Acts 11:19-30

1. The Gospel Spreads (vv.19-21)
The incident with Cornelius is a major one within the book of Acts as Cornelius is presented as a prime example of the gospel being received by Gentiles. But in many ways the incident is at least as significant for what it meant for Peter as he grappled with the issue of Gentiles and their acceptance by the Lord. In that context, the incident will be used to help resolve a huge problem for the early church in chapter 15.

In terms of reaching out to Gentiles, this current passage is at least as significant as the Cornelius incident. It may well have begun before Peter's encounter with Cornelius (see v.19) and, in terms of numbers and the future significance of the church at Antioch, it is extremely important.

Which makes it very interesting that this expansion to the Gentiles is not an organised mission but takes place naturally as the church scatters following the death of Stephen. In Acts, missionaries are sent out by churches and work to a clear plan but that needs to be set alongside what we see here of these early believers sharing the gospel as they went.

The calling and responsibility to reach out to others is not the preserve of pastors, evangelists and missionaries; it is a whole church calling and we each have a responsibility to take it to heart. These early believers shared the gospel naturally, as they travelled, as they set up home, as they worked. And this was the norm, not the exception.

All of which is a great challenge to us. Yes, we need to plan as a church how to reach others; yes, we need to support others in mission both at home and abroad. But our work doesn't stop there. The whole way we live should invite questions about our faith and it should be our aim and delight to share the gospel with others in ways that are natural.

Notice, too, that their witness was natural in what they shared with others. These believers mixed with non-Jews, many of whom had perhaps no knowledge of the Jewish faith. Their approach was not to convince them that Jesus was the Messiah, as had been the case with Jews. Rather, they told them "the good news about the Lord Jesus" (v.20). They started where their hearers were, which is always a good thing to do.

But Luke makes it plain that their witness was a success because of one decisive factor: "the Lord's hand was with them" (v.21). That is the reason why "a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord" (v.21). We are responsible for sharing the gospel in the most appropriate way but people will only be saved and churches established as the Lord is pleased to work in their hearts. It's the same today.

2. The Church Supports (vv.22-24)
As the gospel spreads among the Gentiles, one of the big questions is, How will the church in Jerusalem react? When Philip preached in Samaria, they sent Peter and John to authenticate the work. Given that these are Gentiles, will they be react with suspicion and try to suppress what is going on?

What they do is send Barnabas to them. Maybe he went, in part, to authenticate the work but notice this time they only send one man not two; he isn't an apostle, he is a native of Cyprus, as were many of these believers, and he was a man of exceptional spirit, warm and encouraging.

This doesn't smack of control but of contribution, not suspicion but of support to this young church. The church at Jerusalem was the original one and the apostles were the authentic witnesses to the Lord Jesus. But that doesn't mean they must control everything that happens. It is the Lord Jesus who directs the mission; they are his co-workers.

Perhaps the greatest thing the church at Jerusalem ever did for their brothers and sisters at Antioch was send Barnabus to them. He is an outstanding example of a what a Christian is and of what a church-worker should be. He isn't jealous of their work nor does he want to take it over; he rejoiced in the work and encouraged them to keep going and remain true to the Lord. His concern was not to make them Jews through circumcision but to strengthen their Christian life and witness.

Luke's description of him is very telling: "He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith" (v.24). It is for that reason that he was active in both exhortation and evangelism and made a success of both. Only the Lord can save and strengthen his people but his delight is to use people like Barnabus in that work. We have much to learn from a man like him.

3. Laying Foundations (vv.25,26)
One of the attractive features of Barnabus is his recognition that he doesn't have all the gifts necessary to help this church; he needs help in the task, so he goes on a long 200-mile round trip to bring Saul to help him in the work.

We're going to look at the work they did together but we must notice the significance of what Barnabus did in fetching Saul. He recognised the Lord's call to Saul and the gifts he'd been given. What an encouragement to Saul that must have been!

And this action was also going to be, in God's providence, of immense strategic significance for the whole progress of the gospel. It is from Antioch that Barnabus and Saul will be sent out by the church into further mission. Who knows how God may use us and our seemingly small actions?

So what work did they do at Antioch? "For a whole year [they] met with the church and taught great numbers of people" (v.26). People had been saved and a church established in this vast city (the third city of its times). But they needed to be taught.

As Gentiles with no OT background, they needed to learn of how the Lord's plan to bring salvation into the world had been enacted through the Jewish nation and the coming of Jesus as the promised Messiah. This was a task that Saul was well suited for and perhaps explains why Barnabus chose him.

Mission is not just about gaining converts. In the Great Commission, the Lord Jesus spoke of making disciples and teaching them to obey God's commands (Mt. 28:19,20). That task remains today and in some places the need is acute.

4. Fellowship From Afar (vv.27-30)
But being taught truth is one thing; all truth needs to be lived out. And at Antioch it was. Notice 2 things here:

i) Known as Christians - Antioch was famous for nicknames and the early church wasn't spared the wit. Believers were called Christians, probably a derogatory name but one that helpfully distinguished believers from the city's Jews. What it clearly shows is that these early believers were known as people who followed the Messiah. They had taken on board what they had been taught and lived it out.

ii) Genuine Fellowship - A famine was predicted and it is certain that the believers in Jerusalem would suffer greatly. So the church at Antioch rises to the occasion to try to help their brothers and sisters, and they do so without coercion or a sense of competition but "each according to their ability" (v.29).

In Rom. 15:25ff, Paul shows how Gentiles who have benefited from the spiritual blessings of the Jews should share their material blessings with them. Here is a church doing exactly that.

What a testimony they are to the grace of God! And in that they both challenge and encourage us to live real Christian lives, to the glory of God. Will we rise to the occasion too?

Acts 10:1 - 11:18

Alongside the conversion of Saul, the story of Cornelius is one of the most significant in Acts for the progress of the gospel and the life of the church. We're going to look at this story through its two main character, Cornelius and Peter.

1. Cornelius
The description Luke gives of Cornelius is very striking. A Roman centurion yet a man who was well-disposed towards the Jewish faith. He and all his family were devout and feared God. Cornelius gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. His life was not lived carelessly or callously. Cornelius cared for others and called in all sincerity to the one true God.

The picture Luke paints raises a significant question. What was his status before God? Was he already saved but needing to know of Jesus (i.e. much like an OT believer)? Although the portrait of him is one of genuine piety, the account Luke gives makes it abundantly clear that he needed to be saved:

10:43,44 - As Peter explains about faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit is given to his hearers, strongly suggesting that it is at this point they came to believe in Jesus;

11:14 - "He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved".

11:18 The church summarises their understanding of the event like this: "God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life".

So he was sincere in his seeking but not yet saved. From what we have seen, a number of important points need to be made:

i) We must not despise sincere seekers of God. Sometimes it's said that the first prayer God hears from a person is their prayer to be saved. Clearly that was not so with Cornelius.

Or it may be said that a non-Christian cannot please God; again, the example of Cornelius challenges such a blanket statement. We're told that his prayers and gifts had "come up as a memorial offering before God" (10:4). That term is drawn from the OT and signifies God is pleased with the offering.

David Smith, an experienced missionary and lecturer, once wrote of this story that "It is an astonishing picture and one that demands careful and honest reflection. Here is an unconverted outsider who is devout, prayerful, generous and hungry for truth." He then quotes John Calvin who said "as we boast loudmouthed of Christ, how far removed most of us are from the example of this holy man".

It is a cause for shame when our lives are put in the shade by the example of others; we do need to reflect carefully and honestly on this.

ii) Sincere seekers still need to be saved. But however sincere and earnest Cornelius was in his seeking after God and in his passion to live a good life, as we've seen, he still needed to be saved. Sincere religious devotion, even to the one true God, is not what makes a person right with God. It is faith alone in Christ alone that brings forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

While we must ensure we don't despise or pour scorn upon the genuine desires of sincere seekers, we must also make sure we don't compromise on this point.

iii) A great encouragement. Whilst this is a challenging scenario, it is also tremendously encouraging: God is at work in this man's life! The context of his life was not particularly conducive to his being a sincere and genuine seeker of God; he was from a pagan background and, as a centurion, he moved in a ruthless and violent world.

But he had clearly had contact with the Jewish faith and had been attracted to the one true God. So don't despair for people today! The context is very bleak but God is able to stir people's hearts to seek him. And when he does that, he'll make a way for them to hear his gospel.

2. Peter
But are we willing to take the gospel to people? That was the great challenge to Peter in this situation. The town where he was staying had historical echoes of an earlier servant of the Lord who ran from the call to preach the gospel to Gentiles (Jonah sailed from Joppa). Will Peter do the same?

The early indications are not particularly favourable. He has a vision in which the Lord calls him to kill and eat unclean animals. Peter's response, presumably repeated with each vision, is to say "Surely not Lord". Cornelius had responded straight away to what the Lord had said to him; Peter is quite hesitant.

But that isn't the whole story. His initial hesitation and perhaps confusion does not stop him from obeying the Lord's call. And as he encounters Cornelius, the signs are more promising. He won't accept Cornelius bowing to him; for a Jew who shouldn't even be there, this is very promising! As John Stott has said, "Peter refused both to be treated by Cornelius as if he were a god, and to treat Cornelius as if he were a dog."

And as he talks with Cornelius, it is plain that he has reflected on the vision and its meaning and has concluded that the Lord is telling him that he "should not call any man impure or unclean".

Peter has grasped one of the great theological implications of the coming of Jesus. God's plan was and is to save from every nation, that his election of Israel was for the sake of the world, that there is no intrinsic difference between Jew and Gentile. All are acceptable to God through the Lord Jesus.

