2nd Years Term 4 1 Week 2 Acts

0:07 Good evening students. So glad to be with you as we study out the book of acts. We have started out and as I said I think a good fitting title would be you know the acts of the holy spirit of that done in through god's people. So, we have got quite a lot of ground to cover in the session. So, I hope you've got your Bibles with you as we finish off Acts chapter 3. And yeah, like I said, lots of ground to cover. So, have your pens and papers ready and let's kick it off. Verse 19 to 21, Acts chapter 3. What has happened here just before, just to give you a recap, was

0:53 remembered Peter and they have just walked past the gate. It's beautiful. They've just um in the name of the Lord healed the person. They're now in the synagogue. He started preaching to them and now he's going to tell them how to come to repentance. He says, "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 and that sorry and that he may send Jesus Christ who has preached to you before whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things which God has spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets since the world began. And so Peter really boldly begins to speak to them about their sin.

1:40 He didn't want to make them feel bad. That wasn't the goal, but it was the goal to encourage them to repent and believe. And repentance isn't just being sorry. It's actually turning around. So he was telling them how to be converted. This wasn't just turning over a new leaf. It was becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus. And and as I told you, you know, that blotted out wasn't, you know, just, you know, where you could see it or somehow you could, you know, color over it like you did in school times. You know, this blotted out was that there was never ever a record of it. Verse 22- 26. For Moses surely said, "The Father your God will raise you up, for a prophet like me from your brethren. him. You shall hear all

2:27 things. Whatever he says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall utter be utterly destroyed from among the people. Yes, all the prophets from Samuel and all those who follow as many have spoken have also foretold these days which are sons of the prophets and of a covenant which God made with our fathers, saying, Abraham in your seed all these families of the earth shall be blessed to you. God having raised up the servant Jesus and sent him to you in turning away everyone from your iniquity. So he turns around he says listen again going back into that place of building bridges he's spoken to them he um so now my mind wasn't pointed towards me um he he has

3:12 has seen and realized you know that he's gone back in what they would understand as being a Jew and he says to them like everyone needs to turn away from their iniquities this is not just a group or a race he says in turning away every one of you from your iniquities. So the man that was lame at the gates called beautiful wanted something. But God had something so much greater to give to him. And in the same way it was for the Jewish people that Peter's talking to. Peter knows that they want something, but they unfortunately missed the Messiah. They missed seeing the Messiah come. Acts chapter 4 and now we're going

3:59 to pick up in verse one. Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captains of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them. Underline that. Being greatly disturbed, they taught the people and preached, underline, Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day. For it was already evening. However, many of those who heard the word believed. And the number of men that came were about 5,000. So what happens here is they are in the temple and they get let's call them the temple police. They get the captains, the priests, the Sadducees and they all come and they arrest Peter and John. That word that they came upon them

4:44 means that you know suddenly they seize them or they stop them from speaking and the Sadducees would be greatly disturbed. Why? Because Peter is preaching Jesus as resurrected. Right? The Sadducees, I always say the Pharisees were far, you see, they were lawbound. They were far from the Lord because they were so lawbound. But the Sadducees were sad, you see, because they didn't recognize Jesus as being resurrected. So, easy way to remember the Pharisees and the Sadducees. But they were greatly disturbed. Why? Because not because he had told them to repent. Not because he had been speaking to them, but simply he they were upset because he was speaking Jesus as being

5:31 resurrected. All right? And it says that they put them into custody until the next day. Um, now it's interesting that Acts chapter 4 lists 11 different groups or individuals that would oppose the followers of Jesus. the priests, the Sadducees, the rulers, the elders, the scribes, the family of the high priest, the captain, Ananas, Cathias, John, Alexander. There were a whole bunch of people that were really against Peter and John and the early church, right? The early church at this point were few in numbers. They were inexperienced in leadership. They they weren't ever commanded to fight back in any shape or

6:16 form. So it one would think that if you were in this early situation, you were Peter John and you were now taken into custody, you were into, you know, thrown into into jail for for believing and preaching Jesus. This this would have been for me like, "Okay, Lord, I'm done. I did what you answered. This is not working out. You know, pick another person, give another vision, you know, somebody else, just not me kind of thing." But this isn't what happens. And as a matter of fact, it says in in we'll get there later in Acts 4:21 that it there were further threats right now. If there were further threats, that means that there were threats made. Now, it doesn't tell us, it just tells us that they were put into custody until the

