Acts 5
Confronting liars in the church verse 1- 11
But a certain man named Ananias – with Sapphira his wife
sold a possession and kept back part of the price
his wife also being privy to it
and brought a certain part
and laid it at the apostles’ feet
BUT Peter said
Ananias – why has Satan filled thine heart to LIE
to the HOLY GHOST
and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Whiles it remained – was it not your own?
and after it was sold – was it not in thine own power?
why have you conceived this thing in your heart?
You have not LIED to men – BUT to God
Ananias hearing these words fell down – and gave up the ghost
and great fear came on all them that heard these things
And the young men arose – wound him up – and carried him out
and buried him
And it was about the space of three hours after – when his wife
not knowing what was done – came in
And Peter answered unto her
Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?
And she said
Yes – for so much
Then Peter said to her
How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the
Spirit of the Lord?
BEHOLD – the feet of them which have buried your husband
are at the door – and shall carry you out
THEN fell she down straightway at his feet – and yielded up the ghost
and the young men came in – and found her dead
and carried her forth – buried her by her husband
And great fear came upon all the church
and upon as many as heard these things
Disciples heal many verse 12- 16
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders
wrought among the people
(and they were all with ONE ACCORD in Solomon’s porch
and of the rest durst no man join himself to them
BUT the people magnified them
and believers were the more added to the Lord
multitudes both of men and women)
INSOMUCH that they brought forth the sick into the streets
and laid them on beds and couches
that at the least the SHADOW of Peter passing by might
OVERSHADOW some of them
There came also a multitude out of the cities round about to Jerusalem
bringing sick folks – and them which were vexed with unclean spirits
and they were healed every one
Escape from jail verse 17- 23
THEN the high priest rose up – and all they that were with him
(which is the sect of the Sadducees)
and were filled with indignation
and laid their hands on the apostles
and put them in the common prison
BUT the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors
and brought them forth – and said – Go
stand and speak in the temple to the people
all the words of this life
AND when they heard that
they entered into the temple early in the morning
and taught
BUT the high priest came – and they that were with him
and called the council together
and all the senate of the children of Israel
and sent to the prison to have them brought
BUT when the officers came – and found them not in the prison
they returned – and told – saying
The prison truly found we shut with all safety
and the keepers standing without before the doors
BUT when we had opened – we found no man within
Apostles brought before the Sanhedrin again verse 24- 28
NOW when the high priest – captain of the temple
chief priests heard these things
they doubted of them whereunto this would grow
THEN came one and told them – saying
BEHOLD – the men whom ye put in prison are
standing in the temple and teaching the people
THEN went the captain with the officers
and brought them without violence
for they feared the people
lest they should have been stoned
And when they had brought them – they set them before the council
and the high priest asked them – saying
Did not we straitly command you that you should not teach
in this name?
AND BEHOLD you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine
and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us
Peter defends his actions verse 29- 32
THEN Peter and the other apostles answered and said
We ought to obey God rather than men
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus
WHOM you slew and hanged on a tree
HIM has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince – Savior
for to give repentance to Israel – and forgiveness of sins
AND we are HIS witnesses of these things
and so is also the Holy Ghost
WHOM God has given to them that obey HIM
Pharisee Gamaliel speaks out verse 33- 40
When they heard that – they were cut to the heart
and took counsel to slay them
THEN stood there up one in the council – a Pharisee named Gamaliel
a doctor of the law – had in reputation among all the people
and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space
And said to them – YOU men of Israel
Take heed to yourselves what you intend to do
as touching these men for before these days
rose up Theudas boasting himself to be somebody
to whom a number of men – about four hundred
joined themselves – who was slain
And all – as many as obeyed him – were scattered – and brought to nought
AFTER this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing
and drew away much people after him – he also perished
And all – even as many as obeyed him – were dispersed
and now I say to you – Refrain from these men
and let them alone
for if this counsel or this work be of men
it will come to nought
BUT if it be of God you cannot overthrow it
lest haply ye be found even to fight against God
AND to him they agreed – and when they had called the apostles
and beat them – they commanded that they should not speak
in the name of Jesus – and let them go
Apostles leave council rejoicing verse 41- 42
And they departed from the presence of the council
REJOICING that they were counted worthy
to SUFFER shame for HIS name
And DAILY in the temple – and in EVERY house
they ceased not to TEACH and PREACH Jesus Christ
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? (5574 “lie” [pseudomai] means to speak deliberate falsehoods, to deceive, opposite of truth, or speak untruth)
DEVOTION: The beginning of the church was not easy on the people involved. There was a lot of confusion. There was a change from the law to grace.
