Burunche’s Blog

2 Kings 17: 24 Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns. 25 Now when the settlers first lived there, they did not worship the LORD, so He sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 26 So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The peoples that you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Because of this, He has sent lions among them, which are indeed killing them off.”

27 Then the king of Assyria commanded: “Send back one of the priests you carried off from Samaria, and have him go back to live there and teach the requirements of the God of the land.” 28 Thus one of the priests they had carried away came and lived in Bethel, and he began to teach them how they should worship the LORD.

29 Nevertheless, the people of each nation continued to make their own gods in the cities where they had settled, and they set them up in the shrines that the people of Samaria had made on the high places. 30 The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of the Sepharvaim.

32 So the new residents worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed for themselves priests of all sorts to serve in the shrines of the high places. 33 They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away. 34 To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.”

The story of ancient Israel is a tragic one. God gave the Israelites their promised land and brought them great kings; yet, they fell away and worshiped demons instead of the one true living God. The idol worshipers indulged in ritual sex, sacrificed their children as burnt offerings, and even involved themselves in witchcraft of various kinds. Finally, God allowed the Jews to be carried away by the Babylonians and Assyrians. Israel fell to the Assyrians in 722-721 B.C. while Judah fell to the Chaldeans (Babylonians) in 586 A.D. Rather than allow the land to remain empty, the conquerors brought in people from other conquered lands who brought their own idols with them.

When the Jews returned under Ezra, they were extremely concerned about purity of worship and the ethnic purity of their families; after all, compromise and idol worship had led to their exile in the first place. Priests who could not verify their lineage were allowed to return to the land but were not allowed to minister as priests. And the people who now were occupying Samaria were a mongrel people made of several different ethnic groups, each with its own idols. So when these people approached the prophet Ezra offering to help build the temple, Ezra and the Jews who had returned from exile in Persia vehemently rejected this offer. Incensed, the Samaritans wrote to King Ataxerxes, complaining that the Jews were rebels who should be stopped. Eventually, Nehemiah came and brought revival with him and the temple was rebuilt, but the Jews never forgot what the Samaritans had done and the corrupt forms of worship that they continued to pursue. To the Jews, the term “Samaritan” came to symbolize a pagan unbeliever who was pretending to worship God but who was really playing religious games.

“Great,” you say, “but why should I care?” You should care because truth is not relative. Ever since Adam and Eve had that interview with the snake in the Garden of Eden, people have always been tempted to compromise and twist the word of God to fit their desires. The snake interview turned out badly, and compromising God’s word turns can be a deadly mistake. God gave the Samaritans a chance to worship Him fully, but they merely added Him to the list of idols they already had. When Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, he told her that “God is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

Today we are struggling to discern the truth about COVID – 19. We are overwhelmed with experts who contradict one another. Youtube is full of all kinds of videos, many of them frightening. In the middle of this struggle, where do we find truth?

Jesus gave us the answer in John 17:17 when he was praying over his disciples. “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” We may not be able to trust any of the news media, but we can trust God’s Word. Today, allow God’s word to speak to your heart.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please turn our hearts to you. Let us feed on your Word. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 5: 41 “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 “Every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. “

It was a horrible story, and every bit of it was true! Islamic militants had captured a Nigerian seminary student in Northern Nigeria. The terrorists were hoping to convert this Christian to Islam; instead, the seminary student just kept telling them about Jesus. Finally, the terrorists gave up and killed the young man because that was the only way they could silence him. This promising young man died praising Jesus! The terrorists may have succeeded in killing this man, but they lost!

How much would we really be willing to give up for the Gospel? In these verses, the disciples were rejoicing that they had been arrested, dragged off to jail, and then humiliated in front of the highest religious leaders in their land. Despite this discouragement, the disciples continued to teach and proclaim Jesus.

