Lesson #09

• MEMORY VERSE: ACT 5:29

• FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST CHURCH THE BELIEVERS HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON. LUKE IS CLEAR TO TELL US THAT IN SEVERAL PLACES. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT IT WAS A VOLUNTARY PRACTICE.
• SUCH A PRACTICE REQUIRED A HIGH LEVEL OF SPIRITUAL FAITH IN GOD AND A TRUST OF ONE’S BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.
• ACTS 4:36-37 TOLD US THAT BARNABAS SOLD PROPERTY AND GAVE ALL THE MONEY TO THE CHURCH FOR COMMON DISTRIBUTION.

• READ ACT 5:1-11 GOD’S JUDGMENT ON ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA
• ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA WERE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST. THEY, TOO, SOLD LAND, BUT THEY DID NOT GIVE ALL THE MONEY TO THE CHURCH. THEY GAVE ONLY PART OF THE MONEY TO THE CHURCH.
• ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA WERE COPYING BARNABAS. WHY?.
• THEY WANTED THE PRAISE OF MEN.
• IF HAVING THINGS IN COMMON WAS A VOLUNTARY PRACTICE, WHAT WAS SO WRONG WITH WHAT THEY DID?
• THESE TWO HAD A RIGHT TO THEIR LAND. THEY HAD A RIGHT TO SELL IT OR TO KEEP IT. THEY ALSO HAD A RIGHT TO SELL IT AND GIVE ONLY PART OF THE MONEY TO THE CHURCH.
• IT WAS NOT THE AMOUNT THEY GAVE THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. IT WAS THE LIE THEY TOLD. THEY OBVIOUSLY HAD CONSPIRED TOGETHER TO LIE TO THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST ABOUT THE SALE PRICE.
• WHEN THEY TOLD THE APOSTLES THAT THEY HAD GIVEN THE TOTAL SALES PRICE, THEY LIED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. (3)
• PETER TELLS ANANIAS HE LIED TO GOD. (4)
• VERSES 3 AND 4 INDICATE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GOD ARE ONE AND THE SAME, MEMBERS OF THE HOLY TRINITY.
• HOW DID PETER FIND OUT ABOUT ANANIAS’ AND SAPPHIRA’S DECEPTION?
• PETER SAYS THAT THEY LIED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. THEN THE SPIRIT MUST HAVE REVEALED THE LIE TO PETER.
• THE DEATH OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA:
• ALL THE APOSTLES AND THE CONGREGATION, INCLUDING PETER, WERE VERY SURPRISED WHEN GOD STRUCK ANANIAS DEAD AS A JUDGMENT OF HIS LIE.
• PETER ASKED SAPPHIRA ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY RECEIVED FOR THE LAND. BECAUSE ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA HAD CONSPIRED TOGETHER, SHE TOLD THE SAME LIE, AND IMMEDIATELY FELL DEAD.
• THIS TIME PETER IS NOT SURPRISED.
• DISCUSSION:

THIS PUNISHMENT SEEMS QUITE SEVERE IN OUR DAY AND AGE, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE DO NOT SEE THIS KIND OF IMMEDIATE RETRIBUTION IN THE CHURCH TODAY.

• WHY DO YOU THINK THE PUNISHMENT WAS SO SEVERE?

• THIS IS THE KIND OF PUNISHMENT WE SAW IN THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA WHEN ACHAN KEPT FOR HIMSELF WHAT BELONGED TO GOD. (JOS 7:10-26)
• REMEMBER THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST CHURCH. MUCH DEPENDS ON THE CHURCH’S SURVIVAL IN FULFILLING GOD’S PLAN TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL TO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE WORLD.
• WITH THIS INCIDENT, THE CHURCH HAS NOW LOST ITS INNOCENCE AND ITS TRUST OF ONE ANOTHER. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF HAVING ALL THINGS IN COMMON.
• THE UNITY IN THE FIRST CHURCH WAS THE KEY TO ACCOMPLISHING MANY MIRACLES, SIGNS, AND WONDERS. NOW THAT UNITY IS BROKEN. SATAN HAS A FOOT IN THE DOOR OF THE FIRST CHURCH.

• DISCUSSION:

WHY IS THE STORY OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTANDING THE CHURCH AGE, AND WHY DO YOU THINK WE DO NOT SEE THIS KIND OF SEVERE PUNISHMENT TODAY?

• THE CHURCH HAS GROWN UP AND BECOME MORE LIKE THE WORLD. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE FULFILLMENT OF JESUS’ PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN AND THE LUMP (MAT 13:33) WHERE THE LEAVEN (SIN) EVENTUALLY PERMEATES THE WHOLE LUMP (THE CHURCH).

