Kevin's Kommentary: Acts 2:42-3:10 The Fellowship of the Believers = January 6

The Fellowship of the Believers
Acts 2:42-47

What do you devote yourself to daily? Anything that would pass for a daily devotion?

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God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
What did these 3000 converts end up doing in Acts 2:42-47? How is God with them?
I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
How is your church fellowship like and unlike the fellowship here? How could you help your church be more like this? How will this example affect how you get involved in your church?
You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

Peter Heals the Crippled Beggar
Acts 3:1-10

Describe a time when you found yourself without money?

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God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
The Jews had three set times for prayer each day. How disciplined are you in your personal spiritual life? What benefits have come to you from the spiritual disciplines?
What does this passage say about why we should love God's people?
What were Peter and John unable to give the crippled man? What did they give? How did the crippled man react to the miracle? If you were the cripple, what would you write as a diary entry for a typical day? When Peter grabs your hand? After the healing?
How did the people at the temple respond to Peter and John after they heard about the miracle? What opportunity did this miracle provide for Peter?
How did Peter explain the healing of the crippled man?
Who did Peter attribute this healing to? Explain why it is important to “give credit where credit is due.” What dangers could Christians fall into if they accepted the praise God deserves?
What was the relationship between physical healing and spiritual salvation in Jesus’ work and teaching? (See Luke 4:18-19, 5:17-26, 7:20-23, 9:1-2.)
What purpose did the physical healing serve here? Why did Peter and John heal the beggar physically instead of just giving him money or offering him spiritual salvation?
I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
How is Jesus healing some crippled area of your life?
Would you do the same thing as Peter did or would you ask John for a dime? Why? Could God heal through you? Why or why not?
What excuses do Christians use to keep quiet about their faith?
You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

Footnotes:

ate Literally, "broke bread." This may mean a meal or the Lord's Supper, the special meal Jesus told his followers to eat to remember him (Lk. 22:14-20).

temple The special building in Jerusalem for Jewish worship.

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Miracles in Acts

1. Jesus was validated by miracles (Luke 4:14, 18–19; 7:22–23; Acts 2:22; 10:38–39; Heb 2:3b–4; Josephus, Ant. 18 §63–64).

2. Miracles were a platform for preaching and evangelism for the Apostles (Acts 3:12; 5:12– 16; 15:12), Stephen (Acts 6:8), and Philip (Acts 8:6, 13, 18).

3. The first century world did not draw a distinction between the natural and supernatural world. Hence, the reality of miracles was assumed, not proved. What had to be proved was whence the power came—from good or evil spiritual forces (cf. Acts 14:15–19; 2 Thess 2:9).

4. Miracles in the Gospels are done exclusively by Jesus’ authority. In Acts, likewise, they are done in his name (cf. 3:12, 16; 19:13–15)

• There are seven exorcisms in the Gospels but only one in Acts

• Jesus performs three nature miracles but none are performed by humans in Acts

• In the Gospels no humans are punished through miracles but there are three human deaths and two people blinded (temporarily) in Acts.

5. There is a clear comparison between Peter’s and Paul’s miracles in Acts:

Peter	Paul
―many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles‖ (2:43)	Paul and Barnabas (the apostles) did many miracles and signs in Iconium (14:3–4)
Lame Man from birth (3:1–10)	Lame Man from birth (14:8–11)
Earthquake ends a Prayer meeting (4:31)	Earthquake ends prayers sung to God (16:26)
Curses Ananias and Sapphira (5:1–11)	Curses Elymas (13:8–12)
Healing with a shadow (5:15)	Healing with a handkerchief (19:12)
Peter grants miraculous gifts through hands (8:17)	Paul grants miraculous gifts through hands (19:6)
Raises Tabitha from the dead (9:40)	Raises Eutychus from the dead (20:9–12)
Peters chains loosed (12:7)	Paul‘s chains fell off (16:26)

Categories of miracles in Acts: Done by:

