 CHAPTER FIVE PART FOUR Rejoicing That They Were
Worthy To Suffer for his Name, They Kept On Preaching Acts 5:33-42 Part Four New American Standard Bible You may find yourselves fighting against God 33 But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 “After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. 38 “So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.” 40 They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. 41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. The burning jealousy kindled murder in their hearts. Jealous became the volcanic command in their heart to destroy God, His presence and His people. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel! To me his name makes me immediately think of Gabriel. He was one of the most respected teachers of the Law in Israel. Whether it was seeing the lame man leaping, remembering the impact of Jesus message and ministry or the death of Ananias and Sapphira – Gamaliel realized that “God just might be in this!” One of his top students was a fellow named Saul who was in no doubt still Saul’s Rabbi at the time of this event. Gamaliel coerced the Sanhedrin to reconsider their murderous plans. He brought two previous stories to bear upon them:
So the wise Gamaliel made the point that whether a false messiah or a political insurrectionist the effect of killing them to stop their small band of followers that was ‘politically correct’ for the way to deal with such bands of people. He also then pointed out that if the followers of Jesus were born of God then putting them to death would only fuel Christ’s claims. They had already heard that Jesus rose from the dead. They already imprisoned Peter and John for healing a man crippled from birth. Then they jailed them again only to find out an angel set them free. They had already heard of the death of Ananias and Sapphira and saw the multitudes being healed in the shadow of Peter. So, the words of Gamaliel persuaded them to back off from their plans to kill the Jesus followers just in case they might be fighting God. The story of Gamaliel is very interesting. He was compatriot to Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea (who both carried the body of Jesus to the tomb provided by Joseph of Arimathea). He became president of the Sanhedrin and may have provided the burial place for the first martyr Stephen and Nicodemus. As mentioned he was a primary influence of Saul who became the mighty Apostle Paul. So we see further reason by nature of the company Gamaliel kept and the fruit of his influence. The demon of jealousy does not rest. It must be requited. It will not stop until it demonstrates itself to appear as though it has the upper hand. So after Gamaliel’s council the Sanhedrin still had the Apostles brought in and beaten again. Flogging can be done with whips, branches or any type of device that pounds upon the victim. In so doing the Sanhedrin is simply confirming the power of the Gospel. The violence done against the believer’s causes their praises to Jesus to rise higher. They proclaim the glory of the Gospel not just with lightening but now with thunder. They have become partakers of His sufferings and thereby enter into the Communion of suffering. Like Communion with Jesus by His flesh and blood they now find Communion by sharing in His sufferings. Their response: “What? We get to suffer with Him? We are so fortunate! Thank you Lord for allowing us to know how real your love, goodness, life and love are.” The fuel of suffering intensified the breaking of bread from house to house and the Lord continued to add to their numbers! The resurrection of Jesus was demonstrated on every level and those that believed were of one heart and mind. Jesus was in their midst. Wherever they were and wherever they went people saw Jesus among them and heard His voice. Jesus confirmed it was Him by healing, delivering and showing compassion. He rescued all who called upon His name and gave them new life. The devotion of the believers lifted up Jesus and almost without their being aware of it this is how they were revealing Jesus to the rest of the world around them. Even to us today!
0 Comments
 CHAPTER FIVE PART THREE
We Must Obey God Rather than Men Acts 5:21-32 Part Three New American Standard Bible We Must Obey God rather than Men; We are His Witnesses with the Holy Spirit! The Revival Continues at Solomon’s Porch! 21 Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought. 22 But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and reported back, 23 saying, “We found the prison house locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we had opened up, we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this. 25 But someone came and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” 26 Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned). 27 When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council (persecution). The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. 31“He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” “We must obey God rather than men!” Upon this statement the evolution of the Church began to take root as a way of life rather than a way of death. Loving God and your neighbor, praying and fasting for your persecutors and those that hate you, abstaining from fleshly and bodily lusts, turning the other cheek and going the extra mile were all conditional elements that identified those that were of the true faith. This new way of life had clear markings that became day to day culture. These are all taught in what may be considered the first ‘catechism’ called “The Didache” = The Teaching as a way to apply the lifestyle that grew from the Early Church confession of new believers being prepared for John’s baptism or Believer’s Baptism, The Apostle’s Creed. “Go, Stand, Speak the Whole Message of This Life” Acts 5:20. The Table of the Lord began to turn over the tables of the world. The declaration of the Apostles and followers of The Way (what early believers referred to when they talked about new Life in Christ (before they were ever called “Christians” – in Antioch) was the whole message of the Gospel. It included Jesus lineage, stories from His ministry and how Israel and the world responded to Him, how God responded to them and the Good News for all who believe. Day to day new stories were added to the Testimony of Jesus by the personal relationship people were experiencing in the practice of constant Communion. Those who turned away from self, the world and evil and believed the Good News of Christ’s death and resurrection, were baptized in water and by Jesus in the Holy Spirit. By these blessings and gifts they entered a lifestyle of constant Communion with Jesus and the new humanity of the Christian Community. Jesus began to build His Church immediately and has been adding to it since the first day of Pentecost. Now we inherit those same gifts and blessings and are ennobled by the Holy Spirit to partake of that heavenly royalty, robed in Christ’s righteousness and given the engagement ring of His promise of marriage for eternity. We are members of His heavenly bride-ship. So we go forth appearing to be beggars but members of His royal court to declare there is an open door of invitation provided by Jesus to become members of His Holy Family and to sit with Him in Communion now in preparation for the eternal Wedding Feast of The Lamb. The governments of men may gather to take counsel against the Lord and His anointed. They may call for the prisoners of the Lord to be brought into the courtroom, but they will always and forever get this report: We found the prison house locked securely and our guards at the door but we found no one inside! The reponse will always be the same as well. “We are really perplexed! What does this mean and how should we react? There will always be a messenger between the reality of those functioning in the Kingdom of God who reports to