Acts 4
1 – 3
While Peter and John were speaking to the people, a group of men came up to them. There were Jewish priests, the captain of the soldiers that guarded the Temple, and some Sadducees.
They were upset because the two apostles were teaching the people. Peter and John were preaching that people will rise from death through the power of Jesus.
The Jewish leaders grabbed Peter and John and put them in jail. It was already night, so they kept them in jail until the next day.
The Sadducees were leaders who did not believe that there was life after death. It is interesting that they did not care what was being done or taught by the disciples until they heard them say that Jesus rose from the dead.
4. But many of those who heard Peter and John preach believed the things they said. There were now about 5,000 men in the group of believers.
This is the answer to Jesus prayer, when He prayed, “Father forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34
5 – 7
The next day the Jewish rulers, the Jewish elders, and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander were there. Everyone from the high priest’s family was there.
They made Peter and John stand before them. The Jewish leaders asked them: “By what power or authority did you do this?”
The law said that if you taught people to worship another God the penalty was death. They were trying to trap the disciples so that they could use the law against them. Deuteronomy 13
8 – 10
Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said to them, “Rulers of the people and you elders, are you questioning us about a good thing that was done to a crippled man? Are you asking us who made him well?
We want all of you and all the Jewish people to know that this man was made well by the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth! You nailed Him to a cross, but God raised Him from death. This man was crippled, but he is now well and able to stand here before you because of the power of Jesus!
Peter is saying, “Are you taking us to court just because a man was healed?”
11. Jesus is the stone that you builders did not want. It has become the cornerstone.
They all knew that this Psalm was about the Messiah and that the Messiah would be rejected. The Holy Spirit would be speaking to their conscience and saying, “Could it be that you have rejected the Messiah?”
Then Jesus asked them, “Did you not you ever read this in the Psalms? The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” Matthew 21:42, Psalm 118:22
12. Jesus is the only One who can save people. No one else in the world is able to save us.
People say that we need to be more open-minded. They do not like the idea that Jesus is the only way. It would be like showing someone the doorway to escape from a fire and they say, “I do not want to hear that. I think there are many ways to escape from this fire.”
13. The Jewish leaders saw that Peter and John were not afraid to speak. They understood that these men had no special training or education. So they were amazed. Then they realized that Peter and John had been with Jesus.
They thought that Peter and John had been with Jesus, but what they did not know is that they were with Jesus right at that moment. Can people tell that you have been with Jesus? The same leaders also had said that Jesus had no training. John 7:15
14. They saw the crippled man standing there beside the two apostles. They saw that the man was healed. So they could say nothing against them.
Lives that have been changed from prostitution, drugs, abuse, drinking, anger, pornography, and worse are standing before the world now showing what Jesus has done to break their chains. The world can say nothing against them.
15 – 17
The Jewish leaders told them to leave the meeting. Then the leaders talked to each other about what they should do.
They said, “What shall we do with these men? Everyone in Jerusalem knows that they have done a great miracle! It is very clear!
But we must warn them not to talk to people anymore using that name. Then this thing will not spread among the people.”
The disciples had not broken the law so they had to let them go. There were now thousands of people whose lives had been changed by the Gospel so they did not want to go against the people. They decided to leave the disciples alone until they could think of another plan.
18. So they called Peter and John in again. They told them not to speak or to teach at all in this name.
They refused to say the name of Jesus. Demons also hate to say His name.
19. But Peter and John answered them, “What do you think is right? What would God want? Should we obey you or God?
Now Peter is standing up to the same people he was afraid of during the trial of Jesus. As Christians we obey the law of the land unless it goes against the Word of God.
20. We cannot keep quiet. We must speak about what we have seen and heard.”
If you never have the feeling that you need to speak up about the Lord Jesus Christ then something must be wrong.
21 – 22
The Jewish leaders could not find a way to punish them because all the people were praising God for what had been done. (This miracle was a proof from God. The man who was healed was more than forty years old!) So the Jewish leaders warned the apostles again and let them go free.
Take notice that people were giving glory to God and not to Peter and John. Be careful when people give glory to Christian leaders. God will not share His glory with any man.
23 – 24
Peter and John left the meeting of Jewish leaders and went to their own group. They told them everything that the leading priests and the Jewish elders had said to them.
when the believers heard this, they prayed to God with one purpose. They prayed, “Lord, You are the One who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in the world.
They are praying, “God, we know that You are bigger than any of our problems.”
25 – 26
Our father David was Your servant. With the help of the Holy Spirit he said: ‘Why are the nations so angry? Why are the people making useless plans?
The kings of the earth prepare to fight. Their leaders make plans together against the Lord and against His Christ.’
The Lord was not taken by surprise. He knew what evil men would do and He had a plan waiting to defeat their plans. Psalm 2:1–2
27 – 28
These things really happened when Herod, Pontius Pilate, the non-Jewish people, and the Jewish people all came together against Jesus here in Jerusalem. Jesus is your holy Servant. He is the One you anointed.
These people made your plan happen; it happened because of Your power and Your will.
God is in control no matter what the situation looks like! Believe it!
29 –– 30
And now, Lord, listen to what they are saying. They are trying to make us afraid! Lord, we are Your servants. Help us to speak Your word without fear.
Help us to be brave by showing us Your power; make sick people well, give proofs, and make miracles happen by the power of Jesus, Your holy servant.”
Here is our prayer request, “Give us the power to stand against the spirit of fear. Show us what you want us to say.”
31. After they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke God’s Word without fear.
If we are walking closely with the Lord and each other we have nothing to be afraid of. If we think that we can walk closely with the Lord but that we do not need each other we will not have the power to do God’s work.
32 – 33
The group of believers were joined in their hearts, and they had the same spirit. No person in the group said that the things he had were his own. Instead, they shared everything.
With great power the apostles were telling people that the Lord Jesus was truly raised from death. And God blessed all the believers very much.
Give to those who ask, and do not turn away from those who want to borrow. Matthew 5:42
34 – 37
They all received the things they needed. Everyone that owned fields or houses sold them. They brought the money and gave it to the apostles. Then each person was given the things he needed.
One of the believers was named Joseph. The apostles called him Barnabas. (This name means “one who encourages.”) He was a Levite, born in Cyprus.
Barnabas [Joseph] owned a field. He sold it, brought the money, and gave it to the apostles.
We see many places in the Bible that tell us to work with our hands and provide for our family. There are times when we help someone get back on their feet, but those times are only temporary.