7:02 next day. But I think it's safe to say that there were certain threats made, like I'm going to beat you up. If you ever open up your mouth again, I will make sure that you, you know, are shunned upon in the community. Whatever these threats were, they were serious. And one has to ask yourself, what are we doing it for? Why are we doing it? And it was clear to Peter and John what they were busy with. Boy says that they were declaring that we have the power if you are allowed to preach as you've been preaching. It wouldn't. It was because you've been per permitted to do so. Anytime we want, we can arrest you and carry off to jail. So when they were going with these threats and that kind of stuff, they would say, "Listen, you

7:48 can do whatever you want, but we have the authority. We have the power to arrest you and to threaten you." And it said, you know, they laid their hands upon them and um it was or what was the direct quote? They they put them into to custody. Um and yeah, they laid hands on them. This wasn't the kind of church laying on of hands anointing. This was physically assaulting these guys and putting them into jail for the name of Jesus. And it says that about 5,000 people came to church. So it kept on increasing. First it was 3,000, now it's 5,000. Now in total there's 8,000 that have come to know the Lord. So Luke pretty much puts us in in going, you know, Peter and John might be arrested, but the work is still continued. You know, this this was kind of like all

8:34 worth it. See what the Lord has done. Verse 5-7. And it came to pass on the next day that their rulers, elders, scribes as well as Annias, the priest, Capias, John, and Alexander. And as many were in the family of the high priests were gathered together at Jerusalem. These were 11 different groups of people against Peter and John. And when they had sat in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" All right. They're asking them a question and the idea behind this by what power or by what name? It's kind of the same thing. They're kind of going on who are you representing, right? Like where are you getting your information from? Who is telling you to do this?

9:20 Verse 12 to or 8 to 12. And Peter boldly now begins to preach once again. He's just come out of jail. I would have been like, "Well, Lord, you know, let just the dust die down for a month or two and then I'll do another sermon." But no, this is not how it works. And so Peter boldly begins to preach again. Then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit. So he's filled again. We know he's filled the first time in the upper room, but now he's about to be filled again. That's important. Why? Because when we are busy doing the work of the Lord, when we are busy with the things of the Lord, there will be a fresh infilling. We will never go out high and dry, you know, and empty in the name of Jesus. There will always be an infilling, but

10:06 it has to be an infilling for a purpose. The purpose was that Peter was going to preach. And he said to the rulers of the people of the elders of Israel, if we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means has he been made well? Let it be known to 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 the by, remember, he's just being chucked into jail for preaching right the resurrection. And watch, he's going to do it again. He stands before you as a whole. This is the stone which was not rejected by you builders which has become the chief cornerstone nor is there salvation in any other. There is no other name under the heaven given

10:54 among man by which we may be saved. So he gets filled with the Holy Spirit for a purpose. He's about to preach to them. He's just been thrown into jail for preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And he's about to do it again to a whole group of people that want to judge them, you know, that are there to to judge. And he goes, "Well, if we're judged for doing something good and nice to a person, then then hey, this it was worth it. It was for a good deed." He says, "But we did in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." And then he goes, "Listen, but you guys are the one who rejected him." You know, Peter didn't merely proclaim Jesus as a way of salvation. He said it was the only other way. Okay. So, he doesn't just go, "Well, here's a couple of options to get saved. Maybe do this, try that, be a

11:40 good person." He goes, "There is only one name into salvation, and that is the name of Jesus." Verse 13, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, they perceived that they were uneducated and untrained, they marveled and they realized that they'd been with Jesus." The second time that we see this phrase in the book of acts, you know, where people had realized these people had been with Jesus, they were uneducated in the sense that they had no formal rabbanic teaching. They weren't rabbis of any shape or any form, but they knew the scriptures because they had been with the ultimate rabbi. They had been taught by Jesus. So, they knew the scriptures. And this was very impressive because in order for you to have known

12:25 the scriptures as well as they did, you needed to have gone to rabbi school, right? And it's just as wrong, right, to think that a formal education disqualifies somebody for being effective as to think that one that has got education automatically qualifies them. So you can be without or within education. It's not that which qualifies you. It's God. They had realized they had been with Jesus. Sadly, when Christians become strong and powerful, when you know, Christianity has become this institution. Too often, Christians were those who were arrested people and told them to be quiet, threatening them with violence and sometimes carrying it out. This is not evidence that Jesus had been with them.

