The Acts of the Apostles
Acts Chapter 4
Vs. 1-6
After Peter and John prayed for the crippled man and he was healed, everyone was talking about it. The church leaders heard about it. They were not happy. Part of the church leaders were a group called the Sadducees. This group did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.
Vs. 4 Many of the people believed what Peter said. About 5000 of them.
The church leaders decided to put the men in jail overnight. The next day they talked to Peter and John.
Vs. 7
They asked Peter, by what power have you healed this man?
Vs. 8 The Holy Spirit came upon Peter and gave him courage and power. So he stood to speak to them.
Vs.9-10 Peter said: You ask me how this crippled man was healed—by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified.
Whom God raised up from the dead. By His name this man is healed and stands here well.
Vs. 11 Peter said: Jesus was like a stone that the builders threw away. But now that “stone” has become the most important stone in the building the cornerstone.
(A cornerstone is a special large stone that is put into the corner of a building. It is on the front corner where everyone can see it. It usually has the name of the building and the date cut into the stone.)
The Jewish church leaders had no use for Jesus. He was a “stone” they threw away.
And yet, this “stone” did not stay thrown away Jesus has become the most important “stone” of all.
Seeing the crippled man healed just showed the Jewish leaders that they did not
“ do away” with Jesus when they crucified. Him. Jesus may not be on earth in person any more, but Jesus’ power was still working on earth.
Vs. 12 Peter says: There is no salvation in any other name. There is no other name under heaven given among men where by we must be saved.
This verse is an important one to memorize.
Vs. 13 The church leaders saw how brave (bold) without fear that Peter stood and spoke to all the leaders. They knew Peter was just a fisherman with not much schooling. All of them had studied the scriptures and church rules with special teachers for years. Yet Peter was not afraid to stand up before them and speak boldly about Jesus.
They were surprised by this. Remember, Jesus told them that the Holy Spirit would come upon them to give them power to be a witness.
It happened to Peter on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon them the first time. And now again, the Holy Spirit comes to give him power to speak to these church leaders.
Vs.13 The verse goes on to say “the church leaders began to understand that these men had been with Jesus” They could see that Peter and John knew Jesus in a personal way. And that they showed a “power” that Jesus often showed.
It would be a wonderful thing if when we spoke to people they would see in us that we have been with Jesus. If our words our lives the way we speak what we say showed the power of God as we talked.
Vs. 14 The church leaders saw the crippled man standing there with Peter and John and they saw that he was not crippled any more. So the church leaders could not think of anything more to say.
Vs. 15 -18 The leaders told Peter and John to leave so they could talk things over.
They said: Everyone can see the man is healed. Many in Jerusalem had heard about the healing. They were talking about it. The church leaders did not want this story to go all over the land of Israel. They were hoping to make it to all go away.
So they decided they would tell the disciples that could not go around preaching and doing these things in Jesus’ name.
Vs. 19 -20 But Pete said to them: Should we obey you (men) or should we do what is right in God’s eyes? We must speak and be a witness of the things we have seen and heard. (Remember, Jesus had told them to do that.)
Vs. 21 The church leaders warned them some more. But the church leaders did not punish Peter and John because all the people felt that God had healed the man and they praised God for the healing.
Vs. 22 The man who had been healed was more that 40 years old. So he had been crippled for a long time.
Vs. 23 Peter and John left and went home and told their friends and family what had happened.
Vs. 23 -30 Their friends and family praised God for all that had happened. They prayed. These verse tell what they prayed. The asked for courage to continue to stand up and witness and not to be afraid. They asked that God would do more miracles and healings.
Vs. 31 After they prayed, the place began shaking. Then the Holy Spirit came upon them all and filled them with the Holy Spirit. They spoke the word of God with boldness.
Vs. 32 All of the believers agreed and believed together. They shared what they had.
None of them thought about keeping what they had and not sharing.
Vs. 33 With great power the disciples told others about Jesus and his resurrection.
God’s great grace was on them. (God gave them power and favor with people.)
Vs. 34 None of the disciples were in need of anything because those who had things sold them and used the money to help the others.
(Jesus had told the disciples to go and tell the whole world. They were to start in Jerusalem and then move out to the other areas. The disciples had families. They were not working because they were preaching and teaching. So the other believers provided for what they and their families needed.
We said before—that when Jesus was with them there were people who gave money to Jesus and the disciples to help. Because they were not working. They traveled around teaching, healing, etc. The disciples were learning from Jesus.
After Jesus went back to heaven, probably some of those people were not giving money any more. The disciples still needed money, food, clothing, etc.
Today we have preachers and the church people put money in the offering to pay the preacher, to pay to keep the building , etic.)
Vs. 35 The people brought things and gave them to the disciples. Every family got as much as they needed.
Vs. 36-37 One man by the name of Joses sold some land. He brought the money to give to the disciples.