The issue isn't settled for him once and for all; he does struggle with it later but the great change in his thinking has been accomplished here. He sees what God is doing and rightly asks "Who was I to think that I could oppose God?"

I want pick up and apply a number of lessons from Peter:

i) The gospel is for all people, regardless of race and culture. It is even for people we may find ourselves despising - fanatical Muslims, asylum seekers, drug addicts, homeless beggars, and so on. Are we so very different to some of the more bigoted Jews of Peter's day? Do we say, "Surely not, Lord!"

ii) Obeying God's call may involve us in being criticised by our brothers and sisters. Peter went back to Jerusalem and was hauled over the coals: "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them".

What is more important to us, doing God's will or keeping in with our brothers and being thought be to orthodox? Peter held out and won over his brothers. May we be given grace to do the same.

iii) Peter's whole world was being turned upside down. At times, the Lord does that to us, wanting to take us on in our thinking and in our appreciation of his amazing grace. But that may mean leaving our comfort zones and thinking in new ways, not in terms of fundamentals but regarding the application of truth.

Our western world is in turmoil, everything is changing and so rapidly. Will we ask God for wisdom and courage to respond to the changes or will we retreat into the safety and comfort of answers and approaches that are comfortable but inadequate? Peter felt the pain but he went with it; as the Lord speaks to us, may we do so too.

Acts 9:32-42

The 2 incidents recorded by Luke in 9:32-42 serve in the context of Acts to introduce us to the widening ministry of Peter. The gospel is beginning to spread but not yet in any concerted way to the Gentiles.

What the healing of Aeneas and raising of Tabitha show is that Peter is an authorised and authentic apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ and prepare the ground for the major incident with Cornelius which follows. But this passage also teaches us about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, about suffering and about God's sovereignty.

1. A Model Disciple
The issue of discipleship is highlighted when Tabitha is identified as a disciple. Aeneas no doubt was a believer too but the fact that Tabitha was a disciple is highlighted for us in particular. There are two things to notice about this:

i) She was a female disciple - Luke uses the feminine form of the word disciple here (its only use in the NT). That is very significant. In both his Gospel and in Acts, Luke shows the prominent role played by women, both in assisting the ministry of Jesus and then in the early church.

This is important because many say the Bible is sexist, both in its language and how it portrays women. But in a society where women were marginalised, it was the Lord Jesus who willingly engaged with them, calling them to follow him, to learn from him and gladly receiving their assistance.

And in the early church, although women were not given leadership roles by the Lord, nevertheless they were valued very highly indeed. And Luke affirms that here in the way he speaks of Tabitha and presents her as a model believer.

ii) She lived out her discipleship - That portrayal of her as something of a model disciple comes out in the description of her life: she "was always doing good and helping the poor".

Discipleship has been described in various ways. One writer expresses it is this way: a disciple of Jesus Christ is "one who believes his doctrines, rests upon his sacrifice, imbibes his Spirit and imitates his example". That's a very helpful summary but Luke is not trying to define discipleship here, he's showing us what it looks like in action. And with Tabitha that meant being full of good works.

She was a lady of means who used her riches for the glory of God and the good of others. Her home was in all probability used by the church in Joppa for its meetings (she had a large upper room) and she was a consistent helper of the local widows, probably both Christian and non-Christian.

And she didn't just help from a distance; her very self was bound up with the help she gave. It is no wonder that, when she died, those she had helped were deeply upset. She was a model believer, held in high regard both in the church and in the local community.

In her example there is much for us to learn. We may not be rich as she was but the Lord blesses in various ways; are we using his gifts for his glory and the good of others? Are we clearly known as disciples of Jesus, not in a formal sense but in reality, because of the lives we live?

Acts has many great heroes of the faith: Peter and Paul, Stephen and Philip, and others. We can admire their gifts and rejoice in the way the Lord used them. But it would be quite wrong to conclude that if we lack those gifts, we have little or no part to play in his work.

Tabitha is a great example of an 'ordinary' believer living an extraordinary life, by God's grace, to God's glory. We too have many opportunities to do the same. In our society, personal, practical help is desperately needed. People are lonely, families are breaking down, many are struggling with life.

The openings are many, the harvest is plentiful - but it has to be said that still the labourers are few. Are we asking the Lord to send out workers into his harvest? We need to ask him to show us where we could make a difference, how our gifts and abilities might be used, both in the church and in the community.

2. Disciples and Death
Tabitha is a great encouragement to us through her life. But she died, so it's end of story. And yet it isn't. Her death and its outcome help us too:

i) The Lord's work does not depend on one person. His work is much bigger than us and our gifts and what we are able to do for him. The church belongs to him, the progress of the gospel is his passion and purpose ever before it becomes ours.

ii) Being a disciple, and a model one at that, does not exempt a person from what Paul calls "the sufferings of this present age" (Rom. 8:18). Tabitha fell ill and died. The Lord's best, most winsome and fruitful servants are not immune to suffering in its various forms.

iii) But, as we see here, the Lord may choose to restore, which raises the very obvious question, Why some but not others?

In this situation, Peter's decision to intervene seems to be based on the deep grief of the people and on the strategic ministry of Tabitha. Paul reasons in the same way in Phil. 1:23ff where he is sure he will be set free for the sake of the Philippian church.

But it doesn't always work that way. In fact, Paul probably wasn't released from jail. The Lord's hands are not tied by our perception of what will be best. He is free to act as he will. Taking the cases of Aeneas and Tabitha together, it is clear that the Lord's hand is not ultimately swayed by Tabitha's deeds. Aeneas is contrasted to Tabitha - he was a believer yet not much is said of him, nothing great to report. Tabitha is so different. And yet both of them are healed by the Lord!

So if it isn't human need or virtue that occasions the Lord's intervention, what is it? Look at what happens in both cases: God is glorified as people believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Both miracles are demonstrations of the larger salvation that is available only in Jesus. When Peter speaks to Aeneas and then Tabitha, he uses both times the word that is used to describe the resurrection of Jesus (vv.34,40). The Lord acts to vindicate his name, to proclaim the salvation won by Jesus.

But he doesn't only glorify himself through such miracles. They are quite rare in scripture, even in the days of Acts. More often, he chooses to glorify his name through our weakness, as Paul discovered and was able to rejoice in (2 Cor. 12:7ff).

God knows all; he is sovereign and will act to glorify the name of his Son. And that is where, ultimately, our own greatest happiness and good lie. May he help us to be true disciples, to his praise and honour, living in and through his all-sufficient grace. Amen.

Acts 9:1-31

1. Saul: Verging on Violence (vv.1,2)
The account of Philip's ministry in ch.8 has left a significant issue in the air. When Stephen was killed, a young Jew by the name of Saul was there giving his approval and then going from house to house, dragging Christians off to prison. So while the believers were being scattered and Philip saw such blessing both in Samaria and with the Eunuch, what has happened with Saul?

The answer is given in the opening verse of this chapter: "Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples". And here we find him intent on causing more trouble by going to Damascus to try to get Christians extradited from there to Jerusalem.

Here is a man very zealous for all things Jewish - the law, the temple, the customs, the land, Jewish exclusiveness - and yet his zeal is without knowledge. He persecutes followers of 'the Way' which is shorthand for 'Way of Salvation'.

Here were people who believed the law had been fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth, who saw him as the true temple, and who were intent of taking the message of salvation in this Jesus to the ends of the earth. No wonder Saul was angry!

How will the Lord deal with this man? As we've seen, God is in complete control of the mission. He could quite easily wipe him out; there are times when persecutors are simply taken away (see Herod in 12:23). But the Lord has other plans for this angry young man. He has the situation in hand, as he always does, and acts here with power and grace. Never despair for the church, nor for societies or individuals - the Lord is in control!

2. Saul: Confronted, Converted, Commissioned (vv.3-19a)
As Saul travels to Damascus, he is confronted by the reality of the risen Lord Jesus Christ in his majesty and power. This is not a psychological vision that Saul has, it is historically real; those who were with him "stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone" (v.7).

Now, Saul doesn't realise who he is seeing and hearing at first and asks who is speaking. The answer he gets is completely devastating: "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting".

From this moment, Saul is blind - blinded by the light physically but his blindness also functions symbolically in this passage. He has been acting in grave ignorance of the truth. Saul is completely devastated by what he has seen and heard. When he gets to the house on Straight Street, he eats and drinks nothing for three days.

Why is he so utterly devastated? The answer lies in what this vision of Jesus has shown him. The fact that Jesus is alive, that he truly was raised from the dead, as the church had been proclaiming, changed everything. It meant, as Saul so soon began to preach, that Jesus was the Son of God, that he was the Messiah.

Jesus really had fulfilled the law; he was the true temple, and the gospel was for all nations. The kingdom of God had been inaugurated, God had acted to save his people and the message was to be taken into all the nations and the Gentiles brought in.

Saul had to go through a complete rethink; he had to repent, change his whole outlook, especially as regards the person and work of Jesus. Once he had regarded him from a fleshly point of view but no longer; he sees him as the fulfilment of God's plans, the 'yes' to all the promises of God.

Saul changes his mind in deep contrition for his sin, especially persecuting the Lord's people and comes to faith in Jesus.

There is much about Saul's conversion that is quite out of the ordinary, particularly the vision of Jesus, and that is tied to the plans the Lord has to use him. But having said that, we still see here what is involved in all true conversion: a change of mind, sorrow for sin and faith in Jesus as the Messiah.

Saul is confronted and converted, and what the Lord did for him he can do for others who seem so far from him; don't stop praying!