13:12 So many times these days, you know, with Christianity becoming really powerful and stuff, we we sort of become Christ bashers, you know, we bash people's heads in with the Bible. Um, and that's really not evidence that you've been with Jesus. If you know anything about how Jesus operated, he spoke about being the salt and the light and the city upon the hill, not bashing people's heads in. Now, I'm not saying we should become less um violent and, you know, less take it by force. I'm just saying we must be careful that we remember these people had been seen because they had been with Jesus. All right. Verse 14. And seen the man who had been healed standing with them. They could say nothing against

13:57 him. In other words, there was the testimony. This guy had come back the next day to the courts where the high priests were and all these 11 groups of people were going to judge them. And there he is standing there and he's healed. Cuz it says there, it says, "The man who had been healed was doing what?" He was standing on his own two feet. Verse 15 to 18. But when they had commanded him to go aside out of the council, they conferred amongst themselves, "What shall we do to these men? For indeed this is a notable miracle that has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further amongst the people. Let us severely threaten. There it is. Let us severely threaten them from now

14:43 on that they speak to no man in this name that they called them and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. So they get together, they, you know, move um Peter and John out and they say, "Listen, we can't deny this. This thing has happened." You know, um it's it's amazing. I love that piece. It says they cannot deny it. There it is. There's the evidence, but listen, what happens if this spreads further? We got to do something that it doesn't spread any further. Okay, great. We're going to threaten them so they don't speak anymore. Verse 19 to 20. But of course we know Peter. Peter and John answered them and said whether whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God you judge for we cannot speak the things which we

15:30 have not heard. So they turn listen um God versus man well I'm going with God you know verse 21 to 22. So when they further threatened them, so they threatened and they threat and they further threatened, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them because of the people since they all glorified God of what had been done. For the man was over 40 years old on whom the miracle healing had be performed. So remember I told you um Jesus had walked past him. He had gone to this temple once before. U this man was there put daily. He couldn't walk for over 40 years. There he is. And the Jewish leaders were completely unmoved by this very obvious miracle. They they

16:17 threatened, but they're not interested in seeing anything more. They're not moved. Um but they had all glorified God for what had been done. All right? So, thank you, Lord. We're not moved by it. We won't change. We won't repent. But thank you for doing what you've done. So, one thing to know, more than 2,000 people came to believe in Jesus. Peter was filled again with the Holy Spirit. Peter got to preach Jesus to other Jewish leaders. So, we got a bigger audience, a different audience. The enemies of Jesus were really left confused. And Peter and John became bolder than ever before. Verse 23- 24. And being let go, they went on their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders said to them. So when they heard that they raised

17:03 their voice to God in one accord and said,"Lord, you are good who made heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in it." So they raised their voices. They prayed. That's what they were doing. They were raising their voices vocally. They were praying voice, you know, being singular, but it was everybody's voices in agreement, praying together in one accord, the word tells us. And they were agreeing with one another and standing together and giving God glory. That is how prayer should be. One voice and all everybody else agreeing with that. Verse 25 to 28. Who by the mouth of the servant David has said, why did the nations rage and the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand and the

17:48 rulers gathered together against for the Lord and against his Christ. For truly against your holy servant Jesus, for whom you've anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done. So they are actually he's busy reciting Psalms chapter 2 um where he's reciting you know that whatever they do they are disciples they are under God that it is important that they believe and that they are following what the Lord is telling them to do. And then it says do whatever your hand and your purpose determined to be done. So they're really laying down their lives before the Lord. And this really does

18:34 bring peace to a person when you are in this place. If you want to know the will of God, it is to be able to say to God, "Whatever your hand and your purpose, determine before be done." That's the perfect will of God. That's perfect surrender. Verse 29-13. Now look uh now Lord look on their threats and grant your servants with all boldness. Listen, they didn't ask to give the guys diarrhea. They didn't ask if they could be moved or transferred. They asked for even more boldness that we may speak your word stretching out your hand to heal and that the signs and wonders may be done through your name your holy servant. So they didn't ask to to to you

19:19 know hide away or to be left on a sbatical. No, they said trouble is coming. Give us more boldness. We need more boldness. And then they didn't profess that they would do the miracles. They professed that it would be done by the stretching out of God's hand. Verse 31. And when they prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, and all were filled with the Holy Spirit again. Right? They prayed, they were assembled together, it gets shaken, and again there is infilling with the Holy Spirit. And they spoke the word with boldness. Verse 32. Now the multitude of those who believed were one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of the

20:06 things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. Those who believed were of one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of the possessions were his old his own. Sorry. Now listen. Communism says what is yours is mine. I'll take it. Kobia, which is the church, says what is mine. What is mine is yours and we can share it. Okay. So, communism says, "What is yours, give it to me, I'm going to take it." Canonia, which is the church, says, "Listen, what is mine is yours, and we can share it." Very big difference. All right. We've seen this kind of generosity in the early church once before. We sing it now again. Verse 33.

