailed for the moment. Even though the religious leaders were ready to rip the apostles apart limb from limb, they put a lid on their violence. The only reason they weren’t violent was because they knew the people were listening to the apostles, and they could imagine them stoning them. 

Back in Acts 4 the religious leaders had made their first charge against the apostles which was they were not to speak in the name of the Lord Jesus anymore. In today's passage, they made their second charge that the apostles accused them of the death of Christ. The religious leaders delivered not even one question about the miracle of the apostles' escape. They didn’t dare mention it, because the apostles would have told them the details and they didn’t want to hear about it. The religious leaders were sick of the miracles of the Lord Jesus. This is what unresolved guilt and shame does to us. The religious leaders had created religious practices that looked holy but undermined God’s Word. Their sacrifices served their image, their system, and their flesh, but not the heart of God. It was the Lord Jesus who said their worship was in vain because they elevated man-made practices over obedience to God.

In v.29-32 of today's passage we read, "29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: 'We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.'"

The apostles’ appeal was to the higher authority. Once we have come to realize there is much more to this life than the temporal, we can't help but invest in the eternal. Instead of focusing on the fact that the people had just two months before demanded Pilate crucify the Lord Jesus, the Apostle Peter turns their attention to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. If there was no proof of the resurrection, the teachings of the apostles would have been laughed at and ignored. This is where our power to turn from our will to God's comes into the picture. There is no forgiveness apart from repentance. We would never be saved until we had turned from our sin. That doesn’t mean we become sinless; it means we have turned away from the self-life. And now that we have the very life of God in our lives, we live with Him as our primary audience.

Acts 5:17-21

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17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” 21 And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. ~ Acts 5:17-21

Today, we return to our study of Acts 5 where God continues to show His power through the yielded lives of His apostles. After Pentecost many who had been brought to the apostles with ailments and who had been demon possessed were all healed and delivered. They were delivered from the temporal effects of sin and death and they were delivered into a personal relationship with God who healed them in response to their faith in Him. To God, faith is the most important thing about us because it makes our heart vulnerable to Him. God brings our attention to faith at least 850 times in the Bible. In addition, He draws our attention to our hearts more than 1,000 times! "Faith" and "heart" go hand in hand to provide you and me with the fuel that attracts the attention of God to our lives.

In v.17-18 of today's passage we read, "17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison."

Since the people were increasingly believing in the message of the apostles, the religious leaders grew in their jealousy of them. In fact, they were jealously angry at them. As a result, they put the apostles in a common jail. Oddly, the religious leaders had seen the healings and they had seen the multitudes praising God for the healings. In this, their jealousy at their own inability to have the same effect on the people led them to stop the apostles by throwing them deeper and deeper into jail. This was one of six imprisonments of the apostles mentioned Acts, three of which involved the Apostle Peter. 

In v.19-20 of today's passage we read, "19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 'Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.'"

In order to get the apostles out of jail, God sent the angel of the Lord. He didn’t use an earthquake as He did at another time. No, this time He sent an angel because the Sadducees, a sect of the Jewish religious community, didn't believe in angels. The very being the Sadducees did not believe existed, God mercifully used to release the apostles. All of this just highlights the fact that the Gospel is unjailable and God is willing to go to the greatest lengths to draw sinners to Himself.

With each arrest the apostles went further and further into deeper custody. By the time they were released they were in a dungeon, the place of darkest bondage. Initially, they were put in public custody. Then, they were put into bonds. And, the angel of the Lord didn’t just walk into a public custody and usher them out, he loosed them from their bonds, delivered them from the guards, and didn’t stop to sign them out at the front desk. 

After being delivered out of the jail, the disciples obeyed God's call on their lives to share the gospel with whomever would listen. The apostles' faith had emboldened their hearts to the point of obedience to God which led to their lives being at risk. Their message was filled with the words of life which reminded their hearers that the Lord Jesus came into this world to give life to those who had all of their lives lived condemned by their dead spiritual state before God. 

In v.21 of today's passage we read, "And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought."

One would think opposition would have stopped the apostles from sharing the gospel with the crowd who showed up everyday, but it delivered the opposite effect. These once scared out of their pants followers of the Lord Jesus were now quick to risk their lives for the Lord. Ironically, it was persecution that caused the church to grow. All of this just underscores the fact that nothing can stop the advancement of the gospel which is God’s power for salvation for everyone who believes.