It was a time period of many signs and wonders. It was a time when a majority of the church was made up of people who were from out of town. People had come to celebrate Pentecost with just so much money and here they were staying behind to learn more about Jesus. It took money to live in Jerusalem.
The people who lived in Jerusalem who had possessions and property were selling what they had to support those who were there with no money. They were selling what they had and bring it to the church to be distributed.
Now we have a couple who wanted to receive praise for their actions while holding back part of the money and being false about how much money they were giving.
The Holy Spirit revealed to Peter that they were not telling the truth. They were looking for praise but were confronted about their falsehood. Peter gave both of them an opportunity to repent. They continued to state a falsehood.
Remember that Paul wrote about what would happen to unrepentant believers. At the communion table they were to confess their sin. If they didn’t confess their sin they could suffer weakness or sickness or premature death.
In this case death happened right away to get the attention of the rest of the believers. They suffered great fear because of what they saw. It would cause them to think twice before trying to deceive the apostles or the church.
Don’t overstate what you are doing for the LORD. Don’t try to receive the praise of men over the truth. God wants HIS church to be pure not sinless. HE knows that we are going to sin until the day we die. He wants us to confess our sin regularly to remain in fellowship with HIM.
CHALLENGE: Keep short honest accounts with God. Confess your sins to the LORD. HE has a desire to fellowship with all believers.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 28 Say, Did not we strictly command you that you should not teach in this name? and, behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us. (1014 “intend” [boulomai] means will, be minded, be disposed, be willing, to purpose, to plan, desire, want, wish, or to have in mind as a purpose)
DEVOTION: We are to be teachers in the name of Jesus. Our instruction should come from the Word of God. When Jesus taught HE used the Old Testament to instruct those who followed HIM. HE knew the Old Testament because HE wrote it. HE quoted the Old Testament.
Now the disciples had the responsibility to train all the new converts. It was an awesome task. They had to move from what they knew to what they should know to reach others in the name of Jesus.
They knew God but now they needed to know about the Messiah, Jesus Christ. They had to know that salvation came by believing in HIM and HIM alone. HE died on the cross was buried and rose from the death as their substitute for the penalty for sin. Their sins were going to be forgiven on the basis of HIS sacrifice. The animal sacrifices were no longer necessary.
The religious leaders didn’t like this teaching because they earned their money through the tithes and offerings of the people. If the people stopped bring their money and animals to the Temple they would have nothing to live on. They really didn’t want that to happen.
New believers in Christ were bringing their offerings and sacrifices to the church for those who had need. It was a whole new age for those who were followers of Jesus Christ.
CHALLENGE: We need to learn the Word of God, so that, we know Jesus Christ better and can witness to others about HIM.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. (3144 “witnesses” [martus] means martyr, record, or one who is a spectator)
DEVOTION: The apostles were spectators at all the miracles of Jesus. The church is growing. The apostles are still in Jerusalem spreading the good news of the Gospel. They are performing signs and wonders in front of the people through the power of the Holy Spirit. They are healing the sick.
However, this chapter brings a truth that we need to understand to light. There were people in the church that were fakers. They claimed to be followers but money was their god. They sold their property and told the church that they gave all the money to the church. They didn’t give it all. They lied. Here we have the first example of God prematurely taking the life of those who claim to be followers. God wants absolute obedience. HE killed this couple to send fear into the church regarding obedience. (Should HE do this today?)
Because the apostles were doing all these great works in Jerusalem the religious leaders of the Jews were angry. They had the apostles arrested. An angel came and released them from jail. The leaders sent for them in jail but they were not found there but in the Temple teaching.
