On the Road from Jerusalem: A Study of Acts (When Faced with Opposition - Acts 4:1-37)

In this series, we're using the Acts of the Apostles to discuss the growth of the earlier church from its birth in the city of Jerusalem to Paul’s arrival in Rome. During our time together, we’ll look at the following:

• Session 1 - Preparing for the Journey (Acts 1:1-2)
• Session 2 - Transition (Acts 1:3-26)
• Session 3 - Birth (Acts 2:1-47)
• Session 4 - The Work Begins (Acts 3:1-26)
• Session 5 - When Faced with Opposition (Acts 4:1-26)
• Session 6 - But... (Acts 5:1-42)
• Session 7 - Problem Solved (Acts 6:1-15)
• Session 8 - When Something Bad Happens (Acts 7:1-60)
• Session 9 - Step Two (Acts 8:1-40)
• Session 10 - Saul (Acts 9:1-43)
• Session 11 - Clean People (Acts 10:1-48)
• Session 12 - Phase Three Begins (Acts 11:1-30)
• Session 13 - Even Above Kings (Acts 12:1-25)
• Session 14 - The New Kid Takes the Stage (Acts 13:1-52)
• Session 15 - Approaching a New Community (Acts 14:1-28)
• Session 16 - Issue Resolved (Acts 15:1-41)
• Session 17 -  A New World (Acts 16:1-40)
• Session 18 - Know Your Audience (Acts 17:1-34)
• Session 19 - The Big Time (Acts 18:1-28)
• Session 20 - Christ and Culture (Acts 19:1-41)
• Session 21 - Farewell (Acts 20:1-38)
• Session 22 - Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-40)
• Session 23 - A Personal Testimony (Acts 22:1-30)
• Session 24 - The Plot Thickens (Acts 23:1-35)
• Session 25 - The Way Continues (Acts 24:1-27)
• Session 26 - Different Singer, Same Song (Acts 25:1-27)
• Session 27 - A Message to God’s People (Acts 26:1-32)
• Session 28 - Will He Make It (Acts 27:1-44)
• Session 29 - Without Hindrance (Acts 28:1-31)

In our fifth session, we looked at Peter and John facing opposition (Acts 4:1-26). The discussion and passage are below:

Acts 4:1-26 [New Revised Standard Version]

While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them, much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead. So they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who heard the word believed; and they numbered about five thousand.

The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is ‘the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

So they ordered them to leave the council while they discussed the matter with one another. They said, “What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them; we cannot deny it. But to keep it from spreading further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.” After threatening them again, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, for all of them praised God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.

After they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers have gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.’

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.