Peter And John Series

September 16, 2023

One day at about 3 in the afternoon, Peter and John went to the Temple to pray. When they came to the Gate Beautiful a lame man asked them for a donation – he was over 40 years old.

Peter: “Look at me. I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth – get up!”

Peter grabbed the man’s hand and helped him up. Immediately the man’s feet and ankles became strong and he began to leap and walk around. He was so excited that he followed Peter and John into the Temple leaping and jumping and praising God.

Everyone in the Temple was surprised because they all knew this man was lame – how could he be leaping and jumping?

When Peter saw the crowd, he addressed them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. It is by faith in the name of Jesus that this man, whom you all know, has been made strong – completely healed. Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what had been foretold through the prophets – that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…. {Acts 3:12-19}

As Peter was talking to the crowd, priests, Temple guards and Sadducees wandered over. They were concerned that Peter and John were teaching the people about Jesus - Peter and John were arrested

But they were too late because many who heard Peter and John, believed.

The number of male believers grew to about 5,000.

The next day the religious leaders began to question Peter and John – “By what power, or in Whose name have you done this?”

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirt responded: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, all you people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is 'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." {Acts 4:8-12}

All the members of the Sanhedrin knew these men to be uneducated and untrained fishermen, but they spoke with power and conviction and they began to understand that these men had been with Jesus.

Since the man who had been healed was standing right next to Peter and John, the Sanhedrin remained silent and sent them from the room --- “What are we going to do? All Jerusalem knows that they have done an outstanding miracle, so we can’t deny it. However, we cannot allow this to spread any further amongst the people, so, let’s order them to stop talking about Jesus.”

Peter and John were recalled to stand before the Sanhedrin and were ordered to stop talking about Jesus.

Peter and John responded: "You must decide for yourselves whether it is right for us, in God's sight, to obey you rather than Him. As for us? We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." {Acts 4:19-20}

The Sanhedrin threatened them again and sent them home.

The congregation spent time praising God and asking for His guidance. As they did, the house was, once again, filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak the Word of God with boldness and with great power regarding the resurrection of Jesus.

Those who listened were moved to provide for the needy among the congregation. All the money from the sale of land and houses was given to the Apostles for distribution.

People were constantly being added to the congregation and those who were sick or filled with the evil spirits were being healed.

When the High Priest and his fellow Sadducees heard this, they were filled with jealousy. Peter and John were arrested and put in jail.