Do you remember in chapter 4 (verses 32-37) that there were many needy Christians among the saints in Jerusalem? Have you thought about the reason for that?

First, there were no government programs designed to take care of the poor. If Christians didn’t provide for each other, no one else would either.

Second, there were so many needs because of the situation they found themselves in. Think again about the circumstances surrounding the beginning of the church. The Jews had come to Jerusalem for Passover (about the time of the crucifixion) and had remained there for the next fifty days until Pentecost (Acts 2). When many of them were converted to Christ (3000 on the first day alone and then daily additions after that), they wanted to stay even longer in Jerusalem than they had originally planned. No doubt, some of them went home sooner than others, but many of these new Christians didn’t want to leave so quickly.

Naturally, they had brought enough provisions for almost two months, but have now been there for a much longer period of time. Their food was long gone. Many of them needed help. As a matter of fact, some of them needed daily help (“the daily distribution”).

For the most part, everyone’s needs seemed to be met. But there was a group that was being overlooked. This neglect was probably unintentional. But unintentional or not, these Hellenistic widows were not being helped and it caused a serious problem that had the potential to derail the early church from its mission.

The apostles propose (by inspiration?) that the church members look among themselves, choose seven men, who met certain qualifications and who could be trusted to do the job faithfully. This solves the potentially divisive problem.

As important as that need was, there was one thing even more important. The apostles had to continue preaching the word, accompanied by prayer. While the seven cared for the physical needs of the widows, the apostles continued to meet the spiritual needs of both the disciples and the lost.

At the end of the chapter, Stephen is arrested, setting up the events of Chapter Seven.

--Roger Hillis

Acts 4 ended with the positive example of disciples who sold property and gave the money to the apostles to help their needy brothers and sisters. Not to be confused with forced, godless communism, this is a living model of willing, selfless sacrifice to benefit the less fortunate in the church.

Chapter 5 begins by showing us that there have always been those whose primary desire is to impress others. Ananias and Sapphira (husband and wife) also sold some land, gave part of the proceeds, but claimed to have given it all. God’s discipline was swift and severe, reminding us that lying is a serious sin.

Interestingly, although others hear of this event and are frightened by it, the church continues to grow (verses 11-14).

In response to the growth of the church, the apostles are arrested by the very Sanhedrin Council that had crucified Christ. An angel frees them from prison and tells them to continue speaking “all the words of this life.” The Council brings them in again and acknowledges that they have filled all of Jerusalem with the message of salvation.

When Peter again points out that they were guilty of murdering Jesus, the Council becomes so enraged that they determine to put the apostles to death.

We are then introduced to Gamaliel, a Jewish rabbi of great influence, who convinces them that other men had arisen, gained a following, and then quickly fallen. He then tells them to allow the apostles to continue their work so that it will either fail on its own or else the Council “even be found to fight against God.” (Remember that Gamaliel was the teacher of a young Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus – Acts 22:3 – who will later figure prominently in the gospel story.)

Finally, they decide to release the apostles with a severe beating and a threat to stop speaking of Jesus. The apostles leave rejoicing in the honor of suffering for Christ and continue their work of sharing the gospel with the lost. Nothing was going to stop them.

--Roger Hillis

Acts chapter 4 finds the apostles in trouble for their miracle in chapter 3.  All of them are taken into custody.

Notice, from verse 4, that the church continues to grow, in spite of the opposition of the Jews. The number of men has grown to about 5000. (I always think it is amusing when some people today say that a church of 200-250 is just “too big.”)

When the Jews ask them “by what power” they had healed the lame man, Peter, once again the spokesman, makes it clear that this miracle was performed in the name of (by the authority of) Jesus Christ. He continues by identifying Jesus as the rejected cornerstone of Old Testament prophecy. And he makes the powerful statement that the name of Jesus is the only name in which anyone will be saved.

Four things stand out in the remainder of chapter 4.

1.  What empowered the apostles and filled them with courage was the time “they had been with Jesus” (verse 13).  This changed them from “uneducated and untrained men” (they were uneducated, but Jesus had trained them) into courageous and unstoppable defenders of truth. Only if we spend much time with Jesus will we have such courage today.

2.  The enemies could not deny the reality of their miracle (verse 16).  Everyone knew this man to have been lame for his entire life. This points up an important difference between Bible miracles and the so-called miracles of faith healing imposters today.

