• Jesus gave marching orders and then ascended to heaven.
• Peter took the lead and replaced Judas.
• Then Pentecost came - tongues of fire (Giver of the law).
• Peter preaches a message of repentance and 3,000 people get saved.
• He then healed a lame beggar - now people flocked to Peter.
• The religious leaders sought to shut him down - he became a threat to the system.
• Why? Because they weren’t just voicing their faith but living it - they healed a man.
• Peter & John JAILED!
• vs 23-28 - they expected persecution.
• They recalled God’s Word and Christ’s words.
• Look at how many times Peter referred to God’s Word in Acts 1-4.
• vs 29 - they didn’t pray for protection but power.
• vs 30 - they were more concerned about Christ’s name than their own.
• God’s Response - vs 31-35:
• 1) Shaking (vs 31A) - Their environment was shaken, but they weren’t.
• 2) Boldness (vs 31B) - God granted them the boldness they requested.
• 3) Unity (vs 32A) - Functional Unity - these people were engaged in the battle b/t light and darkness.
• 4) Generosity (vs 32B) - because Christ was supreme they saw themselves and their stuff as His.
• 5) Grace (vs 33A) - God gave them the grace to handle this new power.
• The ultimate result was ONENESS, just as Jesus prayed in John 17:20-23.
Acts 4:23-28 & 29-35 (6/23/16)
Persecution & Boldness
June 23, 2016 • Benham Brothers
Acts 1:4-5 (6/20/19)
June 20, 2019 • Benham Brothers
* Luke wrote acts as a continuation of his gospel. * Acts bridges the gap the gospels and Romans. * It shows how the church sprang up and how the gospel began to spread. * Wiersbe - “The Book of Acts is also the account of the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the church. The Gospel of Luke records what Jesus “began both to do and teach” in His human body, and the Book of Acts tells us what Jesus continued to do and teach through His spiritual body, the church.” * Jesus had already given them the charge to go into all the world to make disciples, yet He tells them to wait to do it. * First, they needed to be clothed in power. * They had to stay in Jerusalem in order to get it. * At this point Jerusalem was the most dangerous place on earth for a Christ follower. * They could’ve been killed like Jesus was. * They also could’ve easily said, “Let’s hurry and go fulfill our calling.” * But they waited and showed us a great principle - Power is often a result of pace! * So they had to do two things - wait (move at God’s pace) and resist (the fear of being killed). * Power is the ability to do something. Authority is the right to do it. * Christ had given them authority, now they had to wait on the power. * While they waited, they resisted the enemy (fear).
Acts 1:6-8 (6/5/14)
June 5, 2014 • Benham Brothers
Jesus had now risen from the dead and was giving His last instructions before He ascended to Heaven. The disciples asked if now was the time He would restore the Kingdom back to Israel. They were under Roman bondage and they thought He was going to restore the kingdom. Jesus was going to do that, but He wasn't going to do it from the outside-in, He was going to do it from the inside-out. Observe: 1) Jesus didn't deny the physical restoration of Israel, but He knew that if spiritual restoration took place first then physical restoration would be the natural outpouring of that. He was going to restore the kingdom from the inside-out. Jesus is more interested in changing a person than a persons' behavior because He knows behavior will follow naturally when a person is changed on the inside. 2) Before Jesus made the nation of Israel "right" He needed to make people "right," so He was going to actually come and live "inside" of people to do this. Jesus changed their identities - He "made" them brand new. 3) He gave them their mission - to simply be His witnesses! That's it - just tell the world what He's done and how He lives inside of people. Testimonies are so powerful because they cannot be debated - you can't debate someone's experience. Internal transformation must precede External Transformation. https://dl-http://web.dropbox.com/get/podcasts%20-%202014
Acts 1:15-22 (6/16/16)
June 16, 2016 • Benham Brothers
• Can you imagine the conversation amongst the disciples about Judas after Jesus died? • But then Jesus shows up and confirms their deepest hopes of His resurrection. • They weren’t focused on Judas anymore, but Jesus. • Then Christ gives them new marching orders and ascends to Heaven. • These disciples were no longer a band of buddies with no purpose, but now a band of brothers united to honor their king. • But what about Judas’s spot? • Notice how Peter handled the situation - he pointed to Scripture. • He was able to see God at work even in the situation with Judas’ betrayal. • Notice: • 1) There was an obvious situation that need to be dealt with. • 2) Peter went to the Scripture and found a passage. • 3) Peter applied the truth of God’s Word to the situation. • 4) He then made the proper application. • In doing this he kept his emotions from taking the lead. • This is how to properly handle any situation you find yourself in.