those involved with the kingdoms and authorities of this world. “They are at it again right in the midst of the people!” Temple or wherever the Lord is demonstrating His ministry, mission and message! The opponents, persecutors, jailers will always be the same: “If we do this there will be problems and if we do that there will be problems. What shall we do?” In this situation the best they could come up with is, “Hey, you guys need to stop this. You are no longer allowed to talk about your friend Jesus. When you do you make it look like His blood is on our hands!” In effect Peter said, “Hey! You are finally getting the message then! Jesus blood is for you too, but really guys, this Jesus who you already judged and tried to get rid of by crucifixion is more than just alive, He rules from heaven in the hearts of everyone who opens their hearts to Him! He is adding to His domain every minute of every day and this is going to keep happening every moment of every day until all authorities, kingdoms and nations come under His authority. When they do you better hope you are on His side because if you are not there is another prison reserved for you. His prison is one you can never escape. As long as you keep placing us into your prisons He will keep sending His angels to release us while you are not looking! We are now His witnesses and when we declare what He shares with us at His Table He sends confirmation in super natural ways to let you know who is really in charge!” At this point all the Sanhedrin can do is regroup to scheme all over again. Within one generation there would be much bigger enemies but for the moment the Holy Spirit was giving them the tools they would need to share their witness with others around the world in new cultures and to new people groups. There are no short cuts or enemies that can side step the authentic work of Jesus as He builds for eternity. At His Table we are His earthly witnesses who are adding to His ever growing Testimony to all creation of the promise of eternal life to all who believe. All that is needed for any believer to enjoy His Kingdom personally, first hand, one-on-one with Him now only need to sit down at His Table to feed upon what He has prepared and provided. Your seat is by His invitation and He says that when we do this we have “Life” now, the promise of it being eternal and that he will raise us up on the last day! We sit at His Table dead to ourselves, this world and to all that is evil and made alive by His flesh and blood. His flesh and blood is what allows us the distinction to be His first hand witnesses and members of His royalty until the kingdoms of this world all become His. “He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”  ACTS FIVE PART TWO The Angel said, "Go Stand Speak"
Acts 5:17-21 Part Two New American Standard Bible Jailed again, an angel of the Lord comes to release them and says “GO; STAND; SPEAK!” The Revival Continues at Solomon’s Porch. 17 But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. 18 They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail (persecution). 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, 20 “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.” 21 Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. KEY to the Nature of Evil Persecuting Jesus and His Followers: “Filled with Jealousy” was the toxic drink of those that caused the Christ followers to be placed in jail. Led by the High Priest, the Sanhedrin was filled to the brim with volcanic jealousy. It was a seething jealousy that imprisoned their hearts and minds. It was a human induced communion of intoxicating self-righteousness, hatred, variance, anger and rebellion that flooded their ability to reason. This was a clear sign that persecution is rooted in hatred for God’s glory. John 11:40 “Only believe and you will see the glory of God!” When the glory of God shows up, believing eyes are opened to see Jesus and to hear His voice. That is what Lucifer rebelled against. He hates God and wants to rob Him of glory. A moment later Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Some say that when Jesus said, “Lazarus, Come forth!” that He had to say ‘Lazarus’ or all the dead would have come forth! The power of God demonstrates the glory of God. His glory is the target of all persecution to this day and becomes the cause of evil to persecute to the death. Jealousy is the root of the hatred, rebellious behavior, persecution and ultimately death of the martyrs. It was the reverse mirror image of passion and fire for sharing God’s love in the Gospel. The glory of God is the “fire” in CommunionFire. It is filled with the language and message of heaven. It reveals the eternal presence of Jesus and transforms lives from glory to glory. Jealousy is the exact and complete opposite – opposing and challenging God like Ananias & Sapphira. In the Greek, the word is zḗlos (an omamopoeic term that mimics the sound of water bubbling over from heat and perhaps derived from 2204 /zéō, "to boil") – properly, burning emotion (inner feeling boiling over, "boiling from heat," J. Thayer); (figuratively) something very fervent ("red-hot") as with Spirit-fueled zeal to serve the Lord. This root (zē-) is used both negatively ("jealousy") and positively ("zeal") depending on the context. [The root (zē-, "zeal") literally means "hot enough to boil." It is metaphorically used of "burning anger, love, zeal" (A-S) – i.e. to burn (in spirit). It can refer to "boiling anger, love, zeal, for what is good or bad" (J. Thayer).] King David knew this mindset and no doubt when events like this happened in the early church they would sing Psalm 27! Put yourself in the shoes of those you read about in the book of Acts. In this situation, thrown in jail again for the same crime of declaring the Good News, healing the lame man and as Jesus was lifted up He kept adding to His royal domain. They hated this and looked for every opportunity to express their hatred. So read this as you think of those that were persecuted face to face: Psalm 27 A Psalm of David. 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? 2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident. 4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple. 5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. 6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. 7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me. 8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.” (Peter preached this on the day of Pentecost). 9 Do not hide Your face from me, do not turn Your servant away in anger; you have been my help; do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation! 10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me up. 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD (Teach comes from the word “Didache” the Foundations of Faith for New Believers in The Early Church – see Appendix One at the end of the commentary or use link http://www.paracletepress.com/didache.html), and lead me in a level path because of my foes. 12 Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence. 13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD. Just as Jesus said, “Go wait for the Promise of My Father in the Upper Room so that you may receive power to become my (first hand) witnesses! Why this is so important to understand. The book of Acts reveals the ongoing ever present ministry of Jesus in the midst of the believers. The Table of the Lord is where there is ongoing encounters and experiences that take place in the glory of the presence of Jesus. He is the bread and wine of the believers’ new life. Through their life the glory they encounter is seen and heard by others when they walk in concourse among those who are believers and non-believers. When non-believers are aligned with evil by the power of sin and deception of Satan they share Satan’s mission to persecute the righteous in their lifestyle, conversation and behavior. When possessed by this evil they may go so far as to call evil good and good evil. It is as blatant and passionate as the evangelization of the world by the believers. It is ‘reverse evangelism’ and it shows up in politics, social behavior and as corruption releasing its poisonous stream into all the world. So how does heaven respond to the attempt of jealousy to imprison the believers? During the night the angel of the Lord (apparently only one was needed)
