I. Peter and John Were Arrested (Acts 4:1-4)
A. Word
came that two of Jesus’ followers have performed a great
Miracle and are using it to
prove the resurrection of Jesus.
B. The
temple guard and the Sadducees on behalf
of the Sanhedrin
arrive to stop the event.
1. Sadducees, the dominant party of the Sanhedrin, deny any kind of
resurrection.
2. If the resurrection of Jesus is true it would wipe out the basis of the
Sadducees party in
3. They were indignant that these unauthorized men would invade the
privileges of the Levitical priesthood and teach the people.
C. They were
arrested and confined until the next day.
D. The
preaching was received and 5000 souls were added to the church
even
though the disciples were temporarily silenced.
II. Peter Addresses the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:5-12)
A. It
was a meeting of the full Sanhedrin composed of about 70
members.
l. Annas the defacto high priest was there with all of his kinsmen.
2. Ciaiaphas, Annas son-in-law, was the legal high priest.
3. Annas had five sons and one grandson occupied the high priest’s office.
B. The question, “By what power or by what
name have you done this.”
1. They are more interested in the “Name” they used than the preaching.
2. The question assumes the healing was done.
3. These were the same men that condemned Jesus to death
eight weeks prior.
C. The answer,
“By the name of Jesus Christ of
1. It was expected these uneducated Galileans would be intimidated.
2. The Lord
told them what to do on such occasions .
. . “take no
thought of how you shall answer
for the Holy Ghost shall teach you
what to say.” (Luke 12:11,12)
3. Peter was being filled by the Holy Spirit at that very moment.
a. He sets himself the let the Lord use him.
b. It is Peter who speaks, but his words are inspired by the Spirit.
4. Addresses the whole nation through the leaders.
5. He preached Jesus and the resurrection.
a. They crucified Him
b. God raised Him from the dead.
c. By Him this man stood before them whole.
D. Peter
quoted one of the oldest messianic Psalms. (Psalm 118:22)
1. The “rejected stone” has a name Jesus.
2. Announces this 1000 year old prophecy had been fulfilled by this
council.
3.
by the name of Jesus.
III. The Sanhedrin’s Reaction to Peter’s Daring
Attitude. (Acts 4:13- 22)
(Courageous Witnessing)
Scripture as Jesus himself.
1. They recognized the apostles were the instruments of the miracle.
2. Everyone
in
B. The
council is baffled.
1. No law was broken
2. The people were ready to believe Jesus was alive.
3. The healing of the man seemed to confirm He was alive.
C. The disciples declare “We will obey
God rather than men.”
1. The council is humiliated by having uneducated fisherman use logic
and scripture against them.
2. They wanted to stop the use of the “Name of Jesus”
D. Further
threatened they were released.
IV. The Courage That
Burned In the Apostles Flamed in the Church
(Acts 4:23- 31)
A. The church had been in prayer while the apostles were on trial.
for deadly conflict.
2. For the moment the church continues as a religious sect.
B. The church
prays for boldness.
1.The believers pray as one person.
2. Continue to address their prayers as they did in synagogues.
3. The persecution brings to mind the words of Psalm 2:1-2
a. Herod is against Christ.
b. Pontius Pilate is against Christ.
c. The Gentiles are against Christ.
d. The
people of
C. They ask
God to do two things.
1. Restrain the rulers from carrying out their threats.
2. Grant supernatural powers enabling them to perform signs as they
preach the Gospel.
a. Boldness to preach the Word.
b. God stretching out His hand to heal.
c. Signs and wonders being done through the name of Jesus.
impact
of a fresh Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
V. The Church Was Sharing All Things (Acts
4:32-37)
A. They were
still of one heart and one mind.
Lord Jesus.
C. The Spirit
of giving was upon all.
1. There
was considerable poverty in
2. For a period of time not a single person suffered want.
3. Each person put his possessions at the disposal of the fellowship.
E. Barnabas
is a specific example of those who sold their property.
1. He is not just important because of his gift but he will latter be Paul’s
missionary companion.
2. Born in
the
3. Joseph was nicknamed “Barnabas” by the apostles. It was an Aramaic
word meaning “The man who encourages others.”
ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
ACTS CHAPTER 5
Apostolic authority
in the early church is seen in Acts
4:32 -5:42.
Acts 4:32 - Acts 8:3 could be described as The Church Under Fire.
The Church was
Threatened by Deceit,
Pressure, Dissension and Martyrdom.
Ananias and Sapphira Lied to the Holy
Spirit. (Acts 5:1-11)
A. This event is to the Book of Acts what the story of Achan is to the Book of Joshua
(Joshua 7:10-26)
1. An act of deceit interrupts the victorious progress of the people of God.
2. It was a covetous spirit that caused them to perform a lie.
B. They covenanted to deceive the church about the price and proceeds of the land.
C. No one was under obligation to sell his property.
1. No one was obliged to give any part of the proceeds to the apostles.
2. The evil was wanting the church believe they were matching Barnabas’
generosity.
