From Slavery to Service

Acts 7:6-8   
6 But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years. 7 ‘And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will judge,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’ 8 Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.

Before the children of God's promise could possess the land of their inheritance by faith, they had to trust for 400 years while in the sin of the world.  But the sinful world would be judged and His people set free at last, in due time as appointed.  Then they could serve God with the sign of cleansing on their circumcised hearts, ultimately so in Christ by His Spirit many centuries later.  In Him we have redemption from the bondage to sin and its judgment; we are set free in His time when He calls us out of bondage and will serve Him in the promised land of that celestial city to come!

Are These Things So?

Acts 7:1-5 
1 Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. 5 And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.

To speak of Christ and God's chosen people, you must start with Abram and the call to follow God to a promised country.  He was told that his descendants would have the land, not him, but the promise was enough for Abraham to trust and wait.  So Stephen's answer began with the beginning of the calling out of God's people who were chosen before being born with a promise to have a land that spoke further of a heavenly country. 

Face of an Angel

Acts 6:12-15 
12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. 13 They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” 15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

When the leaders excited a commotion among the people, they then bore false witness (and violated the 9th commandment) against Stephen for standing for Christ.  They called good evil as if the truth was blasphemy, and misconstrued Jesus' statement about destroying the temple of His body to rise again in 3 days.  But Stephen just remained at peace and did not return the reviling.  He responded as Jesus would.  So must we when falsely accused for speaking the truth in love.

Irresistible Wisdom

Acts 6:8-11 
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”

When God's man spoke and acted in faith he had Christ's power and authority driving against the present darkness around him.  So when those opposed to the gospel could not argue against the Spirit-driven wisdom of Stephen, they brought charges against him instead to stop what they did not want to hear, the truth.  Even now legislation is aimed at shutting the mouths of truth and life; not able to contradict God, they seek to silence the source.  But God is neither helpless nor quiet.  So we speak.

Chosen to Serve

Acts 6:5-7   
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. 7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

A deacon who stood out was Stephen, and we hear later of Philip as well.  Stephen was chosen to serve tables because he had much faith in Christ and walked in step with the Spirit of God within Him.  His trust enabled his service.  It also freed up the apostles to spread the words of life far and wide, so many became disciples as the great commission was lived out.  Even the Jewish priests turned to the Messiah.  Both serving tables and serving the gospel were reliant on faith, obedience, and scripture.

Ministry of the Word

Acts 6:2-4   
2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The disciples were speaking and ministering words of life, and needed to not be distracted by the added work of serving daily physical needs of widows.  So they looked for what we now know as deacons - godly men with a good reputation and God's wisdom in a close walk with Him.  The ministers of the physical allowed the ministers of the word and prayer (elders) to attend to the souls.  So is the model for the church.

Worthy to Suffer Shame

Acts 5:41-42   
41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

When the disciples were threatened for speaking life to others, God protected them (this time) and they looked with great joy at being able to suffer for being Christ's.  It meant that they were doing the right things and so were seen and treated as He was before the self-righteous and ungodly.  What did they then do?  They kept on telling the good news, the words of (eternal) life - not just in the temple, but wherever they went.  So is our example to follow as they followed.

Don't Fight Against God

Acts 5:33-39 
33 When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. 34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. ... 38 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”

Reason is sometimes given to the ungodly to deliver His righteous.  Here God used a respected leader to stop a mob killing when accused of murdering the Son of God.  This man was used to let them know God would either bring the apostles' words of life to die, or God would have His way and there was no way to fight against Him in them.  This time they would heed sound advice, and the gospel continued to bring life.  Fighting against God always fails in the end, no matter the apparent outcome.

Obey God Rather Than Men

Acts 5:29-32   
29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

When told, ordered, threatened, or legislated to not speak the truth of the good news, the example set here by the disciples is to listen to and obey God over these demands of man.  Men murdered the Son of God, but God raised His Son as our only head and deliverer.  In Him we find forgiveness of our sin by turning from it to Him.  So God's Spirit in we who are His now proves.  His word is like a hammer that breaks the stony hearts to set on fire with unending life.  But even if we say nothing, the rocks of all creation around us will cry out to life.

