Reading the Acts of the Apostles - Chapters 5-7

Acts 5-7

Witness Turns Uglier

Trouble in Paradise
April 15-21, 2013

 

I highly recommend that you read or listen to Dr. Jack Levison's commentary by following this link:
http://blog.spu.edu/lectio

Be sure to spend some time with the Questions for Further Reflection at the bottom of the commentary.  You'll find new questions there each week.

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Serious business…The tragedy of Ananias and Sapphira

5:1-11
Up to this point, the new church seems to be an ideal place.  As it turns out, not everyone thought it was a good idea to give to the church all the proceeds from their sale of property.  Ananias and Sapphira pay a steep price for this choice – their very lives – for “lying to the Holy Spirit.”  Read carefully and you’ll notice this episode has a lot to do with Peter’s authority as the leader of the church.  It also shows that God delivers the judgment.

• This is not an easy scripture passage – what, if anything, in this episode do you find troubling?  What questions does it bring up? 
• In what ways might we “lie to the Holy Spirit?” 
• What do you think about having consequences for not meeting the obligations you commit to when you join the church?

Signs and wonders - healings

5:12-16
Many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles.  People were healed, and great numbers of people became believers in Jesus.

• Verse 16 refers to those healed as “the sick” and “those tormented by unclean spirits” – how would you describe the difference? 
• Do you think God still miraculously heals the sick and the tormented?
• In Acts, God did it “through the Apostles.” Who might God work through today?

The apostles are persecuted…and keep on preaching

5:17-42
Remember Jesus’ radical words in Luke 4?  (Those of us following the lectio readings read Luke a few months ago).  Take a look at Luke 4:16-21, when Jesus read from the Isaiah scroll to launch his public ministry, especially the phrases “release to the captives” and “let the oppressed go free.”  In the early church we see Jesus do this literally - miraculous freeing of imprisoned apostles.  Here, the apostles are arrested, but during the night an angel opens up the prison doors, allowing them to go right back to work at the temple first thing in the morning.  [Note what is often called the “Gamaliel Principle” in 5:38-39]

• Why do you think God released the apostles from prison? 
• After the lawful authorities ordered them to stop teaching in Jesus’ name, why didn’t they obey? 
• Does God always want his people to be law-abiding citizens? Explain.

Controversy arises…and servants are equipped to respond

6:1-7
Remember Jesus’ ministry to the marginalized in Luke?  It continues in the church in providing for the needs of widows (the movement didn’t leave vulnerable people behind…they cared for their needs).  Because of ethnic differences, some widows weren’t getting what they needed.  The apostles felt they were called by God to preach the gospel…who would help the widows?  Seven were appointed to the task…often considered the first Deacons.  One of them was a man named Stephen.

• How does the church meet the needs of vulnerable people in the church today? 
• How do the Deacons participate in this? 
• How does this involve mission work? 
• How does it involve you?

Introducing Stephen

6:8-15
Look closely at the text and come up with a description of Stephen and the characteristics of his faith. 

• Have you ever met someone like this? 
• How, and for what purpose, might God develop in you what God developed in Stephen?

Stephen’s speech – the Old Testament roots of the Jesus movement

7:1-53
Stephen gives a long speech about Jesus, covering the Old Testament in detail. 

• Are you familiar with the biblical history Stephen is referring to?
• Many of us learn Old Testament Bible stories in childhood and then don’t read much of them for the rest our lives.  How does Stephen’s telling of the story affirm what you learned in Sunday School?  What new ideas does it present?

Stephen is killed

7:54-60
People respond to Stephen's preaching with violent intentions, and Stephen becomes the first Christian martyr (a person killed because of their Christian identity, beliefs, or witness).

• Why do you think the people responded with such violence to what Stephen said? 
• Do you think Stephen could have said what he said in a gentler way, or did he have to say it the way he said it? 
• What teachings in the Bible have the potential to make people mad?  Anything make you mad?  How do you handle that?
• What stories have you heard about people who are killed because of their Christian faith?  Does this still happen in the world today?

Then, as now, the church encounters troubles and hardship.  But the Holy Spirit remains strongly present, and the Lord Jesus Christ continues to grow the church.


Together in Christ,

Pastor Kurt