OVERVIEW:
Internal and external opposition (chapters 5 and 6); the final offer of the kingdom of heaven rejected by the nation of Israel (chapter 7).
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
Acts chapters 3 through 6 reveals to us two forms of Satanic opposition: external and internal. External opposition occurs in the form of persecution. We witness two cycles of persecution meted out on Peter and John by the Jewish leaders in chapter 4:1-22, and again in chapter 5:17-40. Though Peter and John appear to be the objects of wrath, and though the Jewish religious leaders seem to be the persecutors, the fact is, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”! (Ephesians 6:12) The real object of wrath is Jesus (4:17-18; 5:28, 40), and the real persecutor is none other than Satan. Maybe you’ve noticed that you can talk about Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, the occult, etc. with virtually any group of people in any public place, but as soon as you mention the name of Jesus, an uproar is sure to follow! The devil hates the name of Jesus. Be sure you recognize what it is in these chapters that angered the Jewish religious leaders (and the devil) the most! It was the preaching and teaching of the gospel! (4:2, 18; 5:28) A very basic rule of thumb in the spiritual realm is this: if the devil doesn’t like it, it must be effective, so we should do it all the more!
Teaching and preaching is the primary action of the Great Commission: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Teaching and preaching is the primary function of a pastor. (See Acts 2:14, 42; 3:12; 4:31; 5:20, 42; 6:1-4; Colossians 1:28; 2nd Timothy 4:17; Titus 1:3; 1st Corinthians 1:21; 1st Timothy 4:11-16; 2nd Timothy 4:1-2; 1st Timothy 5:17; Galatians 6:6) Therefore, Satan will do anything he can to stop the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ! If Satan can’t stop the gospel with his external opposition, then he’ll walk right in the front doors of the church and try internal opposition. That’s what happens in Acts 5.
Ananias and Sapphira were held in esteem by their fellow believers because they vowed to sell their property and give ALL of the proceeds to the church. But in an effort to appear to be more spiritual than they actually were, they both told Peter that they were offering all of the money they had received for the land they had sold, when they had actually kept back a portion for themselves. They must have thought, “What a great plan! The church will think we’re really spiritual for sacrificing so much, and we’ll still be rich! No one will ever know.” But though we can fool men, we can’t fool an omniscient God! Peter defines their offense clearly, “Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God!” (Acts 5:4) With that, they both dropped dead right on the spot! (5:5, 10) Keep in mind, the issue here wasn’t that they didn’t give all of the proceeds from the sale of their property in the offering. Neither God nor the apostles had required that. The issue was the fact that they lied to the apostles about the money, and in the process, lied to God Himself! If you’re wondering whether or not the Sunday attendance dropped after that, it most certainly did! But it was all part of God’s plan! God always purges His church and purifies His people in preparation for new fruit! (See 5:11–14)
Another form of internal opposition comes in these chapters from the envy, strife, and complaining among believers. Keep in mind that the Grecians’ complaint in Acts 6 was legitimate and certainly needed to be addressed but, consider also that the devil is more than happy to keep us busy with “legitimate needs” and many “good things”, as long as it keeps us from the best things: prayer and the word of God! Do you remember Jesus’ instruction to Martha when she was so busy working to serve Him while Mary sat at His feet, communing with Him? Jesus said to her, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) Likewise, the apostles chose “that good part” in Acts 6 by continuing to “sit at Jesus’ feet” in prayer and the ministry of the word! (6:2, 4) They delegated the “legitimate need” to carefully selected “deacons” (6:3, 5-7) so they could carry out their primary function as leaders in the church.
With regard to deacons, it is significant to note that God even holds those who carry out the simplest forms of service in His church to a standard of “honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom.” (6:3)
Finally, in chapter 7, we have come to the first key event, or turning point in the book of Acts. Acts 7 is the answer to the question the apostles had in Acts 1:6, concerning whether or not this would be the time Jesus would set up His kingdom, and marks the beginning of five of the seven transitions in the book. Acts 7 is the third and final offer of the King and His kingdom to the nation of Israel. Stephen preaches an incredible sermon with three significant points:
- First, that God promised us (Israel) a land. (7:2-7)
- Second, that God promised us a prophet like Moses. (7:20, 37)
- Third, but you leaders always kill God’s prophets and fail to respond properly to God’s message! (7:51-53)
Needless to say, the council was enraged by Stephen’s message, and immediately picked up stones to stone him.
To understand the significance of this event, we need to pay close attention to what Stephen said in verse 56: “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” Notice, Stephen saw two very significant things: “the heavens opened” and “the Son of man standing.” It is interesting that immediately following His ascension in Acts 1:9-11, the Bible tells us that Jesus SAT down at the right hand of the Father! Hebrews 10:12 states, “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1 tells us that even today in the Church Age, Jesus is SEATED at the Father’s right hand: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” So, the fact that Stephen saw the heavens opened and Jesus STANDING at the Father’s right hand as he was being stoned is incredibly significant.
The next time we find Jesus standing and the heavens opened is Revelation 4:1-3 and 5:1 and 5 where Jesus rises to take the book with seven seals from the Father’s hand, which marks the beginning of the Tribulation period! So, why is Jesus STANDING in Acts 7? It’s because He is awaiting the nation of Israel’s response! If there will be a national repentance (and had the Jewish ruling council that is listening to Stephen’s message repented, the entire nation would have followed their lead!), then Jesus will open the first seal of the Tribulation Period (Revelation 6) and Daniel’s seventieth week will begin. If the message is rejected, then Jesus will sit back down, Israel will be “blinded in part” (Romans 11:25), and the Church Age will begin. Clearly, the stoning of Stephen is a rejection of God’s offer, and as expected, we find Jesus seated for the duration of the Church Age. (Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1) Consequently, God turns His attention to the gospel of the “kingdom of God” (the spiritual, internal kingdom) and to all of the Gentile nations under heaven, as we will see in Acts 8.