24 September 2023 // Acts 5:17-42
For the week following Sept 24
Unity In Meeting Needs!
Kyle Childress
Acts 5:17-42
SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION: Read Acts 5:17-42 & watch Sept 24 sermon.
SERMON REVIEW:
Weakness of the Religious Leaders
Worried about the loss of power/authority. vs. 17
Worried about the future. vs. 24
Worried about the people. vs. 26
Worried about the message. vs. 33, 40
Strength of the Apostles
Imprisoned Publicly, Freed Privately, Found Preaching!
Standing Firm!
The Armor of God! Ephesians 6:13-18
Shield of Faith vs. 29
Helmet of Salvation vs. vs. 31
Belt of Truth vs. 32
Sword of Spirit vs. 32
Shoes of Readiness vs. 42
Ephesians 6:13 That YOU may be able…
QUESTIONS:
DIGGING DEEPER:
Gamaliel (v. 34)
Gamaliel appears not only in Scripture, but various places in rabbinical literature. The time of the events in Acts coincided with the prime of his influence in the Sanhedrin (a.d. 25–50). He so endeared himself to the entire Jewish community that they called him “Rabban” (our teacher) rather than Rabbi (my teacher). The Mishna records, “When Rabban Gamaliel the Elder died, the glory of the Law ceased and purity and abstinence died” (Polhill, 171).[1]
The schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6 vv. 10–20)
Ephesians 6:11 teaches us that if we put on the full armor of God we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. The word schemes in the Greek is methodia, from which we get the English word method. It has the idea of craftiness, cunning, and deception.
The apostle John summarizes the attack points of the devil in his first epistle: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:15–16).
By ourselves, we certainly are no match for his spiritual weapons.[2]
LIFE APPLICATION:
“Go, stand in the temple courts, and tell the people the full message of this new life.” In some Bible translations (including the rsv and nasb) “Life” is capitalized. The apostles were not only to speak about life, but Life— new life—“this new life”—a specific gift of grace from a loving God. Jesus brings us Life.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
St. frenaeus said, “The glory of God is a man fully alive,” and that is true. When we become alive in Christ, God is wonderfully glorified!
In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:4)
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. (1 John 1:1–2)
Regardless of how hostile and oppressive our surroundings, no matter how philistine the workplace, how callous the students, how neurotic the neighbors, we are meant to share Christ by life and word.[3]
DISCUSSION:
[1] Kenneth O. Gangel, Acts, vol. 5, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998), 83–84.
[2] Max Anders, Galatians-Colossians, vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 200.
[3] R. Kent Hughes, Acts: The Church Afire, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1996), 87.
[4] Max Anders, Galatians-Colossians, vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 201.
Unity In Meeting Needs!
Kyle Childress
Acts 5:17-42
SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION: Read Acts 5:17-42 & watch Sept 24 sermon.
SERMON REVIEW:
Weakness of the Religious Leaders
Worried about the loss of power/authority. vs. 17
Worried about the future. vs. 24
Worried about the people. vs. 26
Worried about the message. vs. 33, 40
Strength of the Apostles
Imprisoned Publicly, Freed Privately, Found Preaching!
Standing Firm!
The Armor of God! Ephesians 6:13-18
Shield of Faith vs. 29
Helmet of Salvation vs. vs. 31
Belt of Truth vs. 32
Sword of Spirit vs. 32
Shoes of Readiness vs. 42
Ephesians 6:13 That YOU may be able…
QUESTIONS:
- What did the message teach me about God/Jesus/Holy Spirit?
- What did the message teach me about the human condition?
- Is there anything I need to confess, repent, or be grateful for, because of this passage?
- How do I need help in believing and applying this scripture to my life?
- How can I encourage others with this passage?
DIGGING DEEPER:
Gamaliel (v. 34)
Gamaliel appears not only in Scripture, but various places in rabbinical literature. The time of the events in Acts coincided with the prime of his influence in the Sanhedrin (a.d. 25–50). He so endeared himself to the entire Jewish community that they called him “Rabban” (our teacher) rather than Rabbi (my teacher). The Mishna records, “When Rabban Gamaliel the Elder died, the glory of the Law ceased and purity and abstinence died” (Polhill, 171).[1]
The schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6 vv. 10–20)
Ephesians 6:11 teaches us that if we put on the full armor of God we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. The word schemes in the Greek is methodia, from which we get the English word method. It has the idea of craftiness, cunning, and deception.
The apostle John summarizes the attack points of the devil in his first epistle: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:15–16).
By ourselves, we certainly are no match for his spiritual weapons.[2]
LIFE APPLICATION:
“Go, stand in the temple courts, and tell the people the full message of this new life.” In some Bible translations (including the rsv and nasb) “Life” is capitalized. The apostles were not only to speak about life, but Life— new life—“this new life”—a specific gift of grace from a loving God. Jesus brings us Life.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
St. frenaeus said, “The glory of God is a man fully alive,” and that is true. When we become alive in Christ, God is wonderfully glorified!
In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:4)
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. (1 John 1:1–2)
Regardless of how hostile and oppressive our surroundings, no matter how philistine the workplace, how callous the students, how neurotic the neighbors, we are meant to share Christ by life and word.[3]
DISCUSSION:
- What pieces of armor do you have in place? What pieces are not in place? If not all the pieces are in place, what must you do to get them in place?[4]
- What can we do to remind ourselves that we have the armor or God at our disposal?
[1] Kenneth O. Gangel, Acts, vol. 5, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998), 83–84.
[2] Max Anders, Galatians-Colossians, vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 200.
[3] R. Kent Hughes, Acts: The Church Afire, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1996), 87.
[4] Max Anders, Galatians-Colossians, vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 201.