The angel that set the Apostles free said Stand & Speak to The People in the Temple: “The Whole Message of this Life”. The Holy Spirit is involved here. There is a message delivered to the Apostles by an angel. Straight from the Thrones in heaven the encouragement is to GO, STAND and SPEAK to The People of the Temple – THE WHOLE MESSAGE OF THIS LIFE! GO (Poreúomai - from poros, "passageway" ‘portal” walk from here to there in The Way of Life while you die to self; hence it may cost you ‘your’ life) travel journey, go, die ie., the life of a ‘martus’/’martyr’ (Acts 1:8 “power” = martus thus we are given power from the Holy Spirit to walk away from our life to walk in the path of eternal life, as if, led by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said the same thing in Mark 16. Like some parts of the church today Jesus first confronted their stubbornness for resisting what was given by faith. 9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. 12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. 14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. Jesus wants us to believe quickly as well. whatever is not of faith is sin; or separates us (blinds us, makes us deaf and leads to self-reliance instead of dependency on the Holy Spirit). the cure to sin always is turning back to the Lord's goodness. then our sorrow for our separation is turned into joy. Godly sorrow that works repentance is not being sorry for screwing up so much as it is opening our hearts to receiving communion and the Holy Spirit through the doors of faith (Psalm 22-24). Notice how Mary came to those who were sorrowful and crying and still they did not believe. So weeping and being sorry is not Godly sorrow. Godly sorrow recognizes the unbelief and re-opens the doors of faith by doing what faith dictates. First to recognize Jesus is alive and then to believe. Jesus says believers who GO, STAND and SPEAK would have signs from heaven to confirm their witness. 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. STAND (Histemi: Take a stand and hold your ground) to make to stand ‘in the midst’ of others. (“In the Midst” is a study all its own. Jesus in the midst of 2 or 3 and the Holy Spirit in the midst of us we stand in the midst of those to whom Jesus wants to make Himself known. (By virtue of Communion elements Jesus is also ‘in the midst of us’ just as He was for nine months ‘in the midst’ of His Holy Mother Mary in her womb. Womb = Belly = Mercy from the living water/river of Life: Jesus said if you asked of Me I would have given you drink/mercy that would cause a fountain of life to spring up from the belly/womb (same word in Greek) with rivers of living water. In other words you become a spring like those that fed Jacob’s well where He met Rachel. Remove the stone (law/dead rock) from the mouth of your well and out of it shall the lambs and the sheep be watered. Out from it you will have an unlimited supply of the currency of God’s love to spend any way you wish! TO STAND – Means to establish, claim and stand your ground as a well of mercy flowing from the river of life as a spring that becomes a fountain pouring out on all who are thirsty! “Occupy until I return” ~ Jesus and when you’ve done all to STAND, STAND therefore! Ephesians 6:10-19 10 finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God (as in “The Sign of the Cross” generally seen among our Catholic friends – and for 2 Millennia has meant you are putting on the whole armor of God! In Christian Tradition: Crossing Yourself is accepting or acknowledging the Armor of the Spirit ‘In the name of The Father (3 fingers on forehead-helmet of salvation), And The Son (3 fingers on the heart-breastplate of righteousness) and The Holy Spirit. (Three fingers from left shoulder to right shoulder – Roman Catholic method or right shoulder to left shoulder – Eastern Orthodox Catholics for the rest of the armor: belt of truth, sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith and shoes of the Gospel of peace). 2 Corinthians 6:7 "By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left," The Seventh piece of Armor is to pray in the Spirit (in tongues) in heaven’s language – an instant gift to all who are baptized in the gift of the Holy Spirit by Jesus! when Jesus baptizes you in the Holy Spirit the first thing He does is to give us His language in exchange for our own. We think in "English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Mandarin, Swahili" Jesus language is the tongues of angels. By giving us the simple, supernatural ability to speak, pray, sing and prophesy in tongues the most outrageous member of our body learns to speak the language that is from above; pure, holy, lovely, full of grace and truth, full of His virtue with power to confound the unbeliever. He does not control us but allows us the ownership to pray, sing and speak at will. With tongues our mind is unfruitful because it thinks in human language but we are building up our most holy faith. It is the language of the Early Church and today. it is the language of Communion. It is the language of the Holy Spirit. It is the language of the Church and the angels. Note that Verse 18 is a continuation of the description of the whole Armor of God. Amen.” that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 wherefore take up the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword (short sword or dagger) of the Spirit (pneuma = anointed, powerful, Spirit, breath, wind of God), which is the Word (rhema = spoken word made by the living voice; the Lord speaking His dynamic, living word into or through a believer) of God (theos = divinity; properly, God, the Creator and owner of all things (John 1:3; Genesis 1-3) Pray continually (how?) 18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit (heavenly language of the Holy Spirit and all baptized in the Holy Spirit that has sounds, vowels, consonants by vocal chords out loud, speaking, praying or singing – literally the language of heaven that will be spoken for eternity, all other languages will disappear!), and watching with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, 19 And on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak SPEAK (praying in the Spirit, with the Spirit in tongues breaks up the fallow ground in our heat so that when we speak, we speak by the power of God. When we speak by the Spirit the listeners hear the voice of Jesus in their hearts. When we speak by the power of the Spirit, there are rivers of living water pouring out from us. In the overflow those who look upon us see Jesus. They encounter Jesus. (Laleo: Preach, Speak, Utter; from Lalos = talkative) as by the breath of the Holy Spirit – to disclose a message by revelation/inner vision (opening eyes of the Spirit to see) and hearing/inner locution to hear; to bring the message to closure, meaning and message. Isaiah 6:9; Matthew 13:13-14; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; Acts 28:25-28. Audience: The People in the Temple (The New Temple made of Believers In the Midst of the People standing inside the Old Temple) “To the Jew first and then to the Gentile” see Acts 28:25-28: This is the disclosure of the entire book of the Acts of Jesus. He makes it clear He has left the Old Temple and is only found there when the Christians are found there. He is spreading out His ministry from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria to the uttermost parts of the earth to add the Gentiles to the Family