Tag Peter

Introduction

In Acts 9:32-35 Luke recounts how the message of the gospel was given a greater audience through the miraculous healing of a paralytic named Aeneas in Lydda (Acts 9:32-34). In that small passage we took time to look at two principles that must be honored if miracles are to be used effectively in ministry.

• The Principle of Right Going – all going must be by people empowered to present the gospel. There must be an anointing that enables the wonder and most importantly the witness for Jesus.
• The Principle of Right Giving – all glory goes to God. Miracles must be used to make Him known. They are not permanent fixtures of discipleship community but seasonal signs pointing to the Savior.

The miracle was so marvelous that all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw [the healed man] and turned to the Lord (Acts 9:35).  Sharon is not a city but a coastal plain of some 30 miles stretching from Joppa to Caesarea. See Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 — The regions reached by Peter when Aeneas and Tabitha are healed. Sharon is not a city but a coastal plain of about 30 miles.

Luke makes mention of  Sharon as a segue into a new story using the same main character — Peter the apostle. As we consider this next passage we will also encounter a third principle that must be honored if a ministry is going to use miracles effectively: The Principle of Right Getting.

After Aeneas (Acts 9:36-39)

³⁶ At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha^a, which is translated Dorcas^b. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds^c which she did. ³⁷ But it happened in those days that she became sick and died.^d When they had washed here, they laid her in an upper room. ³⁸ And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. ³⁹ Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

The contrast is stark. Luke takes his reader away from the scene of repentance, revival, and rejuvenated life in Lydda to a scene of tragedy and mourning about 12 miles away in Joppa. (See Figure 1 above.) Where Aeneas has made his bed and is walking in the gracious gift of restored health, Dorcas is dead. Her lifeless form lies on a table or bed surrounded by weeping widows (Acts 9:39).

While we are wanting to get to the principle of effective use of miracles in ministry we must not be so hurried that we miss other truths that, when prayerfully considered, will do much to help us live effectively in the Lord’s service. First, do not overlook the fact that the person upon whom this illness came was a Jesus follower – a disciple. Disease and even Death itself had visited a woman full of good works and charitable deeds. Think on the facts: (1) Dorcas was a disciple. (2) Dorcas was full of good deeds; her hands were neither idle nor involved in evil. (3) Dorcas got sick. (4) Dorcas died. We do well to consider these facts when we suggest that a person’s sickness today is (a) not God’s will because the person is a Christian or (b) that the sickness will be eliminated by casting it out in Jesus’ name.

Let us not corrupt the gospel by promising people a life free from sickness when they receive Jesus. There is no pass on pain for those who have given their lives to Christ. The promise of the gospel is forgiveness for all our failings, eternal and abundant life with purpose, the Lord’s abiding presence, and the privilege of partaking in His sufferings (1 Peter 4:13).

Dorcas had used so much of her time and talent and treasure to help the poor that her passing was the cause of exceedingly great sorrow among the disciples… especially the people she had helped. The second thing we must not miss is that Dorcas is missed so much that the disciples decide to ask for something that has not happened in the recorded history of the church at this point: raising the dead. Do not miss the questions that you should ask yourself:

• Could it be proven that I have, in serving the Lord, provided help for the poor and made a difference that will be missed?
• Could anyone gather enough evidence of my good deeds to show that my life was a blessing and not a blight on the community?
• Would the sum total of my good works warrant a crazy plan to get a busy man to come and raise me from the dead?

Having heard about the healing of Aeneas the disciples sent two men to ask Peter to come immediately. He goes with them and, when he has arrived at the home in Joppa, is taken to the upper room. At this point the widows begin working on Peter. They aim to convince him that Tabitha’s life was worthy of a special work of God through him.

Unprecedented Power Displayed Through Peter (Acts 9:40-42; Mark 5:21-43)

⁴⁰ But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. ⁴¹ Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴² And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

Peter has seen a situation like this before. During His master’s ministry there was a little girl that had just died. Her father was a ruler in the community (Matthew 9:23) and their position made his daughter’s death highly visible. Jesus assesses the situation and then puts out the people (Matthew 9:24).

