If you read this? You should have questions… oya! 🙂
- Jesus didn’t heal every sick in town, that wasn’t His primary work. His work was to teach, signs just served as opportunities to confirm his authenticity and platforms to start from. The Apostles were still able to meet the man around Solomon’s Portico near the gate called beautiful. They used signs the same way, as a platform to start the gospel message from. Acts 3-4.
- The Aposltes considered it a privilege to be punished or trashed for Christ’s sake. Why should people insulting you be anything more than a minor need to celebrate? You should long for greater assault. Acts 5:41
- Peter understood and used Psalm 2:1-2 differently from the way we do. Peter understood that Jesus was the Lord, and His disciples were His Christ. It wasn’t God and Jesus Christ, it was Jesus Christ and Us. Peter understood that we are In Christ, not merely Christians. If only we know what it means to be in Christ! If Only we knew that exactly as God sent Jesus, he also sent us! If only we know that as real disciples, people who accept us, have accepted Jesus who sent us, and God who sent him. If only we know what we have in Christ. Acts 4:25-29.
- The Apostles seemed to understand that the filling of the Holy Spirit can happen many times after the first baptism. They realized that the Holy Spirit was their source of power and they needed to plug in quite regularly. Just as electrical power can be used to iron, power a TV, a Computer, a Phone, cook food, generate cooling and a wide variety of applications, spiritual power can be used to do whatever God wants to do! In the Acts 4 narrative, when they apostles were filled afresh – they spoke the word of God with Boldness! Have you been filled lately?
- The early disciples had all things in common, one heart and one mind, nobody claimed any ownership. These were true believers, once you have given up your life and followed Jesus, He owns you. On the converse however everyone had access to bread! I personally think, things got going good, and those whom Jesus turned away for bread would have seen another opportunity to return. While it is good to take care of each other, whatever would hinder the work of discipleship is not sustainable even if good. The disciples were beginning to get a crowd and multitude. All of these people were all soon going to be scattered. Whenever gatherings form to operate a template different from God’s the application called the tower of Babel usuaully runs to scatter them. Acts 4:32-37 – 5.
- Anannais and Sapphira one of the most known couples in the Bible. They died for lying to the Holy Spirit. They were struck dead, not by the Old testament God, no, this was God in the new testament. What did they do that believers (even Bishops) are not doing today? They did not declare all, they wanted to keep a little of what was theirs for themselves. Why is God not stricking people down today? Has He changed and become mild? No God has not changed. Then it was abnormal, now it’s normal. What we are experiencing is God’s patience before the flood of His anger is unleased! The Generation of Noah had years and years of warning. While Metuselah’s name was a prophecy for 969 yrs, Noah built the ark and warned the city for 120 years.
- Gamaliel’s counsel helped the apostles to be merely thoroughly flogged and released. It was counsel for the ungodly priests to not be so brutal on the disciples. I think it’s wrong for believers to quote Gamaliel’s counsel as the reason why they left their work undone! I can see Gamaliel telling many believers –“was I talking to you?”.
- Now this is a higly debatable conjecture – I have read different divides on some this – “Was Peter right in inspiring the other Apostles to choose Mathias before the Holy Spirit came?” Was this really necessary? Would it have been Paul? There are many interesting views, but if the Bible didn’t state clearly where we should swing, no need to! We know God works through different means to get His will done! In the same way, I also ask, did the disciples really need to keep a structure where people will get so many that food will become a basis for hard feelings and discrimination? They solved this puzzle by appointing deacons – and in the next chapter, the person they condemned to tables preached the best sermon in my estimation in the Bible! This looks like the Holy Spirit showing that the work I want done is discipleship of nations, not Church administration. They may really both be important, but you are not immortal for serving tables or doing ushering. What God recognizes is those who do His Will!
- Let me not touch Stephen’s message! It touches many bases, and nails down some amazing paradigms. If many Pastors understood what Stephen said, they’ll join in stoning Him. I once heard a Bishop quoted as saying that the Apostles were the ones who wanted to die, that they could have called down the power of God to defend themselves, that he is not that foolish. Time will tell who is foolish! I am Jesus Martyr, this is a title I want to bear, it’s a title we all ought to bear.
- When someone is dying, work is beginning in someone elses life. Stephen goes, Paul is on the scene! Nobody born of God dies in vain, watch the surround, somewhere in that burial a new work begins.
- By Acts 8, persecution arose and scattered the church! Looks like Tower of Babel. They were congregating instead of going out to fill the earth. The instruction to be fruitful and multiply given in Genesis, was given at Matt 28:18-20 – Disciple nations! Start from Judea, but move out! The disciples were getting cozy in their big congregation! Not for long! To my generation, I say… not for long!
- Simon the Wizard couldn’t infiltrate the early disciples, it’s infiltrated the current Church! Men who believed, but whose drive to ministry is the love of the miraculous and power! They will give anything to become – they should have no portion in this matter.
- Another table server – Philip is seen peaching the Gospel to Africa! Thank God brother Philip that you were not happy with the Job of Head of Protocols!
