The Church as founded on the Day of Pentecost was a “giving” organism! Generous to the core! I mean to this extent: “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.” Acts 2:44-45

No poor folks there, not among the real believers!

And among these marvelous “givers” was a man named Barnabas, as Luke tells us in Acts 4:34-37. “Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joses (Joseph), who by the apostles was surnamed BARNABAS, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

Wow!

No doubt practicing Jesus’ Maxim: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35, which are some authentic “words of Jesus” that are not recorded anywhere in the Gospels! But the Holy Spirit reported them to the Apostle Paul, under divine inspiration!

Looks like those “givers” were held in high regard within the Church Body. And rightly so. People who had learned the vital spiritual truth: “Give, and it shall be given unto you.” No doubt God replenishing one’s “store” … so that he or she can give again! Quoting Luke 6:38 here.

So, a couple in the Church (really born again folks, I believe) had some land (a possession), as did Barnabas. And they … “And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” Acts 5:2, nothing wrong so far. No doubt they are at least tithing, probably more.

But in giving that gift (apparently publicly, before the whole Assembly) they implied that they were sacrificing it ALL unto the Lord, to His work!

I say that based on the precedent of earlier gifts to the nascent Church, and upon this Scripture (Peter addressing Sapphira, the woman in the duo, Wife of Ananias) … “Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?” Now clearly, they have indeed lied about the amount of money involved!

For this sin, both Ananias and his Wife were slain (killed) by the Lord! “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost (died). Citing Acts 5:3-5 here.

Obviously, an example of the “sin unto death” of 1 John 5:16.

Here too … just later that grave, somber day: “Then Peter said unto her (Sapphira), How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.” Acts 5:9-10

Why?

Hypocrisy!

Putting up a “false front!”

“Play acting” at God’s House!

Astounding, in the least!

Now … note with me a couple of things about today’s Scripture.

First of all … in one place (Acts 5:3) Peter boldly accused Ananias of “lying to the HOLY GHOST.”

Then, just one verse later, Peter told the man that he had lied to GOD! Yes, Acts 5:4 … “Thou hast not lied unto men, BUT UNTO GOD.”

The point being, important … we’ve come upon clear Scripture teaching … the Holy Spirit is God! He is divine, is a Member of the Godhead! (God and Holy Spirit are here equated in a two verse span!)

Then too, to those who may thing this judgement was too harsh! Instantly dropping dead at Church during the offering! We might remember this was the pure, young infant Church! So far untainted by insincerity! And Oh, how God wants His Church to be pure! “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.” Song of Solomon 4:7

By the way, the name “Ananias” (surprisingly) means “gracious!” And yet God “killed” him? Yes, in a unique way “death” for the Christian is a stroke of grace! “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15) And IF Ananias and Sapphire were saved, a very strong likelihood, it was for them a case of “absent from the body, present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8

I am now reminded of one more applicable verse for today’s Lesson … “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17

Hebrews 12:6 too … “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Living pure lives for our Lord … serious business!

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As I mentioned earlier in this Acts study, Simon Peter is the leading (human) character in the first half of the Book. Particularly in Acts chapters 1-12 … Peter is the protagonist. (I used the word “human” because the Real Mover in the Book of Acts is God the Holy Spirit, Who is not human, but very, very God!)

In fact, Acts chapters 2 through 5 each carries a major Address/ Sermon by Peter! Four of them! Where Peter boldly witnesses for our Lord Jesus Christ!

This is the Peter who only a few weeks earlier was cowardly denying the Lord! “Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But (1) he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And (2) again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, (3) I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me THRICE. And he went out, and wept bitterly.” Count them, three times according to Matthew 26:69-75 here.

But all such hesitancy and ashamedness are now gone! He is gloriously filled with the Holy Spirit! (And Proverbs 28:1 says … “The righteous are BOLD as a lion.”)

Starkly, Peter even accuses the (apostate) Jewish leadership of doing exactly what he earlier did, “denying” the Lord! Acts 3:14-15 … “But ye DENIED the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you. And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.”

Wow!

But what I really want to emphasize in today’s Lesson is this: in all this Petrine preaching, the Resurrection of Jesus is supreme, the dominating, incontestable fact. This greatest of all Miracles is mentioned 12 times in the first five chapters of Acts! (And most often so in all the remaining Preaching throughout the whole Book!)

Initially, Acts 1:3 … “To whom (he Disciples) also he SHOWED HIMSELF ALIVE after his passion (death) by many infallible PROOFS, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”

Then Acts 1:22 … “Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his RESURRECTION.”

Acts 2:24 too … “Jesus of Nazareth Whom God HATH RAISED UP, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”

Then Acts 2:30 … “Therefore David, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he WOULD RAISE UP Christ to sit on his throne.”

The very next verse too … “He seeing this before spake of the RESURRECTION of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.” Acts 2:31

Also Acts 2:32, in succession … “This Jesus hath God RAISED UP, whereof we all are witnesses.”

And , if you’re deeply interested … Acts 3:15 and 3:26 and then Acts 4:2 and 4:10 and 4:33 then Acts 5:30.

Wow!

Yes, Acts certainly emphasizes preaching.

But there’s a caveat … a word from Latin, meaning “beware” … not just tepid, powerless preaching … but preaching with its major emphasis on THE RESERRECTION OF JESUS!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Acts 4:20 gives the Apostles’ genuine (innermost) conviction … “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Things about Jesus, of course!