Having been converted, Saul is also commissioned to serve the Lord he has so recently persecuted. The Lord uses a man named Ananias to further his work in Saul's life. Now, quite understandably, Ananias is very reluctant to go to Saul! But the Lord says that Saul "is praying", a phrase that is deeply significant and shows Ananias that Saul is now his brother.

Ananias lays his hands on Saul and tells him that the Lord Jesus has sent him so that Saul may receive the Holy Spirit. Here is the great sign that the new age has arrived, that the Messiah has come. And the Messiah is Jesus! As his hands are laid on Saul, his recovers his sight - a physical symbol of what is also true of him in a spiritual sense.

But he is not going to be left as he is. Ananias has been told that the Lord has plans for Saul, unexpected and glorious plans. The one who persecuted the Way will be a preacher of the Way. And he will suffer for the sake of Jesus' name.

Of course, this commission is quite specific to Saul but, as with his conversion, it also makes a general point worth noting and learning from: when we are saved, we are called into service. And although that service will include the very real possibility of suffering for Jesus' sake, it remains a glorious calling.

3. Saul: Preaching and Persecuted (vv.19b-31)
What happens next is that Saul "at once...began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God" (v.20). He obeyed his commission. Where once his zeal was without knowledge, now he knows the truth, it has set him free and he glories in it, preaching to all that Jesus is the Messiah.

Given that this is such an about-turn, how do the Jews in Damascus react? At first they are dumbfounded but then they get deadly in their intent. No matter that this man was once one of them, he must be dealt with.

And the same happens in Jerusalem. He is integrated into the Christian community there, thanks to the brave stand of Barnabas, and the Jews are infuriated and, again, look to try and kill him.

However remarkable a conversion may be, however clearly it displays the powerful mercy of God, however persuasive the testimony to the Lord Jesus, apart from the grace of God, the world's reaction will be to turn away and to reject.

4. The Church At Peace
But the final picture in this chapter gives us an example of the times of peace and blessing that the Lord is able to give to his church. In Judea, Galilee and Samaria, the church "enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord" (v.31).

In the conversion of Saul, the amazing grace and power of God is seen; in this brief cameo of the church at large, those attributes are no less evident. The Lord is in control of his mission. He can bring even the most hardened person to their knees and change their hearts; he can grow his church, even where persecution is rife. We need to hold onto that and seek him with all our hearts.

Acts 8:26-40

One of the main points this scene so clearly conveys is the sovereign control of God over the whole gospel mission. By means of an angelic messenger and the direct leading of his Spirit, the Lord moves Philip on from a successful ministry in Samaria to a one-to-one encounter in the middle of nowhere.

This isn't something that Philip's agent would have advised - not exactly a wise career move to leave a success story. But when Philip gets there, he finds a prepared individual, a man who 'just happens' to be reading the Bible, in whose heart the Lord is already at work.

From a crowd to an individual, the Lord will pursue his plan to prosper the gospel and to bless. This is the second of four scenes (inc. Samaria, Saul, Cornelius) where the Lord moves the story on at great pace and in ways beyond the plans of the church.

The apostles are always having to play catch-up to what the Lord himself is doing! He is the one in charge; it is his story, his plan to save a fallen world. He has the right to set the agenda and move the action on and he always does so with power and wisdom.

1. A Changing Scene
Now, it is one thing to recognise that God is in control over the mission of the church; it is another to celebrate and cooperate with it. But that it what we see Philip doing here and there is much for us to learn from him.

We are not to expect angelic messages and direct leading by the Spirit to be a daily occurrence but that shouldn't stop us from receiving the example of Philip in this scene.

Here is a man open to what God wants to do. He isn't coming with his own set agenda but is ready to do the Lord's will. He is ready to respond to God's providence and leading.

To follow this example is not to deny the need for the church to think through its mission and to make plans to enact it. We see the apostle Paul doing just that in Acts and in his letters. But that must always go hand in hand with a willingness to respond to what God is doing that is different to our plans.

We live in days of great challenge; getting the gospel out is perhaps harder than ever in our society. We need to ask if we're ready to do what it takes to get it out. Are we open or are an obstacle?

2. An Unchanging Message
Philip was ready to change, at the Lord's bidding, from one place to another, from a public scene to a private one, from a crowd to an individual. But what is not changed, what is clearly nonnegotiable, is the message he preaches. As with the Samaritans, so with the Ethiopian: Philip speaks God's good news that centers upon his Son, Jesus the Messiah.

In Samaria there had been miracles accompanying; leaving aside the unusual means of guidance, this scene has nothing spectacular about it. But what it does have in common with Samaria is the centrality of the gospel. In fact, the way the passage is structured by Luke, the very centre of the scene is the quotation from Isaiah.

In all gospel work, in the life of the church and in our lives in the community, the great unchanging reality is the message of the gospel. As in Samaria, as with the Ethiopian, so today the way that people will be saved is through God's Word.

That may happen at times in unusual ways, it may happen without any other person being involved, because, as we've seen, God is sovereign. But both in Acts and the rest of the NT, it is clear that the Lord's usual way of working in salvation is through his word being explained and applied in person.

Holding fast to the gospel is an absolute necessity. And so is being ready and willing to change the context in which we share it with others. We need to ask the Lord for wisdom to know how to do both.

3. A Token of Blessing
But what of the Eunuch himself. From his perspective, the grace of God that seeks him out is quite amazing. He is clearly someone seeking, a God-fearer (a Eunuch couldn't become a proselyte). As he seeks, he finds that the Lord is seeking him and will take one of his servants from a scene of blessing simply to minister to him in his need. How good God is!

But whilst we recognise and rejoice in the Eunuch's salvation, the picture it paints is bigger yet. Here we see something of God's plan to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Ethiopia was thought of in just that way in that time. The church had yet to embark on that part of the great commission but here we see a token of God's desire to save from every tribe, language and nation.

This eunuch would no doubt have wanted to worship in the temple but his condition prevented it. No doubt he would have wanted to be baptised into Judaism but again his condition was a bar to that. But now he is united to Christ, he becomes part of the true temple of God and is baptised to declare that he is united to and identified with the Lord Jesus. This had been prophesied in Is. 56:3-5 and here it comes true!

Here is living proof of the fact that there are no bars to anyone coming to Christ! This lesson is going to be amplified in Acts but it is seen in essence here and very powerfully too.

Conclusion
As we close, we need to notice that Luke has written up this incident in a very careful way. The whole scene has many parallels to the scene in Lk. 24 with the two disappointed disciples on the road to Emmaus.

* A stranger suddenly joins the traveller(s)
* The stranger engages the traveller(s) with a question
* The traveller(s) has failed to understand scripture
* Jesus' death and resurrection become the topic of conversation via a reference to the prophets
* The stranger vanishes as quickly as he came
* The traveller(s) know great joy

But there is one key difference. Those in Lk.24 go back to Jerusalem; the eunuch continues on his way. Although it had been the focal point of his gospel and for the early church, now Jerusalem is no longer going to be so.

The man does not need to return there to know God's presence. The events that were completed there (the Cross and Pentecost) mean he can go his way confident that God is with him. As John Stott has noted, he went on his way "without the evangelist but with the evangel, without human aid but with the divine Spirit."

And perhaps we can say that he can go knowing too that God can and will use him to further the gospel where he lives. Is it too much to pray that the same will be true for us?

Acts 8:4-25

1. Into Samaria
In chapter 6, we were introduced to the seven who were chosen to handle the distribution of gifts for the needy among the early church. One of those was Stephen who went on to exercise a powerful ministry among the Jews but soon became the first martyr in the church. Here in chapter 8 we meet again the second of the seven, Philip, and see that he too exercises a ministry that is wider than the physical needs of the church.

In 21:8 he is called 'Philip the Evangelist' and this chapter shows why that name was given him. Philip is the first to take the gospel beyond Jerusalem and Judea and into Samaria. He went there and "proclaimed the Christ" (v.5). And his preaching was accompanied by miraculous signs which caught the people's attention and the whole city was full of joy as people were healed and delivered.

But as we see this, we need to notice how it was that Philip came to be in Samaria. In v.4 Luke shows that it was the result of the persecution that broke out against the church after the stoning of Stephen.

Some think the church had neglected the great commission in not reaching out sooner and conclude that this was the Lord's way of overcoming their reticence. There is nothing in the text to suggest that but what it does show is that though Satan may scheme, the Lord is still sovereign.

However much persecution the church may face, he remains in control and can use the opposition of men and evil to further his own gospel purposes. Men may do their worst, as they did to Stephen but God is God! That should give us great heart because the world is no different today and neither is God.

2. The Samaritans and Simon: Faith; True and False
As we've seen, Luke tells us there was great joy in the city as the result of the miracles that the Lord did through Philip. But such joy does not necessarily mean changed lives. The verses that follow show what is necessary for real change and how such a change may not always go hand in hand with such joy.

The people of Samaria had been impressed for some time by a man named Simon who "practised sorcery in the city" (v.9). He impressed them with his powers and they were in awe of him, even saying that "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power" (v.10).

But when they saw what Philip did and heard the message he preached, they believed the gospel and were baptised. They transfer their allegiance from Satan to Jesus. Now, at first sight, it might seem the same is being said of Simon, for Luke tells us that he too believed and was baptised. But Luke is careful in what he says about Simon. He doesn't tell us what Simon believed and deals with him separately from the Samaritans of the city.

That distinction becomes more telling in the following scene where the Spirit is given through Peter and John. Here Simon shows his true colours and asks to buy the ability to give the Spirit. Peter's response shows that this is not someone who is simply confused about the giving of the Spirit but someone who is calculating and hungry for power and influence. His heart is not right before God and, when confronted with his sin, he is not repentant, only scared.

