Acts 4:10
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. (King James Version)
I have learned that Luke is the author of the book of “The Acts”, and it is widely considered to be a sequel to the Book of Luke (Acts 1:1-4). The Book of Luke depicts the life of Jesus. The Book of Acts records Jesus’ ascension, the infilling of the Holy Ghost, the Actions of the apostles, and the expansion of The Faith. As Jesus exalted and revealed the Father in the Book of Luke, the Spirit exalts and reveals Jesus in the Book of Acts (Scofield, 1909).
The Book of Acts consists of twenty-eight chapters. I have read it in its entirety, but this time after I read the first seven chapters I felt like it was a good place to stop and reflect. It just felt like the ending of the first chain of events to me.
I learned that a sabbath day’s journey is approximately a half of a mile. While they were in the upper room, continuing in prayer, Matthias was numbered with the eleven, replacing Judas. I find it interesting that at the time of Judas’s death All of his bowels gushed out (Acts 1:18). Now there is something to think about!
Though the world will try to say the baptism of the Holy Ghost is not for today (Acts 2), they will be sadly mistaken. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that. With all humility I can tell you that I pray with the Spirit and the understanding also (1 Cor. 14:14-15). It is the gift of God, yet the Bible makes it clear that if we don’t know the Language of Love, we are just making noise (1 Cor. 13:1).
I will forever remember that the first apostolic miracle was the lame man who was laid at the gate of the temple, and that from that time forward they were commanded not to speak At All or to Teach in the Name of Jesus. I can still hear the voice of my preacher quoting their prayer, “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus” (Acts 4:29-30).
God honored that prayer insomuch that they were laying people in the streets hoping that Peters shadow would pass over them. There were multitudes of people sick and vexed with evil spirits: and they were healed Every One Of Them (Acts 5:15). The apostles faced imprisonment and were beaten, for which they rejoiced being found worthy to suffer for His Name. They ceased Not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. (Acts 5:41:42)
As for the Sadducees being grieved at the preaching of the resurrection from the dead. That same preacher told me once, “That’s why their sad you see”?
The stoning of Stephen (who was full of faith and power) was the third persecution, and Stephen was the first martyr. They were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke (Acts 6:10). He expounded the Faith from the time of Abraham. He called them stiff-necked, uncircumcised in the heart and ears, and resisters of the Holy Ghost, just like their fathers (Acts 7:51). Here again, they were cut to the heart. (Acts 5:33, 7:34)
I love what Stephen said in Acts 7:39 speaking of the years in the wilderness, within their hearts they had turned back to Egypt. Wow!
For some reason it was in my mind that Stephen saw the heavens open as he was being stoned, but he beheld the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand before the stoning had begun (Acts7:54-56). When Stephen spoke of this they cast him out of the city and stoned him (Acts :58). They stoned him as he prayed. I wonder if this is why God gave him the vision of the heavens being opened. This reminds me of Psalms 23:5, “Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of mine enemies”.
“And they laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet whose name was Saul” (Acts 7:58), whom God had predestined to become the Apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). Which in my mind begins the next chain of events.
Conclusion:
This world is still fighting against the Name of Jesus, but to no avail. ” Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name: That at the at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, of things in earth: And that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11). There is still only one Gospel. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel when preached in the power of the Spirit convicts or enrages. (Scofield, 1909) (Acts 2:37)
References:
Scofield Reference Bible, King James Version (1945). Oxford University Press
myheartburnswithinme.com 