Pastor and 1st Lady Mims

Mims Chapel Church

Lesson 9 • Fourth Week

The Apostles Are Arrested for
the Second Time and
Some are Beaten

Background Reading Devotional Reading
John 16:7-11; Romans 1:16; Acts 5:34-39 Acts 5:40-42

Central Verse
"And laid their hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison."
Acts 5:18, KJV

"They arrested the Apostles and put them in the public jail."
Acts 5:18, NLT

Key Terms
Persecution—Punishment or harassment, usually of a severe nature on the basis of race, religion, or political opinion in one's country of origin.

Doctrine—A principle or position or the body of principles in a branch of knowledge or system of belief; something held as an established opinion.

Nought—Not anything; no thing.

Introduction

The Early Church was steadily growing, and the people came from all the cities and towns around Jerusalem. The word had spread that miracles, signs, and wonders were happening. People were bringing their sick families and friends into the streets and laying them on beds and couches so that they could be healed. No matter the sickness or ailment that the people had, they were being healed and delivered.
The high priest and the Sadducees were angry and jealous at what God was doing through the Holy Ghost, so they arrested the Apostles again.
This was the second persecution. They had arrested Peter and John after the crippled man who laid at the gate of the Temple was healed, but after threatening them, the guards had to release them.

Discussion

Anna, the high priest, along with the other leaders, were frustrated and didn't know what to do. They had arrested two of the apostles and threatened them and it only made them stronger. He didn't realize that threatening them only made them go into warfare praying, which brought another outpouring of the Holy Spirit, causing more people to believe and be healed, saved, and set free. It only gave the Apostles the opportunity to preach more powerful messages, so more souls got saved, which caused this new church to grow more.

The first persecution was responsible for over three thousand men being convicted and receiving Jesus Christ as their Savior. The Holy Spirit had the power to convict and reprove men of their sin, judgement, and unrigh-teousness, and that's exactly what He did, causing men to repent and turn to Jesus as their hope.

The high priest did not realize that the angel of the Lord encamped around them that feared the Lord, and he delivered them (Psalm 34:7). That night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out of that public prison and told them to go stand in the temple and speak to the people.

The high priest and other leaders were seeing the power of the Holy Ghost on display in the lives of holy men who had received Him. These men were experiencing the abundance of grace and blessing that God has in store for every believer who lives, loves, trusts, and obeys Him.

The next morning, when the officers went to the prison and found the prison shut with no prisoners inside and only the keepers standing outside the doors, they were very disturbed. They went back to the high priest and told him, but he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to start a riot and was afraid that the people would stone them. Anna asked them, "Didn't we command you not to teach in this name? But, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood down on us" (Acts 5:28).

Conclusion

Once again, Peter, the bold leader, and the others spoke up saying, "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). They testified once again how God had raised up Jesus and they slew and hung Him on a tree. But God had exalted Jesus to be a Prince and a Savior, giving repentance and forgiveness of sin to Israel. The Apostles let the rulers know that they witnessed all these things and now the Holy Ghost has been given to them because of their obedience. When the high priest and his officers heard this, they took council on how to kill them.

Amongst the Council there was a man, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law. He had a good reputation among the people and stood up and said to the high priest and all the leaders, "Be careful about what you plan to do to these men" (Acts 5:35). He gave some examples of other men who had risen up and described what happened to them. He told the leaders, "If this be of God, you can't stop it; leave these men alone" (Acts 5:39). If what they were doing was of men, it would come to nought, but if it was of God, they would not be able to fight against God's will and win. They agreed, but their fleshly nature felt that they must punish these men in some manner. So, they beat them, commanded them not to speak the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The Apostles departed from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer in the name of Jesus. Every day, they went to the Temple and to every house, teaching and preaching Jesus Christ.

They were not ashamed, nor were they afraid. They knew that the Gospel was the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). They knew that fear is of the devil and that God had not given His children the Spirit of Fear, but of power, love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). They knew that the fearful (cowardly) would also have their part in the Lake of Fire in the Last Days (Revelation 21:8). God needs some bold soldiers in this age, men and women who are not afraid to witness to His great power or to suffer for His name.

Questions

How did the Apostles respond when they were arrested?
How did the Apostles get out of prison?
What did the high priest and the men of the Council do?
How did the Apostles answer the Council?
Who was the man who spoke up for the Apostles, and what did he say?
How did the Apostles react when they were released?

Essential Thought- "When believers take care of God's business, He will take care of their business."