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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday April 10, 2016
PETER AND JOHN STAND BEFORE THE RELIGIOUS
HIERARCHY
Acts 4:1-22
In Acts chapter 4, while Peter and John were still addressing the
crowd, “the Sagan” (the Temple guards), along with the leading priests, and a
few Sadducees, approached the pair to arrest them. They were quite disturbed
that the two apostles were claiming authority through JESUS CHRIST, and were
testifying of the truth of HIS resurrection from the dead. About 5000 men, not
including the women and children, now were believers of their message about
CHRIST (Vs.1-4).
They arrested both men and jailed them until morning, because, by
law, judgments involving decisions of life and death had to begin and end in
the same day. It had obviously become their goal to kill Peter and John, just
as they had killed JESUS, and now, since it was so late in the day (Temple
gates traditionally closed at 4 o’clock P.M.), they wouldn’t have time to complete
the legal process unless they got an early start the following day. This
confirms the fact of the religious hierarchy’s intentions, and how they fully
planned in advance to unjustly sentence the men to death for their public
stance in defense of JESUS, being the SON of GOD, and thereby, being worthy to
be praised as GOD.
The next day Peter and John stood before, and addressed the 70-member
Temple Council (the Sanhedrin). Filled with the HOLY SPIRIT, they spoke boldly
to the teachers of religious law (Vs.8-12). The Council was amazed at their
boldness, because they could see that Peter and John were ordinary men with no
special training. They also knew that they couldn’t deny the miracle that the
men had performed on the lame man, who had been crippled for forty years, and was
now standing right there beside them for all to see.
In light of all the facts, the Council decided to release the
pair, giving them a warning not to preach in the name of JESUS anymore. But
Peter and John even responded boldly to their order by saying, “Do you think
GOD wants us to obey you rather than HIM? We cannot stop telling about the
wonderful things we have seen and heard”.
What a wonderful model Peter and John set that day, which all
Christian can do well by following. Their proclamation in verses 19-20 is one
that all Christians should be able to stand by. In fact, if our fear of man is
stronger than our fear of GOD, then, we are well on our way to securing a place
in Hell. Such an attitude shows that we have not accepted CHRIST in our hearts,
where HE has to dwell.
Remember, Peter was an ordinary man, who, in fact had already
denied knowing CHRIST three times. However, JESUS did not forsake him, and
indeed, eagerly accepted his earnest repent of the heart, and then, forgave
him, and was willing to use him for greater things for the remainder of his
life here on earth. And Peter went on to become “the rock” upon which CHRIST
built HIS Church, just as JESUS had promised him.
THE BELIEVERS PRAY FOR COURAGE
Acts 4:23-31
In Acts 4, verses 23-31, we see that no sooner than Peter and John
had been released by the Sanhedrin, they begin to show the heart and character
that made them special and acceptable to the HOLY SPIRIT. First, in verse 23 we
see that they went to find other believers, and after informing the other
believers about their trials, and the threats that the Council had made to
them, they all lifted up their voices in unison in a prayer to GOD for
continued courage.
One of the first life-style changes that a Christian has to make,
after they have accepted CHRIST, is to stop hanging out with the old crowd, and
start studying, socializing, and fellowshipping with other believers. We do not
need to go back and tempt ourselves with the old lifestyle, not even to try and
convert others, until we ourselves have become rooted and grounded in the Word
of GOD. We need to know how to defend the Gospel before worldly people, just as
Peter and John were able to boldly do here in this chapter, and like them,
oftentimes, we will have to defend the Gospel, even in, and especially in, the
Church.
Secondly, we see in verse 24 that they used the power of prayer to
seek strength and courage from GOD, and they always gave GOD HIS proper place
at the head of their lives. All Christians need to have a strong prayer life
and communication with GOD. Our relationship with GOD must become an
experiential and personal one if we are to expect the “special favor” and
benefits that set us apart from just the “general blessings” that GOD almost
automatically affords all of HIS human creation i.e. rain, sunshine, wills that
are free, sharing HIS nature, etc.