Peter sent them and the other mourners out of the room, as he had seen his Master do before he raised Jairus’s daughter from her deathbed; then he uttered a short sentence in Aramaic, differing only in one letter from Jesus’ words to Jairus’s daughter. Whereas Jesus had said Talitha qum (i) (Mark 5:41), Peter now said Tabitha qum (i))—“Tabitha, get up.”

Bruce, F. F. (1988). The Book of the Acts (p. 199). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

The ministry of Peter to Dorcas and the community was not occasioned by his presence or his preaching. He became effective in helping them only in his willingness to be humbled. Every knee must bow. His words toward the body were imbued with power only after his pleading. Before he could give the command he needed to get the power. Peter follows Jesus’ lead and gives us the following principle for ministry with miracles:

The Principle of Right Getting (Get Down, Get Help)

What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use — men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men — men of prayer. (Bounds, Kindle Locations 46-48)

Figure 2 — Time in prayer with Chancellor Barnes on 2024-11-11 at the home of Austin and Aubrey lane during a Compass Young Adults meeting.

The language of the quote above is old. It speaks of prayer in ways that seem to make it the province and power of men. I will not charge E. M. Bounds with being chauvinistic; he spoke in a manner customary of his times. An updated version of the quote would change the word men to people; people of prayer are an indispensable part of a ministry that will be able to use the miraculous for the glory of God and the good of many. Such people take to heart the words of the Lord regarding prayer and make it their business to both be obedient and follow his example.

• Receiving Requires Prayer and Faith (Matthew 21:22) And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.
• Some Changes Require Prayer (Mark 9:29) So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
• The Ultimate Purpose of the Prayer is the Glorification of the Son (John 14:13-14) And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
• Corporate Prayer in Jesus’ Name Has Special Influence with the Father (Matthew 18:19-20) Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

The Persistence of Peter (Acts 9:43)

So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.

Aeneas has been healed and Dorcas has been raised from the dead. The miracles were used by Peter to occasion faith in Jesus. And now that there are a number of new believers the real work begins – discipleship (Matthew 28:18-20). Peter stays in the region in order to teach the new believers all that Jesus commanded. Beyond the excitement of the miracle is the more mundane work of day-to-day teaching, mentoring, and helping the Jesus followers in their new relationship with the Lord. Unlike the mass revivals of our day where people are reached and then left to the locals for teaching, Peter stays for a hands-on approach to making disciples.

Questions for Community Discussion

1. Why did the healing of Dorcas cause many to believe? (Acts 9:37, 42)
2. Why did Peter stay? (Mark 3:14; Matthew 28:18-20)
3. Peter prayed before he did anything. Why did he do that? (John 15:15)
4. Does your approach to helping others and discipleship look like Peter’s?
5. In what ways should your approach to helping people be changed to match the example of Jesus and the apostles?

Footnotes

^a Literally in Aramaic her name means Gazelle.

^b Dorcas is Greek for Gazelle. It is obvious that Luke wanted to make his work accessible to an audience that was not Jewish.

^e The text that follows is from the Mishna Shabbat – a written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions known as the Oral Torah. Mishna Shabbat 23:5 One may perform all the requirements for a corpse [on Shabbat]: [One may] anoint and wash him, provided one does not move a limb. One may move the pillow from under him to place him on the sand so that he will keep [from decomposing]. One may tie his jaw, not so that it rises but so it does not fall. And similarly, [if] a beam has broken one may support it with a bench or boards from a bed, not so that it rises but so it does not fall. One may not close the eyes of a corpse on Shabbat, nor [even] on a week-day while he is [still] expiring. [If] one closes the eyes of a dying person while he is [still] expiring he has shed blood.

References

E.M. Bounds (2015-11-23). Power Through Prayer (Kindle Locations 46-48). Scriptura Press. Kindle Edition.

