Acts 3-4

The beggar - was there every day. His family/friends brought him in the morning to the Temple, than back home at night. During the whole day he did one thing, beg for money.

Story of the beggar who lived under our church in Chile and our interaction with the College/Youth group.

Story of Hermano Carlos; another beggar who lived outside my house with dogs and today is one of the leaders at the rehab center.

The beggar was asking for money; but he got so much more!

Concerning money: read Acts 2.42-47

do you think money mattered to Peter and John?

Do you think they had money?

Peter and John did not ignored this man; like Jesus, they saw him, his pain, suffering, and lostness, and gave to him what he needed.

On whose behalf did Peter heal the beggar?

what does it mean to do something in the name of someone else?

Where was the man healed?

The gospel is moving. The gospel of Luke starts and ends in the Temple, but now we see that the good news is moving outside the gates of the temple. We know that the most important things, the church is already doing outside the temple (Acts 2.42-47 ), but now even salvation is going out.

Defending their actions

Read Acts 3.11-26

Peter focus on showing that he did not do anything, but rather God through Jesus healed this man.

The point is that Jesus is still actively working in the world, but now through His Spirit in the believers.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob —> Exodus 3.6 Jesus said the same in Luke 20.37

Servant Jesus —> Echo to Isaiah 53 (Is. 53.12)

Acts for Everyone Pt 1 Table of Contents

Peter is insisting that if his hearers want to know why and how the cripple has been healed, they should think first of the Exodus (God freeing those who had been enslaved), second of Isaiah (God's servant bearing the sins and infirmities of his people), and finally of Jesus in the middle of both those stories, making them come true in a new way.

Peter concludes his sermon showing (through the OT) that Jesus forgave every sin, making possible the realization of the promisse made to Abraham: “through your family, all the nations on earth will be blessed.”

Trouble

Read Acts 4.1-12

Pete and John are arrested for preaching the gospel, however, that is not a surprise to them. Read Matthew 10.16-20

Like Jesus (Matthew 21.42), Peter quotes Psalm 118.22 in Acts 4.11

Jesus is the new cornerstone upon which a new temple is being built. This certainly offended Peter’s audience (people in charge of the temple)

Read Acts 4.13-22

The leaders of the temple could not deny what happened: a crippled men that they all knew and saw every day was before them walking by the power of Jesus. (aka could not deny it happened nor that it happened by demons)

This was delivered through fishermen of Galilee (nowhere-town) that knew more of the OT than anyone else and could deliver a speech on the spot. (aka. they could not attack them on a personal level)

CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 4

Remarkably, the Sanhedrin admitted that an obvious sign had been done through them (the apostles), and yet rather than repent and believe, they focused on damage control among the people. They sought to halt the spread of Christianity at all costs, so they ordered the apostles not to speak or teach any more about Jesus. It seems they wished to guard their status as religious authorities even at the expense of obvious truth.

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 4

For we are not able to refrain from speaking about the things that we have seen and heard

Verse 20 is key for this chapter and this book as a whole.

Boldness to Continue

Read Acts 4.23-31

Note how the Church sings Psalm 2.1-2 once they hear of what happened to John and Peter.

What did the Christians ask God for when told not to preach the gospel?

How often do you ask God for boldness?

How often do we ask God to change our situation instead of asking Him to change us for His glory?

The Church Continues

Read Acts 4.32-37

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