Acts 4 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Acts 4:1-8

1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: ‘By what power or what name did you do this?’ 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: ‘Rulers and elders of the people!

A. Find Out:

1. Who next arrived? v.1
2. Why were they upset & what did they do? v.2,3
3. But what happened nevertheless? v.4
4. Who met when? v.5,6
5. What question did they ask? v.7
6. How did Peter respond? v.8

B. Think:

1. What fruit has come from the healing of the lame man?
2. What difficulties have come from it?
3. How is this a part fulfilment of Matthew 10:17,18?

C. Comment:

While Peter is still speaking to the crowd outside the temple, the temple authorities come out to see what is going on. Now one of the groups who came out were the Sadducees, the ruling class of wealthy aristocrats who believed that the Messiah had already come previously and who denied the possibility of resurrection from the dead. Therefore, when they heard what was being preached, they became upset and presumably incited the temple guard to arrest Peter and John for causing trouble on the temple steps. Some time has passed and evening (at least 6.00pm) has come so the apostles are locked up for the night. That is the negative side of this story that we might be tempted to major on, but it’s only half the story!

First, Luke tells us that all this didn’t stop the Holy Spirit convicting many more people and bringing them into the kingdom. Man may try to stop the Gospel, but God will not be stopped.

Second, Luke reports that when Peter came to defend their actions the next morning, he was filled with the Spirit as he went to speak. Again the Lord is there and enables His man to speak with power and authority. Remember in Genesis 39:2,3 & 20,21 the Lord was with Joseph in slavery and in prison, and that to bless him. Circumstances can’t keep the Lord out!

D. Application:

1. Opposition WILL come, but the Lord will be there with you!
2. The enemy will not stop the Lord moving and will not stop the Lord     providing for you when it’s needed. Hallelujah!

Passage: Acts 4:8-13

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: ‘Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is

‘“the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone.”

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.’ 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

A. Find Out:    

1. What empowers Peter to speak? v.8
2. On what does he first focus? v.9
3. On what basis does Peter say the cripple was healed? v.10a
4. How does Peter describe Jesus? v.10b,11
5. What incredible truth does he dare to proclaim? v.12
6. What 3 things did the rulers realise & what did they feel? v.13

B. Think:

1. How does this passage reveal the Gospel as unique in the world?
2. Under what inspiration was Peter declaring these things?
3. What does that therefore tell us?

C. Comment:

We have some especially important verses to note here. First the context of them. Peter and John, after a night in prison, are brought before the Sanhedrin to account for what went on the previous day. Peter makes his defence and the rulers realise they have something more on their hands than they first thought. Now let’s go on to the significance of these verses.

First, we must note what prompts Peter to speak like he does: it is the Holy Spirit. Throughout the whole Bible when someone was filled with the Spirit, they did things they were not naturally able to do. Peter now speaks out with a boldness and a clarity that makes the Sanhedrin sit up and listen and they realise that these are just rough fishermen who are speaking out like spiritual leaders. It is important to realise that Peter is speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit of God.

Why? Because of the things he dares to say. He starts by focusing on Jesus and the resurrection and states that Jesus was the fulfilment of prophecy spoken long past. Then he makes the most audacious of claims, which today across the world is still being challenged: Salvation comes ONLY through Jesus Christ and through NO other means. In a day when other religions are vocal and strident, we MUST hold onto this truth: according to the Bible, Jesus Christ is God’s ONLY means of salvation!

D. Application:

1. When God inspires, we need to listen!
2. God declared that Jesus was the ONLY way of salvation!

Passage: Acts 4:14-22

14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 ‘What are we going to do with these men?’ they asked. ‘Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.’

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’

21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

A. Find Out:

1. What was the intention of these religious leaders? v.17
2. Yet what was their quandary? v.14,16
3. What did they do? v.15
4. What did they instruct? v.18
5. What was Peter’s response? v.19,20
6. What was the outcome and why? v.21,22

B. Think:

1. What do you think was the objective of the Sanhedrin and why?
2. What were the factors operating against them?
3. What important principle does Peter lay down?