Introduction

The itinerant ministry of Jesus, with all His miracle-working power, was all that His men knew.  In His presence for over three years they were made to see with their own eyes the lifestyle of witness-with-wonders evangelism even before they could understand their Master’s messages. But Jesus took time to make sure that they knew how to use signs properly. “Do what I do” was and is the most effective strategy for educating Jesus followers in evangelism… especially when miracles are involved. Robert Coleman puts it this way:

Amazing as it may seem, all Jesus did to teach these men his way was to draw them close to himself. He was his own school and curriculum. Coleman, Robert E. (2006-04-01). Master Plan of Evangelism, The (pp. 37-38). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Through His example they were witnesses to His way of bringing the gospel to the world. Although they did not realize it at the time of their teaching, they were students of the principles that must be honored by anyone that would be effective when using miracles for the King and His kingdom. In the closing of chapter nine we will see that the gospel, advanced using amazing and gracious displays of healing power, is going to move most effectively when (1) there is a right going, when (2) there is a right giving, and when (3) there is a right getting.

Figure 1 – Jesus healed a man that had been born blind and thereby provided evidence for the shocking truths that He has been teaching (John 9:1-11).

Right Going and Giving (Acts 9:32-35)

32 Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. 33 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. 35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

Verse 32 picks up after the brief account of Saul’s conversion. It came to pass is Luke’s way of unpacking the how and why of Acts 9:31.

Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. (Acts 9:31, NKJV)

In that verse we hear that the churches had peace and were edified. The peace was twofold. First, it is the work of the Holy Spirit; He metes out a peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7). Such a peace would be a comfort of the Holy Spirit. Second, it is no doubt a consequence of converting the leading critic — Saul of Tarsus. The one who had waged war with the people of God had become a Jesus follower himself. But how were they edified?

In the New Testament edification is the building up of the commitment and character of saints; it can be the result of teaching or revelation that causes the hearer to be strengthened in their faith and more mature in their service of God (1 Corinthians 14:4, 17). This had been happening in Jerusalem for over two years (AD 33 – 35). Now Peter is bringing the ministry of teaching to the saints dispersed by recent persecution. He is going through all parts of the country teaching. While the ministry of teaching or preaching is not explicitly mentioned, it is implied that Peter is teaching and preaching as he goes. As a shepherd he is going to where the flocks have been moved by recent persecution; when he arrives on the scene he teaches them. This is what he has been called and trained to do:

• Peter Has Been Trained to Teach (Mark 3:14; Acts 4:13) – Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,
• Peter Has Been Charged to Teach (John 21:15-17; Acts 5:19) – He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. …”
• Peter Has Been Changed to Teach (Luke 24:45) – And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

The Principle of Right Going: The Mission, Missionary, and Ministry Must be His

The first principle of effective ministry involving miracles is that the person through whom the work is done must have been sent. Carts are placed before horses and woe follows when unconverted people attempt to use Heaven’s power without the permission of Heaven’s Prince. For at least two reasons, if Jesus is not involved, using miracles in ministry will not work. First, the work done will not be rewarded and the workers will not be recognized (Matthew 7:21-23). Second, the hellions being exorcised are able to distinguish between genuine practitioners of the Christian faith and powerless soothsayers. Simply making mention of Jesus’ name will not work when Jesus has no intention of working through the person for His own glory and the good of His own people (Acts 19:11-16). There will be no genuine miracle apart from genuine mission.

Philip the Evangelist, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, has already come through this region preaching in all the cities till he came to Caesarea (Act 8:40). As Peter was serving in Lydda he found a certain man named Aeneas (praiseworthy; praise). Luke tells us that the man had been bedridden eight years.

The healing power present in Peter does not require his voice. His shadow was enough to effect healing. So then, why did he feel it necessary to speak to the man? During his time with Jesus the former fisherman had seen many miracles. On some occasions, preceding the miracle, there were words spoken by Jesus that were aimed at helping the audience understand the meaning of the miracle. When the sense and significance of the miracle were present with the work it became more than a miracle; it became a sign (John 11:41-42).