• DISCUSSION:

WHAT UNIVERSAL TRUTH DOES THIS STORY TEACH US THAT APPLIES TO LIFE TODAY?

• WE SHOULD BE HONEST IN OUR DEALINGS WITH GOD WHO SEES ALL THINGS AND KNOWS ALL THINGS. WE WILL ALL REAP WHAT WE SOW EVENTUALLY.
• JUST BECAUSE WE DO NOT SEE THE IMMEDIATE REAPING TODAY AS WAS WITH ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA, DOES NOT MEAN WE WILL NOT EVENTUALLY REAP THE REWARD OF EVIL.

• THE SIN UNTO DEATH
• READ 1JOH 5:16
• THE SIN OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA IS OBVIOUSLY A SIN UNTO DEATH.
• ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA HAD SALVATION BUT THEY LOST THEIR PHYSICAL LIVES.
• JUST WHAT IS THE SIN UNTO DEATH?
• IT IS NOT JUST SIN IN GENERAL OTHERWISE NONE OF US WOULD STILL BE LIVING.
• IT IS NOT A SPECIFIC SIN FOR THERE ARE SEVERAL BIBLICAL EXAMPLES THAT MENTION DIFFERENT SINS:
• FOR ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA, THE SIN WAS LYING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• 1COR 11:30 MENTIONS THE MISUSE OF COMMUNION.
• 1COR 5:1-5 MENTIONS THE SIN OF INCEST IN THE CHURCH.
• THE CONTEXT OF 1JOH 5:16 SEEMS TO REFER TO A LIFESTYLE OF PRACTICING SOME HABITUAL SIN WITH AN UNWILLINGNESS TO REPENT OF IT.

• THE RESULTS ON THE CHURCH OF THE IMMEDIATE DEATHS OF TWO MEMBERS:
• ACTS 5:11 SAYS THAT FEAR CAME UPON ALL THE CHURCH.
• I AM SURE EVERY MEMBER IMMEDIATELY REVIEWED HIS OWN LIFE FOR IMPURITY AND QUICKLY REPENTED IF ANYTHING CAME TO MIND.
• THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAD NOT MADE THEIR PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO CHRIST, BUT HAD HEARD OF THE INCIDENT, WOULD QUESTION THEIR OWN MOTIVES IN JOINING A CHURCH. CHURCH IS NOT A GAME!

• READ ACT 5:12-16 SIGNS, WONDERS, HEALINGS, AND DELIVERANCE
• THIS PASSAGE TELLS US THERE WERE MANY, MANY MIRACLES HAPPENING EVERY DAY. PEOPLE HEARD ABOUT THEM.
• IT IS OBVIOUS WHY GOD IS PERFORMING SO MANY MIRACLES THROUGH THE APOSTLES, THEY ADVERTISE THE GOSPEL.
• MIRACLES == MULTITUDES OF BELIEVERS WERE ADDED TO THE CHURCH.(16)
• PETER’S SHADOW:
• WAS THERE SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT PETER’S SHADOW?
• NO, NOT IN ITSELF. HUMAN BEINGS HAVE A TENDENCY TO GET SO SUPERSTITIOUS OR TO MAKE A MAGIC FORMULA FOR SPIRITUAL THINGS. WHEN IT IS SIMPLE FAITH AND THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT ACCOMPLISHES MIRACLES.
• NOTICE THAT EVERY ONE WHO WAS SICK BECAME WELL.(16)

