November 18, 2010 Acts 5-7:29

This passage about Ananias and Sapphira is a little on the unusual side. For one thing, there are many details that the Bible doesn't tell us: Did Ananias lie and say he was giving all the money to Peter? Was it the custom to give 100% of everything always? Suddenly it seems, there is an understanding on the part of new believers that they will sell everything they have and give it to the apostles. Jesus told the rich man to sell everything he owned and give it to the poor. Well, anyway, I think the basic idea of this is that you can't fool God. If you think you can get away with it, you're in for a rude awakening.... After Ananias and Sapphira died everyone was terrified. That certainly makes sense! Miracles and healings were plentiful and word spread about Peter so that people started to follow his route so they could lay sick people in his shadow to be healed. Eventually the apostles were arrested and put in jail. During the night an angel let them out. The men who had put them in jail couldn't figure out how the gates were still locked tight but the apostles were in the temple teaching the next morning. (Nothing was going to get through to these guys!) However, a Pharisee named Gamaliel pointed out to them that if they were from God, they would be fighting against God, but if they were from man then their message would blow away like dust in the wind. (Lets see... it's been 2010+ years, what do you think?) So they backed off for a while. The apostles kept right on preaching and teaching.

It happened that the Greek Jews were angry about the Hebrew Jews widows being fed while theirs weren't. So the 12 gathered the people together and said that they needed to choose 7 upstanding men to manage the money and food. That way the 12 could give their full time to teaching and prayer. So they did. The work continued and many priests accepted the faith. A powerful disciple named Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke to many people. Some of the Jews didn't like him, so they bribed some men to lie about what he'd said.

The High Priest asked Stephen if what had been said about him was true and Stephen answered with the history of Israel beginning with Abraham. He continued with Isaac, Jacob and his sons and their jealousy of Joseph. Then he talked about Moses, and we'll find out where this is going tomorrow.

Tomorrow read Acts 7:30-9:22