Figure 2 – On 2025-01-19 a few people from Compass Church went to an assisted living facility to bring the gospel, worship, and encouragement. They went in Jesus’ name.

What Jesus began to do in the flesh he continues to do in the Spirit through surrendered people. He continues to do the work for His own glory and the good of His own people. When miracles are going to be used in ministry the minister must recognize the purpose of the power that runs through him.

The Principle of Right Giving: Give God the Glory

The second principle says that miracles must always make much of God and give more force to the argument for following Jesus. When there is going to be a healing that actually helps the cause of evangelism the evangelist cannot get away from the goal of giving God all the glory. While the miracle may serve to give credibility to the minister and his ministry it must ultimately be used as a means for magnifying the Son of Man, as a platform for promoting Jesus, as a sign pointing toward the Savior, and a reinforcement of the requirement to repent and believe the gospel.

Peter gives the glory away when he says, “Jesus Christ heals you.” He uses the miracle of making a man well to make the Master well known. And the desired effect is achieved:

So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. (Acts 9:35)

The So of Acts 9:35 translates a conjunction that ties the action of healing in Jesus’ name (Acts 9:34) to the reaction of surrounding peoples (Acts 9:36-43) at the sight of the restored man. After eight years his muscles would have been atrophied and the neurological framework required to support an activity like making a bed would have to be retrained. But after Jesus heals Aeneas he is in a state like he was before becoming paralyzed. He was a wonder to behold. So great was the transformation that, with the enabling that comes from the Spirit, believing in Jesus was the unanimous response.

Some may ask if it is really necessary to give God the glory. This is a good question. I believe that He should only get the glory for His part in ministry. The opening of Acts makes it clear that Jesus continues to have a part:

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, (Acts 1:1-2)

Jesus began his ministry with His men and continued to do ministry through them. The apostle Paul has this to say concerning the ministry of Christ’s ministers:

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Questions for Community Discussion

1. How does Peter ensure that the focus goes to Jesus when Aeneas is healed?
2. When people comment on how your life has changed since you started following Christ what do you typically say? Are you prepared to share your testimony with others?

In the Aftermath of Chastening (Acts 5:12-16)

¹² And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. ¹³ Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. ¹⁴ And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, ¹⁵ so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. ¹⁶ Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Introduction

What does a congregation do after events like the church discipline displayed with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)? You could stop everything and get a consultant / counselor to come in and help everyone deal with the grief and fear that comes with (1) lying to the Spirit and (2) the Spirit’s abrupt removal of the liars. You could lose momentum and eventually have to shut things down. (In the denominations that I have served in such a response would involve contacting the district because the assets of the church actually belong to the denomination.) If you were in the Ananias camp you could convene a clandestine committee to replace Peter. (In light of most recent events, Peter is probably going to know. And may the Lord have mercy on you when you come to church.) Here is what the passage promotes:

1) Regard the church community and its individual members as sacred; do not bring into the bride of Christ worldly ways of getting ahead.

2) Acknowledge the anointing and authority of those appointed to lead. In the case of the apostles, their position and power in God’s work makes lying to them tantamount to lying to the Holy Spirit.

But what does a fellowship do after events like those recorded in Acts 5:1-11? In the writing of Luke we see that some things continue without change and one thing does not remain the same.

Questions for Consideration

1. Do you interact with your local congregation as a sacred community or something common?

2. While our local church leaders are not supernaturally able to discern the truth about things on their own, the Spirit can give them insights into things that would not otherwise be known. In your work with your leadership and other Christians are you mindful of the Spirit’s presence?

¹ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. ² And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? ⁴ While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” ⁵ Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. ⁶ And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. ⁷ Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for so much.” ⁹ Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” ¹⁰ Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. ¹¹ So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

The But of Acts 5:1 antagonizes the message of Acts 4:32-35. Where Barnabas sold his land and brought the entire proceed to the church for its use, Ananias merely claimed to do this. His sin, with Sapphira his wife, was not in keeping back part of the price of the land. Peter makes it clear that he could have done that (Acts 5:4). There would have been no fault in giving only a portion of the sale to the church. In fact, Ananias could have kept the land in his own possession without there being a problem. His contribution was not compulsory (Acts 5:3-4).