I. Resuscitations

1. Peter raises Tabitha (9:36-42) Peter

2. Paul raises Eutychus (20:9-12) Paul

II. Healings Exorcisms

1. Peter & John heal the lame man at the Temple gate (3:1-16) Peter & John

2. Ananias cures Saul of his blindness (9:17-18) Ananias

3. Peter heals the paralytic Aeneas (9:33-35) Peter

4. Paul cures the lame man of Lystra (14:7-9) Paul

5. Paul heals Publius‘ father of dysentery (28:7-8) Paul

III. Exorcisms

1. Paul exorcises girl possessed of divining spirit (16:16-18) Paul

IV. Punishments

1. Peter strikes Ananias and Saphira dead (5:5-11) Peter

2. Saul struck blind on the road to Damascus (9:8-9) God

3. Herod slain by an angel (12:23) Angel

4. Paul temporarily blinds the sorcerer Elymas (13:9-12) Paul

V. Cosmic Miracles

1. Sound of a wind and sight like a fire at Pentecost (2:2-6) Spirit

2. Earthquake at a prayer meeting (4:31) God

3. Philip snatched by the Spirit (8:39) Spirit

4. Paul shakes off viper from his arm (28:3-6) God

VI. Miraculous escapes

1. Prison doors open for the Apostles (5:17-25) Angel

2. Peter released from prison by an angel (12:5-11) Angel

3. Chains fall from Paul and Silas (16:25-30) God

VII. Collective Miracles

1. Many signs and wonders done by the Apostles in Jerusalem (2:43) Apostles

2. Apostles perform signs and wonders among the people (5:12) Apostles

3. Peter‘s shadow cures many in the streets (5:15) Peter

4. Multitudes from outside Jerusalem are healed (5:16) Peter

5. Stephen works great signs and wonders (6:8) Stephen

6. Philip cures crippled and possessed in Samaria (8:6-8, 13) Philip

7. Miracles worked by Paul and Barnabas on mission journey (14:3) Paul & Barnabas

8. Great signs and wonders done among the Gentiles (15:12) Paul & Barnabas

9. Miracles worked through objects touched by Paul (19:11-12) Paul (by proxy)

10. Paul heals all the sick brought to him on Malta (28:9) Paul

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Devotional Thoughts:
Works of Christ
Longfellow could take a worthless piece of paper, write a poem on it, and instantly make it worth thousands of dollars -- and it's called genius.
Rockefeller could sign his name to a piece of paper and make it worth millions of dollars -- and it's called riches.
A mechanic can take material worth only five dollars and make it worth five hundred -- and it's called skill.
An artist can take a fifty-cent piece of canvas, paint a picture on it, and make it worth thousands of dollars -- and it's called art.

Jesus Christ can take a worthless, sinful life, wash it in His blood, put His Spirit in it, and make it valuable to God -- and that's called sanctification.

The Lord is in the business of taking rough, raw material and using it -- transforming men by His power to be the extension of His work in the world.

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Self-Examination
DAILY AFFIRMATIONS

The following have been suggested as some ineffective daily affirmations:

I have the power to channel my imagination into ever-soaring levels of suspicion and paranoia.
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except the ones that are someone else's fault.
I no longer need to punish, deceive or compromise myself. Unless, of course, I want to stay employed.
My intuition nearly makes up for my lack of good judgment.
I can change any thought that hurts into a reality that hurts even more.
I honor my personality flaws, for without them I would have no personality at all.
I am grateful that I am not as judgmental as all those censorious, self-righteous people around me.
I need not suffer in silence while I can still moan, whimper and complain.
The first step is to say nice things about myself. The second, to do nice things for myself. The third, to find someone to buy me nice things.
All of me is beautiful and valuable, even the ugly, stupid, and disgusting parts.
Only a lack of imagination saves me from immobilizing myself with imaginary fears.
Today I will gladly share my experience and advice, for there are no sweeter words than "I told you so."
A good scapegoat is nearly as welcome as a solution to the problem.
Just for today, I will not sit in my living room all day watching TV. Instead I will move my TV into the bedroom.
I will find humor in my everyday life by looking for people I can laugh at.
To have a successful relationship I must learn to make it look like I'm giving as much as I'm getting.
I am willing to make the mistakes if someone else is willing to learn from them.

There's obviously not a single one of the affirmations above that provides a foundation for successful living. So what can we "affirm" daily that will give us the strength we need to face the difficulties that each day bring? Allow me to share with you two affirmations from scripture:

"[The accusers] had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive." (Acts 25:19)

"This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works." (Acts 3:8)

If we will affirm daily (acknowledging God's power) that Jesus Christ was not left in the tomb, but is a risen Savior, and if we will affirm daily (acknowledging our responsibility) that we ought to live lives of obedient faith, then we truly have the foundation to meet whatever life sends our way.

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Humor:
One Who Misunderstood Arms For Alms
Asked to receive an alms" (Acts 3:3) The minister was being entertained at the home of one of the elders. While they were at dinner the little daughter of the house said to the minister, "I heard you preach today." "You did?" said he. "Can you tell me, then, what I preached about?" "Yes," answered the little girl. "You preached about a man who asked for arms, and got legs."