In Scripture there are a number of inviolable (Latin meaning “not to be violated“) principles given in the Word of God. For example, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7

This one as well, from Jesus’ Lips. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matthew 12:34

These are not merely platitudes. Rather, fundamental Bible Truths!

I’d like to discuss the Acts 4 Verse cited above, as today’s Lesson Theme.

Some of the once-fearful Disciples are being threatened. The Jerusalem authorities sternly decided: “Let us straitly THREATEN them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this Name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” Acts 4:17-18 … or else!

Whereupon this bold but essential conviction was announced: “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

If experience and belief reach a certain level (or a certain depth) … it becomes impossible to keep quiet!

It’s what Mary Magdalene saw and heard that made her the first witness to the Resurrection of Jesus! “Mary Magdalene came and TOLD the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.” John 20:18

She couldn’t help it! She had seen and heard!

And Paul could not be reticent about that Damascus Road Event, either! He “told” his salvation experience three times in the Book of Acts alone, chapters 9 and 22 and 26! He too had seen and heard some things!

A verse from the Psalms here comes to mind. “I believed, therefore have I spoken.” Psalm 116:10

And the Apostle Paul (illustrating with him again) wrote to the Corinthians: “According as it is written, ‘I believed, and therefore have I spoken;’ we also believe, and therefore speak.” 1 Corinthians 4:13

The point of all this?

Do I believe that sincerely?

Do you?

Believe so sincerely that we cannot help but testify as to the Reality of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Have we “seen” enough, though a lot of that through the eye of faith? I’ll grant that, via “faith.” But still we have “seen!” (Like Moses of old: “As seeing Him who is invisible.” Hebrews 11:27)

Have we heard enough? We do have 31,102 verses of Scripture, I remind you! Heard enough to irrepressibly tell it? The life-changing Message we have heard!

If we have … we too will be “witnesses” for Jesus’ Sake!

Just as Jesus (even at age 12) felt He “must be” about His Father’s Business … even so should we be that intense in sharing the Gospel. the Counsel of Almighty God!

Yes, as Christians … “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

God, let it be so.

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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As every Bible student knows, the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament, time after time. Prophecy becoming reality.

Today’s Text illustrates the fact that even the Book of Acts participates in this miraculous phenomena.

Peter has just (via the power of the Holy Spirit) healed a lame man! The Apostle’s very words: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he (Peter) took him (the lame man) by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he LEAPING UP stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and LEAPING, and praising God.” Acts 3:6-8

Why this unusual emphasis, “leaping?”

One would have expected the man to have gingerly, softly tested his feet! A step at a time! But no … leaping!

Here’s why.

It’s something Isaiah wrote long ago. At least seven hundred (700) years prior to this healing! The Prophet is talking about the future time when Jesus would come, the Messiah … “Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. THEN SHALL THE LAME MAN LEAP as an HART (deer), and the tongue of the dumb sing.” Isaiah 35:4-6

Fulfillment of God’s Word!

Jesus (God the Son) has come!

Miracles have been enacted!

God’s Word authenticated, confirmed … yet again!

By the way, this is an Example of the Holy Spirit quoting the Holy Spirit! He is the True Author of both Acts and Isaiah!

Watch for these allusions, hints and direct quotations from the Old Testament as you study the New Testament Scriptures. They will further illuminate what you learn.

Lame man walking, well really … leaping too!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Actually the Isaiah 35 Passage I have mentioned is not just about the First Coming of Jesus, not particularly so. It is even more about the Second Coming of Jesus, the Millennium! That Golden Age the world yet will enjoy … after (as Peter says) “the restitution of all things!” (A phrase he used in Acts 3:21.)

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“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who seeing PETER and JOHN about to go into the temple asked an alms. And PETER, fastening his eyes upon him with John, SAID, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then PETER SAID, Silver and gold have I (not we) none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: and they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.” Acts 3:1-11

In the foregoing Account, I’d like you to notice something I find quite amazing. Two Disciples, Peter and John have gone to the Temple to pray. They encounter a lame man. (We learn from the next chapter that he is 40 years old, Acts 4:22.)

A dialogue ensures. Beginning with the blind man begging for money. Then PETER answers. (Remember, John is right by his side! John, “the Disciple whom Jesus loved.” Also the author of one New Testament Gospel, three Epistles and the glorious Book of Revelation!)

And John does not say a single word! Not that is recorded in our Holy Spirit Paragraph! Peter does all the talking!

What might this I imply?

The verbosity of Peter? (Talking incessantly at times.)

The reticence of John? (An introverted personality.)

A proper strategy for soul winning? (Go out in pairs, like Jesus taught … but one person take the lead. The other handling any potential interruptions.)

John’s immaturity at that point? (Only a few days earlier he had asked Jesus to be first in the Kingdom of God! He and his brother!)

John’s concern with “theology” and “prophecy” more than people? (Thank God he had the insight to warn us in his Epistles of approaching false doctrine and foretell us in his Apocalypse of future events.)

But at least this Acts chapter 3 “talk/be quiet” Scenario shows us how God makes every one of His servants different!

Dear reader here this morning, do not try to “copy” another servant of the Lord. Be the person God made you, and build upon those traits!

After all, Psalm 139 teaches us that every human being is an original masterpiece from the Hands of an Almighty God, a loving God as well.

By the way, John (wordless in today’s Text) … grew into one of the Bible’s greatest spokesmen for the Cause of Christ!

Build upon what God made y7ou to be!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

By the way, in this Incident/Miracle no matter who talked and who remained quiet … God got the Glory!

Amen!

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