Acts - Week 15

Week 15 Acts 5 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 5:9-10 

9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.” 10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 

Ananias was already dead for lying to God, now Peter talks to his wife. Peter told her she and her husband had colluded to test the Lord,. Then announced that the same men who buried her husband was at the door to carry her out. At that she fell dead to the floor and was carried out and buried by her husband. This account of Ananias and Sapphira is a sad one, but it reveals how dangerous it is to lie to God. 

REFLECT 

What have you learned from this story? Does it make you more careful with your speech? 

RESPOND 

Read 1 John 1:5-7 that refers to lying about one’s relationship with God. 

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 5:11-12 

11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened. 12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 

One can imagine how greatly the people feared after seeing two people immediately dying from lying to God. If such should occur today, think of the fear people would have. This not only affected the church but everyone else who heard about it. The apostles kept performing miracles, which was a sign of the apostles (see 2 Corinthians 12:12). The believers kept meeting in the temple area where they were permitted to gather. At this time, they were converted Jews. 

REFLECT 

What moving of God has caused you to fear? It might even be serious storms that some think is only natural phenomena; others believe they can be warnings from God. 

RESPOND 

Talk with your disciple about what the reaction of people might be today if God displayed His wrath as He did with Ananias and Sapphira. 

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 5:13-14 

13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. 

Churches today are trying to attract as many people as possible. Here in the first century others were afraid to join the believers because of what they had seen and heard about Ananias and Sapphira. Even so, those who feared to join the group had high respect for it. The result was that many men and women were brought to the Lord. Often only men are referred to such as in the feeing of the 5,000 (see Matthew 14:21). This time women are specifically included. The gospel message has lifted the status of women all over the world.  

RELECT 

Thank the Lord for lifting the status of women. As one reads the gospels, many women followed Jesus. 

RESPOND 

Read Mark 15:40-42 that tells of many women at the crucifixion. Women sometimes have more sensitive hearts toward God than do men. 

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 5:15-16 

15 As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed. 

This records unusual healings, even by the apostles. Peter did not need to touch the sick; he only needed to let his shadow fall on them as he passed by. It was not just a few people; crowds came from villages nearby bringing those who were sick and some who were demon possessed. What great words to read: “and they were all healed.” Think of the rejoicing going on at that time. No person in need was left wanting. 

REFLECT 

Although God has the power to heal anyone, He does not always choose to heal as was done in Peter’s day. Paul had left Trophimus at Miletus sick (see 2 Timothy 4:20). Paul also had a thorn in the flesh that never left him (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10).  

RESPOND 

This was a special time of miracles to confirm the apostles and their message, Hebrews 2:3-4 indicates these were in the past from the time of the writer who likely lived shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70. Note the past tenses in these verses. 

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 5:17-20 

17 The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!” 

After Peter and John were arrested by the jealous Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection, another miracle occurred. An angel appeared to them and got them out of jail. There is no indication the apostles were surprised by this. Peter and John were instructed by the angels to “go the Temple and give the people this message of life.” Miracles were happening everywhere, it seemed. The God of the resurrection had no problem getting the apostles released from jail without any person’s help. He used supernatural help by sending an angel. 

REFLECT 

Imagine what it was like seeing the miracles in that day. It must have seemed like a surprise around every corner. 

RESPOND 

Talk with your disciple about not needing miracles today as the early church did. They did not have the Bible as is available now. The miracles showed the authority of the apostles; the Bible is the authority today.