of God. The people of the temple are the first and therefore the last to be addressed with the power and authority of the Gospel confirmed by signs and wonders and the recognition that this is the doing of Jesus (and His people). The people of Jesus are ‘In the Midst’ of the people of the temple. A New Temple has been raised up made of Living Stones from people who have given their life to Jesus for the rest of eternity! Now THE Temple is in the temple. The Jewish people would rather care for the brick and mortar due to be razed by the Romans in the next 70 years rather than to become the brick and mortar of the New Temple, raised up and enlivened/empowered by the Holy Spirit! The New Community was In the Midst of the Old Dwelling Place of God where the voice of Jesus from the Cross “It Is Finished” caused the foot thick curtain in the Temple to be torn from top to bottom by the hand of God! He is no longer there! The Lord has left the building! He is about to inhabit those who believe and will now and forever be seen in the midst of them – even where 2 or 3 are gathered. So hearing this from the angel they went to the Temple – Solomon’s Porch – and picked up where they left off before being imprisoned. Here Jesus is emphasizing that you cannot imprison the Gospel. The Gospel, His ongoing, day-to-day message, the daily bread given in Communion to the Jesus people is the power of God! He demonstrates and openly reveals His power through the 1st-hand revelations and messages declared by His people and then with miracles, signs and wonders confirms their witness and that the powers of this world do not compare to the power of Jesus. Jesus keeps revealing His presence “In the Midst” of the hearts of the believers who come to His Table, “In the Midst” of those who meet in groups of 2, 3 or more and “In the Midst” of the temporal, natural and worldly with eternal, supernatural and heavenly signs and wonders. The CommunionFire Commentary On The Book Of ACTS Chapter Five Part One Jesus Builds His Church2/6/2016  CHAPTER FIVE: Part One Ananias & Sapphira
Jesus rules with grace and power and says, "I will build My Church and the gates of hell will retreat as I move forward" Acts 5:1-16 Part One New American Standard Bible The Fate of Ananias and Sapphira & the Lord kept Adding to the Church and Confirmed the Witness of the Apostles with Signs, Wonders and Healings of every kind! The Revival Continues at Solomon’s Porch! Key Reminder: Yellow Jesus manifesting His presence; Teal is the activity of the Holy Spirit supernaturally confirming the kingdom of God 1 But a man named Ananias (Root word chananyah (chanan grace of Yah God)= “God reveals His grace; favor” God’s grace camps among us, pitches His tent as in the Word made flesh and tents among us), with his wife Sapphira (Root word sappir, caphar = “to tell what has been written or etched as in stone, “lapis lazuli or sapphire” the blue stone on which the ten commandments were etched by the finger of God; to enumerate for the record” (see Exodus 24:9-12; 34:1; Ezekiel 1:26; Isaiah 66:1; Psalm 99:5; 1 Chronicles 28:2; and Numbers 15:39-40) “The earth is His footstool” and the tablets and the of the law were the color of His throne), sold a piece of property, 2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan (root word Greek: Satanas = arch enemy of good from Hebrew “mabad/abad” = to enslave by works) filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. 6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. 7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” 10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things. 12 At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord (God-produced unity; one mind of Christ) at Solomon’s Porch. 13 But none of the rest dared to associate (keep company) with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. 14 And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number, 15 to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow (could be a shadow of light or the source of the shadow was the light of Jesus) might fall on any one of them. 16 Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed. What power did this ‘new cult’ have? People die who lie? It is more than that. Ananias (Grace of God) and Sapphira (Accountable to the Law of God) equals a mix of grace and law. The two do not and never will mix. The deceit of Ananias and Sapphira was something they believed perfectly acceptable. The Lord wanted to make it very, very, clear at the very beginnings of the New Community that mixing of grace with the law will not be permitted. The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom ruled by a scepter of Grace. Ananias and Sapphira were ‘camping out’ with the New Community to be part of the newest and coolest thing. While they were camping out, measuring newfound money through their property sales, others were selling and giving everything ‘that possessed them’ to the New Humanity being birthed by the Holy Spirit. While the true believers were shedding their possessions to be the sole possession of Jesus, Ananias and Sapphira just didn’t get it. They didn’t think accountability and accuracy was all that important and like the justification Adam used and Eve, they were seduced by giving into an attitude rooted in lies and deceptions. They pretended to be part of what was going on because their conversions were less than thorough. They ‘mixed’ the grace of Jesus with self-effort and sealed their demise. The worth of the Kingdom that Jesus demonstrated in the parables time and again was ‘to sell all’ to make the purchase of “the treasure field” or “pearl of great price”. Ananias cheapened the value and the worth of the finished work of Jesus and Communion. They confused the free gift of salvation offered by Jesus with self-righteousness. They did not understand the parables about the Kingdom. (Note: St. Ephraim, 350 A.D. calls the Eucharist – the Pearl). A great lesson here is if we take it upon ourselves to decompose the worth of the Flesh and Blood offered by Jesus to each believer, then we also ‘place communion on sale’. We cheapen what God has called the “greater love has no man than this”. This is the Song of Solomon (the courtship of Jesus and His Bride) and it is being manifested right on the writer’s Porch. The passionate, no-compromise, all-in, never turning back commitment between the bride and the bridegroom is what Ananias and Sapphira failed to see and hear. They looked at the New Humanity with jealousy while the New Humanity saw Jesus and gave their all to Him! Those who see and hear Jesus one-on-one, personally, intimately and first hand in the light of Communion’s Fire, experience thoroughgoing conversion. Lying is no longer in the vocabulary or lifestyle of those who speak in the Holy Spirit’s vocabulary with the cloven tongues of fiery love. There are no conditions of conscience that are up for a vote in the Kingdom of God. There is no desire for negotiating from a position of deceit with the Holy One. Jesus is enough. No more is needed. His rule of grace, goodness, love and mercy brings us to our blessed knees with hearts overflowing with thanksgiving. He is the Good Shepherd and we have no other needs. It was easy for the New Humanity to lay the sales of their meager possessions in exchange for the eternal wealth of the Kingdom of God. Further, it was sheer joy to see that everyone benefitted through the distribution of earthly wealth and goods because Jesus rules with love, care and sharing! Ananias and Sapphira, however, were in charge of their own program not believing or trusting the Miracle of the New Community or its quickly growing population. They followed the prescription of selling all for the Kingdom because that’s what they saw everyone doing. But their lack of faith caused them to hold a little back just in case this “Jesus thing” is a fluke. I’m sure they thought they were being prudent, but sometimes