Acts 5-7

Acts 5

Ananias and Sapphira

• Ananias and Sapphira sell property (like Barnabas) 
• They secretly keep part of the money while pretending to give all of it
• Peter says:
  • Satan filled Ananias’ heart
  • they lied to the Holy Spirit
  • they lied to God
• Ananias then dies
• later Sapphira dies after repeating the lie

Main issue!! 

The sin was not withholding money itself,  but the deceit

“Great fear came upon the whole church”

• This is the first use of “church” (ἐκκλησία, ekklesia) in Acts.

Many miracles occur through the apostles

• People gather at Solomon’s Portico
• Crowds bring:
  • sick people
  • oppressed people
• Even Peter’s shadow is mentioned as being healing

Apostles Arrested and Freed

• The high priest and Sadducees become jealous
• The apostles are imprisoned
  • an angel frees them during the night
• The angel commands “Go and stand in the temple and speak…”
  • The apostles immediately obey.

Apostles Before the Council

• The council accuses themof filling Jerusalem with their teaching
• Peter responds “We must obey God rather than men.”

Peter proclaims:

• Jesus was killed
• God raised Him
• Jesus is exalted
• repentance and forgiveness come through Him

 Gamaliel’s Advice

• The council wants to kill the apostles.
• Outside, Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee, warns that previous movements failed on their own
  • But if this movement is from God, it cannot be stopped
• They go back to the council who then:
  • Beats the apostles
  • commands them not to preach
  • releases them

Apostles rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer for Jesus’ name. They continue teaching daily.

Acts 6

As the church grows: conflict arises between Hellenistic Jews and Hebrew Jews

• Hebrew Jews: from Judea, more traditional 
• Hellenistic Jews: embraced Greek culture
• Issue: Hellenistic widows are neglected in food distribution.

The apostles decide they must focus on prayer and ministry of the Word

Seven men are selected to oversee service, including Stephen and Philip. 

Stephen:

• performs signs and wonders
• debates opponents
• They cannot withstand his wisdom or the Spirit speaking through him

Stephen is accused of speaking against:

• Moses
• the temple
• the Law

His face appears “like the face of an angel”

Acts 7

Stephen’s Speech

Stephen gives the longest sermon in Acts.

Abraham

• Stephen begins with God calling Abraham from Mesopotamia
• God giving Abraham His covenant

Joseph 

• Joseph’s brothers reject him, yet God raises him to save many
• God was with him the whole time. 

 Moses 

• Stephen focuses heavily on Moses.
• Israel rejected Moses repeatedly:
  • first rejection (after Moses killed Egyptian)
  • wilderness rebellion
  • idolatry with the golden calf

Stephen quotes Amos 5:25-27

The Temple Is Not God’s Limitation

• Stephen discusses the tabernacle and the temple
•  quotes Isaiah 66:1 “Heaven is my throne…”
• God cannot be confined to a building!

Stephen Confronts the Leaders

Stephen accuses them of:

• resisting the Holy Spirit
• persecuting prophets
• betraying and murdering the Righteous One (Jesus)

The council becomes enraged.

Stephen sees:

• heaven opened
• Jesus standing at God’s right hand
  • Interesting as Jesus is usually depicted as sitting next to God

Stephen is stoned

Before dying he says: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” and “do not hold this sin against them”

• Similar to Jesus’ words from the cross.

Saul/Paul Introduced

A young man named Paul the Apostle (Saul) is introduced:

• approving Stephen’s execution

Application

Here we see a beautiful example of obedience over fear. The church faced threats and suffering, but they continued to do as God commanded. We also see the importance of structure within the church and the need of multiple gifts.