We continue in the book of Acts or our Summer Reading Challenge of 2022. Today’s reflections from Acts chapter 5, address a Prison Break & Persistent Proclamation.
- Acts 5 has three main movements: (1) Ananias and Sapphira perish as they lie to the Holy Spirit (5:1-11); (2) many signs and wonders are done by the hands of the Apostles (5:12-16); and (3) the Apostles were arrested, miraculously freed, proclaimed Jesus, and beaten (5:17-42).
- Today’s episode briefly touches on the account of Ananias and Sapphira and then focuses on the Apostles’ persistent proclamation of the Gospel!
Part 1: Sincerity in Charity
- Chapter 4 of Acts closed with the picture of the believers bringing the proceeds of lands or houses sold to care for “each as any hand need” (4:35).
- I want to pause here… in our own day and age, when times are getting harder and our income does not stretch quite as far as it once did — this is an opportunity for the body of Christ to take care of its members.
- This passage at the close of Acts 4 is a pretty clear picture of some key passages in the New Testament – Consider 1 John 3:16-18 and James 2:15-16.
- Both James and John point to our actual actions in how we care for fellow believers as evidence of true and saving faith. Do you and I care for those who belong to the family of Faith?
- How can I demonstrate that? Start with your local church, see where there are needs and seek to meet them!
- That might be as simple as helping the elderly, the widows or single parents with tasks around the house. That might be purchasing groceries for a family in need. That might be giving (or selling) some of your possessions to help a family.
- Both James and John point to our actual actions in how we care for fellow believers as evidence of true and saving faith. Do you and I care for those who belong to the family of Faith?
- Whatever your actions may be — only let them be done in sincerity and humility. Why?
- Chapter 5 opens with an example of a couple who were neither humble, nor sincere.
- While others were selling land they had to help care for those in need — and were being recognized for it — this couple, Ananias and Sapphira thought to do the same.
- They sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s full knowledge – Ananias kept back some of the proceeds for himself and brought only part of it to the Apostles.
- As is clear by Peter’s words, it looks like Ananias and Sapphira had the intention of communicating that they were giving everything. They thought by lying to the Apostles they would be able to receive some measure of notoriety or blessing. But — as Peter said, “You have not lied to man but to God” (5:4).
- Both Ananias and Sapphira end up dying.
- What was the result of this? Great fear fell upon the whole church and any who heard of it. The people held the apostles in high esteem, and more than ever believers were added to the Lord (5:14).
- And once again the high priest was filled with jealousy and the apostles were arrested (5:17-18). Note what Luke is reporting as the motivating factor for their arrest — jealousy — not God’s honor, but for the purpose of keeping their power. This is a theme we will see again throughout the book, especially in chapters 7, 13, 17.
Part 2: A Prison Break & Persistent Proclamation
- This now is the second time the apostles have been imprisoned – see chapter 4. But this time it turns out a bit different. The prison was securely locked and the guards were standing at the doors (5:23) but an angel of the Lord opens the doors and brings them out (5:19)!
- He instructs them saying, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life” (5:20).
- Imagine what kind of thoughts would be going through your mind if you were the apostles! You had been teaching and miracles being performed through you by the power of the Holy Spirit. Then you are imprisoned because of the jealousy of the high priest. Now an angel opens a locked prison door and takes you out of the prison.
- What would my first and natural inclination be — probably something along these lines: “The Lord delivered me and now I am free – I should not test the Lord but go somewhere else to continue the mission where they can’t get me.”
- But instead the angel tells them to go and stand in the temple and proclaim “this Life”— this would be like going into the front lawn of the man who just had you arrested!
- Look at verse 21 – the apostles had time to think about it… they could have changed their minds. But at daybreak, they entered the temple and began to teach!
- The council gathered to put these men on trial, but arriving at the prison – it was empty! Further still, the report reached them that these men were in the temple teaching!! Understandably they were perplexed (5:24). The temple captain went and brought the apostles back — but this time not by force.
- And the high priest questions them — first, he reminds them they had been strictly charged not to teach in the name of Jesus (see their first arrest, specifically 4:17-18) and then he says something striking, “and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us” (5:28)
- Yet this is the very thing that the crowds, following the lead of the religious leaders, had told Pilate. Matthew 27:24-25, Pilate said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ And all the people answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!”‘
- What was Peter’s response? Once again, he proclaims the Gospel to these men – but the ultimate defense which Peter provides (echoing what he said in 4:19-20), and by implication, the ultimate thing with which we must wrestle is this — “We must obey God rather than men” (5:29)
- We will come back to this in the application, but consider what Peter is saying to the very men who had Jesus put to death! What boldness!! The Lord answered their prayer from 4:29.
- Peter proceeds to remind them that God raised up this Jesus whom they killed, and He exalted Jesus to His right hand as Leader and Savior!
- This enraged the council to the point that they wanted to kill the apostles! But, in God’s providence, an honored Pharisee stood up and reasoned with them regarding other “Messiah movements” that were false and fizzled out — yet he left room for the possibility that this movement could be of God (5:35-39)!
- And so, rather than killing them, they summoned the apostles and beat them and charged them to not speak in the name of Jesus – then let them go (5:40). And what kind of response did the apostles have?
- First, they left rejoicing! Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the very name they were proclaiming!
- My friend — this kind of response is only possible if your perspective on life and the world and the Lord has changed! We do not naturally rejoice at beatings — but when knowing Christ and walking with Him becomes the most precious thing to you, it changes you!
- Second, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is this man, Jesus of Nazareth.
- The beatings did not stop them. They would not be silent. And as we will see in the coming chapters, as their proclamation persisted, so would the persecution.
- First, they left rejoicing! Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the very name they were proclaiming!
Conclusion & Application:
- So, let us conclude with this – notice how the angel of the Lord describes the subject of their proclamation. He says speak to the people “This Life” (5:20).
- My friend – Christianity, at least from a biblical perspective – is not a mere cultural past-time, it is not just another religious system, it is not a “Sunday thing,” and it is not just some self help — what is proclaimed in Christianity is a vital union with the one who created all things, union with the one who IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; begin united with Christ is the very substance of freedom and fulfilling the purpose for which we have been created!
- And when you have this — when you are united with Christ and His life overflows into yours — your whole world changes. You can rejoice in all circumstances, you can have hope and peace when the world is in chaos, you can live — even though you die (see John 11:25).
- With that truth in our hearts, we hear Peter’s words – “we must obey God rather than man” (5:29).
- This is where “the rubber meets the road” — friends, this world seeks to pressure you into submission. They do not want you to speak about this Christ, they do not want you to do anything that contradicts their extreme push away from God.
- When the pressure comes — not if, but when — will you obey God or man? And thus we read the words of James 4:4 — “Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” And 1 John 2:15 — “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
- To follow the course of this world (Ephesians 2:1-3) is to set yourself against the God who saved you — do not submit to the direction of this world which is in rebellion against God.
- So my friend, if you are not firmly rooted in Christ and if you have not embraced, as the angel of the Lord called it, “This Life” – get alone with God and do that today! A new life awaits you!
“ESV Study Bible” (https://amzn.to/3azWAlJ)
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