They were brought before the council and asked to stop teaching this doctrine. Peter, however, preached a sermon to the council concerning what they had done to Jesus. In this sermon he told them that they were spectators at the crucifixion of Jesus. The apostles were spectators at the resurrection of Jesus.
Now things were changed. Now they were in front of the religious leaders to tell them what they had seen and heard. They were no longer spectators but they were those who recorded the truth about what happened to Jesus. The religious leaders didn’t like it.
However, the Father liked it. HE gave them the Holy Ghost to help them with their record of the truth. The apostles were obeying the commands of the LORD. They were willing to die for the LORD.
We need to realize that the same power and authority that the apostles received we can have to be spokesmen for the LORD. If we are obedient to the LORD, HE will give us the words to say in front of all those we meet. The Bible gives us all the information we need to tell others the truth concerning Jesus. Are we sharing this truth? Some of the disciples became martyrs for Jesus. Are we willing to become martyrs?
CHALLENGE: Be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading in your life. HE will give you opportunity to share your faith and the right words to say at the same time.
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: 39 But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it; lest haply you be found even to fight against God. (2647 “overthrow” [kataluo] means to destroy or cause to fail, throw down, demolish, to cause to come to an end, to cause to become nothing, put an end to, make invalid, abolish, or to dissolve)
DEVOTION: Here we have an individual named Gamaliel who was a doctor of the law. He was the instructor of Saul or Paul who wrote most of the New Testament.
At this time he was just a member of the Sanhedrin that was judging the apostles for their actions. The rest of the members of the Sanhedrin wanted to kill Peter and the other apostles.
He suggested that they might not be true followers of God like two other men who rebelled against the Jewish leaders. Those two men were killed and their followers were scattered. He thought this could happen to these men and their followers as well.
He warned them that they should not fight against anything that might be of God. They would not want to be accused of doing something that God would disapprove of. The rest of the council listened to his advice. The beat the apostles and then let them go. It was a victory for the LORD.
We need to watch who we judge now. There are people who believe differently about some of the minor doctrines or teaching that we hold to be true. Those that don’t agree with the major doctrine need to be corrected. There are some convictions that people have that the LORD would like us to allow them to keep.
We can only work with those who agree with us on the major doctrines of the Word of God. Separation is necessary only from those who don’t agree with the Word of God on these doctrines or teachings.
I know that some of the ones I love dearly think that only Baptists will be in heaven. The problem is that some of them won’t get their either because of some of the false believes they hold. Remember that there are at least twenty-two different Baptist here in America. Some are liberal and some are sound. This is true in many other denominations too. There will be no denominations in heaven only believers.
CHALLENGE: Satan enjoys watching Christians fight one another over minor differences. It is sad but true.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Solomon’s porch verse 12
Temple verse 20, 21, 25, 42
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Law verse 34
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Obedience to God verse 29
God of our fathers raised up Jesus verse 30, 31
God exalted verse 31
God gave Holy Ghost to those who obey Jesus verse 32
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Lord verse 14
Teach in this name verse 28, 40, 41
Man’s blood verse 28
Jesus verse 30, 40, 42
Slew and hanged on tree verse 30
Exalted verse 31
Prince verse 31
Savior verse 31
Christ verse 42
Jesus Christ verse 42
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Holy Ghost verse 3, 32
Witness verse 32
God verse 4
Tempt Spirit of the Lord verse 9
Holy Ghost given to obedient verse 32
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
God verse 4, 29, 39
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Satan verse 3
Unclean spirits (evil angels) verse 16
Angel of the Lord verse 19
Opened doors of prison