D. Peter was empowered by of the Holy Spirit to detect the evil motive.
1. The real act was an attempt to deceive the Holy Spirit.
2. Satan was behind the action but Ananias could have shunned the suggestion.
E. Judgment was swift and sure for Ananias.
1. Ananias died suddenly at the exposure of his sin.
2. Maybe he thought he was lying to Peter but Peter represented God’s authority
in the church.
F. Sapphira has a chance to tell the truth.
1. Peter had time to consider this Divine judgment and prepare for Sapphira.
2. It was a deliberate, preconceived act and an insult to the Omniscience of God.
G. This act of God’s judgment halted the progress of sin in this baby church.
1. It taught the people on the outside that the church was a holy fellowship and
dishonesty would not be tolerated.
2. For those on the inside of the church it taught God is a Holy God and those
who walk with Him must be honest and transparent in their relationship with
Him and with each other.
3. Only sin not persecution can silence the church’s testimony.
H. Two words reveal the outcome of this judgment, Fear and Power.
1. Fear of the Lord
a. In the sense of holy awe and wholesome respect in the community.
b. Within the church there was a new respect for the purity of the Holy Spirit.
2. The church came into a new revelation of God’s power.
a. Deliverance of the demon possessed.
b. Many mighty healings.
II. CONTINUING POWER WAS IN THE CHURCH (ACTS
5:12-16)
A. Miracles continued among the crowds of people.
1. The atmosphere was like that of the Galilean ministry of Jesus as the
Lord continued to perform the same signs through the apostles.
2. The miracles confirmed the authority of the Lord’s apostles.
B. True believers continued to be added to the church.
C. The awe and wonder served to screen out all who were not sincere.
D. Multitudes poured into the city with their sick, and they were healed.
1. Healings were miraculous as in the ministry of Jesus.
2. It was a display of the total power of Jesus over sickness and demons.
3. Peter’s shadow was as mighty to heal as the hem of Jesus’ robe (Luke 8:44)
E. Christianity is basically a healing religion.
1. Christ presented Himself as a healer. (Luke 4:126-20)
2. He healed entire cities. (Mark 1:32-34)
3. Healing was the established sign of the Messiah to the Jews.
4. Seeing the continued healings meant the Messiah was still present and
working through His Apostles. (Matthew 4:23,24)
III. The Church Is Threatened By Pressure
The Apostles Imprisoned and Examined (Acts
5:17- 32)
A. The High Priest and Sadducees were filled with indignation.
1. The apostles did not agree to the warning not to preach in Jesus Name.
2. More drastic steps were planned now for this thing was out of hand.
3. In ordering this arrest, the Sadducees acted in defiance of God.
B. An Angel brings supernatural deliverance.
1. Miraculous deliverance is connected to God’s Divine Purpose.
2. They were told to continue their work preaching in the temple.
3. The Angel had the key to the prison but they had the “Keys to the Kingdom”
4. The Apostles didn’t hesitate in their obedience to back to place of arrest.
C. The High Priest and Sanhedrin discover the disciples are missing.
1.The Sadducces insisted the resurrection, angels and spirits didn’t exist.
2. Word comes they are preaching again in the temple area.
3. They are persuaded to return to the Sanhedrin.
4. No force was used and no resistance was offered.
5. They were not coming as prisoners now, It was a voluntary appearance.
1. Three charges are made.
a. They continued to mention the name of Jesus after being forbidden.
b. They
stirred up the entire city of
c. They were trying to make the Sanhedrin guilty of shedding
innocent blood.
2.The name of Jesus was accursed because He was crucified on a tree.
3. The Lord uses the lips of the enemy to confirm His followers have carried
out
his first command to begin “in
E. The Apostles respond to the charges.
1. Peter stated the principle that governed the lives of the disciples.
“We must obey God.”
2. Peter repeats the previous message again emphasizing the contrast of
what they did with Jesus and what God did with Him.
3. They were not only heralds of the Good News but witnesses as well.
4. They were His organ of expression as He had promised. (John 15:26)
the place of highest honor.
6. As the Prince he is leading the Jewish people to by His Spirit to repentance.
7. There was an awareness now of the Divine partnership of the witness and
the Holy Spirit penetrating the hearts of the hearer’s.
IV. Gamaliel
Advises His Fellow Council Members On the Matter. (Acts 4:33-42)
A. They were ready to kill the Apostles but would not without the support of
of the Pharisees.
B. Gamaliel the Rabban was the greatest law teacher of his day.
1. The title Rabban was higher than that of Rabbi.
2. The Apostle Paul was one of his students. (Acts 22:3)
3. Saul may have been present at this meeting, for he was a member.
of the Sanhedrin. (Acts 26:10)
execution of His plans.
a. Anything God didn’t establish could not survive.
b. If God did establish it man cannot stop it.
C. The punishment was flogging
1. It filled the disciples with great joy.
2. It was nothing compared to what Jesus had endured for them.
3. They were not afraid of mans threats and continued preaching the Gospel
In the