The early Christians really hit the ground running.
Three thousand added to the church
Acts 2:41-47
A lame man is healed
Acts 3:1-10
Peter’s second sermon
Acts 3:11-26
Peter and John imprisoned
Acts 4:1-4
Their bold testimony
Acts 4:5-14
The refuse to be silenced
Acts 4:15-22
The believers united in prayer
Acts 4:23-31
The self-sacrifice of the believers
Acts 4:32-37
Death of Ananias and Sapphira
Acts 5:1-11
Many signs and wonders
Acts 5:12-16
Peter and john are absolutely fearless. How they have changed from the men that ran for it when Jesus was arrested, one who shamefacedly denied ever having met Jesus, the other conspicuous by his absence. When they meet a disabled beggar, it’s clear where their power lies. They have no money behind them, But irresistible confidence in the power of God. We haven’t got silver ad gold to give you, but we’ve got something better - Jesus Christ. Peter preaches again, to a crowd amazed, not just at the healing, but that the name of the disgraced preacher and healer is once again in everybody’s lips. The authorities cannot stand for this, and arrest Peter and John, only to be met by calm defiance. “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (4:19-20) So their hopes of silencing the Jesus message for good, have spectacularly failed. They are at a loss.
Peter and John return to the church, and oversee a remarkable sharing of possessions. Two who haven’t fully grasped the vision, and who don’t want to join in, are Ananias and Sapphira. What happens to them is terrible. But we need to remember that what happened to them is not a punishment for failing to share their goods, but for lying and pretending that they had. They feel they need to follow the example of Barnabas, who liquidated his assets and made them available to the apostles, but Ananias and Sapphira keep some money back for themselves, while pretending to give away the lot. For this they die, to the awe of all.
Three thousand added to the church
Acts 2:41-47
A lame man is healed
Acts 3:1-10
Peter’s second sermon
Acts 3:11-26
Peter and John imprisoned
Acts 4:1-4
Their bold testimony
Acts 4:5-14
The refuse to be silenced
Acts 4:15-22
The believers united in prayer
Acts 4:23-31
The self-sacrifice of the believers
Acts 4:32-37
Death of Ananias and Sapphira
Acts 5:1-11
Many signs and wonders
Acts 5:12-16
Peter and john are absolutely fearless. How they have changed from the men that ran for it when Jesus was arrested, one who shamefacedly denied ever having met Jesus, the other conspicuous by his absence. When they meet a disabled beggar, it’s clear where their power lies. They have no money behind them, But irresistible confidence in the power of God. We haven’t got silver ad gold to give you, but we’ve got something better - Jesus Christ. Peter preaches again, to a crowd amazed, not just at the healing, but that the name of the disgraced preacher and healer is once again in everybody’s lips. The authorities cannot stand for this, and arrest Peter and John, only to be met by calm defiance. “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (4:19-20) So their hopes of silencing the Jesus message for good, have spectacularly failed. They are at a loss.
Peter and John return to the church, and oversee a remarkable sharing of possessions. Two who haven’t fully grasped the vision, and who don’t want to join in, are Ananias and Sapphira. What happens to them is terrible. But we need to remember that what happened to them is not a punishment for failing to share their goods, but for lying and pretending that they had. They feel they need to follow the example of Barnabas, who liquidated his assets and made them available to the apostles, but Ananias and Sapphira keep some money back for themselves, while pretending to give away the lot. For this they die, to the awe of all.
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