prudence born in unbelief has disastrous results. This powerful demonstration of life and death decisions being made by those who think “negotiating with God” is an option, can only have one end. Death by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is truth and you cannot lie, use trickery or deceit with Him. In His light there are no shadows. When Jesus shows up, darkness, death and sin flee. They were not only allowing Satan to fill their hearts with lies, but they were also breaking the trust and integrity of the church. This couple was to become the supreme example of those who refuse the full Saving Power and Lordship of Jesus Christ. Their story is among the great stories in salvation history like Lucifer’s fall from heaven and the presence of God under sentence of eternal damnation. It is like the curse of sin and death generated by the fall from grace in the garden through Adam and Eve’s disobedience by deception of the Serpent Satan. It was the same compromise for “money, greed and power” that turned one of the twelve into a traitor to the Son of God and Judas committed suicide just before the redeemer’s blood of forgiveness was shed for all sinners. His judgement included blotting out his family so that no lineage could be derived from him. Then there were the 3 Temptations of Jesus in the wilderness. Only Jesus overcame all powers of persuasion, temptation and deception. If the presence of Jesus, in His glory, has the power to transform us from one degree of glory to another degree of glory then our course is affirmed every time we have His Blessed Flesh and Precious Blood in Communion. That is the diet of the Kingdom of God. We no longer play between the Tree of life and the forbidden Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Feeding on Jesus is feeding on the Tree of Life In the light of Jesus through the word of knowledge, the lie and deception is exposed. It is akin to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. No man or woman, refusing the love and grace of God’s Son, can stand in the presence of God in a lie. Their sin, born by deception and exposed by the Law, causes death. Satan deceived them just as he did Adam and Eve. He enslaved Ananias and Sapphira to ‘financial security’ or worse ‘financial indiscretion’ like Judas. By their own will they decided on a salvation based on ‘negotiating with God’ blaspheming the work of the Holy Spirit. The law demands we work as slaves of sin and death and grace demands that we rest in the finished work of Jesus to only be led by the Holy Spirit into the unity of the New Community by way of the New and Everlasting Covenant as we all share His Agape Feast. Our fellowship with Jesus is transparent and filled with a goodness and mercy that everyone else at the Table recognizes and understands. His love is disclosed to us and becomes the bond of the Kingdom. His love cements the living stones together one by one as He adds to the inventory every day! He is building and we are shaped and then empowered by Him to fit in the place He has planned for us since before the world was created. Jesus demands 100% pure perfection of every stone. The only way for that to happen is 100% dependency on His grace and love to make us pure and perfect. The clay does not tell the potter what to do! You cannot mix perfection with imperfection without creating an imperfect result. You cannot mix self-righteousness with heaven’s righteousness because it will create an imperfect righteousness. What is temporal is temporal. What is eternal is eternal. What is natural is natural and what is super natural is super natural. They do not mix. The only one who could carry off the two for the purpose of redeeming was a pure and perfect Mother and Son to bring the pure, perfect, eternal and supernatural into the impure, imperfect, temporal, natural world. Before Jesus Body and the Church Mary was the physical Tabernacle of God. Then Jesus physical body was manifested to pay for all the ruin caused by Adam and Eve by influence of the same serpent that schemed with Judas. He paid the price for a debt He did not owe. His sinless perfection combined with the sin of the world as final payment for all who would believe. Totally, 100% redeemed by the Body and Blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He sets us free to be a part of His promises, partakers of His love and life without reserve and to have the hope of eternal life with Him and the visionary anchor of hope that He will raise us up to be with Him forever on the last day. Had the Lord allowed Ananias and Sapphira to live, the toxin of their sin would have nullified the credibility of the Holy Spirit and the authentication of the Gospel contaminating the Bride with spot and blemish. For others, who chose the Groom and committed to Him with everything they had and were, this would have been a deal breaker. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. There is only one meal that sustains the Kingdom. It is Jesus’ Flesh-bread and Blood-wine prepared by Him and only served at His Table. Feeding from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil empowered man to live and negotiate with himself about what to believe, how to live and to establish his own priorities. They are left to only worship in theory and concept and their food is the flesh and blood of man seasoned with Satan’s deceptions. Slaves bound to the law of sin and death are manifested as those who ‘camp out’ with the beloved and secretly fix the books to maintain a lifestyle that suited their old humanity appetites. Ananias comes from a word that means “grace” or gracious. Sapphira comes from a word (sapphire) or lapis lazuli (the same blue stone that God used to write the law). From Joseph Prince, “In effect we see the mixing of the law and grace. This always leads to judgement. The Law came by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” The Lord is making it very clear that His Kingdom (within our hearts) is not like the old community of the Law but that His Kingdom is a New Community whose foundation, pillars, walls and streets are comprised of grace, goodness and mercy generated from spending time at His Table and feeding upon His Flesh and Blood. He is the Lamb of God. He is the Bread of Life. It is His Blood at work in our life not outdoors but within. We don’t eat and drink symbols we feed on the reality of His eternal life in His presence every time we “do this in remembrance of Him”. The day had come and was confirmed that those who belong to Jesus, will now worship Him in Spirit and Truth. The death of both Ananias and Sapphira were immediate. The Greek tells us what kind of death they both experienced. The power of the Holy Spirit entered each one on the words spoken by Peter and caused the very breath they were breathing to be sucked out of them. They had no breath and so they fell dead. This was a “wow” moment. God demonstrated through this event that divisive scheming, money-based greed, plans based on false security and any aspect of Satan’s influence would not be tolerated from that point on for eternity. The Lord crushed the enemy and His associates publically, undeniably and powerfully. This message was so powerful it still makes anyone who reads it shiver in their boots. It put the fear of God at the doorway to the Church where the Holy Spirit would convince all who passed by of sin, righteousness and judgement. Fear and an increasing sense of awe contributed to a heightened sense of faith. Jesus is present in a communion-centric body of believers and confirms His presence in tangible ways giving the New Community its identity as the New Temple, the church (ecclesia: those called out from the world to demonstrate the truth of the King and His Kingdom). This is the new dwelling place of God and His Table becomes the Ark of the Covenant where all who believe can come to enjoy His presence. Jesus makes it clear from the start