Words of Life

The Miracles of the through the Apostles

Acts 5:12–16 ESV

12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

A healing ministry like Jesus

Jesus Claimed to be God

He proved it with His

Words

Works

Healing & miracles

John 10:36–38 ESV

36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

Jn 10:36-

The Apostles claimed Jesus rose and is the Christ

They Proved it to be true with

Words - Scripture and fulfilled prophecies

Works

Works

Miracles like Jesus

By the Power of Jesus

The miracles of Jesus proved who he was

The Miracles through the apostles prove his resurrection and ascension

Believers thought highly of

Fear to join

Of leadership

of being killed (like Ananias and Sapphira)

Most people like believers.... at first

They like the love, generosity, and good behavior

Until the truth of their own sinfulness is brought to light

Which brings either

Repentance

Desire to squelch the light exposing their sin

We will see this especially with the Sadducees who’s sin has already been exposed

The Sadducees are overruled

Acts 5:17–18 ESV

But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.

Acts 5:17

The Rescue

Who are the sadducees?

They do not believe in miracles, Angels, or an afterlife (resurrection)

Hence they are very bothered at the Apostles doing miracles and proclaiming Jesus’ Resurrection

They are the group that holds most of the religious power in Israel as a result of having a Sadducee as the High Priest

How do you become the High Priest in Israel at this time

elections? Casting lots? Inheritance?

Nope, You pay for it

highest bidder

This is why there was so much corruption in the temple which Jesus confronted

And why the Sadducees are not very popular

So the Sadducees have the Apostles thrown in Jail

They plan to assemble the entire council in the morning (including Pharisees) to question them

They think that they are in charge

Acts 5:19–21 ESV

19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Acts 5:19-

The High Priest locks them up to stop them from speaking and God sends an angel who frees them and tells them to continue speaking the words of Life.

The Sadducees have worked, schemed, and cheated their way into Authority

And God overrules their authority.

Remember the council had strictly charged them to stop speaking this in Ch. 4

And arrest them for it here

God sends His angel to both free them and to command them to Continue speaking contrary to the command of the Council

What are the Words of life that they are to speak?

It’s the Gospel

We are sinners in need of a savior

God sent His son, Jesus Christ to live a perfect life

To die a death he did not deserve

To take the penalty OUR sin deserves and pay for it

And having fully absorbed God’s wrath against OUR sin he rose again victorious over death

Believing in Him gives us the future hope of eternal life with Him

and the present reality of the Holy Spirit living in us and changing us

Acts 5:21–26 ESV

21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Acts 5:22–32 ESV

But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 5:21

The entire council included Both Sadducees and Pharisees

Acts 5:22-

This is very embarrassing

Although escaped from the Apostles have not even used the opportunity to run away

In fact they were Teaching in the very Temple grounds

The Jurisdiction of the High Priest

No evidence of a Jailbreak, this looks miraculous

The Captain is afraid to take the Apostles by force

They are well liked by the people

He is not

The people are an excitable crowd

He is concerned that if he tries to take them by force the mob may stone him

But the Apostles do go with him

They submit to their authority in this

Who Should we obey?

Acts 5:27–29 ESV

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

:27-

The High Priest says nothing of their escape from prison

Does not want to give them a chance to explain how they were freed

The Accuses them of ignoring the council’s prior command

And that the apostles will somehow claim them to be responsible for the death of an innocent man

In Ch. 4 when the Paralytic had been healed the Council commanded them to stop teaching in the name of Jesus

Acts 4:19 ESV

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,

But of course God had commanded them to speak

And so they did

But does this teach that we are to ignore Authority’s?

Parents, Teachers, Governments, Church Leadership

Some teach that or believe that this passage allows them to ignore any command that does not come from God

What would Peter say to that?

1 Peter 1:13–15 ESV

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

1 Peter 2:13–15 ESV

13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

1 Peter 2:13-

1 peter 1:13-

Not only are we to obey EVERY HUMAN INSTITUTION

But we are doing it for the Lord’s sake

Obedience to human authority is obedience to God

So what is the exceptions then?

We obey unless we are asked to disobey God

Imagine your parents leave, and your oldest sibling is in charge

When you obey your sibling, you are obeying your parents

What if that oldest sibling asks you to go into your parents closet to look for unwrapped Christmas presents

Would obeying your sibling be obeying your parents then?

So we are to obey every authority in our lives even if they are mean and cruel

Before we move on I would like to remind you of Jesus words at the beginning of the Book of Acts

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

How is this going?

The testimony of the High priest shows that the first part of this command has been completed.

What a complement

So where do you think they will start going next?

Lets continue with the Apostles response

The Words of this Life

Acts 5:29–32 ESV

29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 5:30

Acts 5:30–32 ESV

The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 5:19-

For the third time Peter reminds them of their guilt in killing Jesus

He does not let them escape this

Sinners will not find repentance until they see their sin for what it is

We do not bring people to Jesus by telling them that they are basically good

Without Christ we are in complete opposition to God

“for while we were enemies we were reconciled to God”

Their attempts to Kill jesus where futile as “God has Exalted him”

Jesus is not dead

In Him there is repentance and forgiveness of sins

The Apostles have here opened the door to the High priest and the entire council to be forgiven

Words of Life Rejected

Acts 5:33 ESV

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.

When our sin is brought to the light and exposed for what it is there are only 3 reactions

Run to the light for forgiveness

As many have and will throughout

Run away from the light to hide our sins

Try to extinguish the light

This is the reaction we will see most often throughout the book of Acts by the Jewish leadership

How easy is it for them to have someone killed?

Not easy, they only have

The Romans do not allow them to sentence anyone to death

Convince the Romans to execute them

and risk the displeasure of the mob

and Pilot is probably not willing to do them any more “favors”

Convince the mob to stone them

Convince the mob to stone them

and get the displeasure of the Romans

The High Priest wouldn’t want to lose his job

and currently the Mob likes the Apostles

Despite their desire, they are without good options

A Pharisee councils moderation

Acts 5:33–40 ESV

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

Acts 5:34–40 ESV

34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

Acts 5:33–39 ESV

When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice,

Acts 5:33-

The advice given by Gamaliel is

Things like this have happened before

Men gathered followings

They died

Their followings dispersed

Jesus had a following

He died

If this is from Man it will disperse

If this is from God you cannot stop it anyway.

Great Advice!

Except non of them headed the advice, including Gamaliel

This movement did not fade but continued to Grow

it was accompanied by Miracles

All the evidence was that this is from God

Yet they rejected it

They only accepted the advice because they truly had no other expedient options

Rejoicing in Suffering

Acts 5:40-

Acts 5:40–42 ESV

and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

The apostles are beaten

likely 39 lashes

They are rejoicing

sounds like an odd bunch

Why are they rejoicing?

1 Peter 4:13–14 ESV

13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

Their suffering is for the Name of Christ

They know that their suffering will result in God’s glory

It proves God’s blessing, not the latter

If they persecuted Christ then they will persecute us when we are like Him

Christ was raised and is in Glory

We can trust God to take care of us

1 Peter 4:

1 Peter 4:19 ESV

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.