Those who heard the disciples were attracted to them for several reasons. First of all, these men had been eye – witnesses to Jesus’ arrest, death, and resurrection. Second, these men had received the Holy Spirit and were now preaching and teaching wisely, winsomely, and compassionately. Nobody hearing these men could deny that they had encountered something marvelous. There was also the evidence of the miracles that were happening wherever these men began praying for people. People were even getting healed merely by being touched by Peter’s shadow.

To understand the impact that the witness of the early believers had, we need to understand the world in which they were living. There were all kinds of gods – the Romans had gods, the Greeks had gods, and then there were all the gods of the other countries around them. But none of these gods was holy. Without exception, all of the pagan gods were corrupt and their worship was deplorable. Contrast that with the early Christians. Many people in Jerusalem had seen Jesus and had heard him teach. Many had recognized Jesus as the Messiah, even if the religious leaders had been able to whip up a mob to howl for Jesus to be crucified. Now here were the intimate friends of Jesus preaching and teaching the same things that Jesus had taught – teachings that satisfied rather than confusing the hearer. Little wonder that many watched the disciples closely. When the disciples were willing to risk everything to keep preaching about Jesus, many may have decided that these men were truly serious; after all, nobody would take on the Sanhedrin unless they were willing to suffer or even to die for their beliefs. So the people of Jerusalem watched and many believed.

We have no idea if any of the Nigerian terrorists had a change of heart after killing that young man, but it is entirely possible. There are recorded cases in Roman times where centurions charged with tormenting Christians chose to believe, stripped off their armor, and joined the Christians in their deaths.

PRAYER: Father God, we grieve for this young man who died witnessing for you! But Lord, at least he stood for you! Lord, give us grace and courage so that we will be willing to stand for you, no matter how many threats come against us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 5:24 When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening. 25 Then someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts, teaching the people!”

26 At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them. 27 They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”

29 But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree. 31 God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Gamaliel’s Advice

33 When the Council members heard this, they were enraged and wanted to put the apostles to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a short time. 35 “Men of Israel,” he said, “consider carefully what you are about to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.

38 So in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone. Let them go! For if their purpose or endeavor is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”

40 At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.

41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

After the angel led the disciples out of jail, they followed instructions and began teaching at the temple as soon as people began coming in for morning worship. The religious authorities were incensed! The high priest accused them of blaming the Sanhedrin for the death of Jesus; this in a city where everybody knew exactly what had happened. Most of the religious authorities were ready to kill the disciples and end the whole thing; however, Gamaliel, a highly respected teacher and a Pharisee, pointed out the fact that in the past, false messiahs had arisen and had perished. (None of those pseudo – messiahs had ever performed so much as a single miracle.) Gamaliel very sensibly pointed out that if this movement was only man – made, it would fail, but if God was in the thing, those persecuting the disciples would find themselves fighting God.

Today many of us are worried and upset about some of the high – handed orders being handed down by mayors and governors. While caution is necessary, many of us are worried that our civil rights are being seized and will not be returned. But please remember something: God is still on the throne. If these modern rulers are found to be wrong, they may find themselves fighting God.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we bow before your throne. We beg you to guide all of us, those of us who are ordinary citizens and those of us in positions of authority. Lord, do not allow the hand of the wicked to rest on the land of the righteous! Save us from despots! And Father, guide these leaders so that they will look to you for their help and strength and guidance and not to someone else. To the praise and glory of your holy Name. Amen.