20:53 And with great power, the apostles gave witness to the what? Resurrection of the Lord. And great grace was upon them. So they didn't stop preaching the resurrection of Jesus. Verse 34-37, this is examples of the early church giving. Now sorry nor was there any one among them who lacked. For all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles feet, and they distributed them, each as had needed. And Joseph, the one whose name was Barnabas, by the apostles, translated as son of encouragement, a

21:39 Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and had laid it at the apostles feet. Okay, something going on here, right? We remember I told you that the people had come here. They'd left everything behind. They got saved. First 3,000 then 5,000. Um they were far away from home. So the people start coinia which they share what they have amongst one another. They break the bread you know and and share one who has one who hasn't. And now we introduced to somebody who was wealthy, was prosperous. His name was Barnabas. And he sold um his item. so or his land so that there could be money going to to this group. But before I go there, um unfortunately there has

22:25 been an abuse of Christian generosity. And I want to say that yes, many people go on the scripture and say, you know, with hands of compassion or your charity, you should now be giving to every single person. But I want to say that there are further instructions as to who we are to give to. This was an isolated scenario with the early church. like I explained, having left everything, their businesses, all their stuff far from where they were stationed at and they wanted to stay on. They wanted to be part of this. Hence, there was the sale to accommodate those people. When it comes to to charity, one needs to go and read, and I'm going to read all these scriptures. Make sure you have a pen and paper to write it down nice and quick. 1 Timothy 5:3 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

23:14 1 Timothy 5:8 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Timothy 5 3-4 1 Timothy 5:5 1 Timothy 5:9-13 1 Timothy 6 to 8. Uh, chapter 6 to verse 8. All right. So, number one, when it comes to the needy, we should identify and discern who that needy is. We must be sure that they are no longer able to support themselves. This is according to these scriptures, right? If a person can work, they should be working. If they can earn an income, they should be earning an income. If the family can not

24:00 support them, then they could go to the church. But first, it is the family's responsibility to support them. And that those that are supported by the church should make some form of a return to the church. So, in other words, if I'm blessing you with food, maybe come wash the windows of the church, for example. Um, and then check their moral conduct before giving. And it should be of the most basic necessities, not paying your wifi accounts or your DTV accounts. But that's just a side note, right? So many people get confused or they'll use this as their argument why the church should be giving more. There's your argument back. But Barnabas was notable. Now, why

24:47 is the why is Luke telling us about Barnabas? very weird because this is the first time he's really mentioning somebody by name who's done this. Well, it's got to do with the very next two people we are going to meet. Remember I told you when they broke the Bible up, it was for reference references. So, this is another place where it's a good idea to read the end of Acts 4, but continue immediately into Acts 5. It will give you a bit of context. So Acts 5:1-2 but a certain man named Annias with his wife Safh sold a possession and he kept back part of its proceeds. His wife being aware of it brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles feet. So we're going to hear about two people that also had something of value and

25:33 sold it. And we're going to find out what they were doing. It says he kept back part of the proceeds. Right. So the issue with Annias and Safh wasn't that they they had kept back. It's that they lied about it. Sorry. It was that they lied about it. Okay. Um both him and his wife were fully aware. Sorry guys, I'm going to be coughing the whole time. My voice is running out. um was that she was actually aware of it. This is one time I want to say in a marriage that if your husband or your wife is going to make you do something

26:19 that is not of God, I think this is a good idea to then disagree with him because we know the end of the story is that both of them lost their lives. But again, the issue wasn't what they did with it or it was about the fact that they had lied. They were pretentious. And their bigger issue here was about the pride behind it. Verse 3 to4, but Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep part of the price of which your land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it sold, was it not your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to man, but you've lied to God." So Peter didn't

27:05 accuse Annihas of lying to the church or to the apostles but to the Holy Spirit himself. So this is really serious, right? Um this was also done not so much in a public manner but there were people that saw this right because the reason why Annias was going in the first place and lying about what he was giving was he wanted the praises of people. He wanted people to go, "Oh, really? Barnabas gave a million rand, but Annihas and Safh, they gave three million rand." You know, that that kind of a kind of a thing. And of course, his sin was greed in having to keep the money. But his greatest sin was pride. His greatest sin was wanting everybody to think that he had given it all when he had actually not. Their sin is is really so much in today as well. You