Brought apostles out of prison
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Common prison verse 18
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Kept back part of price verse 2, 3
Satan filled heart verse 3, 4
Lie to Holy Ghost verse 3, 4
Tempt Holy Ghost verse 9
Filled with indignation verse 17
Doubt verse 24
Violence verse 26
Fear of people verse 26
Sins verse 31
Kill verse 33
Fighting against God verse 39
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Judgment – premature death verse 5, 10
Fear verse 5, 11
Church verse 11
Believers verse 14
Healing verse 15, 16
Words of this life verse 20
Teach verse 21, 25, 28, 42
Doctrine verse 28
Obey God rather than men verse 29, 32
Repentance verse 31
Forgiveness verse 31
Witnesses verse 32
Holy Spirit given verse 32
Rejoice verse 41
Suffer verse 41
Daily teaching in Temple verse 42
Daily teaching in every house verse 42
Preach verse 42
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jerusalem verse 16, 28
High Priest verse 17, 21, 24, 27, 28
Sadducees verse 17
Council verse 21, 27, 41
Senate of the children of Israel verse 21
Officers report verse 21-23
Captain of the Temple verse 24, 26
Chief priests verse 24
Israel verse 31
Cut to the heart verse 33
Council to slay apostles verse 33
Pharisee verse 34
Gamaliel – doctor of law verse 34- 39
Men of Israel verse 35
Theudas verse 36
Judas of Galilee verse 37
Church (New Testament people of God)
Ananias verse 1- 6
Sapphira (Ananias’ wife) verse 1 , 7- 10
Apostles verse 2, 12, 18, 34, 40
Peter verse 3- 10, 15, 29
Fear of grieving Holy Ghost verse 11
Church verse 11
Signs and wonders verse 12
One accord verse 12
Apostles magnified verse 13
Believers added verse 14
Miracle: Jail break verse 19
Message: words of this life verse 20
Filled Jerusalem with doctrine verse 28
Witness verse 32
Holy Ghost given verse 32
Work of God cannot be overthrow verse 39
Daily taught in temple verse 42
Daily taught in every house verse 42
Last Things (Future Events)
Gave up the ghost verse 5, 10
Died verse 10
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QUOTES regarding passage
42 Furthermore, Luke tells us that “they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” In this somewhat formal statement, which comes close to concluding our author’s whole first panel of material, there is both a correlation with the thesis paragraph of 2:42–47—explicitly in the phrases “in the temple courts and from house to house” (cf. 2:46), though also inferentially in the note of continuance that is sounded—and an anticipation of the final words of Luke’s sixth panel at the very end of Acts: “boldly and without hindrance” (28:31). (Longenecker, R. N. (1981). The Acts of the Apostles. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts (Vol. 9, p. 326). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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Every day (πασαν ἡμεραν [pāsan hēmeran]). Accusative of extent of time, all through every day. In the temple and at home (ἐν τῳ ἱερῳ και κατʼ οἰκον [en tōi hierōi kai kat’ oikon]). This was a distinct triumph to go back to the temple where they had been arrested (verse 25) and at home or from house to house, as it probably means (cf. 2:46). It was a great day for the disciples in Jerusalem. They ceased not (οὐκ ἐπαυοντο [ouk epauonto]). Imperfect middle. They kept it up. Jesus as the Christ (τον Χριστον Ἰησουν [ton Christon Iēsoun]). Jesus is the direct object of the participles διδασκοντες [didaskontes] (teaching) and εὐαγγελιζομενοι [euaggelizomenoi] (preaching or evangelizing) while “the Christ” (τον Χριστον [ton Christon]) is the predicate accusative. These words give the substance of the early apostolic preaching as these opening chapters of Acts show, that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah of promise. Gamaliel had opened the prison doors for them and they took full advantage of the opportunity that now was theirs. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Ac 5:42). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)
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5:41–42. In spite of the bloody beating, the apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing. Here again the theme of joy is evident in the Book of Acts (cf. comments on 2:46–47). A victorious church rejoices in God’s working in spite of persecution—and even on account of it, as here. The apostles were honored to be suffering disgrace for the name (on “the name” see 3:16; cf. 1 Peter 4:14, 16). Later, Peter encouraged Christians to “rejoice” when they would “participate” in sufferings on behalf of Christ (1 Peter 4:13; cf. 1 Peter 2:18–21; 3:8–17).
