How They Lived  (Acts of the Apostles chp 2)

Peter begins this passage by bearing witness to Jesus’ identity and authority.  He talks of the wondrous works and signs which Jesus performed, and continues that he had been crucified and killed by lawless men.  But Jesus could not be bound by death, and rose to life on the third day, through the power of God.  There continues an explanation of how the first “Jewish Christians” lived.  They were baptised into a new community, which met together to pray, and share fellowship meals – based on the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples.  The apostles were able to perform miraculous deeds in Jesus’ name, whilst the new converts sold their possessions in order to help the poor and needy, forming a new community devoted to praying together in praise of God.

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With these new beliefs, however, came persecution.  The early Christians found themselves imprisoned by the high priest, but an angel came to their rescue, opening the prison doors and telling them to go and teach in the temple.  When the officers checked the prison, they found it secure and well guarded, but when they opened the doors, there was nobody inside!  So the captain and officers, hearing of their presence in the temple, brought the Christians before the high priest and the council, where Peter and the apostles claimed authority to preach in God’s name, refusing to be silenced by earthly powers.  A Pharisee named Gamaliel spoke out that the council must be careful in their dealings with the Christian group – he commented that if their intentions were not those of the true God then they would probably simply fade into obscurity (as had happened with groups in the past), whereas if they turned out to be correct in God’s sight then nobody would be able to overthrow them anyway!  The council followed this advice, summoning the apostles and beating them, telling them to stop teaching in Jesus’ name, but then allowing them to go free.  And they continued to teach, and preach about Jesus as the Christ.

Themes

• Ability and Power of Jesus – Jesus’ credentials are spelled out right at the start.  There can be no doubt about his identity and authority, nor what this entails!
• What Christians had to do – The early Christians prayed together as a community, living their lives as a witness to Jesus.
• Sacrifice – As Jesus had instructed, his followers gave up their possessions to help the poor and needy.  But this was not the only hardship that they faced – indeed, they were to find themselves imprisoned for their beliefs in Jesus.
• Perseverance – Early Christians did not give up their beliefs, nor shirk their responsibilities.  They knew that it was not going to be easy, but their conviction that they were right – and their trust in God – helped them through difficult times.
• Gamaliel’s statement – if the movement continues, then it must be from God, and there is nothing that anyone can do to stop it…
  
  

Contemporary Issues

• Standing up for what one believes to be right – even if this might result in persecution – possibly death.
  
• Community living.