Why did he do it? He and his wife wanted to be counted with the highly committed while still keeping a foot in the world. They wanted a positive nickname too. But, with a discernment that was given to him by the Holy Spirit, Peter explains why the plan would not work:

The Seriousness of Not Seeing the Anointing — Ananias failed to acknowledge the Anointing as he acted out his trespass. Even in the presence of continuous expressions of Heaven’s power (Acts 4:33) he made the mistake of regarding men after the flesh and the fellowship as being no more than what he could see. But the men leading the fellowship were anointed by God and able to do and see things above and beyond what is possible for mere mortals. The fellowship before Ananias and Sapphira is not only with the seen but also with the unseen Spirit of the Lord. The fellowship, treated as common and something to be manipulated, was in fact consecrated. That couple was tragically unholy in dealing with a people made holy by the Spirit of Holiness.

In light of all that Ananias had seen in the way of wonders it is amazing and confounding to Peter that he could have been so dull in thinking that his sin would not be seen. How did Ananias arrive at this point? The answer is that Satan had filled his heart to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). Satan had been at work trying to ruin the new creation. Just as in the garden, that serpent of old (Genesis 3:1,4; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 12:9; 20:2) had been working to (1) deceive people in paradise and (2) ruin relationships. After a while the arch nemesis of God was able to convince Ananias to lie to the Spirit. What could have been worse than bringing Satan’s corrupting influence entry into the new fellowship? Ananias had allowed Satan to furnish the rooms of his heart with worldly intentions.

Doors for Demonic Activity — When we fail to take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:4-5; Philippians 4:8) and and refuse to rigorously exclude ungodly desires that would take up residence in our hearts we (1) open doors for demonic activity and (2) create conditions conducive to crimes against God and His community (Ephesians 4:25-27; Romans 12:19; James 4:7).

Action Steps — Let us stop lying and speak truth (Zechariah 8:16; Ephesians 4:15, 25; Colossians 3:9).

1. 1. Stop Active Lying – Deceptive statements
   2. Stop Passive Lying – Omissions that mislead

Peter does not punish the man but explains the great foolishness of trying to deceive God; the sin, in this case, is judged by God Himself. Upon hearing these words Ananias dies (Acts 5:5). Sapphira colludes with her husband to mislead the church. But the plan will fail with tragic results. Asked if what she brought was the entire sale price of the land Sapphira, says that it was (Acts 5:8). As in so many Old Testament cases the opportunity to confess was given. Here are ten passages from the Old Testament where God asks a question aimed at prompting confession or self-reflection:

• Genesis 3:9 – After Adam and Eve sinned, God asks Adam, “Where are you?”
• Genesis 4:9 – God asks Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
• Genesis 18:13 – “And the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?'”
• Genesis 21:17 – God asks Hagar, “What ails you, Hagar?”
• Genesis 32:27 – God asks Jacob, “What is your name?”
• Job 38:4 – God asks Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?”
• 1 Samuel 15:14 – “But Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?'”
• Jonah 4:4 – “Then the Lord said, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?'”
• Jeremiah 2:5 – God asks Israel, “What injustice have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me?”

These passages are instances where God’s questions are used to initiate introspection, catalyze confession, or to elicit a response that reveals deeper truths about the individuals involved. Sapphira did not make the most of her opportunity. If she had, mercy would have been shown:

He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

Instead she took the opportunity to confirm her decision to test the Spirit of the Lord. What was the test?

The Test of Ananias and Saphira — Can we get away with lying about our giving in order to get a better status in our church community? Will God know?

She also dies and was carried away to be buried with her husband. Although this is bad, consider with me the consequences. Luke says that the result of this rebuke was that great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things (Acts 5:11). The loss of earthly life has produced in the church a profound reverence for the presence of Christ and the position of the apostles. Christ in our midst at communion is serious; by treating it lightly we bring upon ourselves judgement. Christ at work through the leadership of the apostles is serious; by treating them as mere men the meaning of the miracles is missed and the Presence at work in them is disrespected.