27:51 know, we can create this false impression that we know the Bible or we pray all day every day or we can create the impression that we've got it all together when truly we don't always do we and that all together is actually rooted in pride. So their greater sin was rooted in pride. Pride corrupts the church more quicker than actually anything else. Verse 5-6 then Anniharing these words fell down and breathed his last breath noticed something. Peter never said he would die. This was in the hands of God, not in the hands of Peter. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out to be buried. Verse 7. Now it was about 3 hours later

28:37 when his wife came in not knowing what happened and Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold this land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much." Then Peter said to how is it that you've agreed to test the spirits of the Lord. Look, the feet of those who buried your husbands are at the door and will carry you out. So we don't know how exactly Annias and Safh came to this idea how they agreed on it, what kind of marriage that they were having, but I want to say if your marriage is causing you to sin against God, I I would prayfully reconsider. Right? Verse 10 to 11. Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last breath. Now never ever did Peter take their lives. I just want to clarify that

29:23 or say that they would lose their lives. He just simply asked him and told them that you've lied against the Holy Spirit. Right? So the ones who buried her husband came and fetched her and buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all of the church and all who had heard these things. So it doesn't mean right that they did or didn't see heaven. We can't really say exactly for sure. Um but there was there was they had died at the end of the day. Okay. This is the first time we actually read of the word church in the book of acts. Interesting enough if you wanted to know the ecclesia. This was the first time. Verse 12. And through the hands of the

30:10 apostles, many signs and wonders were done amongst the people, and they were all in one accord in Solomon's porch. Yet none of the rest dared to join them, but the people esteemed them highly, and believers were increasingly added to the Lord. Underline, multitudes of both men and women. So the community really began to marvel at the signs and the wonders and the miracles. more and more people were coming to know Christ and um you know people at the same time because it said none of the rest dared to join them. So they were seeing this, they knew this, but they were they're very much, you know, a nice and safest uh a mixed standard or a half obedience or half a lie, half serving

30:58 was still very fresh in their minds. And so they they weren't they weren't yet at the place that they would join the church because they weren't sold out yet. They they weren't ready to make that kind of a commitment. Now that's very sad because um you are not guaranteed of a tomorrow. You know playing with that kind of decision is can have a eternal lasting forever effect. So I don't think one really wants to play with with that kind of decision. Verse 15 to 16. So they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and on couches that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also the multitude gathered from surrounding cities to Jerusalem bringing sick people who were

31:45 tormented by unclean spirits and they were all healed. Now there is no doctrine in Peter's shadow or anybody's shadowing healing anybody. It's just telling us that this was the desperation. This is where the people were at. This was their expectancy. You know, there was an expectancy of what they were trusting the Lord to do and how they were trusting. It does say that all healed. However, God chose to bring the healing through a shadow or through spitting in sand or whatever. It still doesn't take away from how remarkable this miracle really was that they were all healed. And we shouldn't misconnect between purity preserved in the first

32:31 part of the chapter with you know the death of Annias and the fear of God that came amongst the Christians was the power that gets displayed. Um so if I can say that they were a pure church they were as best as pure can be. They were doing the right thing. They were going after holiness right. Um but and and yes, Anias and Safar didn't make it. But that doesn't mean that you know before or after them the church was more holy or less holy. They were all holy just going after doing what the Lord had required of them to do. All right. So here's the thing. Whether we are healed or not healed, the question is really do we love God or do we not? Right? Um, if you love the Lord, irrelevant of what happens, you will

33:18 still love the Lord at the end of the day. Um, where if you're just going in for the healing, um, it seems to, sorry, it will make it just a little bit different. All right. Verse 17 to 18. Then the high priests rose up and those who were with him, which was the Sadducees, they were filled with indignation. They laid their hands on the apostles. Not laying of hands, right? They laid their hands and put them in common prison. And again, they get arrested. Who did they get arrested by? The Sadducees. The Sadducees are upset. Why? Because they're seeing these healings. Remember the first time in the court, they said, "Oh, what are we going to do? We'll threaten them so that they don't say

34:05 anything anymore." And what are they doing? Even more healings. All got healed on this day, not just one. and it's starting to spread and they're getting really insecure. Verse 19 to 20. But at night an angel of the Lord appeared at the prison door. Sorry, opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, "Go stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of life." Okay, first of all, if it was me, I would have been like, "Uh, no. Um, angel, I've just been thrown into jail for the second time. Um, I don't think I really want to infuriate them any further. Uh, let me just get taken out of jail and we'll wait for the dust to settle a bit and then we'll go. No. The angel tells them this is what they got

