Acts 5: Greater Works of the Holy Spirit

In Acts 5 we see that God answered the prayer the disciples prayed in Acts 4 where they cried out to increase His miraculous power flowing through them because of the persecution. The chapter begins with a continuation of the closing paragraphs from the previous chapter, revealing greater works of the Holy Spirit in an unexpected way. The new Christian converts were selling property and giving the money into the hands of the apostles to help spread the gospel and provide for those suffering for their faith, but not all received a blessing for doing this.

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?”(Acts 5:1-3 ESV)

The married couple has sold land just like the others in the previous chapter. Everyone else brought all the proceeds from the sale of property to the apostles. Ananias and Sapphira wanted to appear as dedicated as the others, so they lied. Lying to appear better is based in pride which is why the Holy Spirit identified Satan as being behind this for he is the king of the children of pride as seen in the book of Job where he is described:

He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride. (Job 41:34 ESV)

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV)

Satan is the (lower case g) god of this world, and wants to rule over us. When we operate in pride, we are placed into his hands. This truth is shown in the rest of Peter’s rebuke.

“While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. (Acts 5:4-5 ESV)

We usually think of the power of the Holy Spirit as bringing gifts of healing, deliverance, and miracles. This miracle wasn’t a blessing, but it was necessary. Because Ananias and Sapphira came into the Church with a lie based in pride, there was a root of pride in their conversion to Christianity, this made them what Jesus described in the parable about the wheat and tares (darnels).

He answered and said to them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (Matthew 13:37-40 NIV)

Jesus sows seeds into our hearts. We receive them knowing that He has done everything. Because of this we give everything to Him. It is all about Him and not about us.

Pride gives Satan a place in our life as our king instead of Jesus. If we became a Christian to be better than others, to look good, because it was expected of us, then we have received a seed from the evil one, a seed based in pride. We are not really wheat (Christian), we are tares (unsaved).

The Holy Spirit revealed that Ananias and his wife were not really submitted to Jesus: they had a root of pride in their lives because they lied to God to make themselves look better. They didn’t have to sell their land, keeping some of the money wouldn’t have been a sin, it would have been fine. Lying about what they were giving was the sin. It revealed that they were not really aligned with God, but with the evil one. The fruit of their actions brought a clear message from God: He expects honesty and truth. Anything else will not bring a blessing, it will have dire consequences. The married couple died right there in front of everyone. Those who become Christians and lie about being fully committed to God will receive spiritual death as we saw in the parable about the wheat and tares.

The rest of Acts five reveals the good miracles God poured out through the disciples to confirm that they were working with Him.

Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. (Acts 5:12-16 ESV)

The number of Christian converts increased as Peter continued to preach the Gospel as God increased the flow of the Holy Spirit. Jesus spoke of His disciples doing greater works and Peter definitely did that. He didn’t have to pray over each person, just being close to him, within six to eight feet, was enough to bring healing!

A phenomena such as this could only be done by God. So how did the religious leaders respond? Did they repent for their actions against Jesus, in whose name these miracles were being done?

But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy, they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. (Acts 5:17-18 ESV)

It is God’s way to confirm what he is saying with signs and wonders. Instead of accepting the miracles being done as a confirming sign, they were jealous that people were flocking to the apostles. They came against God’s anointed by having them arrested.

But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. (Acts 5:19-21 ESV)

The disciples had asked God to act in power because of the persecution. He did not disappoint! God sent an angel to set them free from the prison! Peter who had cowered and denied Jesus the night before the cross, now continued to boldly preach the Gospel even after being imprisoned! What a difference it makes when you have been filled with the Holy Spirit.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” Now when the captain of the Temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.

And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the Temple and teaching the people.” Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. (Acts 5:21-26 ESV)

When the chief priests asked for the disciples to be brought before them for questioning, the captain of the guard was confused. The doors were locked, but the men were gone! God’s reason for having them go immediately out to preach is revealed as the guards couldn't take them by force, they had to go willingly because of the people who were listening to them. Sometimes we do not know the reason why God tells us to do things, but we must trust that He knows more than we do!

Standing the disciples before the counsel, the leaders asked them, why they had continued to preach in the name of Jesus after being told not to. Peter steps up his game with his answer:

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree. God exalted Him at His right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:29-32 ESV)

Now Peter testifies not only about Jesus and the forgiveness of sins, but also about the Holy Spirit who is available to all those who obey God! This was another demotion to the status of the Pharisees and Sadducees, for until this time, only prophets acted with the Holy Spirit. Prophets would bring correction to people in their position.

This enraged the leaders to the point of wanting to kill the apostles. One man stood up and asked for the disciples to be removed so that he could speak to the leaders.

And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.” (Acts 5:35-37 ESV)

Israel had a saying in the time of Jesus, “You cannot swing a cat without hitting a messiah.” Satan muddied the waters and sent many false messiahs about the time when Jesus was to appear. None of them came to anything: after the false messiahs died, their followers drifted away.

“So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.” (Acts 5:38-40 ESV)

This leader spoke rightly. Jesus wasn’t around for decades, only for three years. If He wasn’t of God, what He brought wouldn’t have been lost over the ages. Because Jesus is God’s Son, He is the Messiah, God was with the apostles. Christianity was born despite persecution and even the early deaths of all the apostles, except the one whom Jesus loved.

Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. (Acts 5:41-42 ESV)

The apostles did not escape unscathed. They were beaten then released. They didn’t ask God why, or get upset by the attack. No. They rejoiced because they would receive honors in Heaven for suffering for the name of Jesus on the Earth. Since being within a shadow’s distance of Peter brought healing, I trust the wounds were quickly removed.

The fifth chapter of Acts shows how faithful God is when we trust in and rely on Him. He provided protection from darnel or tares coming into the group, He poured out His Spirit in abundance, He healed all who drew close to Peter and delivered them from prison. A time of persecution is coming for all Christians. Are you willing to draw close to God so that He can pour out His Spirit through you? Check out the class on Darnel (Tares) Salvation to make sure you have fully received Jesus!