Acts 5: 17 “Then the high priest rose up, along with all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees. They were filled with jealousy, 18 and they arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying, 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”

21 At daybreak the apostles entered the temple courts as they had been told and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin —the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they returned with the report: 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards posted at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”

Remember the Sadducees? The Sadducees were the aristocratic Jewish rulers who had absorbed humanistic teachings to the point that they did not believe in an afterlife or in the resurrection of the dead. In addition, the Sadducees were the the group who interacted most closely with the ruling Roman hierarchy. Part of the motto of the Sadducees could have been “go along to get along.” The Sadducees wanted to remain as quiet sophisticates, manipulating the general population behind the scenes. The very last thing the Sadducees wanted was undue attention from the Romans. The Romans had reduced ruling difficult groups of people to a grisly science, and part of their strategy was to identify trouble makers and get rid of them as expeditiously as possible. If a horrible example could be made to discourage others from outlandish behavior, so much the better. The balance of power was extremely delicate, and the Sadducees realized this. For the Sadducees, this new sect preaching that Jesus the carpenter’s son from Galilee had risen from the dead was heresy and a dangerous heresy at that! But then there were the miracles! If ONLY these crazy people would just quit healing the blind, the lame, the deaf, the dumb, and the lepers! If ONLY they would cease casting out demons! Why, such behavior was scandalous! (The Sadducees conveniently overlooked the fact that the prophet Isaiah had foretold all of these things.) There HAD to be some way of intimidating these religious fanatics so that they would crawl back into the hills where they had come from! And so the Sadducees arrested the apostles – at least the eleven plus Matthias, and perhaps even more followers than than that! Jails being what they were in those days, everybody was probably thrown into one cell together. Can you imagine the conversations? “Hey, buddy! Why are you guys here? Aren’t you the ones who have been healing people?” “Sir! Sir! I’ve had a crippled leg all my life. Do you think you could help me? Oh WOW! I can walk! Thank you!” Whether or not they wanted it, the disciples probably found themselves preaching and teaching and healing right there in the Jerusalem jail. Instead of intimidating the disciples, the Sadducees had just provided them with lots more opportunities to witness one on one to some of the people who probably needed their message the most!

About 2 A.M. when everybody was sound asleep, the disciples suddenly heard a low melodious voice, “Friends, arise from your sleep!” Waking, the disciples were stunned to see a eight – foot tall man in glowing robes opening the jailhouse doors and beckoning to them. The other prisoners continued to sleep. As the disciples walked quietly out of the prison, they passed the prison guards, but the guards behaved as if there was nobody there. Peter looked at John and John looked back at Peter and shrugged his shoulders. If this was a dream, they were all sharing the same dream! Quietly the angel led the disciples out into the street and around to the teaching steps on the south side of the temple. “Wait here,” the angel instructed. “In the morning, return to the temple courts and tell the great things God has done for you. Jesus says to tell these people the full message of this new life.” Peter turned to pull his cloak up a little further, and when he turned back, the angel was gone.

“Well, friends,” said Peter, “I guess we all have our orders. Let’s see if we can find shelter in a corner and get a few more hours of sleep. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us!”

Do such escapes really happen? Yes, they do. In the days when Bibles had to be smuggled into Communist countries, there were many stories of people carrying suitcases full of Bibles who were ignored completely by border guards. Other Christians told of friendly strangers who would suddenly appear, conduct them to their meeting places, and then disappear as mysteriously as they had come.

Why did God bless the disciples with such a wonderful deliverance? The disciples needed to know that God was really with them. The early church had no traditions, only the teachings of Jesus and the Jewish scriptures. Those people needed the assurance that God really would care for them and could even deliver them from locked cells. At the same time, God was probably trying to get through to the Sadducees. Even though the Sadducees were more politicians than religious leaders, there may have been many who secretly longed for a real experience of the one true living God. God is very economical; in any given situation, He is trying to reach as many different groups of people as possible. Who knows how many of those prisoners may have become Christ followers that night or the next morning when they realized that the disciples had disappeared?

Do you need a touch from God in your life? Do you feel as if you have been stuck in a dry religious rut with no sign of holiness or of the power of a righteous God? God does not play favorites! Nobody can predict how God will act, but one thing we can definitely say: God is still a miracle – working God who desires intimate friendship with us. Find a quiet place. Open your heart, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you as you pray.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we come to you begging for you to make yourself real in our lives! Lord, come in your might and your power and speak to our hearts. We are waiting for you to guide us. Help us to know your still small voice and to recognize your messages of love to us. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Acts 5: 12 “The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them. 14 Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of bo”th men and women.

