Joy Amidst Trials

Acts 8:1-8:8

Recall how last week we talked about Stephen, the first martyr of the church. Stephen was arrested by the temple leaders, charged with multiple things including blaspheming Moses and blaspheming God. Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, responded with a history lesson recorded in Acts 7 that ended with him calling his accusers stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears, and accusing them of being murderers. They responded by murdering Stephen. Acts 7 concludes and Acts 8 begins with the following:

At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. – Acts 7:57-8:1a

Seeing Heaven Open

Acts 6:1-7:60This week our passage is a long one: two whole chapters, including one of the longest chapters of Acts. There is enough material here to last for weeks, but I will focus on the charges against Stephen, Stephen’s God-inspired response, and the temple leaders’ subsequent vile actions. Acts Chapter 6 begins with a seemingly mundane problem: charges of being inequitable with regards to the handing out of food to the needy.

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." – Acts 6:1-4

Counted Worthy

Acts 5:17-5:42

As we have gone through the Book of Acts, we have seen alternating periods of growth and attack. Consider:

Growth: 2:1-3:26 Pentecost; Peter heals cripple – the church begins and grows

Attack: 4:1-4:22 Peter and John arrested, told not to mention Jesus

Growth: 4:23-4:37 House where praying shaken, church continues to grow

Attack: 5:1-5:11 Ananias and Saphira – the threat from within the church

Growth: 5:12-16 Miraculous signs and wonders – the church grows beyond Jerusalem

Regarding Ananias and Saphira, how great a threat was this to the early church? We will never really know. But I am struck by the fact that Barnabus had his beginnings by doing ostensibly the same thing as Ananias: selling a field and laying the proceeds at the apostles’ feet. Barnabus went on to team with Paul – he had a major role in the early church. What would have happened if Ananias and Saphira became leaders in the early church? How much damage could they have caused? We don’t know, but it could have been enormous.

The Big Show

Acts 5:1-16

In the first four chapters of Acts, we have seen Jesus' Spectacular Departure through His Ascension into heaven. Jesus tells the disciples to remain in Jerusalem and wait. No easy task for fearful Galileans. However, we see the 120 disciples waiting together in homothumadon. Homothumadon is that one of a kind Greek word that occurs in Acts eleven times. Often translated "in one accord," it means everyone is on fire for God as one body in unison. Peoples lives harmonize together. Prior to the arrival of the Holy Spirit, we see this special oneness that can only be explained by Jesus' prayer for them and us. John 17:20-23. "I have given them the glory that you gave Me that they may be one as We are one." We see that prayer answered in Acts 1.

Then, we see the spectacular arrival of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The disciples are able to speak in more than 15 languages that they did not know. Then, they boldly declare the way of salvation. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." Acts 2:38. This growing group of disciples devote themselves to the apostles teaching, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. All of them were together and had everything in common. They had true fellowship, koinonia.