Stephen’s vision of an open heaven is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. For the high council, Jesus standing at the right hand of God was blasphemy.

Jesus was rejected because he claimed to be one with God and thus made himself equal to God. For them, Jesus was in league with the devil (Matthew 12:24) and, in their view, could not stand next to God.

That is why they dragged Stephen out of the city and stoned him to death. He says: “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Jesus stands up to receive Stephen. When we die, someone is waiting for us.

Stephen prays: “ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” and “ Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Acts 7:59.

This is one of the few known prayers to Jesus in the Bible. The second is found in Revelation 22:20. It is a characteristic of the first followers of Jesus to pray to Jesus (Acts 9:21 and first Corinthians 1:2 / 12:3).

The certainty that not everything ends with death was one reason why the Jesus movement grew so quickly in the first centuries. People went to their deaths for their faith without hating their tormentors. This brought other people into question.

more from Acts: https://jesus-news-israel.net/tag/acts/

Stephen is a Hellenistic Jew filled with the Holy Spirit. Other Jews from the Greek-speaking world accused him of blaspheming God and insulting Moses (Acts 6:11). The accusation is that he should be said that Jesus would tear down the temple and change the law of Moses (Acts 6:14).

Stephen uses a history lesson to show that it is not he who is acting against the temple and the law, but the accusers, by not recognising the promised prophet and acting in the same way as their ancestors. Continue reading Stephen – faithful unto death →

A cultural, linguistic and ethnic divide ran right through the young church (Acts 6:1-7).

The first Christians had shared everything and yet there were neglected poor.

The believers from the diaspora and the locals finally came together. The apostles delegated responsibility to those concerned and ensured that the church itself chose suitable people.

Seven Greek-speaking men were chosen who were “full of spirit and truth“.

Only by listening to and complementing each other’s different voices can an orchestra concert become a pleasure.

When the different talents and tasks are accepted side by side, the Holy Spirit can work. Appreciating each other’s is the key factor for dynamic growth.

more from Acts: https://jesus-news-israel.net/tag/acts/

Most Bibles use the title: Gamaliel’s wise advice. But was it really wise? Proverbs 9:10 says: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One (God) is understanding.”

Gamaliel is not arguing theologically, but historically. Instead of turning back to God, as Peter suggested to them (Acts 5:31), he preaches a wait-and-see approach. He hopes that everything will come to nothing. He does not want to change himself and his honourable position should remain the same. Everything should remain as it is. Not wanting to decide in favour of God is a fateful decision.

Jesus said to the Emmaus disciples in Luke 24:25: “How sluggish is your heart to believe in all that the prophets have proclaimed.”

Gamaliel could have theologically recognised why Theudas and Judas the Galilean were not sent by God. But we also realise why Jesus kept a low profile vis-à-vis the Romans. His mission took place in an extremely explosive environment.

God promised a prophet like Moses in Deuteronomy 18:18. In Exodus 34:10-12, the face-to-face encounter and the miracles and signs are listed as characteristics of Moses. Jesus maintained an intensive dialogue with the heavenly Father and performed the signs and wonders of Moses.

The church gathered in public and not just secretly in people’s homes. This aroused the jealousy of the Sadducees, who had the temple under their control.

They wanted to forbid the church to speak of Jesus in their territory. But God freed the elders from prison and sent them back to the temple (Acts 5:17-42). During the renewed interrogation, the apostles made it clear that God must be obeyed more than the people who unjustly dominate the temple.

Peter gets to the heart of the difference. He refers to the God of the forefathers, the resurrection of the dead and proclaims a universal priesthood (verses 30-32). Continue reading God calls the elite →

In telling the blessing experienced by the first church, Luke does not fail to mention how the devil attacks the church (Acts 4-7). Luke introduces the story of Hananias and Sapphira with details.

Firstly, he speaks in general terms about the generosity and warmth of the Christians (Acts 4:32-35). He then gives the example of Joseph Barnabas, who sold a piece of land and brought the earnings to the apostles (Acts 4:36-37), before moving to Hananias, who, from the outside, did exactly the same thing (Acts 5:1-11). But with Ananias and Sapphira, word and deed did not match.

Satan tries to destroy unity and tempts Ananias and Sapphira to pretend. They sought a false honour. Their lie was completely unnecessary. No one had expected them to sell their field in order to give away some of the proceeds. But the two lied and pretended that they had donated all the earnings. Through the Holy Spirit, Peter exposed the lie of Hananias as an attack by the devil.

The holiness of God does not tolerate deception. Anyone who lies to God must expect consequences. God sets an example in the early days of the church movement. You can’t deal with him any way you like.

At the same time, God confirmed Himself through signs and wonders. Many sick people were brought in. There was a reverence for God and many came to faith (Acts 5:11, 13-14). Where there is a reverence for God, the goodness of God can also be experienced.

In the presence of God, there is no room for lies and the desire to show off. The kingdom of God is not about shining, but about complementing.

Continue reading Complementing instead craving for honour →

The tangible closeness of God characterised the people of the first church. They brought their abundance to the apostles. The gifts were distributed among the needy, as much as each person needed (Acts 4:35).

It was not a communist way of life in which the state was in charge of distributing the possessions of others. Rather, it was a matter of voluntary contributions that were distributed by a committee according to need. This meant that not everyone received the same amount.

The parishioners did not sell everything they had, but only part of their ‘fields and houses’ (plural). They did not give the shirt off their backs until they themselves were in need. They only gave away what they didn’t need to live on.

By law, family property could not be sold, but could only be enfeoffed until the Halljahr. But their attitude to property changed. It was not about amassing as much money and property as possible. Rather, they saw themselves as stewards of their possessions (Acts 4:32). Because everything was and is a gift from God.

There was no pressure from within among the first followers of Jesus. The members of the church voluntarily helped each other to withstand the pressure from outside, to grow spiritually and to be filled with God’s presence.

It is also noteworthy that they met in a public place (Solomon’s Hall) and did not build or rent a community building. Such public places no longer exist today. Continue reading Voluntary contributions distributed according to need →

Using Psalm 118 in Acts 4:11, Peter reminds the Sanhedrin that it is already written in the Scriptures that Jesus will be the cornerstone. Though much had to happen, now was the time for repentance and reorientation.

The fact that the leaders were unable to answer (Acts 4:14) calls into question their authority. In their weakness, all they have left is the threat (Acts 4:18).

Peter shows that freedom of faith has a high value. In matters of faith, God is to be obeyed more than men.

The history of the Jesus movement is marked by headwinds and people who, through divine power, rise above themselves and have profound experiences of God.

Not being silenced is an important part of the Jesus movement. They could have met in a protected environment and not been exposed to opposition. Continue reading He who has no arguments threatens →

During the court case of the apostles Peter and John, the question of who gave them the authority was still relevant (Acts 4:7). Peter points to the resurrected Jesus (Acts 7:10).

It is interesting to note that many in Jerusalem did not want to be associated with Jesus, even though the signs were known to all (Acts 4:16). Miracles do not necessarily lead to faith; they can also provoke opposition.

For the Sadducees, who had a liberal theology and did not believe in an afterlife, the Jesus movement was particularly upsetting. The believers in Jesus disrupted their lives, which they had arranged with the Romans through the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was largely made up of Sadducees who were related to each other.  Continue reading God’s acts can lead to opposition →