Luke’s object in writing Acts 5:17–42 was to show how Israel as a nation was continuing down its tragic path of rejecting Jesus as its Messiah. (Toussaint, S. D. (1985). Acts. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 367). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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Part of the council wanted to kill the Apostles (Acts 5:33), but Gamaliel’s speech tempered their violence. In a compromise move, the council decided to have the Apostles beaten; so the men were given thirty-nine strokes (see Deut. 25:1–3; 2 Cor. 11:24). Then the Apostles were commanded to stop speaking in the name of Jesus Christ lest something worse happen to them. (Review Acts 2:22; 3:6, 16; 4:10, 12, 17–18, 30.)
When people refuse to deal with disagreements on the basis of principle and truth, they often resort to verbal or physical violence, and sometimes both. The sad thing is that this violence often masquerades as patriotism or as religious zeal. When understanding fails, violence starts to take over; and people begin to destroy each other in the name of their nation or their God. It is tragic that even the history of religion is punctuated with accounts of persecutions and “holy wars.” William Temple said that Christians are “called to the hardest of all tasks: to fight without hatred, to resist without bitterness, and in the end, if God grant it so, to triumph without vindictiveness.”
How did the Apostles respond to this illegal treatment from their nation’s religious leaders? They rejoiced! Jesus had told them to expect persecution and had instructed them to rejoice in it (Matt. 5:10–12). The opposition of men meant the approval of God, and it was actually a privilege to suffer for His name (Phil. 1:29).
To paraphrase Phillips Brooks, the purpose of life is to glorify God by the building of character through truth. The Sanhedrin thought that it had won a great victory, when actually the council had experienced a crushing defeat. No doubt they congratulated each other for doing such a good job of defending the faith! But it was the Apostles who were the winners, because they grew in godliness as they yielded to God’s will and suffered for their Master. In later years, Peter would have much to say in his first epistle about the meaning of suffering in the life of the believer; but now he was learning the lessons.
Neither the threats nor the beatings stopped them from witnessing for Jesus Christ. If anything, this persecution only made them trust God more and seek greater power in their ministry. True believers are not “quitters.” The Apostles had a commission to fulfill, and they intended to continue as long as their Lord enabled them. Acts 5:42 summarized the apostolic pattern for evangelism, an excellent pattern for us to follow.
To begin with, they witnessed “daily.” This meant that they took advantage of witnessing opportunities no matter where they were (Eph. 5:15–16). Every Christian is a witness, either a good one or a bad one; and our witness either draws others to Christ or drives them away. It is a good practice to start each day asking the Lord for the wisdom and grace needed to be a loving witness for Christ that day. If we sincerely look for opportunities and expect God to give them to us, we will never lack for open doors.
D.L. Moody was fearless in his witness for Christ and sought to speak about spiritual matters to at least one soul each day. “How does your soul prosper today?” he would ask; or, “Do you love the Lord? Do you belong to Christ?” Some were offended by his blunt manner, but not a few were led to Christ then and there. “The more we use the means and opportunities we have,” he said, “the more will our ability and our opportunities be increased.” He also said, “I live for souls and for eternity; I want to win some soul to Christ.” He was not satisfied only to address great crowds; he also felt constrained to speak to people personally and urge them to trust Jesus Christ.
The believers witnessed “in the temple.” After all, that was where the “religious” people gathered, and it was easier to reach them there. For several years, the church was looked on as another “sect” of the Jewish faith, and both the temple and the many synagogues were open to believers. In his missionary journeys, Paul always went first to the local synagogue or Jewish place of prayer, and he witnessed there until he was thrown out.
My counsel to new Christians has usually been, “Go back to your home and church, be a loving witness for Christ, and stay until they ask you to leave” (see 1 Cor. 7:17–24). The Apostles did not abandon the Jewish temple, though they knew the old dispensation was ended and that one day the temple would be destroyed. They were not compromising; they were “buying up the opportunity” to reach more people for Christ.
While I was ministering at the Moody Church in Chicago, it was my joy to lead a pastor to Christ, a gifted man who ministered to a wealthy congregation. He went back to his church and began to share Christ, and numbers of his people were saved. Then the denominational leaders stepped in and started to threaten him with dismissal.
