Here come the lovely religious leaders that were OH so concerned about their appearance and authority....how dare Peter and John talk about the risen Christ???? The Saducees didn't believe in the resurrection, only the Books of Moses, so they were particularly threatened. Peter gets filled with the Holy Spirit again, and points out that Jesus Christ, whom this group crucified was raised from the dead and quotes Psalm 118:22...He proceeds to tell them that Salvation is found ONLY through Jesus Christ..
The religious leaders command Peter and John to shut up, and Peter and John reply that they only listen to God in this matter, not man. Peter and John go back and report this to the new church, and the Believer's Prayer comes from this....Psalm 2: 1,2 is referenced. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and that place was shaken....they spoke the word of God boldly (not reckless impulsiveness, simply courage to press on). The Believers all share their possessions (no this is not Communism; they gave only what they wished and it was voluntary and was not a membership requirement to be part of the church). Annias and Sapphira get in trouble not because they were stingy, but because they lied to God and God's people-they said they gave the whole amount trying to make themselves look more generous than they really were. Serious punishment: Death!
The apostles heal through Jesus' power..this shows that the Jesus that ascended had power that was now with his apostles. The apostles are persecuted, and God freed them from jail...they got flogged but considered themselves fortunate to have shared in suffering like Jesus did.
Now the new church is growing so fast that they begin to have internal issues (ha! You think we are the only church that does????)......the food distribution to the poor (widows) was not fair...the apostles figured out they they needed to give some administrative tasks to be delegated while they continued to spread the word....Keep note of Stephen, one of the godly men that is a powerful evangelist......big stuff in the next chapter.
Look what comes up from the depths of the sea.
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Now THAT was a powerful prayer with a powerful answer.....the ground shook! Can you imagine that happening to you?
ReplyDeleteNow I bet after Ananias and wife died, a bunch of people chose not to......
the church is growing and becoming powerful.....I mean...I think it is cool that people are lying on beds and couches in the streets hoping at least the shadow of Peter would fall on them to heal them.....I wish that kind of christian power was present today!
I am confused....In 5:30 it says "The God of our fathers raised up jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree." where does the tree come in......he was nailed to a cross....confused on that....
so cool....even after told not to speak of Jesus....getting out of jail by angels and teaching of Jesus..(don't you know that threw the en who put them there for a loop) and then beaten for teaching of Jesus....they left and continued to do it.....
The cross was made from a tree....the Levitical specifically stated "tree"//
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