15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

When God is handling a situation, there is a divine balance in everything. Peter denied Jesus three times and for awhile was away from Jesus and had to be reconciled. Then Peter underwent questioning by Jesus. Jesus already knew Peter’s heart but Jesus wanted to make sure that Peter was aware of his own motives. In Matthew 23:12 Jesus told his disciples,”For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Peter had to be humbled sufficiently that when the Holy Spirit descended and began working through him, Peter would never again exalt himself.

The Holy Spirit has descended twice and Peter and John have been arrested and then released. Ananias and Sapphira have paid for their greed and their lies with their lives. And now something new is happening, something Peter never anticipated.

Old Asher was the first one to experience a healing. It was late afternoon and Asher was sitting in his doorway feeling the warmth of the sun. That’s all Asher had been able to do for years, ever since the stroke withered his right arm and leg. Asher’s house just happened to be on one of the streets leading to the temple, and Peter was passing by. Asher was a boyhood friend of Peter’s father, so Peter naturally stopped to greet him. As Peter bent over to take Asher’s hand, Peter’s shadow fell on Asher. Suddenly, Asher hopped up and embraced Peter! “My friend!” Asher exclaimed, “I have no idea what just happened, but my legs and arms are as strong as they were when I used to help your father pull in the nets!” “Praise God!” replied Peter, shocked at what had just taken place. Puzzled, Peter proceeded down the street. As Peter turned the corner, he saw Ishmael, the thirteen year old son of the local fruit seller Miriam. Everybody knew about Ishmael and everybody felt sorry for Miriam. From early childhood, Ishmael had been demonically tormented. If Miriam didn’t watch Ishnael closely, he would throw himself into a cooking fire or fall on the ground in fits.

When Ishmael saw Peter, he threw himself on the ground, rolling and foaming at the mouth and crying out in a deep unnatural voice. As Peter approached Ishmael, his shadow fell on the boy. Suddenly, the street became deathly quiet. Ishmael picked himself up off the ground and dusted himself off. Looking at Miriam, Ishmael asked,” Mama, what just happened? Who is that man?” “Son,” Peter replied, “I am Simon Peter, a disciple of Jesus and a servant of the one true living God.” “Master,” Ishmael replied, “you have delivered me! I felt as if I was at the bottom of a deep dark hole. When your shadow fell on me, suddenly a brilliant light appeared and a giant hand grabbed mine and lifted me out of the hole. Then the hole completely disappeared.” “Son,” replied Peter, “give God glory! This is not my doing but God’s. The Lord Jesus Christ working through me has delivered you. Come with me to the temple and we will worship together.”

We read about these miracles and wonder if anything of the sort still happens today. There are several important things to notice: First, Peter was not attempting to do anything. God sovereignly moved. Second, there were no particular requirements for these healings. The sick came, and God healed them. Third, everyone was healed.

The short answer to that question is: yes, God still heals.

The story began when I was a third year surgery resident in Charleston, WV. One poor woman had had uterine cancer and had had all the drugs and radiation treatments her body could stand. She had huge masses of tumor causing her abdomen to protrude. Her right leg was three times the size of the left and she had to have a filter put into her inferior vena cava to stop blood clots from going to her lungs. After that, she ruptured her appendix and required an appendectomy. When I visited her during my rounds and prayed for her, all either of us thought we were doing was just begging God to take away the pain in her right leg. She went home, and I forgot about her. Two years later, I was making preoperative rounds and entered the room of a patient scheduled for an incisional hernia repair the following day. When the lady on the bed saw me, she said,” You don’t know me, do you?” “No, Ma’am,” I answered. This patient scheduled for a relatively minor procedure was that cancer patient. She had gone home to die, but God had other ideas. The tumor melted away; , and her legs became equal size. The only reason this lady was returning was for the repair of a small hernia at the site of her appendectomy. Both of us agreed that God had done a miracle!

