READING THE BOOK OF ACTS, CHAPTER 4

 READING THE BOOK OF ACTS: CHAPTER 4

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

An Explanation of the Gift of Tongues  

The 4 Administrations of Speaking in Tongues 

1. Public: Known Tongues, and Unknown Tongues

2. Private: Unknown Tongues, A. Speaking to Angels, B. Speaking to God

Common Misconceptions:

#1 If you don't speak in tongues you are not saved. #2 Tongues are demonic. #3 This is a gift given by the Holy Spirit and therefore cannot be turned on and off like a light switch. 

 CONTEXT FOR ACTS, CHAPTER 4

Acts 4 gives the first hints of the persecution the church will face throughout its history. Peter and John attract attention when Peter heals a well-known lame beggar, and Peter uses this publicity to tell others about Christ. The Sanhedrin refuse to allow the apostles to continue teaching that Jesus rose from the dead. So, they arrest, warn, and eventually free Peter and John, but that is just the beginning. Soon, they will end up arresting and beating all of the apostles (Acts 5: 17-42). A mob will stone Stephen (Acts 7:54-60). We will see Saul in Acts 8 and the beginning of chapter 9 persecuting Jesus-followers in Jerusalem. What the Sanhedrin fail to realize is if you send Jesus-followers fleeing into the world, they will take the message of Christ with them.

1) Verses 1-22, Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin, MRS. ELNORA

1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. 5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

SECTION QUESTIONS:

1. Why was the Priest and Captain of the Guard upset when they heard Peter and John speaking? Because of Peter and John's teaching of Jesus' resurrection of the dead. 

2. What did the members of the Sanhedrin ask Peter and John? (Acts 4:7) They asked by what power or name did you do this? 

3. What is the cost of rejection of Jesus Christ? The cost of this rejection is condemnation.

4. What was Peter's answer when the Sanhedrin forbade them to teach in the name of Jesus? He said which is right in God's eyes: to listen to you or to Him?

5. What is the Apostles' commitment? To obey God rather than man

2) Verses 23-31, The Believers Pray, DESTINY

²³ On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. ²⁵ You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? ²⁶ The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord
    and against his anointed one. ²⁷ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. ²⁸They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. ²⁹Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” ³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

SECTION QUESTIONS:

1. What happened after the Believers prayed? The place where they were shook and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.

3) Verses 32-37, The Believers Share Their Possessions, JEANNIE

³² All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. ³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all ³⁴ that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵ and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. ³⁶ Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), ³⁷sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Review: 

These Jesus-followers demonstrate the unity in purpose preached by the Apostles in their everyday lives by sharing their possessions so that everyone has what they need, and some even sell their land or houses and give the money to the Apostles. One of these is a Levite from the island of Cyprus named Barnabas. He is just another Christ-follower, right now, but soon he will be the man who is instrumental in integrating Paul, a one-time persecutor of Jesus-followers into what is later known as the Christian church. 

SECTION QUESTIONS: 

1. What does the name Barnabas mean? The name Barnabas means "Son of encouragement."