Simon is impressed by what God can do in power but not with what he has done in Jesus. The point of the signs is to disclose truth about God and Jesus, to attest to the message being preached. Simon wanted the power but not the person.

Here is a salutary warning that is pertinent for today. People may be impressed by many things that accompany the gospel, even miracles where God chooses to give them, and yet may not be truly converted. Some have become what are called 'rice Christians'; that is, they professed to believe the message to gain the material benefits that were being offered with it. Such people want the care but not the cross and the Saviour.

So we see here that the gospel is advancing but the progress is not smooth. Yes, there is fruit but there is also failure, which is just what Jesus told us would happen in the parable of the sower and the seeds. We must expect the same today.

3. The Gift of the Spirit: Genuine Gospel Advance
The case of Simon raises questions about the nature of true faith but it also raises questions about the giving of God's Spirit. Were the Samaritans truly saved before they received the Spirit? If they were saved, is the Spirit still given separately from faith today? If they weren't truly saved, does that means you can sincerely believe and not be a Christian? And what was the role of Peter and John and, hence, of church leaders today? Is the Spirit given through men?

As questions like those arise in our minds, we do well to recall that this passage was not written to answer them! They were not the concerns that Luke was addressing and in many ways, although they are legitimate questions, they can mask the real significance of what is being said in the passage.

In handling questions like these, we need to remember a number of things. Firstly, the situation in Acts is quite unusual, it is still a formative period for the life of the church and things are still quite fluid. So we need to be careful in how we draw rules from what we find here; it isn't impossible to do so, but we do need to be careful how we do it.

In the second place, we need to understand, as one writer has said, that "It is God, not magicians or even apostles, who gives his own Spirit". Whatever is or isn't permanent in this scene, God is always sovereign. He won't be manipulated by us or our expectations.

Thirdly, this passage does not set a pattern even for the book of Acts. The Spirit is not always given via apostles, he is not always given post-baptism, there is not always a delay between faith and the giving of the Spirit and he is sometimes given before water-baptism has taken place. The rest of the NT helps us to answer the questions we may have that are not answered here: God gives his Spirit, not through intermediaries but personally and he does so to every person who truly believes in Jesus. That is the settled pattern.

So what is the point being made here? Why involve Peter and John? The important point being made has to do with the authentic nature of this first expansion of the gospel. Is it the real thing? Does it flow out of the authentic words and work of Jesus that the apostles were commissioned to witness to?

Those questions occur elsewhere in Acts and are answered by apostolic assessment. There are no apostles today but the point remains valid: all developments and claims regarding expansion must be tested by apostolic teaching. The work is only authentic and is only truly integrated where it is built upon "the foundation of the apostles and prophets" (Eph. 2:20).

Taken together, this scene shows us that the gospel will make progress, despite setbacks. But all progress must be judged in Biblical terms, by apostolic teaching about the gospel. It is only authentic where it is truly based on "the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ" (v.12). And it is only right that we should ask the question, Do we pass the test?

Acts 6:8 - 8:3

In this passage, we have the account of the first martyr of the Christian church. It is a deeply moving scene with Stephen making his defence and then being stoned. But as well as being moving, it is also a scene that raises important issues. One of the most important questions we can ask is, Why was Stephen killed? What drove his accusers to such depths?

Some see Stephen as being partly to blame for his own demise, that he handled the situation badly. If he hadn't been so OTT about his religion, if he had been a bit more flexible then this wouldn't have happened. And, to justify that view, they might point to the subsequent outbreak of violence against the church at large: look what trouble Stephen's lack of judgement brought on his fellow believers.

Those are significant issues, not just in terms of life then but in terms of the church today. Do we need to be careful what we say? Careless talk costs lives, we're told. Although we live in a society where violence against the church is not common, it is, on the whole, hostile to the claims of the Christian faith. So these questions are urgent for us too.

In considering the issues, we're going to look at how Stephen handled the situation and then how Luke portrays him.

1. Stephen's Speech
Having been introduced to Stephen is 6:5, we learn more of him in 6:8-10. Here was a man not only equipped to serve the church in a practical way but one able to defend the faith with power and conviction. The Lord was with him in such a way that his opponents "could not stand up against his wisdom" (v.10).

And so a plot is hatched against him, whereby false witnesses bring charges against him, relating to the law and the temple. Stephen is before the Sanhedrin on these charges and in ch.7 makes his reply. His speech is the longest in a book full of speeches. We need to notice the main points in what he says.

For a large part of his speech, Stephen rehearses the history of the people of Israel, in particular God's dealings with Abraham and Moses, his words through the prophets and the history of the temple. To us it can seem a rather strange way to speak: why go on at length about a subject that doesn't seem to be the real issue?

Stephen is doing at least two things: he is gaining their empathy; this is common ground, they share the same history and the same basic understanding of God. He is starting where they are. But he is also preparing the ground for his charges against them by drawing parallels between their actions and the sins of the people in the past.

In terms of his charges against them, there are two in essence, one more indirect, the other much more 'in your face'.

i) False worship - The people in the past had corrupted the true worship of God by asking Aaron to make them gods of gold, and had turned aside to worship "the heavenly bodies" (vv.39-42). Just as they had engaged in false worship through the veneration of what God had made, so had the people of Stephen's day.

They tried to confine God to the temple he had given. They wanted to box him in and to give to the temple a kind of magic quality that suggested that God can be manipulated and used to human ends. And this Stephen roundly opposes: "the Most High does not live in houses built be men" (v.48).

Does this seem a slight point to make? Idolatry, in whatever guise it comes, is repugnant to the one true God. Stephen's accusation that they have taken something good and God-given and made an idol of it is universally true. Notice how Paul makes the same point to the people of Athens in Acts 17:24.

Whatever the idol, be it a relationship or career or something else, it must be challenged. Men and women everywhere have a duty to repent and to serve the living and true God. As his people, we ought to have a burning desire to see his honour upheld and real worship being given to him. We should not take this issue lightly.

Was Stephen a bit OTT in accusing them of false worship? Can't we make allowances for how people live in ignorance? Paul's words in Athens are again helpful: "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent" - and that is the message we have been entrusted with and are commanded to preach, however harsh the response we get.

ii) Rejection of the Messiah - The second accusation Stephen makes concerns the way they have disregarded God's word to them and have rejected the Messiah.

Here is where his history lesson really hits home. Israel's past was littered with examples of people refusing to listen to what God was saying to them through the prophets. And it was full of those same prophets being treated badly, even killed. He holds up to their attention the examples of Joseph and Moses in particular, as well as unnamed prophets who their fathers persecuted and killed.

But Moses has spoken of another prophet who was to come, the supreme revelation of God. That promise was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. And what had they done with him? They had killed him. They had played the part of Joseph's brothers; they had acted just like the people of old.

It is at this point that Stephen speaks with utter clarity about them: they are "stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears...who have received the law...but have not obeyed it". Could any accusation be more devastating to such a crowd? They were claiming to be the preservers of the law but Stephen shows they have broken the law!

Stephen is very clear about their sin in rejecting the Messiah. People need to be faced with their sin (hearts), the fact of Jesus and the seriousness of rejecting him. Stephen doesn't spare them; in the right way, with humility, neither should we.

2. Stephen: Following the Master
We have seen why Stephen was martyred in terms of the charges he made and his hearers' response to them. But he also draws a bigger picture that explains why he is persecuted. That picture shows Stephen standing in the long line of faithful witnesses who have been persecuted (face shining like Moses'). But what is really emphasised is the similarity of his case and that of Jesus. The list of details is striking (read them).

So is Luke suggesting that Jesus just another prophet whose place has now been taken by Stephen and his like? No. He consistently shows that Jesus is unique. He is the pinnacle (notice how Stephen commits his spirit to Jesus as he dies).

But because Stephen and the early church are proclaiming Jesus, they will be treated as he was. And that same truth echoes down the long centuries since then. We are called to be faithful witnesses to Jesus, as the early church was. To be such will inevitably mean persecution in one form or another.

But the darkness of persecution is not without its light. This scene ends with a brief glimpse of a character (Saul) whose own life will be changed by the God who is Lord of all. The last word always belongs to the Lord.

Acts 6:1-7

The early church experienced rapid growth, as we have already seen in this book. But rapid growth often brings problems and tensions with it and that is exactly what Luke shows us. Some say he paints an idealised picture of the early church but that just isn't so. Not only does he record the sin of Ananias and Sapphira but in this passage he opens for us an acute problem faced by the early church.

In Acts, we see the church warts and all! And, it could be said, we see Satan's third line of attack: having used persecution and deceit, he now tries to distract the early church.

1. The Problem
The acute problem faced by the church was twofold. Tensions arose over the way that food was distributed to the needy among the believers.

The church was made up at this stage of Jewish believers but of two different backgrounds. Some were Grecian Jews, that is Jews who had lived more in line with Greek culture; and there were Hebraic Jews, those who lives were more closely patterned on Hebrew culture.

Now, complaints were made by the Grecian Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. They felt aggrieved and marginalised by the others. And so they grumbled about it. The word 'complained' is the one that is used to describe the moaning of the Israelites in the desert in the OT. It is also the word Paul uses in Phil. 2:14.

Although they raise the issue in an inappropriate way, if there are problems in the church, they need to be raised and dealt with. One of the worst things to do is allow difficulties to fester. In many ways, it's no big deal: if there's a problem, let's sort it.

The problem here was real and needed to be handled. Those widows who were losing out were in genuine need and, as well as that, they perceived they were being overlooked because of their cultural background - they weren't part of the 'in crowd'.

How is this situation going to be handled? The twelve call the disciples together to sort it out. Clearly this will need to be managed well; if people have been overlooked, whatever system is being used to distribute the food has got to be modified. The question is, who will see to that?