that if you come to Him by way of the law then the consequences are sin and death. Then, many signs and wonders were done by the hands of the Apostles among the people at Solomon’s Porch. The believers kept meeting from house to house having communion and eating their meals with gladness and singleness of heart. They no longer ‘cleaved’ to the Apostles as they were busy declaring the Gospel. Perhaps because of this powerful event with Ananias and Sapphira, the people all held Peter and the Apostles in great esteem. Believers were continually being added to the Church by Jesus in multitudes of both men and women. He confirmed the reality of His Kingdom as people brought the sick and placed them on beds and sofas at Solomon’s Porch so that as Peter passed by his shadow would heal them. This was not a shadow from sunlight, but the shadow of Jesus cast by the Holy Spirit at work through Peter. This special grace was part of all that Jesus was doing to draw people to the unity of the New Faith Community – the Church. (Orthodox Study Bible notes on pages 1476-1477 thomasnelson.com) Another multitude gathered from surrounding cities to Jerusalem bring the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits and they all were healed. The sense of the Kingdom and the awareness of the presence of The King grew with power, signs and wonders sending a message to all that His Kingdom had come and His will was being done on earth as in heaven. Special Study that helps to position the reason for the death of Ananias and Sapphira Adam and Eve were deceived and believed a lie. Satan entered Judas Iscariot as was prophesied for thirty pieces of silver and by the same sin Ananias and Sapphira literally ‘lost their ability to breathe’. Through the lives of these five God made it very clear that becoming a part of his eternal Kingdom has the effect to selling all that possesses us so that we might become possessed by His charity, love and grace. What a great day it will be when we can cast our crowns at his feet! Worshiping Jesus in Spirit and Truth means we come to His Table to renew our worship as we lean in and bow down to kiss His holy presence. In His presence our conversion deepens so that we experience one degree of his presence to another. Let us not be given to “test the Spirit” (the sin of Ananias and Sapphira) but to be led by the Spirit again and again back to the Lord’s Table to dine not on the temporal but rather the eternal. Note: Not enough room here: But connect the dots between The Garden of Eden, Isaiah 14, Jesus Temptations in the wilderness, Judas at the Last Supper and the story of Ananias & Sapphira. These were major onetime Biblical events in Salvation History that are all connected. The arch rival of goodness that deceives to enslave believers and non-believers alike to a life chained to self-righteousness is at the heart of these scenarios. Another common thread is the deception that joy will come from money, power and thinking you can negotiate with God.
Jesus Temptations and His Response Luke 4:1-13 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. The Five “I Wills” of Lucifer in Isaiah 14 Led to Lucifer’s fall as the arch enemy of God’s goodness with a third of the angels and is given the name Satan. His final judgement is proclaimed. 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! Verses 13-15
Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will raise you up. He who would be greatest among you must be servant of all. Arrogance precedes a downfall.  CHAPTER FOUR
Acts 4:1-12 The Revival of Pentecost Continues: “Many Heard and Believed… About 5,000” Peter, John and the Lame man healed before the Temple Council 1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 being distressed on account of their teaching the people and preaching by Jesus the resurrection from among the dead; 3 and they laid hands on them, and put them in ward till tomorrow; for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed; and the number of the men had become about five thousand. 5 And it came to pass on in the morning that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together at Jerusalem, 6 and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the high priestly family; 7 and having placed them in the midst they inquired, In what power or in what name have you done this? 8 Then Peter, filled with [the] Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders [of Israel], 9 if *we* this day are called upon to answer as to the good deed to the infirmed man, how he has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you have crucified, whom God has raised from among the dead, by *Him* this man stands here before you sound in body. 11 *He* is the stone which has been set at naught by you the builders, which is become the corner stone. 12 And salvation is in none other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. The public preaching of Peter at the temple is so compelling that as many as heard the Word, believed. (LOGOS: Heard Jesus through Peter’s anointing – as in the miracle of tongues: each one heard Jesus in their own language! When Jesus is in our midst and we speak, witness, preach or prophesy then the hearer will hear Jesus. As in the Bread and the Wine – First, He opens our eyes to recognize Him; in this case the man lame from birth is healed instantly before their eyes and Second He opens our ears to hear His voice through the voice of those He speaks through; in this case Peter and in the silence of John they hear His heartbeat.) The number of men (alone) who saw, heard and believed was 5,000! The events were so compelling that the Temple leaders including Caiaphas came and arrested Peter and John (and the Lame man healed?) overnight. The religious leaders were ‘stressed out’ about the effect this one miracle was having. More and more people came running to see the miracle and then hear the message behind it being given to Peter by the Holy Spirit. (Like Jesus, ‘no one ever spoke like these men’; ‘are not they Galileans, mere fishermen?’) The next morning the entire high priestly family “placed them (Peter and John) ‘in their midst’ (Just as the resurrected Jesus had suddenly appeared in the midst of the disciples Upper Room while Cleophas and Mary told about seeing Jesus in the breaking of the bread.) Now Jesus was appearing in the midst of the same people who accused Him and had Him crucified in the “New Temple” of His Church “where two or more were gathered” Jesus is in the midst! They were emissaries of the Lord’s presence. Now it was “Christ in them, the hope of glory” to which they were now first-hand witnesses. We must understand this early example in the book of Acts because this book was recorded just to illustrate in the many Acts that Jesus did, this principle. Jesus continues His public ministry by the Spirit through those who believe. When the events are eye-opening it is to see the presence, power, life and love of Jesus. When the words are compelling they are messages from heaven in the voice of Jesus that convicts and convinces the heart of the hearer that what they are hearing is from the Lord. Behind the miracles stands Jesus. Behind the words is the Voice of the Lord. The accusers asked a rather rhetorical question. It was the same line of questioning they used on Jesus, “In what power or what name have you done this (miracle)? They were really more concerned about the numbers of people who were being converted right before their eyes, but they focused on the healing because they were doing this on Temple property. Thousands, perhaps 10,000 to 12,000 if there were 5,000 men. It was a large ‘outdoor revival’ ignited by one miracle. Perhaps today we need to follow the old saying, “One miracle is worth a thousand sermons.” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, (He was on fire) and all John had to do was to stand by him for the love of Jesus poured out just by the way He stood. His fountain was overflowing with the presence of Jesus. Peter said, “If we are being called upon to account for the wonderful deed of total healing of the man who was lame from birth; then (on the record), let all of Israel know it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene… this man stands here before you perfectly sound, healed and healthy! In effect Peter is saying, “Jesus is the stone you rejected who has become the chief cornerstone of the New Temple that Jesus aid He would raise up when this temple of brick and mortar is destroyed. The miracle you now see and hear on the grounds of your old Temple at the Gate Beautiful is the revelation of the New Temple made with the living stones of God’s people. The sound of the message being shared and the voices of conversion are the new brick and mortar of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel! Jesus, who you crucified and who God raised from the dead stands here among us and we are his witnesses. He alone brings salvation, forgiveness of sins and eternal life. There is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth the name Jesus and you will be saved. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will be saved and I will raise them up in the last day. THE POWER of the Christ centered, Communion-centric Gospel Lifestyle in the Book of Acts
Acts 4:13-22 they were ASTONISHED and took note: “These men have been with Jesus!” 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 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. Maybe Caiaphas was having an awakening. He and the others judging the healing of the man lame from birth just heard Peter preach like a keynote speaker at a synagogue special event! He was articulate, intelligent and appeared to be theologically knowledgeable. He was connecting the dots for the upper echelon of the Temple! What they didn’t know if that Peter was basically so inspired by the Holy Spirit it was like he was speaking in tongues. After the brilliant phrasing came pouring out of his mouth Peter knew that it was the Holy Spirit connecting the dots for ‘the learned of Israel’. In fact, Dr. Luke says, “They were astonished!” In CommunionFire the Holy Spirit does the same thing. Scriptures and dialog surfaces that connect dots we didn’t even know about before. When Jesus said to me directly, “Follow Me.” I had no idea what roads He would lead me down. This morning it was Jehovah Nissi, “The Lord my Banner.” As overflow from Communion yesterday! His banner over me is love, courage, victory, compassion and understanding. When Jesus raises His banner over you, you know you are at the right campsite! Peter used words. John just stood and ‘exuded’ Jesus love. You could see it! It was visibly all over him. Peter spoke like a recalcitrant professor! He spoke, grinned at himself as if to say, “Wow! Where did that come from!?” He was enjoying the message of the Holy Spirit as much as anyone else in the judgement hall. The force of victory was so powerful that the judges could not figure out how to punish them except to tell them what they were and were not allowed to say! The response is one familiar to those who encounter Jesus in CommunionFire. We know, like Peter and John, the only thing we can say is, what is real/truth, disclosed/revealed in the light of CommunionFire/His presence when we receive what Jesus has to share with us. Whatever he shows us and tells us defines the parameters of our witness from that specific occurrence! When we share with others what Jesus shares with us we even use hand gestures to explain, “He was standing to my left at about 10 o’clock and He was walking toward me with a big smile and He said, “Today is the day I have made for you”. There is the message. It is Jesus coming to us telling us that He mae this day for us! It was the same with Peter and John. Rebuffing the intelligencia and the academics of the law and religion by the power of the Holy Spirit Peter responded to their threats by saying, “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard”! Somewhat embarrassed by Peter’s candor they responded by saying, “Ya know that ole crippled guy that Jesus healed is over 40 years old. Whose gonna remember this anyway. And it was Jesus who healed him not Peter and John…” So, they stopped with their threats and let them go! The resident genius of the Holy Spirit was revealing the power of Jesus to those who had accused, judged and sentenced them before. Game Over! Jehovah-Nissi “Jesus flew His banner of victory over them in the face of the same accusations they used before. But death, sin and hell had been conquered! Now Jesus was ruling through His intercession at the right hand of the Father! I love how Peter said, “As for us – we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard!” John did not say, “Who’s this ‘we’ you speak of Peter!?” No Peter meant what the Holy Spirit said. John did speak but not with words. Sometimes that speech is more deafening than what may be said! *Jehovah-Nissi in the Bible Expand. Jehovah my banner, the title given by Moses to the altar which he erected on the hill on the top of which he stood with uplifted hands while Israel prevailed over their enemies the Amalekites. Jesus is our banner of victory that others can see flying over top of us. (Ex. 17:15) Acts 4:23-31 the Place Was Shaken Where They Gathered in Prayer They were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with boldness! 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? 26The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one. 27Indeed 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. Released by their captors by persuasion of the Holy Spirit through the witness of Peter, John and the Lame Man healed there was a report to the believers in the New Community. We did as the Lord directed, there was a powerful miracle followed by anointed preaching and we reached 5,000 men in Jerusalem at the Temple. Because of this we were arrested and put in jail overnight. Then upon further questioning we were set free. You should have heard Peter they might have said. He got a British accent and spoke like a fellow at Cambridge or Oxford! When the believers heard the report it was exciting. These men stood in the same spot as Yehoshua Messiah, Jesus Christ the Lord of heaven and earth. In fact Jesus was there with them then and was with them when they shared their witness to the believers. The excitement quickened the remembrance of Psalm 2. ‘Those that sit in heaven shall laugh’ as ‘earth and religious rulers’ threaten the Lord of Heaven and all His angels and saints. This was the emergence of a new breed. Those born into eternal life suddenly became part of a New Humanity. This humanity finds its life from above not below. This was the breed of mighty warriors and knights from heaven. This was where fishermen become heaven’s statesmen. It is where shepherds become kings. It is where handmaidens become prophetesses and young lions become visionaries standing at the side of archangels and the King of Heaven in the face of those who would take a chance to cast aspersions. Heathen love to rage based on imagining concepts created in their own vanity. It is like a civilization gone amuck calling the slime of sin a party or rave and those who pray the scum of the earth. It is a world turned upside down by the domination of self-righteousness creating its own royalty. “The kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord and his anointed.” Man thinks by having an election they can determine their own rules as the law when what has really happened is that the Law of God becomes a floodlight that reveals their sin and arrogance. Rather than bowing in humility and repentance they actually ‘legalize what is convenient for a sinful lifestyle.’ Then in their self-righteous arrogance their leaders “kings” set up accusations and courtrooms to arrest, persecute and kill those who declare the Goodness and mercy of the Gospel to all who will call upon Him who has paid the price for all arrogance and sin. The Church on its knees is a force that no army on earth can overcome. Those who bow before the Lord make a way for the Lord to arrive with the hosts of heaven to rule over all wickedness and overcome all who hate, kill, steal and destroy. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters. Heaven’s tsunami is born on the waves of prayer and will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. He Church cries out with a fire ignited by the Holy Spirit conducted by the intercession of Jesus at the right hand of the Father, “Lord consider their threats! Enable your servants to declare your word with great boldness! Stretch out your hand to heal and Perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Game On! The heart of the Church in each individual believer is now beating with the hearts of the Holy Spirit and Jesus before the Father’s throne by virtue of Jesus position next to Him. The voice of the Church is also the voice of the Lord. The prayer of the Church is shaped by the words of the Holy Spirit. In Communion believers learn how to ‘kiss the ground of the presence of Jesus’ (This is literally the definition for true worship!) We kiss the presence of Jesus when we pray and what we pray is brought to our lips by the voice of the Holy Spirit. Praying ‘with the Lord’ will always get a response from heaven. So how did God respond? The place where they were praying was shaken Perhaps by the winds of heaven again like the moment when The Holy Spirit first arrived on the day of Pentecost! And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (again). And they all spoke the word of God with boldness! The Church knew that it was Jesus that was being persecuted. They prayed to be the powerful witnesses that only the Holy Spirit could empower them to be. They knew they were helpless on their own. And they prayed that Jesus would stretch forth His hand to heal as He had done at the Temple for the man lame from birth. They also prayed that the Holy Spirit would perform signs and wonders in the name of the holy servant Jesus. (that is, to bring everyone’s focus, believers, non-believers and those who persecuted them onto Jesus and the name of Jesus and no other man.) Acts 4:32-37 the Witness Becomes a Tangible Lifestyle Reality 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 were no needy persons 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 (which means “to add strength”), 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. All the believers were of one heart and one mind. How is this possible? After the resurrected Jesus shows up in your heart he also begins to manifest Himself in your house and on your land. It is the response of worship to give the Lord all you possess so that it can no longer possess you! You no longer want anything to interfere with your relationship with Jesus. It is identical with all other true believers. It becomes so powerful everyone lays down all they possess at the feet of the Lord by physically giving the deeds and treasures to the Apostles. The King and his Kingdom have now become so tangible that they were of one heart and mind even about laying down all their possessions. Like those in Matthew 13 when Jesus said what the Kingdom of heaven is like, they sold everything to own the field where they found the Kingdom. They sold all to buy the pearl of great price. This measure of revelation is revealed in three chapters of Matthew 10-12. The Kingdom of Jesus has a powerful cause and effect. The cause is the persuasiveness of His love. The effect is that it will divide you from relationships, possessions, the Law, guilt and religion. The division is caused by the great gulf that exists between that which is temporal and eternal; that which is natural and super natural; that which is earthly and heavenly and that which is real and everything else. After Jesus described his Kingdom as being divisive when it comes to what is real and eternal versus what is unnecessary and temporal and then judged Capernaum, Bethsaida and Chorazin and said “Come to me and ‘I will give you rest’ and ‘you will find rest for your souls.’ ” Matthew 10-12. Jesus came to give us rest in His grace from the condemnation and weight of sin from the imposition of the Law. He draws to Himself those that know the Law is too heavy to carry. He gives and we find. “We find” (discover by revelation from the Holy Spirit) when we come to Jesus in the same humility and gentleness that He shows us. In Chapter 12 Jesus heals the man at the Temple with the withered hand and confronts or ‘divides away’ the religious leaders and their determination to condemn by withdrawing from them and healing ALL who were sick who followed Him. Jesus separates Himself from those who imply the Law of the Sabbath is more important than the Lord of the Sabbath. He then heals the man possessed by demons that make Him blind and mute. He is accused of being a prince of demons and when asked for a sign He says I will only give you one sign. It is the sign of Jonas speaking of his resurrection. He then says who is my mother and my brothers and my sisters? He says those who know Him well enough to do what His love demonstrates. He does the will of His Father and after Pentecost we follow the revelation given by the Holy Spirit. So when the King of kings comes into your house nothing else matters. His love brings us to our knees and we offer anything that can distract us from His love. Love reduces this life to what it is. Our life is given so that we might give it back to the Lord when our eyes are opened to see His glory and hear His gentle voice. With great power the Apostles continued to share their 1st Hand Witness to the reality of the presence of King Jesus as resurrected Lord who is enthroned in their hearts and who reaches out through them to continue to heal. The Holy Spirit was so powerful and the grace of Jesus so real that everyone shared everything they had with others – to all who had needs. There were no more rich and poor. There was no more ‘haves and have nots’. They were sharing the heart and mind of Christ. They were of one heart and one mind. It was the heart of Jesus beating inside each one of them. They all knew what He looked like and what He sounded like. In Communion with Jesus they found Communion and Community with one another. There was no doubt that this small nation of believers were under the rule of Jesus, the Servant King and all His subjects imitated Him and worshiped Him. One man was selected to detail what was happening with everybody. Joseph Barnabus (whose combined names mean “To add strength as a son of encouragement”. He was so inspired and encouraged by the reality of Jesus that He encountered in Communion and in the powerful witness of the Apostles that he became a son of encouragement! He took all the land He owned, sold it and laid it down at the Apostles’ feet as a demonstration to His King Jesus that the only thing he wanted was to be possessed by eternal life in the company of all who shared this same desire. His hunger and thirst for Jesus was enough to divide him from all that he used to think was important. Barnabas could have tried to describe his feelings the same way the prophet Isaiah described what He saw and declared. He was ‘no longer blind or mute’ – for the Lord opened his eyes and put His fire in his mouth by a coal from His Alter) We could hear Barnabas, Isaiah or any of us trying to describe Jesus: In Matthew 12 when quoting the prophet Isaiah 42:1-4: Jesus is The Servant King 18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. 19 He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, until He has brought justice to full victory. 21 In his name the nations will put their hope.” |
From Bob BonnellCommunionFire commentary on the Book of the Archives
January 2017
Categories |
RSS Feed