3.  Their response to persecution was group prayer (verses 24-31). This emphasizes their dependence on God and teaches us the same lesson. Jesus said, “…without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

4.  The early Christians took care of each other (verses 32-37). Even when it required selling of possessions, they shared what they had with their fellow disciples. They were motivated by love and devotion for one another. We should be also.

--Roger Hillis

As chapter 3 opens, two apostles, Peter and John, are headed to the temple to pray and to preach about Jesus Christ.

First, they meet a man lame from his mother’s womb and perform their first miracle of healing in the name of Jesus. This miracle draws a multitude to Solomon’s porch where Peter preaches the second gospel sermon.

Like the first sermon in Acts 2, this sermon is centered on the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The gospel is good news because of its message about the death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Because of the death of Jesus on the cross, we can have the forgiveness of our sins. And because of the resurrection, we can have hope of eternal life in heaven with God.

In a similar way as in the first sermon, Peter tells his listeners that they are guilty of crucifying God’s Son, whom he calls “the Prince of life.” There must always be conviction of sin in the process of conversion.

Peter’s charge to them is to “repent and be converted.” This is a parallel thought to Acts 2:28 – “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.” Baptism is the point at which one’s relationship to God is changed from unsaved to saved.

Finally, Peter reminds them of an Old Testament prophecy by Moses, originally found in Deuteronomy 18:15-19. In that prophecy, Moses, one of the greatest heroes of the Old Testament, predicted the coming forth of another Lawgiver. He spoke, of course, of Jesus the Messiah, but when He came into the world, His own people, the Jews, did not accept Him as their Savior.

Those who reject Him will be “utterly destroyed.” Those who listen, trust and obey Him will be blessed.

--Roger Hillis

Acts 2 has been referred to as “the birthday” of the church.

It was the first day of the week, the day Jesus rose from the grave. The apostle John would later call the first day of the week, “the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10).  It was to be a special day in the New Testament system as it became the day that God’s people around the world would assemble to remember their Savior’s death on the cross of Calvary.

It was also Pentecost, the Jewish celebration of the harvest. Pentecost was one of three annual feasts of the Old Testament which required all Jewish males to travel to Jerusalem for its observance. Due to the difficult travel conditions of the day, many, perhaps most, of them would simply remain in Jerusalem for the fifty day interval between Passover and Pentecost.

The first few verses describe the fulfillment of the prophecy of the apostles’ baptism in the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16). This is what Jesus meant when He told the apostles that they would receive power from God (Acts 1:8) that would confirm them as spokesmen for the Father (Hebrews 2:4).

In verses 14-36, Peter preaches the first gospel sermon and includes the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. After quoting three Old Testament passages (Joel 2:28-32; Psalm 16:6-11; Psalm 110:1), he shows Jesus to be the fulfillment of all the Messianic prophecies. Declaring Jesus to be both Lord and Christ, he then accuses them of the sin of having crucified the Son of God. Cut to the heart, they ask what to do to be forgiven and he tells them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus. Three thousand souls respond in obedience and are added to the new church by the Lord.

Acts 2 has also been called “the hub of the Bible.” Everything prior to Acts 2 points to the establishment of the church/kingdom. Everything after Acts 2 points back to this chapter as “the beginning.”

--Roger Hillis

The final assignment Jesus gave His eleven apostles was the command we have called “The Great Commission.” He told them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).

The book of Acts is the inspired record of the early church fulfilling that mission.

After the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, He spent forty days with the apostles, “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). These have been referred to as the “forty days that changed the world.”

It was during this period of time that the disciples were transformed from fearful sheep into powerful shepherds. No longer were they reluctant followers, but fearless servants. They had seen the resurrected Lord and received their final, personal instructions from the Master.

And then, Jesus ascended to heaven to sit at God’s right hand with a promise from the angels that He would return some day.

During the next ten days, the apostles and other disciples spent time together, encouraging and helping one another to prepare for the work that was ahead.  They prayed, they studied and they built each other up.

Then they took one more important step. In order that they might fulfill Old Testament prophecy (Psalm 109:8), they chose a replacement for their fallen companion, Judas Iscariot. Two men were proposed, Joseph and Matthias. Matthias was selected in God’s providence and the apostolic group was complete once more and ready to reach their lost world for Christ.

--Roger Hillis