In verses 24-30 Peter, John, and all the other believers came
together in unison and prayed this powerfully earnest, and humbling prayer for
courage and boldness in their application and carrying out of the work of
CHRIST;
“O Sovereign LORD, CREATOR of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything
in them— (25) you spoke long ago by the
HOLY SPIRIT through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
‘Why
were the nations so angry?
Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
(26) The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the LORD
and against his Messiah.
Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
(26) The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the LORD
and against his Messiah.
(27) “In
fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius
Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united
against JESUS, your holy servant, whom you anointed.
(28) But everything they did was
determined beforehand according to your will.
(29) And now, O Lord, hear their
threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word.
(30) Stretch out your hand with
healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of
your holy servant Jesus.” (NLT)
Finally,
in this passage, in verse 29, we see that they all recognized from WHOM their
strength came, and they asked for courage and boldness to continue to preach
the Gospel to a world that was totally adverse to all that JESUS stood for.
After this prayer the building they were in shook, and they were all filled
with the HOLY SPIRIT. And they indeed did preach the Word of GOD with boldness
from that day forward.
THE
BELIEVERS SHARE THEIR POSSESSIONS
Acts
4:32-37
In Acts chapter 4, verses
32-37, Luke presents to us a vivid description of how the Christian believers
had become of one heart and mind, and they all shared in the belief that, the
possessions with which GOD had blessed them with, were not their own, but
rather, they only held those possessions in stewardship to GOD. They seemed to
grasp quite clearly that the true Christian only desires more, so that they may
have more to give away. They fully understood the concept of GOD that teaches
us, when we give according to GOD, we actually take the “spiritual curse” off
of that portion which we keep.
This
attitude allowed the Christian community of the first century to share their
possessions unconditionally with each other in, both, a social, and, neighborly
capacity. The work of the HOLY SPIRIT in each individual made them more
sensitive to identifying with those, who were in a state of desperate need, and
as a result, there was no poverty among them. They were freely willing to sell all
of their possessions, if necessary, in order to come to the aid of their
fellowman.
In
this passage, Luke also introduces us to a man named Joseph, who was also
called “Barnabas”, which by interpretation means “son of encouragement”. He
earned the name “Barnabas” by way of his special ability to encourage others
through his positive GODly words, actions, and deeds. He was from the tribe of
Levi, but came from Cyprus, an island located in the northeastern Mediterranean
Sea, about sixty miles off the coast of Syria.
Barnabas
is the person who first introduced the Apostle Paul to the Christian Church at
Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-28), and then later to the Church at Antioch of Syria, in
Acts chapter 11 (v.25). In fact, he even traveled for a year with Paul, during
his first missionary journey, but then later, fell out with him over
differences involving John Mark, Barnabas’ cousin, and also the eventual author
of “the Book of Mark”.
However,
despite Barnabas’ falling out with Paul, he clearly continued to reflect JESUS’
image of encouragement throughout his lifetime. His presence, leadership, and
encouragement to those in the early Church were instrumental in its development
and survival. He became a very necessary ingredient in the “Body of CHRIST” in
its infancy stage, as it struggled to mature into a viable representative of
the ideology of GOD here on earth.
In
this passage (v.37), Luke tells us that he sold a field that he owned back on
the Island of Cyrus, and gave the entire proceeds to the Church to distribute
to those in need. He did this, in order that he might encourage and inspire
others in the Church to the spirit of “sacrificial giving” in the Christian
community.
Every
Christian has the same potential and opportunity as Barnabas had to become
active, effective, earnest workers in the Christian community. And just like in
the early days, we too, must work to build and add to GOD’s great undertaking,
the Church, using all of our GOD-given assets in order to get the job done. And
the only way to be successful in our endeavors, is to follow those Christian
examples that have already been set before us, starting with CHRIST JESUS, and
trickling down to those early Church workers such as Peter, Paul, Barnabas and
the like, who faithfully served HIM, with their whole heart.
A
Sunday school lesson by,
Larry
D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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