Acts 5:12 to 5-24

1. Acts 5:12 to 5-24

2. Apostles Persecuted Acts 5:12-24

3. Finding God? (Acts 5:12-14) Two categories of people: “No one else dared join them” “More and more believed” The Battalion Restated: Walk with Jesus vs. Walk Away In the spiritual battle of Satan against God, there is no MIDDLE GROUND. There is no such thing as a HALF-WAY Christian. (Luke 9:23-24)

4. Acts 5:12-16 • 12 The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. Temple Model – Solomon’s Colonnade across back

5. Herod’s Temple • Solomon’s Porch was part of the Herod Temple complex. Photo by Morris Cromer

6. Solomon’s Porch (Colonade) • “Solomon’s Porch (Portico) was 800 feet long (nearly 3 football fields) • with 162 Corinthian Columns up to 100 feet tall.

7. Solomon's Colonnade (Porch) • Solomon’s Colonnade was a great open air porch (colonnade) which was a portion of the east side of the temple called the court of the Gentiles built on foundations originally set by the order of Solomon. It was here in Acts 3:11 that Peter healed the cripple beggar and where Jesus had taught (John 10:23).

8. Although the multitudes were favorably disposed to the Apostles and the disciples, few were willing to risk the wrath of the Jewish rulers to make a public confession. • v13-14 seem to imply that the conversions were continuing in large numbers but in more private settings. • v13 -14: No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. Temple and Its Courts (Model)

9. Question: • At least how many Christians met at Solomon’s Colonnade?

10. Acts 5:14; • “4 But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.” Acts 4:4

11. Peter’s Shadow Heals • 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

12. The Preaching Continued • Every day in Solomon’s Colonnade, a place where Jews and Gentiles could gather in great numbers, the Apostles preached and the miracles confirmed their word as the Word of God. • The fake miracle workers of today tell people who come to them for healing but are NOT healed that their faith was just not strong enough.

13. Bible Miracles • We have already looked at the nature of Bible miracles. No one did or could question that they were real miracles. • There is one more important fact I want to mention: NO ONE who came to JESUS or to an APOSTLE to be healed was ever sent away without being healed. • Verse 17 says, “ALL of them were healed.” • In Matthew 12:15 and Luke 6:19, the Bible (NKJV) says Jesus healed ALL who came to Him for healing. NO FAILURES THERE!

14. Acts 5:12-16; Miracles were used to confirm the words of the apostles. The death of Ananias and Sapphira could be viewed as a “negative” miracle used to confirm the importance of truth.

15. Acts 5:12-16; Miracles were used to confirm the words of the apostles. The “positive” miracles were used to confirm the words taught by the apostles. (Cf. Hebrews 2:1-4) Today, our confirmation is found in the recorded miracles and teaching in the inspired word of God

16. Acts 5:17-20 • 17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."

17. Sanhedrin: Acts 5:17-18; • The Sanhedrin was the official leadership of the Jewish nation consisting of about 71 influential men including the high priest.

18. The Sadducees were a group that did not believe in angels or the resurrection of the dead.

19. Apostles Arrested Then thehigh priestrose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. (KJV) What issues do the Sadducees have with the apostles? Sadducees Oppose the apostles doctrines They FEAR that the people would REVOLT Revolt against them (they were not popular amongst the common people) And revolt against Rome

20. Acts 4:1-2 –And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. Matt 22:23 –The same day came to him theSadducees, which say that there is no resurrection Acts 23:7-8 –…there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.(KJV)

21. This is ANOTHER Attempt to Stifle the Gospel • The High Priest and his associates try again to stifle the Apostles by arresting them and putting them into the public jail. • They were jealous because the people were going after the Apostles and leaving them and their authority. • They are getting bolder. I think this is indicated by the fact that the jail where the Apostles are put this time is the public jail.

22. God’s angel brings the Apostles out of the jail and tells them to go to the temple courts and preach openly. • Acts 5:21 • 21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. • The Apostles obey. That morning they appear in the temple courts and boldly testify to the resurrection of Jesus and explain what it means for man’s salvation. • The angel had said “Tell the people the full message of this new life.”

23. Acts 5:17-21; The angel of the Lord delivered the apostles from prison. This was a limited act in that the Lord did not always protect the apostles. Consider James whom Herod killed. (Acts 12:1-4)

24. The Lord delivered the apostles so that they could continue to teach. While the Lord may not work in the same way as He did with the apostles. We do know that the Lord will never leave us. (Hebrews 13:5-6)

25. The Full Sanhedrin Meets • Acts 5:21-24 • When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin-the full assembly of the elders of Israel-and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there.

26. The Sanhedrin • The Sanhedrin was the “Supreme Court” of the Jewish nation. • According to the Mishna, the Sanhedrin was composed of about seventy tribal elders presided over by the High Priest and his priestly associates. A group of scribes served as legal advisors. • This was an aristocratic body composed of the rich and powerful Pharisees and Sadducees.

27. So they went back and reported, 23 "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside." 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.

28. When the Sanhedrin sent some of their officers to the jail to bring the Apostles before the court, they found the cell locked with the guards at their posts outside the cell doors. But when they looked inside the cell it was empty. • There is no physical explanation of how this could have happened. • Of course the Sanhedrin had to know it had been a miracle

29. Conclusion to Acts 5:1-24; • By their obvious supernatural knowledge and wisdom, their miraculous powers and the fact that no jail can hold them the people believe the Apostles are servants of God preaching a message from God. • Even the rulers of the Jews have to know these men are guided and empowered by God. Still, as they did with Jesus, they cannot bear to think of losing their prestige and their power over the people.

30. By these things and by what happened to Ananias and Sapphira, the authority of the Apostles is well established among the common people, especially the disciples. • After these threats, beatings and incarcerations will the Apostle keep on preaching in the temple? • If they do, what will the rulers of the Jews do next? Will they jail them and beat them again? Will they kill them? • We will find out in the next lesson, Acts 5:25ff

31. Jesus called them one by one, Peter, Andrew, James and John. Then came Philip, Thomas too, Matthew and Bartholomew,

32. James, the one they call "the Less," Simon, also Thaddeus. The twelfth apostle Judas made, Jesus was by him betrayed.

33. Twelve in all, he called to him. "Apostles," was His name for them. They went out to "fish for men," Faithfully they followed him.

34. From his baptism by John, And to his resurrection, It became their special call To bear their witness to it all -

35. All Jesus Christ had said and done. All were faithful - all but one. And their testimony true, Can also be believed by you.

36. They maintained it until their death, And always spoke by Spirit's breath. The Spirit spoke through them God’s word, Reminding them of what they'd heard,

37. Allowing them to do great signs, And to pen the Bible's lines. All were martyred for their Lord To confirm the gospel word -

38. ALL BUT ONE

39. At a hundred years or more, John embarked for heaven's shore The only one who was not killed. His prophet’s mission, he fulfilled.

40. "Apostle" means one who is sent. To all the world apostles went. Their word today is just as good As when upon the earth they stood.

41. The gospel message will not change, So we must not rearrange God's system or his teaching. Let's not be overreaching.

42. Jesus called them one by one: Peter, Andrew, James and John... Twelve in all he called to him. "Apostles," Jesus named them.

43. Search the Scriptures