The twelve assert that "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word to wait on tables". What are they really saying? Are they suggesting that this work is beneath their dignity? Are they suggesting that they should never be expected to do anything of this sort?

I don't think they are saying either of those things. What they are saying is that they need to give their primary attention to their primary calling. They aren't being snooty, they're trying to be faithful to God in using of their gifts. And their gifts pertain to the ministry of the word and the prayer that accompanies it.

There aren't apostles today but the same points can perhaps be made about the work of pastors and elders. The primary task to which the church calls pastors and elders is the ministry of the word and prayer. Now that ministry will not just be about teaching in public but in private and one-to-one too, along with the training of others.

What it will not include is what could be called 'social work'. Am I saying that a pastor should never call to see someone who is lonely or sick, except to share God's word? No, of course he should, as he is able to and as his other responsibilities allow. But what I am saying is that such work is not the dedicated responsibility of pastors and elders.

Whose work is it then? It is a whole church responsibility. In James 1:27 we read that "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress" as well as moral purity. That is something for every believer to work on. If someone is unwell, the pastor has a role to play, in seeking to bring encouragement and help from God's word, but there is a part for all of us to play in visiting the sick and lonely, in giving a helping hand when someone is in need. All God's people are ministers.

2. The Solution
If the twelve don't do this work, if pastors aren't called to sort things like this out, won't the problem just grow and spread? There should be no need for that. The twelve propose a solution that overcomes any expectation on the part of a church that the pastor should be the one who does everything and that overcomes a pastor's worry that if he doesn't hold the whole show together, everything will collapse.

The solution is, not only to see that God calls and equips all his people for service, but to appoint suitably qualified people to undertake specific tasks.

Although all are called to minister, not all have the ability or opportunity to do so. And some needs require a proper structure in order to be met. So the disciples tell the people to choose from among them seven men to whom they can hand this task over. It seems that they have been trying to do the work, in addition to their other responsibilities and perhaps that's why it's all gone to pot!

But notice what the qualifications for serving are. They don't mention organisational ability or a head for sums; they speak of spiritual character and wisdom. They will need to be men who will not be swayed by prejudice, who will also put the gospel first, who will be men of compassion and grace.

Beyond any skills we may posses and gifts we may want to exercise, these are always the primary requirements, whatever the job. It applies to pastors and elders; it applies to those called to share out the food equally.

3. The Outcome: Further Growth
We are all called to serve. Pastors and elders have particular work to do; they must not be hindered in that. Where other needs arise, we must each ask how we might contribute to meeting that need. And if it needs a dedicated solution, we need to appoint suitable people to the task.

What was the result of their suggestion? Seven men were chosen, and judging by their names they were all from the Grecian Jews. And they were authorised to do their work by the laying on of hands and prayed for.

And then, best of all, "the word of God spread. The number of disciples... increased rapidly". Are we eager for that? Then we must all play our part to the full, by God's grace, for his glory. May he help us to do so. Amen.

Acts 5:12-42

The opening paragraph (vv.12-16) shows us the continuing success enjoyed by the believers as the Lord worked through the apostles, attesting their words through signs and wonders.

The impact upon the crowds is considerable, although the scene is somewhat set for us by the fact that some would not identify with them because they were afraid. But others, both men and women, "believed in the Lord and were added to their number" (v.14).

God is clearly at work in power but, where that is so, as we've already seen, Satan is at work to stir up trouble for the Lord's people, seeking to hinder the work. The passage before us gives just such an incident and helps us to know how to handle opposition ourselves and how to pray for others.

1. Tied (vv.17-25)
The response of "the high priest and all his associates who were members of the party of the Sadducees" was to be filled with jealousy. And that jealousy expressed itself in the arrest of the apostles and their being tied-up in the public prison.

But they aren't in prison for long! The scene is almost comical when the Sanhedrin call for them to be brought to them. They aren't there! So where are they? Back speaking to the people. They were delivered in the night by the visit of an angel who gives them God's message: go on telling the people about this new life.

This release from prison through angelic intervention is, of course, of interest to us. But Luke doesn't make much of it. What really matters is not how God rescues his people but the reason why he does so - so that they might go on preaching the good news, testifying to the Lord Jesus.

He has many means at his disposal; some spectacular, others more mundane. But we must always keep our eye on the ball, which is the gospel of his grace and his purposes of salvation for a lost world.

Where the Lord's people are in chains or hindered in one way or another from preaching the gospel, we do well to remember that the Lord is able to deliver if he chooses to and, whatever happens, as Paul could say from his prison cell, "God's word is not chained!"

2. Tried (vv.26-39)
When found, the apostles are arrested and brought to the Sanhedrin and accused by the leaders of having disobeyed their word and of making them guilty of Jesus' death. The key points of this tense trial scene are the speeches made by Peter and the apostles and then by Gamaliel.

i) Peter's speech - The response made by Peter and the other apostles to the case against them by the Sanhedrin is very instructive to us in how to react to persecution.

They can no doubt see the fury in the eyes of their captors yet they do not for a moment consider trying to negotiate their way out of this by reaching some form of compromise ("We won't mention you leaders explicitly if you won't hurt us"). Rather, what they do is to remain entirely focussed on God and his purposes and allow those to dictate their actions.

In their speech, they highlight their desire to obey God above all else (vv.29,32). Their allegiance to him will colour their actions entirely. They will obey him as the God of their Fathers, who had raised his Son Jesus from the dead and who had given his Spirit to those who obey him. This is a pattern we can learn from.

Although Paul chose at times to use the law for protection, it was always for the sake of the gospel. Our response to opposition must have the gospel and obedience to God at its heart. Our witness and defence of the gospel needs to be, as Peter himself says, "with gentleness and respect" but also with a boldness that is ready to show the sinfulness of sin and the centrality of the gospel.

ii) Gamaliel's speech - The reaction to Peter's speech is fury and a desire to put the apostles to death. The persecution of the church is hotting up. This time it is the whole group of apostles who have been arrested; they are not simply warned but imprisoned and now are threatened with death. Having released his people from prison by angelic means, how will the Lord act now?

Through a surprising source. A Pharisee called Gamaliel gets up and, with the apostles put outside, advises the Sanhedrin on the situation. His advice is to do nothing against this new movement because history shows that if God isn't in it, it will come to nothing. But if he is with them...well, they'll find they're fighting against God himself!

Gamaliel is not a closet-believer, although his words seem to hint that he thinks that God may well be in this. Here we see that the God who can work through miracles also takes and uses anyone he chooses to help his people and the cause of the gospel, even someone possibly hostile to the gospel.

We should be careful that we do not rule out this possibility as we face difficulties ourselves and the church more widely. For example, in the debate on origins, not all the scientists who oppose the theory of evolution are Christians, not all who think that the universe has a Creator believe in him. The Lord is free, in his power and wisdom to use whoever he chooses to give help to his people and to advance the gospel.

3. Freed (vv.40-42)
The outcome is that Gamaliel's speech is persuasive enough for the Sanhedrin to let the apostles go - but not before they have them flogged (40 lashes minus 1). So they lost, then? Actually, no. What seems like a defeat to human sight can be a victory in the hands of God.

Didn't Jesus set the pattern in his death and say the same would be true for us? That's exactly what we see here as the apostles rejoice that they have been privileged to suffer for his sake.

And not only do they rejoice but they resume their ministry of telling others about Jesus, teaching the believers from home to home and reaching out to others daily in the temple courts.

The Sanhedrin thought they possessed real power, power that would allow them to bully the believers into submission. But real power belongs to the God who is able to fill his people with joy, even as the blood streams down their backs, and who can empower them for ongoing witness, even under threat of death.

The persecution has intensified but God has not been taken aback nor shown to be lacking in ability to rescue his people and to continue his work of rescuing men and women from the darkness. Whatever opposition we may encounter ourselves, however sorely oppressed the church worldwide is, the same is true today. Which is a cause for great rejoicing and redoubled efforts in preaching the good news about Jesus.

John Stott comments, "Persecution will refine the church but not destroy it. If it leads to prayer and praise, to an acknowledgement of the sovereignty of God and of solidarity with Christ in his sufferings, then - however painful - it may even be welcome." May the Lord help us to grasp that and to work out the implications for our lives. Amen.

Acts 4:32 - 5:11

1. A summary of sweetness: a sharing community
Studded throughout Acts are summaries of the life and experiences of the early church (as we've seen in 2:42ff). Here Luke again writes of the quality of life that the early church shared in together. He highlights in particular their attitude and actions in caring for each other.

"All the believers were one in heart and mind". There was a sympathy between them that was very strong indeed, and all the more remarkable given their diverse backgrounds. And that oneness worked itself out in a particular approach to the needs that arose among them: "No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had."

What that meant in practice was that "From time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." They didn't pool their resources in a communal life but they did put their resources at the disposal of others. The upshot was that "There were no needy persons among them".

Here is Christian love and fellowship at work in very down to earth ways. Love is not just a word, it is affection and attitude that expresses itself in deeds. Fellowship is not just a feeling; it is a genuine sharing in life together.

Now, notice what Luke says of their life together in v.33 - "With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all". The shared life of the community created the conditions in which the apostles ministered in power and which God was pleased to bless.

That isn't saying that our obedience can somehow earn God's blessing; it is, however, saying that there is a clear connection between the two.

The Lord is pleased to use us and make us a blessing when we seek to live out our faith with genuine sacrificial love for each other.

Does that mean where his blessing seems to be absent that we have the reason why? Not exactly; the issue is much more complex than that, but we do need to say that if the cap fits...