Like the Jewish religious leaders, people resist the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News that He came to this earth to awaken us to the Father after redeeming us on His cross. Sadly, the religious leaders of first century Israel missed Him when He came because they trusted in themselves more than they did the truth of God. It is not until we have come to the end of ourselves that we will even consider the Lord Jesus to be our Savior. Once we do, with a growing and greater understanding of what life is really all about, the more we will be invested in that truth. Our investment in the truth is best seen in our obedience to it and our sharing of it with others, even at the risk of being thrown into the lowest jail. 

Acts 5:12-16

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12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. 16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. ~ Acts 5:12-16

Today, we return to our study of Acts 5 where the very first church is being built by the Lord. Most think of a building when we hear the word "church" but the church is made up of people who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and have entered into a personal relationship with God through Him. The word "church" means "people who have been called out of the world." Of course, having called us out of the world, the Lord has called us to Himself to be taught by Him His culture. As newborn believers, we are now learning to be defined by the Lord as He teaches us His culture through His Word, the Bible.

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch."

As a result of having been given authority and power by the Lord Jesus Himself, the apostles did "many signs and wonders." These signs and wonders authenticated them so the people would trust the truth of the Gospel. As a result, the signs and wonders were provided by the Lord in order to convince and convict unbelievers of the truth about the Lord Jesus. 

The phrase, "they were all in one accord" means all those who saw the signs and wonders and believed the Gospel were unified. The emphasis here is on the unity they all experienced. This is what the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ produces among us, harmony. When we unite around the Gospel we will avoid the danger of separating over secondary and non-essential issues. 

The Lord Jesus still performs signs and wonders today, but their purpose isn't to authenticate any man or a group of men. No, they are provided by the Lord to authenticate the truth. There are no longer any apostles of the Lord Jesus today who need this authority. God has given us His word, the Bible, in order to walk in the truth. The Bible testifies to what God did through the early church. It is that testimony which testifies to the power of the Lord working through them. God has given us the Bible which contains the authenticity of the apostles and the message they delivered. Therefore, the Bible is sufficient to meet every need that every believer in Christ has in order to make God-informed decisions. 

In v.13-15 of today's passage we read, "13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them."

The phrase "None of the rest," here refers to those who chose not to believe in the Lord Jesus that day. There will always be those who reject the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. I rejected it for years until the death of my dad which caused me to consider the more important things in life, the most important being where I would spend my eternity. Atheists, as they were trying to disprove God and the Bible have been known to come to faith in the Lord. C.S. Lewis, before he became a believer in Christ was an atheist. Through discussions with Christian friends such as J.R.R. Tolkien, he gradually became convinced of the rational and moral coherence of Christianity.

Even though there were unbelievers, the Lord added to the Church daily. These made it their habit of bringing the sick to the Apostle Peter who when his shadow came over them, they were healed. The point was not that Peter was the only one who healed the people, but that the focus of the narrative was on him. Peter's shadow provided a point of contact for those who were in need to demonstrate their faith in the Lord Jesus. Much like the woman who touched the hem of the Lord Jesus' garment. She wasn't healed due to some magical garment, she believed the Lord Jesus could heal her and He did.

This is the rationale behind pouring oil or putting oil on somebody who is sick. The Bible tells the elders of the church to lay hands on them. There's nothing magical about the elders hands or about oil. The laying on of hands, the pouring on of oil, releases our faith. And we do that in obedience to what God tells us to do.

In v.16 of today's passage we read, "Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed."

Despite the opposition, the people came and they kept on coming. At this point, the ministry was limited to Jerusalem. This was still the beginning of the command of the Lord in Acts 1:8 to the Apostles, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Since the apostles were not going into the surrounding cities, the surrounding cities were coming to them in Jerusalem. Those brought to the apostles were sick and tormented by demons were all healed.

The Lord told those early followers they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and then, into all of the world. This demonstrates just how powerful the message of the gospel is as it goes out into ever widening circles. When we became believers in the Lord Jesus, we all experienced this effect of coming to know Him for ourselves. It started with us getting saved, then we told our families, our friends, and then the circle widened ever so much more.

Once born again each believer has the potential to experience the power of God in such a way that we will be able to point others to the Gospel. We limit the power of God in and through us when we slip back into independence. As long as we are aware that we need the Lord, His power will be demonstrated in our lives. The problem we face with God's power is that it isn't always what we expect it to be. 

