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Acts 4:23-37 & 5:1-11Acts 4:23-37 & 5:1-11

  On their release, Peter and John On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.and elders had said to them.

The chief priests and elders told us not to teach or speak at all in the name of Jesus.

Chief priests & elders

When they heard this, they When they heard this, they raised their voices together raised their voices together in prayer to God.in prayer to God.

““Sovereign Lord, Sovereign Lord, you made the you made the

heaven and the heaven and the earth and the sea, earth and the sea, and everything in and everything in

them.them.

  You spoke by the You spoke by the Holy Spirit through Holy Spirit through the mouth of your the mouth of your servant, our father servant, our father David: David:

Why do the nations rage Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the take their stand and the rulers gather together rulers gather together against the Lord and against against the Lord and against his Anointed One. his Anointed One.

We’ve teamed up

against you.

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.decided beforehand should happen.

Now, Lord, consider Now, Lord, consider their threats and their threats and enable your servants enable your servants to speak your word to speak your word with great boldness. with great boldness. Stretch out your hand Stretch out your hand to heal and perform to heal and perform miraculous signs and miraculous signs and wonders through the wonders through the name of your holy name of your holy servant Jesus.servant Jesus.

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

All the believers were one All the believers were one in heart and mind.in heart and mind.

We totally agree!

No one claimed that No one claimed that any of his possessions any of his possessions was his own, but they was his own, but they shared everything they shared everything they had.had.

With great With great power the power the apostles apostles continued to continued to testify to the testify to the resurrection resurrection of the Lord of the Lord Jesus, and Jesus, and much grace much grace was upon was upon them all.them all.

There were There were no needy no needy persons persons among them.among them.

Stewardship – wisely using

what God has given us

For from time to For from time to time those who time those who owned lands or owned lands or houses sold houses sold them, brought them, brought the money from the money from the sales and the sales and put it at the put it at the apostles’ feet, apostles’ feet, and it was and it was distributed to distributed to anyone as he anyone as he had need. had need.

Joseph, Joseph, a Levitea Levite

This is were I’m from.

The apostles call me Barnabas. Barnabas means

Son of Encouragement.

Joseph (aka Joseph (aka Barnabas) sold a Barnabas) sold a field he owned field he owned and brought the and brought the money and put it money and put it at the apostles’ at the apostles’ feet. feet.

Now a man named Now a man named Ananias, together with his Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.piece of property.

With his wife’s With his wife’s full knowledge full knowledge he kept back he kept back part of the part of the money for money for himself, himself,

but brought the but brought the rest and put it rest and put it at the apostles’ at the apostles’ feet.feet.

Then Peter said, Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled that Satan has so filled your heart that you your heart that you have lied to the Holy have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept Spirit and have kept for yourself some of for yourself some of the money you the money you received for the land? received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? before it was sold? And after it was sold, And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at wasn’t the money at your disposal? What your disposal? What made you think of made you think of doing such a thing? doing such a thing? You have not lied to You have not lied to men but to God.” men but to God.”

When Ananias heard this, he When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard fear seized all who heard what had happened.what had happened.

Then the Then the young men young men came came forward, forward, wrapped up wrapped up his body, his body, and carried and carried him out and him out and buried him.buried him.

About three About three hours later his hours later his wife came in, wife came in, not knowing not knowing what had what had happened.happened.

Tell me, is this Tell me, is this the price you the price you and Ananias and Ananias got for the got for the

land?land?

Yes, that is Yes, that is the price.the price. PeterSapphira

How could you agree to test How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! the Spirit of the Lord? Look!

The feet of the men who The feet of the men who buried your husband are at buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry the door, and they will carry

you out also.you out also.

Peter

At that moment she fell down At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her out and buried her beside her husband.husband.

Great fear seized the Great fear seized the whole church and all who whole church and all who heard about these events.heard about these events.