C. Comment:

The Sanhedrin are the religious establishment of the day They want peace and quiet to carry on their day-to-day religious existence, and now the peace has been disturbed by these two men preaching about Jesus. It is natural (but wrong!) that they should want to silence them. The only problem is that the preaching is linked to a clear and indisputable miracle and the healed man is standing before them. Even worse, the whole city seems to have heard about it and are praising God over it. This single miracle has the entire city talking. What can they do?       

After discussion they simply decide to instruct the apostles to stop preaching in Jesus’ name, and they trust to their authority to ensure that this happens. At this point they are confronted with impossible logic from Peter: who do we obey, you or God? It is clear this miracle was from God and that Jesus’ name was linked to it, so we cannot go against God. All the Sanhedrin can do is issue further threats, but they know they are beaten.     

The point at issue here is one that crops up again and again in history: does a Christian obey the authorities or God? The answer must always be, God. This should only occur when the authorities specifically oppose God, when laws specifically run counter to God’s decreed laws, but in those instances civil disobedience becomes a reality for us. 

D. Application:

1. A Christian should obey the law and the civil authorities.
2. When authorities oppose God, the Christian’s loyalty is to be to God.

Passage: Acts 4:23-31

23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. ‘Sovereign Lord,’ they said, ‘you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

‘“Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.

27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’

31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

A. Find Out:

1. What did Peter & John then do and with what response? v.23,24a
2. How did they first address the Lord? v.24b
3. Of what do they remind the Lord? v.25,26
4. How do they apply that to present circumstances v.27
5. But what did they recognise and what do they ask? v.28-30
6. What then happened? v.31

B. Think:

1. Read Psalm 2. How had that been applicable?
2. Yet why had that not depressed the disciples?
3. How does the Lord “approve” their prayer?

C. Comment:

A passage of many examples for us to follow. Example number one: when under pressure, pray! When the church heard what had been happening, they immediately turned to the Lord in prayer.

Example number two: put everything in perspective! They declared in prayer that the Lord was sovereign, Lord over everything. They understood that He had said that rulers would rebel against Him but that only made Him laugh.

Example number three: they saw their present circumstances in the light of this! They saw that the rulers rejecting Jesus had been just that, and that it fitted in with God’s plan, and that now the rulers were still opposing the Lord by their threats against the church.

Example number four: they asked that the Lord enable them to continue to be the body of Christ in the world today, doing the same things Jesus had done, i.e. they wanted help to continue to be the witnesses Jesus had said they should be.

Finally note that the Lord hears and responds to their praying: there is a shaking, and they are all filled afresh with the Holy Spirit, who enabled them to speak out boldly. In other words, there was an immediate answer to their prayer!

D. Application:

1. If in doubt – pray! Under stress – pray! Under pressure – pray!  
2. In prayer put everything in perspective and look to be a servant of God

Passage: Acts 4:32-37 

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there was no needy person among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

A. Find Out:

1. What was the first sign of unity? v.32a
2. How did that work out in practice? v.32b
3. What did the apostles do? v.33
4. Who was not among them? 34a
5. Why? v.34b,35
6. What had been an example of this? v.36,37

B. Think:

1. What was the role of the apostles at this time?
2. How were everyone’s needs met at this time?
3. What impression is given of the church at this point in time?

C. Comment:

  We have just seen the church at prayer and now we see a description of its daily life together which can be summed up in one word, unity! In 2:42 -47 we had the first summary of their life together and now we have a repeat of that which emphasizes the caring aspect of that unity. There is first a unity of heart and mind. That is most important. This was not a unity imposed by the apostles, this was something that they all wanted. This was part of the package as the Holy Spirit moved on them.

Next it is a unity of action. They cared for each other in the most practical way possible: they provided for one another by giving or providing what was needed so that no one was left in need. But it didn’t stop there. Sometimes (and note that it wasn’t all the time – it wasn’t something forced or required) they even sold unwanted property to provide for those who were in need.

We should note that this isn’t a form of communism, there was no levelling everyone down to the same level or requiring that no one be rich. It was simply that when they saw a need they met it, and those who could afford to do it even sometimes sold property to provide additional funds for those who needed it. Note it wasn’t to provide for those who were simply less well off, but those who needed it.

D. Application:

1. Caring and provision for the needy starts within the church.
2. Do we have a freedom of giving today that enables some to even sell    what they have to provide for those in need?