Does God always heal miraculously? No. Sometimes God gives us the grace to go through the suffering. But in every situation the grace of God will be sufficient.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you that your grace is sufficient. Thank you that we can freely ask you for healing and that you may grant immediate healing, delayed healing, or the grace to bear whatever suffering is involved. We thank you that you are sovereign and that your mighty power still works. Help us to accept your will, whether it is for instant healings or for something else. Help us to continue to praise and glorify your holy Name. Amen.

Acts 5: “ Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? 4 Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!”

5 On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened. 6 Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife also came in, unaware of what had happened. 8“Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?”

“Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.” 9 “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 At that instant she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and found her dead. So they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events.”

This is a fascinating story! Centuries have come and gone and undoubtedly many church members have lied about their donations. There is a story about a man who belonged to a church in the country and who was known to be stingy, in fact, very stingy! When the church was having a fund raiser, this man pledged the money he was going to get by selling a fine beef calf. Months went by, but the money was not forthcoming. One Sunday morning the choir was to sing an anthem entitled “The Half has Never Yet Been Told.” The miser, who was sitting in the back, had dozed off and was peacefully snoring, awoke suddenly just as the choir belted out the title line of the song. The miserly farmer had missed the title of the anthem and in his confusion, thought that the choir was singing “The calf has never yet been sold!” The man leaped to his feet and cried, “OK, preacher! You win! I’ll sell that calf tomorrow!”

Barnabas had already sold a piece of land and had brought the full amount to the disciples. Ananias and his wife wanted all the credit but also wanted to keep part of the money. Now this is interesting. Had this couple brought the money they wished to donate to the disciples and been honest about it, nobody would have blamed them. Perhaps that was the only land they owned and perhaps they were afraid they needed something to live on. The disciples would probably have said, “Thanks very much,” and let it go at that. The problem was the lie and the fact that the early church couldn’t afford any such behavior. The Holy Spirit acting through Peter struck both Ananias and Sapphira, his wife, dead.

How many of us who think we are really honest find ourselves shading the truth? Perhaps we don’t tell any really BIG lies, but we might improve a story a little to make ourselves look better or to make someone else look worse. It’s sad when believers behave like this! We worship the one true living God, who made heaven and earth and who knows all the thoughts of our hearts. How can we possibly hide anything from God? We can’t! Far better to confess than to pretend, especially to the One who knows us better than we know ourselves.

Today we continue to receive new “expert” information about COVID – 19. The problem is, many experts disagree with many other experts and sometimes news is slanted to fulfill a particular political agenda. Only the Holy Spirit can really discern the truth! Let’s listen to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to show us what we are to believe.

PRAYER: Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy Name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Acts 4: 32 “The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned. 33 With great power, the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.

34 There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales, 35 and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

We haven’t forgotten Peter; he is about to appear in one of the most dramatic incidents that took place in the early church. But today we are setting the stage. Right now throughout the world, people are in want. The COVID – 19 pandemic has already caused the failure of many businesses and nobody knows what things will look like once the threat lifts.

In this setting, the poor and disadvantaged are suffering more than anyone else, as they always do. And the question that comes is this: how far are we willing to go to help others? While we are sheltering in place, are we becoming increasingly selfish and self – centered?

This story mentions Joseph, hereafter always known as Barnabas, “Son of Encouragement.” While Joseph owned a field, there were probably others far more humble whose contributions were far less impressive. Even these humble people were willing to share the little that they had so that others would be sustained. And God, who sees everything, saw and blessed these people so that there were no needy among them and so that “abundant grace was upon them all. “

Who among us truly knows what we will need tomorrow? Tomorrow might bring untold blessings or it might bring unexpected financial demands. But God sees and God knows. If we will follow the example of the early Christians and share what we have, God will ensure that His abundant grace will be with us.