Gospel Brings Accountability

Acts 5:26-28   
26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!”

The leaders feared riots if they used violence against either the disciples or those who would stop them, so they quietly brought the disciples back and reminded them they were told to stop spreading the words of life (gospel).  The authorities acknowledged the teaching was spreading quickly and effectively, and that they were to be blamed for killing Jesus.  They may have felt some guilt for crucifying Him, but more they feared their loss of power, control, influence, and importance. 

Set Free from Prison

Acts 5:21-23   
21 And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, 23 saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”

Going as commanded by God's messenger to speak words of life to a dead world, they taught of Christ first thing in the morning.  The religious leaders sent to have them brought from the jail cell they threw the disciples in, but found it empty - yet shut and guarded still... they opened the wrong door. The door opened to reconciliation with God was in the Christ that they refused to hear of, and that message moved to those with ears to hear outside of the bondage of the Law of works.

Speak Words of Life

Acts 5:17-20   
17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”

When the apostles demonstrated that they were with Jesus by the deeds and words coming from them, the religious leaders were envious with a punishing zeal against what the apostles stood for. So they threw them in jail.  But God had other plans; He sent an angel to minister to them by letting them out and directing them to the temple to speak words of life - the Gospel!  God is not mocked nor stopped.

Highly Esteemed and Growing

Acts 5:12-14 
12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,

God did wonders through the apostles to show they were continuing His work of bringing good news with God's authority.  The incident with Ananias and his wife kept many others from committing to Christ, however, as fear kept them at a distance but also in esteem.  Yet still believers were added to the Lord as God drew those who counted the cost and found it too high not to...

Fearful Consequences 2

Acts 5:8-11 
8 And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. 11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

When Ananias and Sapphira lied for profit, they tested God's Spirit of truth.  Their plan to look good to others and hold onto riches for themselves ended in death.  This brewed fear in others to not repeat the same mistake, but to be honest before God and men.  So we are called to be as Christ's.

Fearful Consequences 1

Acts 5:1-4 
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

Many in the first church sold what they had to help others in need among them, but these tried only to look good to others doing so - for they kept part of the money and lied about their gift being everything . This was quickly pointed out by God, letting them know that there was nothing wrong in how much they gave, but in how much they deceived God (if possible) and man. Their hearts were not in meeting needs, but in how they appeared to others.  People still do this, deceiving themselves to look charitable to others.  But God is not fooled.

Great Grace on Believers

Acts 4:32-33   
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

When God first brought together the church, they shared what they had to make certain that everyone had what they needed.  This was because of their unity in Christ that they never knew before, transforming their hearts' desires from self to God and others to fulfill the two greatest commandments. Their witness to the resurrection of Jesus driven by God's Spirit now living in them was compelling to others and demonstrated His grace in their new lives. Christ was their unity, not their religion or nationality.

Shaken and Boldly Stirred

Acts 4:29-31   
29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

When threatened, the apostles prayed for boldness to speak and do the things Jesus did to prove it was God's working in and through them.  So they prayed and the place was shaken, as was soon the world also as they heard the good news that God provided salvation apart from men earning it by being impossibly perfect in keeping the law.  The law pointed to grace, salvation and reconciliation with God in Christ's work alone.

The Nations Rage

Acts 4:25-28 
25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ 27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.

God is in absolute control of history.  He allowed plots to kill His Son because He planned it ahead of time.  God did not just know how it would happen and then write it down ahead of time, He determined it to be so and then wrote it down.  So it seemed the world had the upper hand against Christ, but God's mighty hand created all who oppose Him, and His will was done on the cross and up from the grave.  This should quiet us in awe and wonder.

Sovereign Protection to Glorify

Acts 4:21-24 
21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. 23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

God protected John and Peter so others could glorify God for making a man whole, one old for that time.  The authorities could do no more or look inhumane and suffer retaliation from the masses, so they let them go.  When the story was told, they others prayed to God and honored the one who did all these things - they acknowledged it was God's work alone, the creator and sustainer of all things. Do we?