The early church is a prime example of how we are to live as the Lord's people. We are not called to emulate their practices but we must imbibe the principles and live them out with joy.

2. From prime example to crime example
Luke gives a prime example of this kind of action in Joseph of Cyprus, who the apostles nicknamed Barnabas. But in the verses that follow, we go from prime example to crime example with Ananias and Sapphira. Their deceit shows the squalid nature of the sin that lurks in our hearts and the very real spiritual battle that the church faces.

The incident is solemn and sobering. It's the kind of passage we may wish wasn't there because it is so painful as we see something of our own hearts there. But, in experiencing the pain of conviction, we need to remember that the Lord "does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men" and that he "disciplines those he loves". It is with such assurances that we approach this passage.

i) Their sin & what it shows - Ananias and Sapphira were clearly motivated by greed but their sin is more complex than that. In a context where there is openness and generosity, they want to be well though of but without feeling the pain of sacrificial giving. And that leads them into the depths of deceit, which Peter sees as the heart of their crime. They "lied".

But what is especially notable is that he describes them as having "lied to the Holy Spirit". Their sin was not that they had failed to be as honest to their brothers and sisters as was humanly possible; rather, they had deliberately chosen to lie and deceive the Lord's people and so they had lied to the Lord himself.

This is a salutary reminder to us of the wretched state of our hearts, even when we have become Christians, and the ease with which we may fall into sin. We do well to remember Paul's words to the church at Corinth: "If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" (1 Cor. 10:12).

What this also shows us is the intent of Satan to wreck the life of the church. He is behind this act of deceit, although that doesn't mean Ananias and Sapphira are simply victims. The church is always involved in an intense spiritual battle. At times, that battle takes the form of persecution from outside, as we saw in chapter 4; at other times, it takes the form of sin within the church of Jesus Christ.

ii) God's judgement on their sin - If the mere fact of their sin is sobering, what happened next is even more so. Using Peter to deliver his message, the Lord pronounced sentence on them for their sin and both Ananias and Sapphira lose their lives.

This perhaps feels quite unexpected to us, almost unreal. We may feel this to be 'over-the-top'. But what we are failing to grasp is the awesome nature of God and his holiness and the squalid, disgusting nature of sin. All sin is worthy of the most terrible judgement. And our sin is no different, in essence, to what we see here.

God hates sin far more than we realise. And he is far less prepared to tolerate it in the lives of his people than we realise, too.

Immediate action as we have here may not be the norm but no sin is trivial and all sin damages the life of God's people. Of course we need to bear in mind that this was premeditated, calculated sin; it wasn't a 'heat of the moment' issue. But in recognising that we must not lose sight of God's intense hatred of sin.

Were A&S really the Lord's people? Can Satan fill the hearts of believers in this way? There doesn't seem to be anything here to suggest they were not Christians. And in terms of Satan's schemes, what Peter is saying is that Satan has tempted them, he has made them dare to do such a thing. It is sadly true that we can fall prey to his schemes. That's why we need to be wise to them.

iii) The impact on others - That this was not an everyday event is clear from the impact it made on others. All who heard of it were seized with great fear. There was a realisation of God's power and awful majesty; there was a conscious awareness of the state of their own hearts. Perhaps many said, 'There but for the grace of God go I'.

It should have a similar impact upon us too. It should encourage a true fear of God that leads to godlier lives. When we speak of fear, a passage like this is not meant to terrorise us but to tenderise us, to soften our hard hearts, to humble us, to impress upon us again the intense and immense holiness of our God.

The summary at the end of chapter 4 shows something of the powerful presence of God among his people in blessing. That same powerful presence is seen here is judgement. We may long to know more of God's presence in our lives; there is nothing greater that we could long for. If that is our desire, we must be prepared to face the cost too and be ready to humble ourselves before the Lord.

Acts 4:23-31

The church of the 1st century experienced opposition and persecution. The same is true of the church of the 21st century. How should we understand persecution? How should we handle it? The example of the early church is very helpful.

When Peter and John returned with the threats of the elders ringing in their ears and reported what had been said to them, the response of the believers was to raise their voices together in prayer to God. They didn't scatter out of fear, but together they sought God. Here we see both the value of community and the comfort of being able to call on God.

But what exactly did they pray? Let me mention 4 things.

1. God the Creator
The first part of their prayer addresses God as the Creator of all things. Some don't see much of a connection between this and the rest of the prayer and assume it was simply a standard way of praying for them. But that is to miss something vital about prayer and about persecution.

They raised their voices to the God who had made all things. They were in a situation where creatures were trying to oppose the will of the Creator. We need to grasp that as being truly terrible. Our lack of outrage at the Creator being opposed shows us what a low view of God we have.

The Bible's teaching of God as Creator is fundamental to understanding history and the whole existence of the church. It is the Creator who sends his Son to rescue his creatures from their sin. Creation is at the heart of who God is and what he does. It's not by accident that the Bible starts with creation and ends with new creation!

2. God, the Bible & the Messiah
The next aspect of their prayer that is noteworthy is the way they understand their situation from the scriptures. Before we see what they referred to, it's vital to learn from what they did. It isn't just that the scriptures would hold some answers for them, but that they saw their situation as being in continuity with the great history and storyline of the Bible. They knew that they were those "on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come" (1 Cor. 10:11).

We need to approach our understanding of life from this perspective. There is a continuity in our experience that stretches back into the OT and the eternal plans of God. It isn't just that we go through similar experiences but that we share the same story. It is vital to grasp that if we are to react aright to what happens to us.

In terms of detail, they quote from Psalm 2 which speaks of the rulers and peoples taking their stand against the Lord and against his King. Originally, it referred to Israel suffering at the hands of the nations but it always spoke of more than that. These early believers saw how it ultimately relates to Jesus and his treatment by the Jews and Romans.

This is the big picture that explains why they themselves are being persecuted. It is for this reason that Peter, in his first letter, says to persecuted Christians, "Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ." (1 Peter 4:12,13).

Our sufferings are of a piece with those of Jesus. The church is oppressed because of its relationship with the Messiah. This isn't something that can be avoided; in fact, Jesus himself encourages us to "rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven" (Mt. 5:12). Beyond the pain, we are to behold the glory.

3. God in Control
Not only do they grasp why they are suffering, they are also confident that God is with them in their suffering, that he is in control and is able to bring good out of what they suffer. Recalling what happened to Jesus they recognise that "They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen" (v.28). The cross was not an accident.

Did that mean the Jews and Romans were not guilty of their sin? No, they would have to answer for that. What it does say is that, even when evil seems to triumph, God is still in control and can and will forward his own plans through such times. It's not that he just about manages to hold things together but that he is so powerful he can use it to his ends.

Shouldn't this give us great encouragement in our own day, for the church in this country and for the church worldwide? These are dark days and there is much raging against the Lord and his Christ but he remains as the supreme sovereign of all. That is true in terms of the large affairs of nations; it is also true in terms of the details of our own small lives.

4. Praying for Boldness
Knowing that God is sovereign and can bring to nothing what men plan, presumably they will pray for protection and peace? Certainly Paul tells Timothy that we should pray for these things (1 Tim. 2:1,2). That is no doubt included when they ask the Lord to "consider their threats" (v.29).

But the burden of their request is for God to work in power, giving them boldness to go on speaking, despite the threats, and for the Lord Jesus to be glorified and honoured as they do so. Here are people who value, above their own comfort, the glory of God in the gospel of his Son. Yes, they are asking for protection but beyond that they are praying for blessing on what they will speak.

They clearly know their own frailty and so pray for boldness. In his letters, Paul also regularly asks for this. Threats worry us, we have fears and concerns and can often buckle under them. But when our heart's delight is God and his glory, we will pray for a boldness of lip and life that will bring honour to Jesus.

We should also notice that they ask God to perform miracles and to accompany their ministry with signs and wonders. Is that something we should make a part of our praying today? Some would urge us to do so but we need to consider their prayer in the wider context of the place of miracles in the book of Acts and the experience of the early church.

We don't have time to enlarge particularly on this so what I want to do is recommend something that John Stott has written in his commentary on Acts. Responding to claims that signs and wonder should be a normal part of church life today and are indispensable for the progress of the gospel, Stott makes three key points: Sings and wonders were not the main secret of church growth in Acts; they were not an everyday part of church life but were exceptional; they were substantially different to much of what is claimed today.

The great concern of the early church was for Jesus to be authenticated and honoured. That must be our great concern too. If the Lord chooses to do that at times through signs and wonders, we must be open to that but without making it an unrealistic expectation.

Conclusion: God's Amen
As we close, let's notice how the Lord responded to their prayer. He did so by uttering his own 'Amen!' , shaking the building and filling them with his Spirit to boldly proclaim the word. He delights to answer prayer that has, at its heart, a concern for his glory in the gospel. Let's pray like that too.

Acts 4:12

We're used to people seeking high office making very great claims about themselves. We're also used to people who are trying to sell us things making great claims for their products: 'It'll change the way you live!' - when in truth all it does is change your bank balance!

But doesn't the same thing happen in religion too? They all make great claims. Who are you to believe? Is it just a case of picking the one you think will suit you best? Or is there one that is right?

In the Bible, and in this passage, a great claim is made, an exclusive claim. It tells us that salvation is found in no one other than Jesus. Let's see what this great claim is all about.

1. It's about 'Salvation'
But what is this 'salvation'? Is it just a mystical religious experience that some people claim to have had? Is it 'getting religion'? Is it just a state of mind that makes a person happy?

In this scene in Acts 3,4, a cripple has just been healed. The word 'salvation' is used about that healing in v.9. So 'salvation' means 'healing'? Yes, but it means more than that.