PRAYER: Father God, many of us are fearful! We are shut in, some of us with dwindling incomes and no end to this crisis in sight. Lord, help us to listen to You and not to our fears. Help us to respond if You bring someone to us who needs our help. And than You that Your grace is always abundant! In the mighty and matchless Name of Jesus. Amen.

Acts 4: 23 “On their release, Peter and John returned to their own people and reported everything that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant,c our father David:

‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’ 27 In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. 28 They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen. 29 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, 30 as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”

31 After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

A miracle has taken place, Peter and John have been arrested and threatened by the religious authorities and then released. The believers in Jerusalem are holding a prayer meeting to celebrate; for all they knew, Peter and John might have been on their way to being crucified. And while these believers are affirming their faith, the Holy Spirit shakes the place where they are meeting and fills all of them again, so that they are able to witness boldly.

 This dramatic shaking by the Holy Spirit must have been an incredible encouragement for the disciples. Interestingly enough, this is the last recorded time that something this dramatic takes place at a prayer meeting in Jerusalem. After this, the Book of Acts records times when other groups of people were filled with the Holy Spirit, but nothing this literally earth – shaking. Why did God allow this particular sign of His favor at that point? Perhaps the early Christians needed another infilling of the Holy Spirit. Certainly, this shaking and infilling would have been extremely encouraging and would have confirmed that God approved of what they were doing.

Does God do this kind of thing today? Actually, there have been a number of recorded incidents in recent years in which roaring winds and a shaking of the entire place have occurred. The Sentinel Group, http://www.sentinelgroup.org , produces films in a series they call “Transformations.” The Transformations films record what happens when Christians come together to pray for transformation of their communities. In the second film in the series, “Tranformations II, The Glory Spreads,” there is footage from a baptismal service held in a remote Eskimo village. As new believers are testifying and being baptized, suddenly a high – pitched rushing wind can be heard and the entire place is shaking. All of this has been captured on the recording, despite the fact that at a point the man doing the recording turned off his microphone!

“Oh!” we think, “If only God would show up that way in my life! How wonderful it would be to have such an experience!” But God will show up anytime we turn our faces to Him and pray to Him. While the earth might not shake and we might not hear rushing winds, we can hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking in our hearts. God does not play favorites. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that “a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4: – 24)

God is a rewarder of those who truly seek Him. When we quiet our hearts and pray, God always hears us, and He will answer those prayers.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you are a good Father who does not play games with your children! Thank you that you are more eager to meet us in prayer than we are to meet you. Lord, please let everyone who reads these words turn their hearts to you and seek you. Father, hear their prayers and give them your peace in their hearts! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 4:13 “When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in response. 15 So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.

16“What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no more in this name.”

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God. 20 For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

21 So the Council members threatened them further and let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.”

Call him Lemuel. Everybody knew Lemuel; he had begged at the Beautiful Gate since he was in his mid – teens. And when Peter and John spoke to Lemuel and his lameness was healed, everybody in Jerusalem knew about it! Nothing the religious authorities could do was going to make any difference; this was far too good a story for it to be suppressed. No, Lemuel was healed and he even accompanied Peter and John into the Sanhedrin as a witness on their behalf.

There are many things that stand out in this story. One amazing thing is Peter and John’s persistent boldness. A second thing is that even the religious authorities recognized that Peter and John had been with Jesus. Not all these religious rulers were bad men; there were probably many who truly were seeking God, and their spirits bore witness that Peter and John were acting in the spirit of Jesus. Yet another surprising thing is that the rulers felt they could not punish Peter and John but only threaten them – threats that were already empty because all Jerusalem had heard of this healing. And perhaps one of the most amazing things of all was Lemuel’s willingness to accompany Peter and John to the Sanhedrin. As a cripple, Lemuel was barred from entering the temple proper; he could only remain in the outermost sections. But now Lemuel was whole and could enter the temple to worship just like anybody else for the first time in his life, a fact he was willing to demonstrate to the Sanhedrin.