When we live our lives as if everything depends on us, we will miss the power of God. This is when the Lord has to raise our quality of faith to the level where we will stand only upon what He says. Our victory was won at the cross and that victory is that the Lord Jesus has overcome sin and death on our behalf. He enables us to overcome by strengthening us with the power of His Spirit within us. This happens when we are convinced a little bit more each day that He is the source of any victory we enjoy. The normal Christian life is lived when we tap into God's divine ability. The surrendered life is realized when we daily die to self-life. When we are willing to die to our own agendas, God’s power is unleashed in and through our lives.

Back in v.14 we read, "And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women." Before we are added to the Church, we are added to the Lord. When we get this out of place, that is where we go wrong. No, it is daily coming to the Lord, daily listening and praying to the Lord. It is daily coming to the Lord that is the key. This is what enables us to be useful to the Lord. This is what enables us to be effective at sharing the gospel with the lost.

Acts 5:7-11

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7 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. 11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things. ~ Acts 5:7-11

Today, we return to our study of Acts 5 where a man named Ananias and his wife Sapphire has pretended to be something they were not. In context, the people in the early church responded to the great power and grace of God with unbelievable generosity. It is the grace of God that perfects our freedom in Christ by helping us to overcome the restricting power of the flesh, the one true obstacle to our freedom. God's grace both amazes and offends. It amazes the part of us where hopelessness has set in, the place of brokenness. It offends the part of us that is religious, the part where we can't bring ourselves to believe in the total freedom Christ earned for us on His cross.

When Ananias and Sapphire sold some land, they made it appear that they gave all of the money from the sale to the Apostles which is not what happened. This was the first case of dealing with sin in the early church. Just after Ananias presented the money to the Apostles, Peter confronted him and then all of a sudden he died. The word "great" is used three times in Acts 5 describing God's, great power, His great grace, and the people's great fear. 

In v.7 of today's passage we read, "Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened." 

The wife of Ananias had not been present with her husband when he presented their gift to the Apostles. In fact, three hours after her husband died she returned to discover that he had already been buried. When she returned, she had a conversation with the one who had denied knowing the Lord Jesus just two months before, Peter. This object of the grace of God engaged Sapphire in a conversation in hopes that she would embrace the brokenness that awaited her.

What we do with our brokenness is the key to our existence. When we dig in our heels and protect at all cost the deceit that is the root cause of our gifted brokenness, we prevent an incredible work from being done in our souls. God's grace is most amazing, it is a grace that is indiscriminately compassionate. It works without asking anything of us. It's not cheap but it's free! God's grace is sufficient even though we try with all our might to find someone that it cannot cover, even ourselves.

In v.8 of today's passage we read, "And Peter answered her, 'Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?' She said, 'Yes, for so much.'"

The wife of Ananias was complicit in the lie concerning the money obtained from the sale of their land. The issue was they pretended to give all of the money to the Apostles for the sale of their property. The money was still there where it had been left as a witness to the deceit of Ananias. The arrival of Sapphira was like its own discourse to open the matter up for a resolution. As such, Peter answered by asking his question. The evidence was either openly present, or the amount was asked by Peter. Either way, the amount was made known and Peter inquired why they lied. The question from Peter was not, "Is this the amount you and your husband decided to present to us?" Rather, it was whether the land was sold for the amount presented. As such, her answer was deceitful. Sapphire's deceit sealed her from the work of God through her brokenness.

In v.9 of today's passage we read, "Then Peter said to her, 'How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.'"

The words "agreed together" can be translated "symphony." This one Greek word originally described a harmony of voices. Peter questioned why Sapphire and Ananias had together in harmony tested the Spirit of the Lord. When we resist God's definition of our lives we actively give ourselves to the father of lies. Peter knew of which he had spoken. He had given himself to the devil himself when he denied knowing the Lord Jesus three times. His failure had served him well. In 1 Peter 4:17 we read, "Judgment must begin at the house of God."  This is where judgment must begin if we are to have an effective testimony for the Lord. This is crucial because the eternal destiny of many depends upon it.

In v.10-11 of today's passage we read, "10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. 11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things."

