READING THE BOOK OF ACTS, CHAPTER 5
READING THE BOOK OF ACTS: CHAPTER 5
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
CONTEXT FOR ACTS, CHAPTER 5
In Acts 5, persecution from unbelievers begins to accelerate. The Sanhedrin has become aware the apostles teach that Jesus rose from the dead (Acts 4). Now, they start to push back in earnest, arresting and beating the apostles. Soon a mob will kill Stephen, a deacon (Acts 7:54-60), and the Sanhedrin will empower Saul to run down and arrest any Jesus follower he can find (Acts 8:1-3). The apostles will stay in Jerusalem. Other Jesus followers will carry His offer of forgiveness and reconciliation with God into the Roman Empire and beyond. The apostles' faithfulness and submission to the Holy Spirit are why we have the gospel message today. (bibleref.com)
1) Verses 1-11, Ananias and Sapphira, Mrs. Elnora
5 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
NOTATIONS:
Ananias and Sapphira's act may have been inspired by the response to Barnabas' generosity. In Acts 4:36 we see that Barnabas sold a field and brought the money and put it at the Apostle's feet. But they wanted to appear more generous than they actually were. Peter confirmed all the rights one has to sell, give, or profit from personal property. These were all Ananias' privileges. His sin was not that he only gave some of the proceeds to the church, but that he lied to the Holy Spirit and was acting more generous than he actually was. His death confirmed God's displeasure with such self-promotion. Sapphira had ample opportunity to do the right thing, but she chose not to and suffered the same fate as her husband.
SECTION QUESTIONS:
1. Who were Ananias and Sapphira?
2. What happened to Ananias and Sapphira?
3. What did Peter tell Ananias in 5:3?
2) Verses 12-16, The Apostles Heal Many, Charles Robert
12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.
SECTION QUESTIONS:
1. What happened when Peter's shadow fell on some of the sick people?
2. When comparing v. 14 to Mark 6:1-5 why were so many people healed here in Acts and so few healed in Mark 6?
3) Verses 17- 26, The Apostles Persecuted, Part 1, Ms. Debbie
17Then the high priest
rose up. He and all who were with him, who belonged to the party of the
Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18So they arrested the apostles and put them in public jail. 19But an angel of the
Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and
said, 20“Go and stand in the
temple, and tell the people all about this life.” 21Hearing this, they
entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. When the high priest and those who were with
him arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin — the full council of the
Israelites — and sent orders to the jail to have them brought. 22But when the
servants got there, they did not find them in the jail; so they returned
and reported, 23“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing in
front of the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24As the captain of
the temple police and the chief priests heard these things, they were baffled
about them, wondering what would come of this.
25Someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26Then the commander went with the servants and brought them in without force because they were afraid the people might stone them.
NOTATIONS:
Acts 5:17-26 The Jewish leaders were filled with jealousy, not concerned that the apostles were teaching bad theology. The Sadducees were the materialists. They were the humanists. They did not believe in spirits; they did not believe in angels, and they did not believe in the resurrection. And they were into the religious scene just for the bucks. And now the popularity of the disciples was a threat to them and they were jealous. Acts 18-26: Go right back to where you were arrested. Go right back and do the very things that you were doing when you were arrested. Their rescue from prison was wonderful, but for a purpose – so they could continue their work. God didn’t set them free primarily for their safety or comfort. They were set free for a reason, and after this, they were not always delivered.
4. Verses 27-42, The Apostles Persecuted, Part 2, Destiny
27 The
apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be
questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you
strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled
Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s
blood.” 29 Peter and the other apostles replied:
“We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The
God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging
him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own
right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to
repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are
witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has
given to those who obey him.” 33 When they heard
this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But
a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by
all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put
outside for a little while. 35 Then he
addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to
do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared,
claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was
killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After
him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band
of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore,
in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if
their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But
if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find
yourselves fighting against God.” 40 His speech
persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then
they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 The
apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted
worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day,
in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching
and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
APOSTLES PERSECUTED SECTION QUESTIONS:
1. What happened when the Angel of the Lord appeared to the Apostles while they were in jail?
2. What did the Angel of the Lord tell Peter to do?
3. What advice was given to the Sanhedrin by Gamaliel?
4. What happened when the Apostles were freed?
LAGNIAPPE: A Conversation About Holy Ghost Tongues
Ephesians 6:16 - (KJV) 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
In this lesson, we examined the shield of faith as a part of our spiritual armor that serves as an offensive weapon of warfare. It's important to remember that an offensive strategy is not the work of mere human effort but rather the strength of God which includes the commissioning of the Holy Spirit on our behalf. Offensive strategies originate with our speaking! Defensive strategies originate with our thinking. What we do defensively will determine what we are capable of doing offensively. Praying in the Spirit was one of the offensive strategies we can use in spiritual warfare.
{PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT}
Romans 8:26 - (KJV)
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we
ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
§ The Holy Spirit is also serving us in offensive strategies against the enemy through praying
in tongues.
§ Notice, Paul says that one of our infirmities [or weaknesses] is that we do not know how
we should pray as we ought. This means that we do not always pray with the accuracy that
the Holy Spirit has to offer.
§ There is no trial and error in these prayers because the Holy Spirit knows the mind of God
and the deep things of God. This is a gift of the Holy Spirit available for anyone that will
believe and receive.
Mark 16:17 - (KJV) 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out
devils; they shall speak with new tongues.
Acts 2:4 - (KJV 4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
(School of Faith, Faith 601:Session 10, Strategies of Offense)
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