Perseverence

The Apostles get back to work

Let’s remember how we got here, we started as the Apostles healed a beggar on the way to the temple and went on to explain the Good News regarding Jesus:

Acts 3:11–26 ESV

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

3:11-

What Happened when Peter proclaimed the Gospel?

What Happened when Peter proclaimed the Gospel?

Well they’re arrested of course, but not before thousands here and believe

Acts 4:3

Acts 4:3–4 ESV

And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

And they were released:

Acts 4:21–22 ESV

And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

:21

And so the Believers pray for Boldness

And so the Believers pray for Boldness

Acts 4:29 ESV

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,

Acts 4:29–30 ESV

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

And they get right back to it at Solomon’s Portico

Acts 5:12 ESV

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.

Acts 4:

What does this teach us about how to react when obstacles get in our way?

Step 1: Lean on the Spirit

Acts 4:8 ESV

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,

Step 2: Be true

It’s so tempting to deny what you’ve done, seek excuses, look to distance yourself from the accusations that abound. Filled with the Spirit, Peter could only speak truth; knowing that the resurrection of Jesus was the cause of his accusers’ venom, he nonetheless doubled down on the truth.

:

Acts 4:9–10 ESV

if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you 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 is standing before you well.

Step 3: Pray for Boldness to continue

Having just had a narrow escape, how easy would it be to bow out, but not these believers, in they show ask for Boldness

Step 4: Redouble your efforts

Peter doesn’t cautiously go ahead:

Acts 5:12–16 ESV

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. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 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. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Acts 5:12-

And what happened?

Well “more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes...”, they had great success

Well they’re arrested again of course! But let’s sneak a peak at the back of the book:

Acts 5:41–6:1a ESV

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. Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.

Acts 5:41

The Disciples could no longer be cowed by their experience.

What of the rest?

In verse 13 it states:

Acts 5:13 ESV

None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.

Who are the Rest?

We don’t know it could mean non-believers, or non-apostles, the grammar isn’t specific.

More important is that many believed what they were seeing but were too scared to join in?

Have you ever been too scared to support something you agree with? How did it make you feel, how did it turn out?