Essentials

1.     Acts 4: 1-11

      1. Here we find the first opposition to the Gospel.  Where does it come from (V 1)?

Sadducees, The Sadducees of the first century rejected the oral traditions of the Pharisees and considered only the written Torah of the Pentateuch as valid. They considered the concepts of demons and angels, immortality and resurrection as innovations, believing in no life beyond this life.  THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF ANYONE!

*AND they were WEALTHY and didn’t want to disrupt Rome and lose their earthly riches.  So, Jesus was a threat to that wealth and stability!  Resurrection meant messianic reign and overturning of Rome.  (This rebellion does happen in 66 A.D. Jewish-Roman war and Jews get crushed.  City and temple destroyed (70 A.D. as Jesus predicted)).

2.     2. vs 2-3 “They (Peter AND John) were preaching.”  What were they preaching and what did the Sadducees do to them?  

3.     3. What else happened as a result of the preaching (vs 4)? Who comes to saving faith?

4.     4. How is Peter described in verse 8 when he gives his speech?  

5.     5. What does Peter’s speech contain (see vv. 9-10)? 

6.     6. How would you characterize Peter’s speech (vv. 11-12)?  

7.     7. How does Peter refer to Jesus (v11-12)?   

Read vv. 12-22 Peter PREACHES.  Uses the opportunity to proclaim the message!

1.     8. How are Peter and John described (v13 - 3 things)?  

2.     9. What keeps the oppression from going further (this is how Luke shows us that God is intervening)?  

Note: the boldness of the apostles and the timidity of their accusers. The apostles could only speak of what they had seen and heard (v. 20)

3.     10. How do they respond to this oppression?

READ vv 23-31

   vs. 23 - 

   vs. 24 - 

   vs. 29 - 

Application: When life gets hard, and you are doing what God calls you to do, how do you respond??

READ vv. 32-37

How are these early believers described by Luke?  Parallels with Acts 2:42-44 only in more detail of prayer and communal sharing.

  32 – one heart and one soul

  33 – sharing testimony of resurrection of Jesus, grace upon them

  34 – no needs unmet, sold land or houses and donated, GENERSOITY and TRUST.

  BARNABAS enters the scene!

BARNABAS - 4:36–37 Luke concluded his treatment of the early Christian sharing with two specific examples—one to be followed (Barnabas) and one to be avoided (Ananias and Sapphira in chapter 5). Barnabas sold a field and placed all the receipts at the apostles’ feet.

Luke had a way of taking characters who played a major role later in the book and introducing them early, but only briefly and in passing, as is the case with Barnabas here. His name was Joseph, and he was given the nickname Barnabas by the apostles. This was not insignificant in itself because the granting of a nickname was often seen as a sign of respect. (Compare Jesus giving Simon the nickname of Peter/Rock.)

…The important thing is how well the nickname fits the picture of Barnabas in Acts. He was the encourager, the advocate, the ultimate example in Acts of a helper.

BARNABAS = son of encouragement.