Many times, we hesitate to talk about the great things God has done in our lives. We hint or beat around the bush in hopes that we won’t have to say anything controversial. But we must be witnesses to the truth. If we draw back and refuse to acknowledge the working of God in our lives, we cheat ourselves and those around us. Each time Peter testified, he became bolder and it became easier. Today, let’s be like Peter. Tell your friends what God has done for you. You never know; that might be the very message they need to hear.

PRAYER: Father God, today please give us holy boldness so that we can share with others the great things You have done and are doing in our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 4:1 “While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 2 greatly disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John, and because it was already evening, they put them in custody until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.“

When we read this story in Acts, it’s important to remember that both Peter and John were observant Jews who had been raised to respect the religious authorities. The Bible mentions two different groups, the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and it is the Sadducees who are leading the soldiers to arrest Peter and John.

The Pharisees believed in the coming of a Messiah, although they did not recognize Jesus as that Messiah. Sadducees were essentially liberal elitists who incorporated the concept of free will into their understanding of the Mosaic Law. They endeavored to preserve their priestly caste, and actively took part in political discourse to maintain their influence over their fellow Jews. The Pharisees, on the other hand, were more religiously committed to keeping the statutes of the Oral as well as Written Law, and regularly took part in traditional forms of worship in the temple. They rejected foreign ideologies and philosophies such as Hellenism, and created numerous laws to keep the Jews from interacting with gentiles on a daily basis.

The Sadducees came from the Jewish aristocracy and had received a humanistic education. Sadducees did not believe in the coming of a Messiah, nor did they believe in the resurrection of the dead. (For more information about these groups, check out the descriptions on Wikipedia.)

Members of the Sadducees: 1. Administered the state domestically, 2. Represented the state internationally 3. Participated in the Sanhedrin, and often encountered the Pharisees there. 4. Collected taxes. These also came in the form of international tribute from Jews in the Diaspora. 5. Equipped and led the army 6. Regulated relations with the Roman Empire 7. Mediated domestic grievances.

So, when Peter began preaching that Jesus was the Messiah and that the religious authorities had killed Jesus and that Jesus had risen from the dead, the Sadducees were infuriated. This man was preaching things that they steadfastly refused to believe! In addition, crowds were gathering and accepting what Peter said, especially after the miracle healing of the lame man at the temple. And as the Jewish civil authorities who interacted with the Roman authorities, the Sadducees were also very nervous. The Romans wanted everything to remain as quiet as possible – no crowds, no excitement, nothing that would even hint of rebellion. Now here are these men publicly making outrageous claims, with thousands believing their words. No wonder the Sadducees gathered up soldiers and other religious leaders and arrested Peter and John!

Christians throughout the ages have taken unpopular stands that have gotten them imprisoned, beaten, and even stoned or killed. Richard Wurmbrandt, a Romanian pastor who was imprisoned many times for his faith, was beaten on the soles of his feet so many times that when at last he was free and was speaking in public, he would have to sit down, because it was too painful for him to stand. Today pastors in China are being thrown into prison and tortured. Christians in Africa and Asia have become the target of Muslim extremists. Sometimes Christians in other countries have even been crucified.

What motivated Peter and John? What motivates Christians today? Everybody is going to serve some purpose. It is in the nature of human beings to worship. We will either worship the One True Living God and acknowledge Jesus Christ as His Son, or we will worship something less. Peter and John had walked with Jesus, lived with Jesus, watched Jesus do miracles, watched Jesus die a shameful death on Calvary, and watched Jesus rise from the dead and ascend into heaven. They could not deny the reality of what they had seen. Christians have experienced oneness with God; we cannot deny that reality either.

PRAYER: Father God, let everyone who reads these words come to know You and Your Son Jesus! Amen!