Title Acts 05:12-32 The Persecuted Church
The persecuted church (Acts 5:12-32)
After the death of Ananias Sapphira and his wife, who tried to deceive the Holy Spirit, the whole church and those who heard it all began to fear God. The apostles continued to perform signs and wonders, and many came to Jesus. Although the Jewish religious leaders were jealous and persecuted the apostles, the apostles testified of Jesus without hesitation.
1. Apostles who perform signs and wonders
Their prayers were answered. The apostles performed signs and wonders. People took the sick to the streets in the belief that even Peter's shadow would be healed if they were covered by the sick. Both the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits were healed.
It is just like the manna that Israel ate in the wilderness stopped the moment it entered the land of Canaan.
God's power is limitless, but God's time is set.
Like Peter's confession, he did not perform signs and wonders with personal power and godliness, but caused great works in the early church to confirm that the name of Jesus was the authority.
2. The way the world treats the church
The attitude of the world toward the church began to change because of the devotion of Barnabas, the presence or absence of the congregation, the death of Ananias Sapphira, and the apostles performing signs and wonders.
(1) No one dares to associate with: The world has been making fun of believers for a while. It was disparaged as a place where the poor, ignorant, sick, and marginalized gathered to receive peace of mind. But now he could no longer deny the work of God, so he began to look at the church with fear.
(2) Praise: I came to praise the church while looking at the voluntary devotion of those who have it and the beautiful field of exchange and trade.
As a result, more and more people believed and came to the Lord.
The church should be established with spiritual authority and the church members should be respected and praised by the neighbors by loving and devoting themselves to each other.
3. Persecution of religious leaders
Another persecution arose when the church was revived. The high priests and Sadducees were jealous of the church, so they arrested the apostles and put them in prison.
But the Lord sent messengers. An angel of the Lord opened the prison doors at night and brought them out, and instructed them, "Stand in the temple and speak all the words of life to the people."
The apostles who came out of prison entered the temple from dawn and taught the people the word of life.
At dawn they demanded that the council be assembled and the imprisoned apostles should be brought for questioning. But when the coffins went, the prison door was firmly shut and there was no one inside.
While everyone was wondering what was going on, they got a report that the apostles were teaching the people in the temple.
They watched the people and carefully brought the apostles to the council for questioning.
It was strictly forbidden not to teach in the name of Jesus, but when asked why they continued to preach Jesus, Peter and the apostles answered, “We should obey God rather than men,” testifying that Jesus is our King and Savior.
“The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you slew by hanging on a tree, and raised up Him with His right hand to make Him King and Savior, that He might bring Israel to repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”
The apostles were no longer afraid of men. Despite being threatened, as a witness of Jesus, he boldly told what he had seen and heard.
They were convinced that the Holy Spirit helped them in their witness ministry.
“We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
* Today, the world is not afraid of the church because the authority of the church is falling apart.
In order to restore the authority of the church, above all, discipline must be properly implemented to preserve the holiness and purity of the church.
Amidst all persecution, the apostles testified of the death and resurrection of Jesus and that He is our King and Savior. The church's job is to proclaim the atoning death of Jesus Christ, and to proclaim that He is our Savior.