The Church of the Resurrection of Peace

12/02/08

The Acts of the Apostles-Week 4

Chapter 4

1.      verses 1-3…Peter and John are arrested.

The priests, captain of the guard, and the Sadducees (aristocratic priestly sect that did not accept an afterlife as did the Pharisees) v 2…they were very upset that Peter and John were teaching the crowd concerning Jesus and His resurrection which they did not accept (with no afterlife there is no need for resurrection). v 3…they were arrested (about 4 PM) and held over the afternoon and through the evening. Matters such as this could only be discussed/settled during daylight hours.

verse 4…even though Peter and John were gone, the Holy Spirit continued to move among the crowd and the number came to be about 5000. NOTE: Not too bad for only two sermons…5000 find salvation.

2.      verses 5-12…Peter’s sermon to the leaders of the temple during the “trial” of Peter and John.

·         verses 5-6…Everybody that was anybody was there even Annas and Caiaphas (these were the High Priests that put Jesus on trial). NOTE: Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas.  

·         verse 7…a question and, more or less an accusation, “By what power or what name did you do this?” (the healing of the lame man).

·         verses 8-12…the sermon, be sure to see the first ingredient in the sermon”…filled with the Holy Spirit…” (v 8) This is where the power of the message originated.  (v 9) Peter, more or less, asks why are they being questioned for doing an act of kindness to a cripple and how was he healed. The in v 10, Peter leaves no question as to the source of this deed for the leaders and all of Israel…”It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” FOOD FOR THOUGHT: How quick are we to give credit to Jesus when we KNOW that what has happened is from Him? Not credit to Jesus about what He has done but to the casual or concerned onlooker. In v 10b Peter again lays the blame for the death of Jesus on the leaders “…whom you crucified…” but then follows that God has raised Him from the dead (which is the same to say that the power they had to kill Jesus was TOTALLY negated by God in raising Jesus from the dead) and this man stands before you from His name. v 11…Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected but has become the capstone (cornerstone) all of which was a fulfillment of prophecy. NOTE: The fulfillment of prophecy to the early believers held much more power than perhaps it does for the current believer and church. Peter closes the sermon (v 12) by saying that Jesus is the ONLY path to salvation. There is no other name (Moses, David, any of the Prophets, etc) under heaven and given to men which brings salvation.

3.      verses 13-18…the reply of the High Priests to the sermon and the healing of the lame man.

·         vv 13 -15…the Priests see that Peter and John are ordinary and uneducated men yet they speak with such courage (conviction?). The Priests ponder how to reply to Peter plus they know that Peter and John had been with Jesus. The healed man that stood before them left the Priests with little if anything to say. In v 15 Peter and John are sent from the room.

·         vv 16-17…the Priests plot/plan/scheme as to how to stop this thing that is taking place but everyone in the city (Jerusalem) already knows of the miracle and the Priests cannot deny it. In v 17 they devise a brilliant plan to warn (command) Peter and John not to speak any longer to anyone concerning the name of Jesus. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The Priests would not even say “Jesus” when talking among themselves. Were they truly aware of the power of His name and were afraid to even say it in private?

4.      verses 18-22…Peter and John are called back and “warned” and their reply.

·         v 18 they are told to no longer speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus

·         vv 19-20…Peter responds with a question of his own…Is it better, in God’s eyes, to obey God or the Priests? Peter says that he and John cannot help but speak of the things that they have seen and heard.

·         vv 21-22…The Priests make further threats and then release them. With all the people praising God for what has happened (the healing) the Priests could not decide a punishment. v 22 that the man was over 40 years old made this even more wondrous considering that he had already exceeded the average life span.

5.      verses 23-31…A believer’s prayer of praise and boldness for what has occurred through Jesus and His followers.

·         v 23…Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all the events that had taken place (it is not known to whom or to where Peter and John returned).

·         vv 24-30…Upon hearing of the healing of the lame man and the release of Peter and John, all those there broke into a spontaneous praise session to, for, and of God. They …”raised their voices together…” praising from old prophecy to current events. The praise was spontaneous and continuous. This praise was probably not very orderly nor was it quiet. They cried out to God of His glory and all that He had done and was doing.

·         v 31…after this prayer and praise the place “…was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”                           FOOD FOR THOUGHT: What would be the reaction if something such as this (the spontaneous praise) happened at some of the churches that we all have attended? What would the reaction be to all the noise and lack of order? What would the reaction be if this happened at Resurrection of Peace?

6.      verses 32-36…the attitudes of those gathered and the traditions of the church are being established.

·         v 32…again it says “…all believers were one in heart and mind…they shared everything that they had…”

·         v 33…with great power…FOOD FOR THOUGHT: This same power is ours to call upon yet how many of us are afraid to use it? We are afraid of what the person sitting next to us might say. We are afraid of what God might have us do with this power. The main point is that we are afraid. This is one of many reasons that the church has LOST its power and ability to change the lives of people. This is why our churches are dying and closing. This is why we have to have Church floor shows that entertain instead of convict. The power of and for the church is still ours to have and to us…if we dare.