Cannot But Speak

Acts 4:17-20 
17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.” 18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

Threats to keep the gospel in chains always fail. The word of God is not chained. We are told to not to use the name Jesus, we are threatened by the ungodly and godless who fear accountability to God, and we too have the same answer as Peter and John.  We can't help but tell others who and what we have seen in Christ, and know we answer to God - so we listen to His commands and will to make disciples everywhere.  As Jesus said to the religious atheists of His day, if we are bullied into silence, the very rocks around us would call out.

Seen With Jesus

Acts 4:13-16   13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

Peter and John were not educated nor trained in God's word, yet they spoke as and did things only someone knowing God and the Scriptures could do.  The studied and learned stood and marveled.  What could they say against the finger of God working through these two?  Though they wanted to refute and explain it all away to look better and keep their authority, God's clearly was displayed over theirs.  So they tried to think of a way to stop them.  So those today with only a form of godliness, the atheists, and the ungodly all try to attack God's word and work in Christ. 

Salvation in No Other

Acts 4:8-12 
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

When the rulers asked John and Peter by what power or name they healed a lame man, they pointed to Jesus as the healer of the whole man.  They pointed out the rejection of the foundation stone all is built on being killed, yet how He rose from death and so is the only way, name, and life for all.  Jesus Christ holds all of God's creation up to be delivered from due wrath to come.  No other person, prophet, or other has God's authority and power to change lives with absolute hope.  Psalms 2:12 "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him."

Disturbed or Believed?

Acts 4:1-4 
1 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Opposition to Jesus Christ and the God's word gets people thrown in prison because people are afraid of truth.  But this only allows more to hear and see the cost that proves it's reality, and in Acts here many heard and believed.  You can hate and legislate God's Son, but the good news is still gladly heard through persecution for the truth that it is, cutting into the heart and setting men free from true bondage.

Hear the Prophet!

Acts 3:22-26 
22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

Again we see Jesus proclaimed long before He walked here, and if we do not listen to Him then we have no hope.  God's covenant with Abraham is to all, beginning with His chosen of Israel and ending with His chosen from all nations of the earth.  He blesses as we turn from sin to Him. There is no other or greater prophet than God in our midst, and nobody else we listen to speaks for God for life and death.  Let us hear Him in all things.

Converted and Forgiven

Acts 3:18-21 
18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was ordained for you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Since God prepared for all Christ did from the beginning of time, telling us in Scripture, and then brought it to happen - we should listen and turn from sin and to Christ to be changed and forgiven.  That is good news!  He refreshes us, making us New as we are before Him with His presence within us.  Ah, and He is coming back bodily again to restore all things as if we will be back to Eden. Sin, pain, crying and death will be no more - His word is absolutely trustworthy, so we have an absolute hope, no mere wish for our future. 

Faith in His Name Alone

Acts 3:12-16   
12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. ... 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Peter and John did not heal a lame man - through faith in the name Jesus, God's Son lifted up, the man was made perfectly whole in soul and body.  Salvation was the goal and the physical healing was the assurance for eyes to see. It was not the spirituality or strength of the disciples to heal, but God's work alone; they were just trusting to do as they were drawn to do and speak, trusting God to work.  Those who claim to heal apart from God's work with the goal of salvation often are self serving instead of God pleasing.

No Silver or Gold

Acts 3:2-6   
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

The Messiah was told to bring healing to a sinful people, demonstrated by physical healing to show the wholeness of soul only God could give to us.  So Jesus did these things to show His true healing, and the apostles followed in His steps.  When a lame man asked for money, Peter gave offered him the wholeness beginning with the ability to walk again.  It was to bring new life for the inner man, salvation from sin and death. Psalms 133:3 - For there the Lord commanded the blessing—Life forevermore.

Lord Added Daily to the Church

Acts 2:40-47 
40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

When people first heard the gospel after Pentecost, they gladly heard and became the church together in unity.  They listened to sound teaching, prayed together, shared everything together, and met in the temple building and also in each other's houses.  They were glad and thankful, praising God who kept adding more being saved by their word and testimony.  These are all still critical elements for the church toda