When Peter speaks to the crowd following the healing of this man, to tells them of what God has promised to do through Jesus (3:19-21). There we see 3 aspects of salvation that are illustrated in the healing of the crippled man:

- Salvation means the blotting out of sin (v.19a) - i.e. forgiveness by God.

- Salvation involves spiritual refreshment (v.19b) - i.e. relief, rest & peace with God.

- Salvation involves this world being restored (v.21)

Those 3 aspects of salvation are illustrated in the healing of the cripple: Why is there disease and sickness in the world? Because of sin. When the man is healed, you see a man who knows he is forgiven and made right with God. Here now is someone who is refreshed in his relationship with God and someone whose body bears witness to the promise of God that through Jesus this broken world is going to be restored.

Here is salvation: not a state of mind or a new hobby or some mystical experience for those of a religious bent, but God acting to bring forgiveness and healing and blessing into this broken, sinful world.

2. Salvation - found in no-one else
Now the great claim says that this salvation, this great deliverance, this healing for a broken world, this forgiveness full & free, is found in no-one else.

What a claim that is! It is saying that the only hope for the whole world is found in Jesus and in Jesus alone. No other religion can bring this salvation, nor any system of thought, nor any efforts of man's part, nor all the policies and actions of politicians.

Many react to this claim by saying it is arrogant beyond belief. Maybe that's your response too. But this is the message of the bible, from beginning to end: there is only one true God, he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ his Son and through him he has made a way of escape for people in every place, in every age.

Now, that may sound to you, to many others, like arrogance and bigotry. But the claim is substantiated in what we read in the Bible and in this verse we're looking at. Let's see how the claim is backed up.

3. Why salvation is found in no-one else: for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved
i) There is no other name - that sounds quite strange to our ears. What does it mean?

In Bible times, as well as since then, names were used to describe who and what you were. For example, in England, Mr Cooper was a barrel maker, Mr Smith worked with iron and Mr Baker was your bread man!

So too with Jesus. Salvation is firmly tied to who he is and what he has done. And in this passage we're told a number of very important things about this Jesus which show why salvation is found in no-one else.

- Jesus Christ of Nazareth (4:10) - a real man

- A prophet (3:22) - he spoke from God

- Holy and Righteous (3:14) - his life was blameless; he is qualified to take the place of others

- The Christ (3:20) - the one sent by God to rescue his people, with all the power of God

- The offspring of Abraham (3:25) - the one through whom God's promise to bless the whole world would come true

- The author of life (3:15) - the Creator and the one who gives eternal life

- The servant of God (3:13,26) - the one sent to God to suffer in the place of others (cf. Is 53) so that they might be forgiven and made new.

That is quite a list of qualifications. But how do you know it's true? Wasn't he just a failed Messiah, put to death on a cross, rejected by his own people?

Yes, that is so. In fact, Peter reminds the people of that (3:14) but he is also clear and strong on this point: God showed that Jesus was his Son, his promised Saviour, for the whole world, by raising him from the dead (3:15). They had rejected him but God had accepted him and his work.

It is the God who made us and all things who came personally into this world in Jesus Christ to save us, to make a way back from our rebellion, from our shame. Jesus is the way, the only way, to God, because he is the one effective sacrifice for sin. And God has shown that by raising him to new life.

ii) You need to respond to this claim - Such a claim is vast in its scope and compelling in its call to us. There is no other way of escape. But God, the one we have offended, has made it possible for us to be saved. He has given this name to men and women for their blessing.

How do you come to share in this wonderful blessing? By repenting of your sin (3:19) and putting your trust in Jesus alone (3:16). It means taking God at his word.

And as you do so you will prove the glory and the power and the wonder of this amazing claim. It isn't arrogance; it isn't bigotry. It's the love and mercy and grace of God. Please turn and trust.

Acts 3:1 - 4:21

Luke is writing up something of the history of the early church. He is providing details for Theophilus to encourage him in his faith. Living in the Roman world of the day, he needs to know that Jesus is the authentic Saviour and that all the opposition of the Roman empire does not invalidate him. Our needs today are very similar.

The events of these chapters contribute towards both those ends as Luke described another mighty work and the mighty word that follows it and the reaction to it.

1. The Event: A Healed Man (3:1-10)
The incident begins with Peter and John making their way to the temple. In common with the other believers, they still worshipped at the temple at this time. This may seem strange to us but what could be more natural for them than to worship the living God, at his temple, as those who had trusted in Jesus as the Messiah, the true temple? In time, because of growing opposition and to prevent confusion, they no longer worshipped at the temple. But for now it was what they did.

Their trip proved to be extremely important for the progress of the gospel in those early days. They met a beggar and their encounter led to his being healed and leaping for joy. All the people were amazed since they knew the man and his hopeless condition.

As with the day of Pentecost, the apostles are again at the centre of a scene that produces amazement and perplexity. How is it to be explained and what impact should it have on us? Peter's speech that follows explains all for us

2. The Explanation: God's Plan; God's Man (3:11-26)
Peter's explanation emphasises certain key themes:

i) The miracle has not been accomplished by their power or godliness! Although there were many similarities in the miracle with what Jesus did (a word & instant healing), the attention should not be on them but on God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Were they not godly men? Yes. Were they powerful? As God enabled them, yes. But they did not attribute what happened to their own power or godliness. It was all down to Jesus and the power that comes through faith in him. The miracle has parallels with the works of Jesus but the focus is clearly put on Jesus and his power, not on the apostles.

Should we seek to be prayerful and godly people? Of course. Is that vital to the success of the gospel? Yes; God has said that he will honour those who honour him. Will our prayers and godliness be the reason why others are saved? No!

It always comes back to the grace and mercy of God and his power in salvation. If he is pleased to bless the work and we see people being saved and built up in their faith, the credit and the glory belongs entirely to him.

ii) This miracle points to the fulfilling of the ancient promises of God. And those promises have been fulfilled through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. He is described by Peter is the most glowing terms: he is God's servant (Isaiah's Servant Songs); he is the Holy and Righteous One, the Author of Life, the Christ, the ultimate Prophet.

Although we've made this point before, I think we need to stress the fact that the early church, in its life and witness, was profoundly centred upon Jesus. Their was a Christianity that was not in name only. The Lord Jesus and his cross of shame were at the heart of all they did and all they proclaimed. They would allow no other to take his place.

In our thinking of what it means to be a Christian, where does Jesus figure? Is he the one who gets us in and then we move on? Or do we major on him and give him the supremacy in all things? The early church lived and grew by its emphasis upon Jesus. We need to make sure we have the same emphasis.

iii) Peter stresses their guilt in crucifying Jesus, even though they had done so in ignorance. As in our law, ignorance is not a defence before God.

Having exposed their guilt, he calls them to repent and receive God's blessing through faith in Jesus. Unless they do so, they will be cut off. There is no hope except in him.

Have you grasped that? Then have you responded by turning from sin and trusting Jesus? He is the only hope. The answer to the problems of this world does not lie in money but in the grace of God freely available in the Lord Jesus.

3. Effect: Growing Numbers; Growing Opposition (4:1-22)
Peter's speech was another powerful presentation of the gospel. Its effect was twofold:

i) More conversions - "Many who heard the message believed, and the number of the men grew to about five thousand" (4:4). What amazing results! God is at work in power, honouring Jesus as Lord, using his people to proclaim the gospel in the power of his Spirit. We need to make this part of our own prayers and desires, that many people would believe, not just because so many need him but because he is so worthy of being glorified!

ii) The start of opposition - But the effect of Peter's speech was not just more people saved but more people hostile; in particular, the rules and elders. They had Peter and John brought before them to find out what was going on. The ensuing confrontation is extremely important.

Peter again speaks, in the power of the Spirit, and defends what they have been doing in proclaiming Jesus as Messiah. And his defence contains the amazing statement of verse 12 that "Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

What is at stake in this scene is the issue of salvation and the means it by which it can be obtained. Outside Jesus, there is no hope of knowing forgiveness from God and a future with him when all sin has been judged and removed and the earth renewed.

The battle lines have been drawn around these claims about Jesus and draw down the anger of the leaders against the apostles (vv.18-22). Although the early church knew the favour of the people (2:47), that wasn't the whole picture. They also encountered fierce opposition.

In fact, this is only the start of persecution. All down the centuries these have been the same battle-lines and that is so today as well. As we proclaim a unique Saviour, we can expect opposition.

When opposition comes, will we be able to handle it? Notice that it Peter was able to handle it because he was filled by the Spirit. On an earlier occasion he had wilted; here he stands firm because of the power of the Spirit.

And what he knew we can know too. There's nothing great about us; we are only jars of clay. But the gospel we proclaim is treasure beyond words and the Holy Spirit who dwells in us can make God's strength perfect in and through our weakness.

So with Paul let's willingly boast of our weaknesses so that Christ's power might rest upon us. And to him be the glory and praise as his church grows.

Acts 2:42-47

Pentecost! A new age had dawned - the ascended Saviour poured out his Spirit upon his people, empowered the preaching of Peter and the witness of the disciples and 3000 people were saved. This was a glorious day in the experience of the early church; it must have been a great encouragement to the believers to see God at work in such a powerful way.

But the impact of the Spirit's work in the hearts and lives of those who preached and those who heard was not limited to what happens up to v.41. In the following verses, Luke records for us something of the life of the early church and in doing so gives an account of what the church can and should be in every age under the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

A New Devotion
The first group of believers were now joined by those who had been converted on the day of Pentecost and Luke tells us that their lives were marked by a new devotion. That word means "a steadfast and single-minded fidelity to a certain course of action". It is not speaking of a flash-in-the-pan experience but shows that their lives had been decisively changed.