Figure 1 – Signs and their Significance in the Opening of Acts

The immediate deaths of this deceptive couple were a sign indicating a spiritual reality – God does not want or tolerate lying in his church. Just as the signs of Pentecost and the fellowship prayer were not going to be repeated, the immediate deaths of liars in the church is not happening today. But the spiritual reality indicated in the narrative is that with God there is a deep displeasure associated with people in the church lying to one another and to Him. Former is unloving. The latter is dumb; He knows all. Today is the day to stop lying and start telling the truth. We should do this out of reverence for the Holy Spirit in our midst, out of caring for concern for the people that are our brother and sisters in the faith, and with the goal of protecting the quality of our witness. The whole idea of lying is from Satan the father of lies; it is what he had done from the beginning (Genesis 3:1-4). The notion should be arrested and rejected. When we fail to do that the suggestion eventually looks reasonable and becomes sin (Genesis 3:6).

Questions for Community Discussion

1. In the verses of Acts 4:32-37 we are given a general description of the character of the new community. How does Luke give us an example of that character?
2. Would you be willing to part ways with your stuff to ensure that the needs of other believers in our fellowship are met? What encouragement did they have (Acts 4:33)?
3. What explains their ability to show this level of generosity (Ephesians 4:17-21; Romans 5:5; 1 John 5:1)?
4. What was the difference between the gift of Barnabas and the gift of Ananias (Acts 4:36-37; 5:1-4)?
5. Is your giving about gratitude toward God and worship or is it about garnering praise, creating a perception of piety, and generating an image of generosity.
6. Does it matter if your presentation of an offering does not line up with the truth (John 4:24)?

7. Do you think that Ananias was saved? Consider the words of 1 Corinthians 5:5 as you formulate an answer.

1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.

3:1 We have seen these two men together in the past. When the Lord is transformed on the mountain Peter and John are there with James (Matthew 16:27-17:2; Mark 9:1-2; Luke 9:27-29). They are together with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-38; Mark 14:32-33). We see them running together to the tomb of Jesus when the women say that the body is missing (John 20:1-4). And they are together in a boat when Jesus appears to them on the shore after His resurrection (John 21:6-7). Finally, when Jesus would talk with Peter alone, these two men are not entirely separated; the disciple whom Jesus loved was compelled to walk nearby (John 21:20-22). And so there is continuity from the other gospel narratives and the prior volume when we see Peter and John frequently together in the early parts of The Acts of the Apostles (Acts 3:1, 3, 11; 4:13, 19; 8:14).

They are a dynamic duo. Peter tends to be the speaker but John is always there, also with power, supporting the actions and words of his friend and fellow apostle. Their pairing may have been merely the outworking of their friendship. More likely it was also their commitment to the earlier commands and ministry conventions of Christ; He sent them by twos (Luke 10:1; Mark 6:7). It is by twos that they are going to pray… and to preach if given an opportunity. It is by twos that Peter and John, Jewish men, are still practicing Judaism. They are going together to the second and last offering of the day. It would have been about 3:00 PM.

The time of the apostles’ visit was the “ninth” hour, three in the afternoon, i.e., the hour of prayer. It was also the time of the evening Tamid, one of the two sacrifices held daily in the temple. These had become prescribed times of prayer, and people would come to the temple at the sacrifice times to observe the ceremony and pray. (Polhill, 1992, p. 126)

The apostles continued to live as observant Jews, attending the set services of worship in the Jerusalem temple. The two principal daily services accompanied the offering of the morning and evening sacrifices. One afternoon, as two of the apostles, Peter and John, went up the steps leading from the outer court to the inner courts, in order to be present in the Court of Israel for the service of prayer which accompanied the evening sacrifice (about 3 p.m.), they were arrested by the sight of a [lame man] who lay begging at the “Beautiful Gate.” (Bruce, 1988, p. 77)

