Acts 4-6

Sorry it has taken me all weekend to post. We are back on schedule now!

Acts 4:
It is interesting that Peter and John are hauled up before many of the same people who tried Jesus in the Gospels. Annas, the High Priest, and Caiphas, who once served as High Priest, are there, as are many members of his household. Peter shows his new-found guts and presents the gospel to them, the very men who had Jesus killed!!!

As they listened, we are told what they observe: "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." It is my hope that people will say the same things about us! May it always be said that we have been with Jesus.

The priests tell Peter and John to stop talking about Jesus, but Peter replies, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Wow! What amazing faith! May we always have the same courage and conviction when confronted by those who would rather shut us up than listen to the Gospel.

Acts 5:
Many people have a problem with the story in Acts 5. Ananias and Sapphira sell their field and pretend to give all of the money to the church. They want the same credit that others are getting, but without much personal cost.

The problem in this story is not the money. Instead, the problem is their heart. If they told the church that they could only give part, then I think that would have been appreciated and accepted in gratitude. The story, however, sounds a lot like the story in Leviticus 10. The new priests decide that they will treat God lightly, like he doesn't matter. As a result, Nadab and Abihu are killed for their disrespect. God does not tolerate when we think he is common or lightweight.

I love how the early church functions in the story, also. They all work for the good of the community. God uses their actions to bring others to faith. It creates such a stir that the Pharisees have them arrested and thrown in jail. An angel delivers the apostles, however, and the very next thing they do is go and proclaim the Gospel in the Temple again! How ballsy is that?!?!?

Luke closes out the chapter with, "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ."

Acts 6:
Acts 6 discusses how we deal with internal problems in the church. The Greek widows are being ignored in favor of the Israelite widows. Seven men are appointed as servants (διακονος, "deacons") to serve their needs. God uses them in amazing ways to bless the people.


What are your thoughts on these passages?