“What do I do?” he asked; and I said, “Stay there until they throw you out. Be loving and kind, but don’t give in!” Eventually he was forced out of the church, but not before his witness had influenced many both in the church and in the community. Today, God is using him in a remarkable way to witness for Christ and to train others to witness. He is able to get into churches and groups that might never invite me!
The early Christians also witnessed “in every house.” Unlike congregations today, these people had no buildings that were set aside for worship and fellowship. Believers would meet in different homes, worshiping the Lord, listening to teaching, and seeking to win the lost (see Acts 2:46). Paul referred to a number of “house fellowships” when he greeted the saints in Rome (Rom. 16:5, 10–11, 14). The early church took the Word right into the homes, and we should follow their example. This does not mean that it is wrong to have special buildings set aside for church ministry, but only that we must not confine the ministry to the four walls of a church building.
Their ministry went on without ceasing. The authorities had told them to stop witnessing, but they only witnessed all the more! Their motive was not defiance to the law but rather obedience to the Lord. It was not something they turned on and off, depending on the situation. They were “always at it” and they kept at it as long as God gave them opportunities.
The witness of the church included both teaching and preaching, and that is a good balance. The word translated “preach” gives us our English word evangelize, and this is the first of fifteen times it is used in Acts. It simply means “to preach the Gospel, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.” (See 1 Cor. 15:1–8 for the official statement of the Gospel message.)
However, proclamation must be balanced with instruction (see Acts 2:42) so that the sinners know what to believe and the new converts understand why they believed. The message cannot produce fruit unless the person understands it and can make an intelligent decision (Matt. 13:18–23). Believers cannot grow unless they are taught the Word of God (1 Peter 2:1–3).
Finally, it was Jesus Christ who was the center of their witness. That was the very name that the Sanhedrin had condemned! The early church did not go about arguing religion or condemning the establishment: they simply told people about Jesus Christ and urged them to trust in Him. “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord” (2 Cor. 4:5). “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me” (Acts 1:8).
It was my privilege to speak at a service celebrating the fortieth anniversary of a pastor friend whose ministry has blessed many. A number of his friends shared in the service and quite candidly expressed their love for him and their appreciation for his ministry. My friend became more and more embarrassed as the meeting progressed; and when it came time for me to bring the message, he leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Warren, please tell them about Jesus!”
In his clever and convicting book The Gospel Blimp, the late Joe Bayly wrote: “Jesus Christ didn’t commit the Gospel to an advertising agency; He commissioned disciples.”
That commission still stands.
In your life, is it commission—or omission? (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 427–428). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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5:40 flogged them. The apostles were unjustly flogged, probably with 39 lashes, the standard number given to avoid exceeding the OT legal limit of 40 (cf. Dt 25:3). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ac 5:40). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Ver. 42. And daily in the temple, and in every house, &c.] Every day, with great constancy and assiduity, both publicly and privately; in the temple, the place of public worship, where the Jews resorted on that account; and in each of their private houses, as often as they had opportunity: they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ; that he is the son of God, truly and properly God, the only Saviour of sinners: they preached up the dignity of his person, the grace of his incarnation, the obedience of his life, the benefits of his sufferings and death; they preached his resurrection from the dead, and the resurrection of the dead through him; they declared his ascension to heaven, his session at the right hand of God, and intercession for his people; they preached peace and pardon by his blood, atonement of sin by his sacrifice, justification by his righteousness, and complete redemption and salvation by him. And this they did without ceasing, not regarding the orders and threats of the sanhedrim; they waxed bolder and bolder in the ministry of the word, and were more constant and assiduous in it; their reproaches and persecutions increased their zeal for Christ, and his cause. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 2, pp. 188–189). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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They did it incessantly. Every day they spent their time spreading the good news of the gospel. They did it insistently. Back they went to the Temple, for public meetings where the crowds were thickest, and also into every house for private meetings throughout the city. They did it instructively. It was Jesus Christ who was the theme of their teaching and preaching.
