1) How important is telling the truth? Even if you fool men, can you fool God? How did lying work out for Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11)?
2) How well do you obey those in authority over you? Do you do what you are told? What if what you are told to do is challenging?
3) How are Theudas, Judas and Jesus alike (5:35-37)? How are they different?
We ended Acts 4 with a glimpse into the selfless nature of the early church. People willingly sold what they have and gave to those in need. Ananias and Sapphira joined in on being generous, but did so in a deceptive manner. God’s swift judgment indicates the need for honesty and integrity among His people.
Arrested, then freed, then arrested again. The apostles found themselves in a variety of situations, but their bottom line was this: they would do what they were told. They had just been freed from jail (5:17-21). Why be put at risk again? For the apostles it was simple: they were committed to following God no matter what. Simple, but not easy.
While there have been many religious leaders throughout history, no one has had the impact or staying power of Jesus. Our lives today reflect over 2,000 years of faith that can not be stopped (5:39).
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