Peter is often with John. Paul was often with Barnabas. Before them David, when he could, was with Jonathan. The pairing that was started in Jesus’ ministry continues in Peter and John after their Teacher has ascended. Should it? The principles that make pairing good say that it is the best way to do ministry. Here are five fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for operating in nothing less than pairs:

Mutual Support and Encouragement

• The Principle — The mutual support is essential to effective ministry. When disciples or apostles are sent out in pairs, they can support and encourage each other in times of challenge and difficulty.
• Biblical Basis (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) — Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.
• Assessment Question — In what ways has my prior ministry experience proven that challenges and difficulties are best faced with a ministry partner?
• Action Steps — Review the passage above and pray for strong resolve to honor this ministry principle. Give thanks for the persons that God has paired you with. If you are operating alone, prayerfully consider the possibility that your ministry is out of order and needs to be corrected immediately.

Witnessing and Testimony

• The Principle — Jesus sending disciples in pairs aligns with the Jewish legal principle that a matter is confirmed on the testimony of two or three witnesses. This ensures that the message of the ones sent is credible and firmly established. Also, the ministry of a single person is especially vulnerable to false accusations from the adversaries of Jesus.
• Biblical Basis (Deuteronomy 19:15) — One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
• Assessment Question — In what ways has the credibility of my ministry been enhanced or suffered according to either its compliance or deviation from this principle?
• Action Steps — Review the passage above and pray for strong resolve to honor this ministry principle. Important ministry activities should not be executed alone. Even if it means slowing things down, things like mission trips and visiting the sick should be done with someone else — someone with integrity. Calendar activities that are ministry that only involve you should be shared or canceled.

Strength and Protection

• The Principle — Jesus was sending his disciples into places where there were needy people and people who would do them harm. Traveling in pairs provided a level of protection and strength in potentially hostile environments; the disciples were sent as “lambs among wolves.”
• Biblical Basis (Luke 10:1, 3) — After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go… Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.
• Assessment Question — What is the history of hostility in the areas where I am going to serve? In what ways do I show (1) naivete about human nature and (2) delusions about my ability to care for myself in hostile situations.
• Action Steps — Know the history of hostility in an area where you are going to serve. If the area or people have persecuted other ministers, prayerfully choose who goes with you. That person should be capable of keeping their cool in conflict and helping you in hostile situations.

Spiritual Accountability and Discernment

• The Principle — Working in pairs allows for spiritual accountability. Partners can help each other maintain spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible study, worship), confront sinful tendencies, and enhance discernment through shared insights and prayer.
• Biblical Basis (Proverbs 27:17) — As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
• Assessment Questions — Am I paired up with people that promote growth in me? Do I encourage the person that I serve with in their commitment to Christ? Am I willing to serve with people who will challenge my ideas, disagree with my position, or gently critique my conduct?
• Action Steps — Assess your ministry partners to make sure that you are not choosing people on the basis that they are always agreeable. Recognize the value in working with people that will promote growth even when it means some painful honesty.

Division of Labor and Diverse Gifts

• The Principle — Different individuals bring different spiritual gifts and abilities to ministry. By pairing disciples, these diverse gifts can complement each other, making the ministry more effective and adaptable to various situations and needs.
• Biblical Basis (1 Corinthians 12:4-6) — There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
• Assessment Question — In the group that I “go” with (Matthew 28:18-20), is their a diversity of gifts? What would it look like to pair up with someone whose gifts are not the same as my own?
• Action Steps — Take an inventory of spiritual gifts for yourself and the people that you ministry with. Prayerfully consider recruiting to fill gaps.

Take your ministry to another level by pairing. If you are currently doing it alone, what you do for the Lord could be better with the help of other people that also want to live effectively in the service of Jeus.

In His grip by His grace,
Roderick L. Barnes, Sr.

References

Bruce, F. F. (1988). The Book of the Acts. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Polhill, John B. (1992). The New American Commentary: Acts. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.