The Sanhedrin had now lost two rounds in its fight against the church. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring Acts: An Expository Commentary (Ac 5:42). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
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FROM MY READING:
THE CERTAINTY OF EVERLASTING LIFE
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:13
The knowledge that we have eternal life is something that is possible to us. That is something that needs to be emphasized. There are those who would tell us that eternal life is something to which we attain only when we come to die and leave this world and go into the next. They suggest that it is wrong for anyone to claim that he has eternal life. Such people dislike the doctrine of assurance. “We do not know,” they say, “and we must not seek to know. Faith means that you are always grasping at it, but it is something you cannot actually have while you are in this world.”
But that is a philosophical concept of faith that is not in accordance with what we have here. John says in essence, “My whole object in writing to you now is that you may know that you have eternal life and know it certainly. I want you to know that you possess it.”
You find the other apostles saying the same thing. What was more characteristic of the apostle Paul than this assurance? In Romans 8 he says, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (verses 38-39). “I know whom I have believed,” he writes to Timothy (2 Timothy 1:12). “I know,” he says. There is no uncertainty about it.
So it seems to me that to interpret faith as a kind of constant uncertainty is to deny the teaching of the Word of God that we are His children.
A Thought to Ponder: The knowledge that we have eternal life is something that is possible to us. (From Life in God, pp. 92-93, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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1 John 3
Those who say they love God must manifest that love by loving others.
INSIGHT
The final test of Christian character is action, not words. It is not what you say that determines your life message, but what you do. John writes: “Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (v. 18). Consistency is one of the great challenges of the Christian walk. Whenever our actions do not match our words, the message of our actions always overrides the message of our words. Therein lies the basis for one of the most consistent complaints against Christianity over the ages: hypocrisy. (Quiet Walk)
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Now an accomplished writer, Caitlin describes the depression she battled after fighting off an assault. The emotional violence cut deeper than her physical struggle, for she felt it proved “how undesirable I was. I was not the kind of girl you wanted to get to know.” She felt unworthy of love, the kind of person others use and toss aside.
God understands. He lovingly shepherded Israel, but when He asked them what He was worth, “they paid me thirty pieces of silver” (Zechariah 11:12). This was the price of a slave; what masters must be reimbursed should their slave be accidentally killed (Exodus 21:32). God was insulted to be offered the lowest possible value—look at “the handsome price at which they valued me!” He said sarcastically (Zechariah 11:13). And He had Zechariah throw the money away.
Jesus understands. He wasn’t merely betrayed by His friend; He was betrayed with contempt. The Jewish leaders despised Christ, so they offered Judas thirty pieces of silver—the lowest price you could put on a person—and he took it (Matthew 26:14-15; 27:9). Judas thought so little of Jesus he sold Him for nearly nothing.
If people undervalued Jesus, don’t be surprised when they undervalue you. Your value isn’t what others say. It’s not even what you say. It’s entirely and only what God says. He thinks you are worth dying for.
By Mike Wittmer (Our Daily Bread)
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Zechariah’s Visions: The Eyes of the Lord
“For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes. . . .his seven lamps . . . . those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.” (Zechariah 3:9; 4:2, 10)
All of the visions among the myrtle trees promise a future in which the Lord rules the world from Jerusalem. Each of the visions also speaks of angelic and God-ordained agencies that are used throughout history to accomplish His will. Those insights bring serious questions about the nature of God’s sovereignty.
What is the need for horsemen that walk “to and fro”? What about the “eyes of the LORD”? Assuming the lamps, candlestick, and olive trees are pictures of God-ordained human involvement (as other Bible passages would confirm), what roles would they play?
There is obviously much we don’t know about the heavenly sphere of operations. It does appear, however, that the omniscient Lord and Creator has allowed others (including angelic beings) to participate in His creation and development of the eternal state to which everything is inexorably moving. We know that “the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain” (Psalm 76:10).
We, God’s twice-born, are given the privilege to preach the gospel by which others are saved through the power of the gospel. We are to be witnesses, speakers, testifiers, workers of the ministry, about which even the angels themselves are curious (1 Peter 1:12).
Apparently, the sovereign Lord is developing an on-the-job knowledge that He will put to use in the eternal state. Meanwhile the Adversary (Satan) is constantly opposing and attempting to confuse both the message and the messengers. But the “great and precious promises” of God will not be thwarted (2 Peter 1:4).
(HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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