• READ ACT 5:17-32 THE FIRST IMPRISONMENT FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL
• THIS IS THE SECOND ARREST, BUT THIS TIME THE DISCIPLES ARE PUT INTO THE COMMON PRISON.
• NOTICE THAT THE INTENTION OF THE SANHEDRIN IS TO KILL THE DISCIPLES. (33)
• THE BIBLE DOES NOT SAY WHICH DISCIPLES WERE IMPRISONED NOR HOW MANY OF THEM. HOWEVER, WE CAN ASSUME THAT PETER, AND PERHAPS JOHN WERE IMPRISONED, MAYBE MORE.
• AS WE SAW WITH THE FIRST ARREST, IT IS THE SADDUCEES THAT LEAD THIS PERSECUTION.
• RELEASE FROM PRISON BY AN ANGEL:
• THE KING JAMES BIBLE SAYS THAT “THE ANGEL OF THE LORD” (19) RELEASED THE DISCIPLES.
• IN THE OLD TESTAMENT “THE ANGEL OF THE LORD (JEHOVAH)” IS A PRE-INCARNATE APPEARANCE OF JESUS CHRIST.
• HOWEVER, HERE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THIS IS NOT JESUS CHRIST, BUT AN ANGEL.
• THE ANGEL’S MESSAGE:
• THE ANGEL COMMANDS THEM TO GO AND PREACH IN THE TEMPLE.
• THE TEMPLE WAS THE PLACE WHERE THEY WERE ARRESTED TWICE. NOW THEY MUST RETURN THERE AND PERFORM THE SAME ACTION THAT GOT THEM INTO TROUBLE BEFORE.
• THE MIRACLE OF THE LOCKED DOORS:
• THE NEXT MORNING THE DISCIPLES RETURN TO THE TEMPLE TO PREACH, BUT WHILE THEY ARE PREACHING, THE HIGH PRIEST CONVENES THE COUNCIL TO HEAR THEIR CASE. HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT THE DISCIPLES WERE RELEASED FROM PRISON BY AN ANGEL, AND ARE, AT THAT MOMENT, PREACHING RIGHT THERE IN THE TEMPLE.
• THE GUARDS GO TO THE PRISON TO BRING THEM BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND DISCOVER THAT THE DISCIPLES ARE GONE.
• THE MIRACLE IS THAT THE PRISON DOORS ARE STILL LOCKED.
• THE QUESTION IS, HOW DID THE DISCIPLES GET OUT OF PRISON?
• VERSE 19 TELLS US THE ANGEL “OPENED” THE PRISON DOORS. HOWEVER IN VERSE 23 THE PRISON DOORS ARE “SHUT WITH ALL SAFETY”, IN OTHER WORDS, LOCKED.
• THE PRISON DOORS REMAINED LOCKED THROUGH THE MIRACLE AND WERE NOT UNLOCKED UNTIL AFTER THE DISCIPLES WERE OUT.
• IT WAS THE SAME WITH JESUS IN THE TOMB AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION. THE STONE WAS NOT ROLLED AWAY TO LET JESUS OUT, BUT TO LET THOSE IN WHO WOULD BE WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION.
• THE DISCIPLES BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE SANHEDRIN:
• THE DISCIPLES ARE AGAIN BROUGHT BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN.
• THERE ARE THREE CHARGES AGAINST THE DISCIPLES:
• =1= THEY CONTINUED TO MENTION THE NAME OF JESUS AFTER BEING FORBIDDEN TO DO SO.
• ANYONE WHO WAS CRUCIFIED WAS CONSIDERED CURSED. THEREFORE, IT WAS FORBIDDEN TO MENTION THE NAME OF A PERSON WHO HAD BEEN CRUCIFIED.
• IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THE JEWISH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT WAS BY STONING. THEN THE DEAD BODY WAS HUNG ON A TREE FOR ALL TO SEE AS A DETERRENT. BY CUSTOM, THE NAME OF THAT PERSON WAS NOT TO BE MENTIONED AGAIN. (DEU 21:22)
• =2= THEY HAD DISRUPTED THE WHOLE CITY OF JERUSALEM.
• =3= THEY HAD TRIED TO MAKE THE SANHEDRIN FEEL GUILTY FOR SHEDDING INNOCENT BLOOD.
• NOTICE VERSE 28 WHERE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS COMPLAIN TO THE DISCIPLES THAT THEY HAVE FILLED JERUSALEM WITH THEIR DOCTRINE.
• THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT CHRIST COMMANDED IN ACT 1:8. THEY WERE TO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN JERUSALEM, THEN IN JUDEA, THEN IN SAMARIA, THEN IN THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE WORLD.
• THE DISCIPLES HAVE FULFILLED THE FIRST PART OF CHRIST’S GREAT COMMISSION.
• THE DISCIPLES CHOOSE TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN. (29)
• PETER GIVES A BRIEF OUTLINE OF HIS EARLIER SERMON.
• HE SPEAKS ABOUT THE RESURRECTION (30)
• HE SPEAKS ABOUT THE COUNCIL’S PARTICIPATION IN THE CRUCIFIXION. (30)
• HE SPEAKS ABOUT THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST TO HEAVEN (31)
• HE SPEAKS ABOUT JESUS AS A PRINCE AND A SAVIOR. (31)
• HE SPEAKS ABOUT JESUS’ PURPOSE FOR COMING TO EARTH WAS FOR FORGIVENESS OF SIN AND FOR REPENTANCE. (31)
• HE SPEAKS ABOUT AN OFFER OF THE KINGDOM TO THE JEWS (31)
• HE SPEAKS ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN BELIEVERS. (32)
• THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WERE “CUT TO THE HEART” BY THE WORDS OF PETER. (33) THAT IS A WAY OF TELLING US THEY FELT CONVICTED. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT REPENT. INSTEAD THEY SEARED THEIR HEARTS, SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING.
• EACH TIME A PERSON REJECTS THE CONVICTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE SEARS HIS HEART, WHICH FORMS SCAR TISSUE OVER THE HEART. SCAR TISSUE IS DEAD FLESH. EVERY TIME SCAR TISSUE IS FORMED OVER THE HEART, THE FEELING OF CONVICTION BECOMES LESS AND LESS. FINALLY THERE IS NO MORE CONVICTION AND THAT IS WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS “HARDENING THE HEART”.