34:50 to do. Now listen, Matthew was beheaded. Mark was being dragged through the city of the streets. Luke was hanged. John died a natural death, but they did try to boil him in oil. Peter was crucified upside down. James was beheaded. Um, Philip was hanged. Bartholomew was whipped and beaten until he died. Andrew was crucified. Thomas was run through with spears. Jude was killed with an arrow of an executioner. Matias was stowed then beheaded. Paul was beheaded in Rome. So the the opposition was real. This was really real. This wasn't just little bit of opposition. Oh, if I put this on my status, my boss might see it

35:35 and he might not like it. This was serious. So the angel tells them that they should go and preach in the temple. Verse 21-23. And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning. And what did they do? They taught. But the high priest and those who came in with him called the council together and with all the elders of the children of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought in. But when the officers came in, they couldn't find them. They returned and reported saying, "Indeed, we found the prison shut securely and the gods standing outside before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside." I wonder what you'd be thinking. You're the high priest. These guys are healing

36:22 all sorts of people. They've been led out of prison somehow, right? Now, when the high priest, the captain of the temple, the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. I love that. They're going, "Huh, wow. What What are we going to do about this? You know, what what are we going to say now, guys? I've got to pray for my voice." So, one came and told them, saying, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple teaching people. When the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence this time, for they feared the people. Oh, so when the people around, we can't grab them and drag them and

37:10 threaten them. We take them nicely by the hand and lead them, you see, lest they should be stoned. Cuz you were not allowed to to violently attack people in the public. So they go this time without force. They just gently lead. And I loved how they, you know, that scripture was like they wondered. They wondered what the outcome would be. Like something began to to tick in their head like this is real. This this is something bigger than us. Verse 27-28. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council and the high priest said to them, saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood on us." So again in trouble for what they are preaching. Verse 29 to32. But Peter and

37:57 the other apostles answered and said we ought to obey God rather than man. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. God him God has exalted to his right hand to be the prince and savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses and we are his witnesses to these things and also the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. So he goes listen I am quite happy to obey our rulers except when they contradict God. If they're going to contradict God we

38:44 can't obey our rulers. And this is the disciples that are speaking. Verse 33. And when they heard this, when they heard them go, we'll bow rulers, except if you're going against God, they were furious and they plotted to kill them. Could you imagine? Could you imagine what's going through their mind? Could you imagine, you know, just and they're going, "It's worth it. It's all in the name of Jesus. It's worth it." Verse 34. Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gil, a teacher of the law, held in respect by all people, and commanded them to be put to put the apostles outside for a little while. And he said to them, now how would Luke know

39:29 what is about to be said? Well, a little bit later, we'll be introduced to somebody who was trained up by Gilmore. His name was Paul. And I believe that Paul must have told Luke everything that was said behind these closed doors. He said, "Men of Israel, take heed to yourself what you intended to do regarding these men. For some time ago, Theodus rose claiming to be somebody." A number of men about 400 joined him, and he was slain. And all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Jud Judas of Gilee rose up in these days of the census and drew many a people after him, and he also

40:16 perished, and all who obeyed him disappeared. Now I say to you, keep away from these men and leave let them alone. For if this plan or this work is of men, it will surely come to nothing. But it is of God. How could you cannot overthrow it lest you will even be found to fight against God. So Camille is really a very wellrespected Pharisee and he comes and he goes, "Listen, if we're going to do this, all these other guys have done something like this and it just died out. So just leave them. If it's God that's doing this, in any case, you can't go up against God." But he really was kind of a fence sitter. You see, he spoke as if it was kind of a wait and see. He wasn't exactly

41:03 convinced that it would go either way. Verse 40 to 42. And they agreed with him. And when they called for the apostles and beaten them, okay, not just threatened like the last time, not just laid hands upon, now they beaten, right? Physically abused, assaulted. They commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing and they were counted worthy to suffer the shame for his name and daily in the temple in every house and they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. So they continue they are going to continue. They are not going to back off. They're not going to back down and

41:49 they will continue preaching Jesus. Right? something that we should The question is, are we a coward or are we Christlike? What are we? It doesn't help we allow the world to become bigger than the Christ in us. So that brings us to the end of chapter 6. Next time we will start talking about chapter 6 and finding some interesting formalities. And I hope that you're enjoying the book of Acts. And I will see you next week.