The very place where the money had been left by Ananias, at the apostles’ feet was the very same place where Sapphire collapsed. The spot where the money testified against her was the same spot where she laid dead. Sapphire became an immediate object lesson to any who would dare to be deceitful. Oh, we will never be sinless this side of heaven, but deceit is in a category all by itself. In this tragic story of Ananias and Sapphire, they had neglected to respond to the Lord out of their brokenness. It appears they never embraced their brokenness. It appears they never embraced God. They were pretenders. 

As a result, Ananias and Sapphire provided a stern example of what feeding the flesh renders in our lives. Although their example was not the norm, we do well to learn that the enemy is out to kill, steal and destroy us. Our Father in heaven sent His Son to this world not to condemn us. No, He sent Him to save us from our sin which had already broken and condemned us. Those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus as their Savior have already been judged guilty, because they have not believed in the One and Only Begotten Son of God. That which we truly believe in at the end of the day will define us. Once we believe in Him, we are declared by Him as co-heirs with Him.

Acts 5:1-6

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1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. ~ Acts 5:1-6 

Today, we transition into our study of Acts 5 where the stage has been set in the previous chapter where the Spirit of the living God was having His way in the hearts of people. Generosity was abounding. And, uniquely, no one had brought attention to their godly behavior. This is the sign that these first century believers in the Lord Jesus were authentic. There was no sign of the flesh or the self-life. This is the tactic of the enemy of our souls. He doesn't try to get us to follow Him directly, he tries to get us to follow him indirectly by getting us to follow ourselves.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet."

In the context of everything good shows up the devastating effects of sin. The exposed sin of hypocrisy. Interestingly, it was the first recorded sinful event in the life of the first century church. In addition, it was the first public discipline of sin in the church. When we have truly been redeemed, we are not eager to hide our sin. But, this couple was more concerned with the praise of others than they were of God. Their sin was not that they didn’t give all the money they had made from the sell of their property, their sin was they lied about it.

Ananias and Sapphire committed a secret sin, and, of course, a secret sin on earth is an open scandal in heaven. They desired the praise of men instead of the praise of God. They craved spiritual status that others before them had received. They wanted to be thought of as something they weren't. They served appearance more than honesty which is essential for the development of deep relationships. When we are determined to be defined by the God of grace, we will deny the self-life. We will reject the self-protective defense of dishonesty.

Ananias and Sapphire pretended to give all the money they had made from the sell of their property. Their lie was simply the vehicle that their greed used to feed itself. They tried to create the impression they were something they were not. When we feed the flesh or the self-life we play right into the playbook of the devil who is out to destroy us. It is only in the context of the truth that true freedom is experienced. The Lord exposed the sin of Ananias and Sapphire that day so that the devil would not be able to get a foothold among these first century believers.

In James 5:16 we read, "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with."

In v.3-4 of today's passage we read, "3 But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.'"

Immediately the Lord granted Peter the spiritual perception to see the sinful pretense of Ananias and Sapphire. Peter put his finger on the pulse of the problem: Satan had filled his heart to lie to the Holy Spirit. When we are prizing the truth we will be honest about the truth. The enemy will always seek to undermine the truth in our lives. He will always lead us to be defined by the lie rather than the truth. And, once we give ourselves to the lies, we will give safe haven to the fake and phony. In this context trust will not grow and the lack of trust undermines community.

It was then that Peter confronted Ananias with his deceitfulness, telling him that what he had done was to lie to God. The biggest challenge we face in this context isn’t speaking the truth; it is speaking the truth in love. Ananias and Sapphire didn’t have to give all of the money they collected from the sell of their land. They were guilty of spiritual hypocrisy which is most corrupting in the church, so corrupting that God dealt with it rather swiftly. 

In v.5-6 of today's passage we read, "5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him."

In his description of this event, Luke used a rare word which is found for the first of three times in the book of Acts. It is translated: "he breathed his last." Ananias' breath was extinguished. The question is by whom. I believe since Ananias played with fire he got burnt by the devil. The response of those who observed it was staggering. In that moment great fear came upon all who heard of it. The reason the death of Ananias was allowed by God or caused by God was to instill in the minds of the people the terrifying nature of just how seriously dangerous it is to be defined by the devil. 

Truth is critical in all aspects of life especially in community. We believe wrongly that there is power in hiding our sin but to the contrary there is great power in honesty and humility. Without truth there is no honesty, there is no humility. And, we all struggle with being honest. No one is perfect, but we are foolish to value hypocrisy because it will be used of the enemy to harm us. The word translated "hypocrite" in biblical days meant "actor." First-century actors wore masks. A hypocrite is one who puts on a mask or a false face. Hypocrisy is dangerous because it turns people away from the truth. It was the Lord Jesus who said, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."