• READ ACT 5:33-42 GAMALIEL’S WISDOM TO THE COUNCIL OF THE SANHEDRIN
• WHO WAS GAMALIEL?
• THIS MAN WAS THE GRANDSON OF THE FOUNDER OF THE FAMOUS HILLEL SCHOOL WHICH WAS ISRAEL’S MOST FAMOUS THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL.
• THIS MAN WAS A FAMOUS JEWISH TEACHER OF HIS DAY AND HIGHLY RESPECTED. HE WAS A PHARISEE, AND HIS TITLE WAS RABBAN, HIGHER THAN A RABBI.
• IF YOU WERE ONE OF HIS STUDENTS, YOU STUDIED UNDER THE BEST TEACHER, AND YOU HAD CREDENTIALS THAT BROUGHT YOU RESPECT AND OPPORTUNITIES.
• THE APOSTLE, PAUL, WAS ONE OF HIS STUDENTS.
• GAMALIEL’S COUNSEL:
• GAMALIEL MAKES THE FOLLOWING 2 POINTS TO THE COUNCIL:
• #1 IF THE TEACHINGS OF THE DISCIPLES IS FROM MAN, IT WILL SOON DIE OUT AND THEY WON’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.
• DISCUSSION:

IS IT TRUE THAT FALSE TEACHING EVENTUALLY DIES OUT?

• IF WE CONSIDER ALL THE FALSE RELIGIONS AND THEIR FALSE TEACHINGS THAT HAVE EXISTED THROUGH TIME, GAMALIEL’S STATEMENT IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE. HOWEVER, MANY TIMES, WHEN A FALSE TEACHER DIES, THE MOVEMENT DIES OUT, BUT NOT ALWAYS.

• GAMALIEL RECITES CASES WHERE THEY HAVE KILLED A FALSE TEACHER WHO STARTED AN UPRISING. AFTER THE DEATH OF THE LEADER, THE FOLLOWERS DISBANDED. JESUS WAS DEAD, HIS FOLLOWERS WILL SOON GET DISCOURAGED AND WILL SCATTER.
• THEUDAS, A FALSE TEACHER WHO BOASTED TO BE THE MESSIAH.
• JUDAS OF GALILEE, A FALSE TEACHER.
• IF THE TEACHING IS FROM GOD, YOU DON’T WANT TO BE FIGHTING AGAINST GOD. (39)

• #2 LET THE DISCIPLES GO WITHOUT HURTING THEM.
• THE COUNCIL AGREED WITH GAMALIEL IN WORD ONLY, FOR AFTER GAMALIEL HAD LEFT THEY BEAT THE DISCIPLES, PROBABLY WITH THE SAME TYPE OF SCOURGING JESUS ENDURED (40 LASHES MINUS 1). THEN THEY LET THEM GO FREE.
• IF THE DISCIPLES WERE INNOCENT, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BEATEN.
• IF THE DISCIPLES WERE GUILTY, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN LET GO FREE.

• THE REACTION OF THE DISCIPLES TO THE BEATING:
• THEY REJOICED THAT THEY WERE WORTHY TO SUFFER IN THE NAME OF CHRIST.
• THE DISCIPLES CONTINUED TO PREACH AND TEACH THE GOSPEL.

HOMEWORK
ACTS 6
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACTS 5
• HAVE YOU EVER FACED SOME SPECIFIC KIND OF OPPOSITION AS A CHRISTIAN?

• WHAT WAS YOUR RESPONSE IN COMPARISON TO THAT OF THE DISCIPLES?
• TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THEIR ZEAL FOR THE LORD?
• PREPARATION FOR ACTS 6
• READ ACTS 6:1-15
• WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM IN THE CHURCH?
• IF THEY HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON, WHY DO YOU THINK THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED?
• WHAT WAS THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM?
• WHAT DOES THIS CHAPTER TEACH YOU ABOUT THE TOTAL MINISTRY OF A CHURCH?
• COMPARE THE FAIR ARGUMENT IN VERSES 8-10 WITH THE FALSE ACCUSATION IN VERSES 11-14.
• MEMORY VERSE: 1TIM 3:13