Clearly, their devotion was to the Lord himself; he is always to be the very heart of our Christian faith and life. But devotion to the Lord will show itself in certain ways. Luke lists 4 key things here in v.42 that we are meant to take note of:

i) The Apostles' teaching - They had a real enthusiasm for, and commitment to, what the apostles taught. And that teaching centred upon God and his plan to save a fallen world through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. These early believers wanted to learn as much as they could; they saw it as a vital part of their experience as Christians; indeed, they would not grow in their relationship with the Lord if they neglected his word.

It's clear in the verses that follow that they made this a priority in their lives. They met at the temple each day, which would have given an opportunity for the apostles to teach them and no doubt they talked over what they heard as they met together in their homes.

One of the marks of the Spirit's work in us is a genuine hunger for teaching about the Lord. Many could perhaps testify that this was their experience when they first trusted the Lord but it shouldn't stop there. We are to go on learning and so we should go on having a hunger for the word of God. We are blessed with so many opportunities, far more than some believers in other parts of the world - do we take them?

Some object to an emphasis on teaching, feeling it shows we are simply intellectual in our faith. Of course, that is possible but it need not so. There is no tension between the Spirit who gave the Word and the Word itself! As we study his word, we do so in dependence on him and with the desire to know the Lord better and to love him more.

We must devote ourselves to the apostles' teaching too.

ii) The Fellowship - Here is an important NT word but it only occurs here in Acts. What does it mean? At its heart, 'fellowship' means a sharing together in something which is held in common. Having believed and been given new life in the Lord, the early church shared in it together, with all that entailed.

A clear example of the way they lived out their common life is given is vv.45,46 where we see the early church caring for each other. As needs arose, property or possessions would be sold or shared in order to meet them.

Here is an impressive demonstration of how they shared their lives together! "Christian fellowship is Christian caring and Christian caring is Christian sharing"; they exemplified that in how they lived.

How this is worked out in detail is not really the point. It's what they did that's so impressive: being united together in Christ, they demonstrated it in their lives by caring for each other. Their example is one that calls to us across the centuries with real power and challenge.

iii) The breaking of bread - Although the Lord's Supper had not yet become a formalised part of church life, the reality of it was something that the early church lived out to the full. They devoted themselves to breaking bread together and did so in their homes in smaller gatherings too.

What this shows us is that they were devoted to the gospel and to took every opportunity to remember the Lord Jesus and his saving death for them. They were from the first a truly gospel church.

In terms of how and when we celebrate the Lord's Supper, scripture gives us freedom ("whenever you do this..."). What is not open for negotiation is that we should ever be a truly evangelical church, with the evangel, the gospel, at the heart of all we do. Our emphasis must be on Christ and him crucified and the outworking of that in lives of service and holiness.

iv) The prayer(s) - The plural may mean set Jewish prayers or may indicate intensity. Whichever it is, prayer was clearly a vital aspect of the life of the early church. Both in public and private, they gave themselves to seeking God. They clearly took seriously the fact that they were utterly dependent on the Lord for everything and so they sought him with real diligence.

I can't comment on our private praying but if we're honest, our church prayer life could be better. We need to ask the Lord to help us to seek him, to repent of our prayerlessness and to be more devoted to prayer.

In all these ways, the early church is a great example and encouragement to us. If we ask, How can these things be true for us, some might say that it was only true for them because they were living in a time of revival. Leaving aside the fact that this wasn't strictly speaking revival (it was a unique occasion), we can't let it rest at that.

Of course these things will be more true of us if revival comes but what the church did here with great devotion, the rest of the NT encourages us to do at all times! Devotion to God, expressing itself in a love for his word, his people, the gospel and prayer is something we are ever to pursue, asking his Spirit to help us manifest his fruit.

Two other features of the life of the early church cry out for comment here:

* New Joy - Their simple yet profound joy in the Lord is clear for all to see here. It wasn't put on nor was it formal and only for public gatherings. It was the fruit of the Spirit at work in them and no doubt deepened as they devoted themselves to the Lord in the ways we have seen.
* New Joiners - They were a growing community. As the Lord worked among them, authenticating the ministry of the apostles by sings and wonders, awe fell upon the people, the church enjoyed their favour and "the Lord added to their numbers daily those who were being saved". We need to believe that this can be so with ourselves too.

The early church in its new life in the Spirit was winsome in its witness. May we be so too. Amen.

Acts 2:14-41

We saw last week something of the amazing events of Pentecost and the impact they had on the crowd as they heard the wonders of God being proclaimed in their own languages. God was showing that this message was for the whole world! But the event needed to be explained; on its own, it only left the crowd divided: some were perplexed, others mocked.

1. Explaining the Event: God's New Age (vv.14-21)
Peter steps up to the mark to explain what's happening in this amazing scene. Given that he and the others had struggled to come to terms with Jesus' death and needed the Lord to open the scriptures to them, his answer is proof of Jesus' promise that when the Spirit came, he would lead them into all truth.

Peter tells the crowd that they aren't drunk, as some had said in mockery. Rather, this is what God had promised long ago through the prophet Joel. This was the dawning of God's new age, the climax of his plans and purposes. These events had been foretold in the OT, not just in Joel but in many places.

What did Joel say? In essence, he said the Spirit would be given and that when he was given, old boundaries would be broken down and all people would be able to know the Lord.

In the past, only a few were prophets, only men could be priests and then only at the right age. Now, each could know the Lord personally, without any human intermediary. That seems to be what the reference to prophecy, dreams and visions is meant to signify (cf. Jer. 31:34).

And all who would call on the name of the Lord would be saved. The day of the Lord is not simply a day of judgement but of salvation. Salvation has come near, the door is open to all who know their need.

This would take place in the context of signs and wonders, a shorthand way of speaking of cataclysmic events in the world (what could be more cataclysmic than the death of Jesus?).

Joel was speaking of a time when God's blessings would not be confined to the few but opened to the many; he prophesied of a salvation open to all who would call on the Lord.

And the Jews knew that all this would take place when the Messiah had come. The coming of the Spirit was seen as the culmination of the work of the Messiah. He would bring in the kingdom of God and at that time, God would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh.

Peter's explanation lifts these events out of mere puzzle and an opportunity to mock and places them in their true context: God's great plan of salvation for a fallen world, his desire to bless people of all nations.

2. Explaining the Event: Messiah Vindicated (vv.22-36)
The dawning of the new age meant that Messiah had come. And as Peter continues his explanation from v.22ff, it is the Messiah that he focusses on.

In v.21 he spoke of people calling on the name of the Lord; in v.22, he tells the people what that name is: it is Jesus of Nazareth. These events are only truly comprehensible in the light of Jesus and what he has done.

He begins by reminding them that Jesus had been accredited by God among them by miracles, wonders and signs. It had been clear that God was at work in Jesus.

And yet they had put him to death with the help of pagans! The Jews had rejected the promised Messiah! They had been responsible for his death at the hand of others.

That raised a very important question in Jewish minds. Could a rejected, crucified man really be the Messiah? The rest of Peter's explanation gives the answer.

And the answer is, Absolutely! They had rejected Jesus but God hadn't! They had crucified him but it was impossible for death to hold him.

To prove his point, Peter quotes David in Ps.16 16, where he asserts that God would not allow his Holy One to see decay. Now, David had died and been buried and his tomb was still there - so he wasn't that Holy One! Who was then? David was speaking about the Messiah; Jesus had been raised by God and had been seen by the apostles.

And not only had he been raised, he had also been exalted to the highest place, at God's right hand (quoting from Ps.110). The despised, rejected Messiah had been vindicated by God and given all authority and power. And from his position of power, it was he who had given the Holy Spirit. The great events of Pentecost flowed directly from the vindication and reign of Jesus as the true Messiah, God's chosen King.

Peter's summary of this in v.36 is very powerful: "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ". It is Jesus who brings in God's new age, who alone makes access to God possible for all people.

Pentecost is not ultimately about the phenomena that the crowds had seen and heard; it's about the Messiah. The Holy Spirit, in coming upon the disciples, was pointing to Jesus as Lord and Christ. We need to make sure we learn from this ministry of the Spirit. It is Jesus who is central; not the signs, but the one they point to.

And there is a further challenge here for us. Whilst Pentecost cannot be repeated, people today should be able to see evidence of the Spirit at work in our lives, producing fruit that points to and honours Jesus as Lord. The kind of thing that entails is amplified in vv.42-47 which we'll look at next week.

3. Applying the Event: Repent & Be Baptised (vv.37-41)
The effect of Peter's speech is both immediate and astonishing - those who had so recently rejected the Messiah were cut to the heart in conviction of their sin and received Jesus as Lord, 3000 of them. Here is further evidence of the Spirit powerfully active in honouring Jesus as Lord and Christ.

Peter's answer to the crowd's question, 'What shall we do?' is one of the fullest in the whole NT. They are to repent of their sin and own Jesus as Saviour (baptism). In that way, they will be forgiven their sin and receive the promised Holy Spirit.

And we're told that with many other words he warned them. Here is an issue that is utterly crucial, nothing else is as important as this. Where do you stand in relation to Jesus? He is the one true Messiah, the only Saviour from sin. To reject him is to invite certain judgement and condemnation. You must turn from sin and embrace the Saviour; you must call upon him and identify yourself with him in baptism. There is no other way to be right with God and to share in God's promised blessing of a new start in a new age.

Where do you stand today? Have you repented and turned to Jesus? Are you looking to honour him in your life? Is this the issue above everything else to you? If you feel convicted in your heart and know that God is calling you, then now is the time to turn to him.

May God grant his blessing to each one of us, for his glory's sake. Amen.