Acts 4:31-37

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31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. 32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. ~ Acts 4:31-37

Today, we conclude our study of Acts 4 where the Lord Jesus is building His Church one believing heart at a time. Many believe that it is man who builds the church with all of his fancy ideas regarding entertainment. Many say, "I led so many people to the Lord this year," but the Scriptures are clear, it is the Lord Jesus who builds His Church and sometimes He uses us in the process. The Lord builds His Church as His children pray, preach the Gospel and teach His Word. Along with this, the Holy Spirit convicts sinners of their sin and He woos them to trust the Lord Jesus as their Savior. At this point in the narrative the Lord has now added 5,000 new believers to the group. Unless the Lord build the house those who build it do so in vain. Only the works of God endure forever. The command of the Lord Jesus to seek God’s kingdom first is a must if we are to enjoy true fellowship with Him and other believers. 

In v.31 of today's passage we read, "And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."

We must never be formulaic when it comes to the things of God, but there are certain givens when we desire to build community. The first step in developing community is prayer. With the prayer of the previous verses complete, here we have a description of what happened next. As a result of the prayer "the place in which they were gathered together was shaken." There may have been a mild earthquake which may have hit the area at that exact moment, whatever occurred, such an event was taken by the assembled believers as a clear indication that the Lord was behind it.

Prayer prepared these believers in Christ for the filling which came. Following prayer, in order to create community we must value the Word of God. Luke told us that these believers spoke the Word of God with boldness. This event reveals the purpose and the power of the Word of God. The Bible contains God's definitions of all things. If God pronounces something good, we must consider it accordingly. If He describes it as something that is bad, we must not be defined by it. When we are being defined by God it means that we are obeying His Word. 

In v.32-35 of today's passage we read, "32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need."

With the believers committed to prayer and the value of God's Word, they were filled with the Spirit. This resulted in the disciples experiencing great unity which produced one purpose. God made us all trichotomous beings meaning we are made up of three parts: body, soul and spirit. The soul is different from the spirit. The soul is the conscious part of our lives, it is where we consciously live. It consists of the what we think, what we choose, and how we feel. The soul is the realm of experience. These early believers were like one living organism resulting in oneness of heart. This is why there were no unmet felt needs among them. When we are generous we are being most like God who is Himself most generous. Recently, I asked Him why He is so good to me. His response was the same as it has always been. He said, "My Son." The Lord Jesus earned our favor when He endured the penalty of our sin as He hung on the cross. We become His rival when we begin to believe that we earn God's favor or maintain it in any way.

It is one thing to have oneness of spirit, but it is another to have oneness in soul. It is quite possible to come to the meeting of the church, to sing the same worship songs and listen to the same message, and relate to God individually, but to have no sense of belonging to one another. It is possible to come week after week, year after year, and never know the people with whom we worship. When that happens there is no unity of soul. We may belong to God, but we may not belong to each other. This is what is often lacking in the Church today, and what the early church so wonderfully possessed.

It was out of this unity and oneness that these early believers loved one another. They loved one another because they each knew the love of God for themselves as demonstrated on the cross. It was out of this wonderful context that the word of God was preached with power. This was due to the grace of God that was in abundance among them. God's grace always produces a great amount of gratitude among the people with their possessions. This is so due to the fact that the died to solve all of our real problems. In the cross and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus there is the indisputable evidence that God has favored us. 

After the people sold their lands and houses they took the money and laid the money at the feet of the apostles. In that day when royal subjects visited a King an offering was delivered. The laying of the offering at the king's feet represented that which is under the authority of the person. The giving of their money was a way for them to own the authority of God over them.

In v.36-37 of today's passage we read, "36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet."

While his momma called him Joseph, his friends called him Barnabas. Joseph means "He shall add." "Barnabas" means "Son of encouragement." The meaning of his two names reveals a great truth which is: "Loved people love people." Barnabas, this "native of Cyprus," came to know the love of God for himself which in turn caused him to love others. Barnabas' generosity was the result of him coming to understand the intense sacrificial love of God showed for him at the cross. We can't love others until we have experienced true love for ourselves and the Lord Jesus is the Only One to have true love. Having experienced God's love for himself, Barnabas was poised and known for loving others.

Acts 4:23-30

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23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.' 27 For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." ~ Acts 4:23-30

Today, we return to our study of Acts 4 where the insecurities of the fake religious leaders is becoming more and more evident while the confidence of the Apostles is soaring. The contrast provided here clarifies what is real and what isn't. When we see something by itself, we may not really understand it for what it is, but when it’s compared to something distinctly different, the comparison makes the truth about the identity of both more clear. Our faith in the risen Lord Jesus causes us to surrender our rights to Him. "More of Him, less of me" is the motto that raises to the forefront. In short, where sin makes enemies, faith in the God of the Bible makes brothers. 

In v.23 of today's passage we read, "And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them."

The Apostles did not go out to organize a revolutionary committee to overthrow the religious leaders of first century Israel. They did not even try to arouse a popular march or demonstration which provides the clearest evidence that they were on the side of the truth and that they had popular support. The people were behind them, and the high priests were afraid because the people supported the Apostles. But the Apostles did not rely for even one minute upon political or popular pressure. They trusted wholly upon the sovereign power of the Lord Jesus. 

In v.24-26 of today's passage we read, "24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: 'Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.'"

It was at this point in the narrative that the Apostles did the most important thing we all do in a given moment of each day: They prayed. Prayer is our declaration of dependence upon God. The object of our prayer is much more important than the prayer itself. When we pray, it must not be so that we can get what we want from God. Otherwise, we petition God for our will. Rather, prayer is a way to connect with Him and align our hearts with His heart. This alignment prepares us to receive His will for our lives. 

When I was a kid one of the more popular TV shows was entitled, Father Knows Best. It was a simple format that showed a mom and a dad with three kids, going through life together, but focusing in on the father who would usually end up solving everybody's problems. This show portrayed fathers according to the ideal of Fatherhood, the model that worked best, the one that God designed for all men to do. When we depend upon our Heavenly Father we can trust Him to do the very best for us given our circumstances. And, if we do not exercise patience we will conclude the wrong this about Him. I've learned down through the years that if I give Him enough time He always makes sense out of His will for me.

The persecution of Peter and John produced a much greater sense of unity among all of the believers. The believers, upon Peter and John's return raised their voices to God in one accord. With great power, the Apostles gave testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and God's abundant grace was evident upon them. These first century believers clung tightly to one another and to the Lord Jesus as they sought Him in prayer.  Their persecution inevitably produced unity among the believers forcing them to come together and to hold onto one another tightly.

In their prayer the believers honed in on the reason all things come to pass. It is by the sovereign plan of God that the narrative comes out as it does. This is underscored in the phrase "the God who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them." This is good theology and we do well to be so immersed in the Bible that we arrive upon the absolute best understanding of God and His ways because this is where our best identity is found. It is when our theology fails that we rage and plot vain things.

In v.27-28 of today's passage we read, "27 For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done."

Evidence of their good theology these early believers in the Lord Jesus remind us why they had the courage they displayed that day. They understood the crucifixion from an eternal perspective. They understood that Herod, Pilate, the Gentiles and the Jews carried out God’s predestined plan. It was not that they were individually predestined to carry out God’s plan but that the Lord Jesus would be crucified and that had been settled in eternity past. If God had predestined certain ones to crucify the Lord Jesus, He would be guilty of sin. No, He knew that it would come down to this in advance and His Son still agreed to come and rescue us.

In v.29-30 of today's passage we read, "29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."

The Apostles did not presume upon the Lord. They were diligent to seek His face and to pray accordingly. It is obvious that the Old Testament Scriptures informed this prayer. The stretching forth of the hand is an anthropomorphism where the hand accomplishes certain things. In many Old Testament passages like Psalm 138:7 it is declared that God will stretch out His hand against the wrath of His enemies and provide salvation for His people. In times of struggle or need, this phrase serves as a reminder to reach out to the God of the Bible for strength, courage and protection. It is also the hand of the Lord that is stretched forth to heal, and also to perform signs and wonders. Thus, our Source for all things is the Lord. 

The words, "through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus" are most important. Praying in the name of the Lord Jesus means we approach God based on His merit, His authority and His will, not our own. Prayer is simply communing with the Lord to the point that we end up praying for His will to be done in our lives. Prayer is like a man in a rowboat pulling on a rope tied securely to the shore. He is not pulling land toward him, he is pulling himself towards the land. We read in Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourselves in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."