2. Author: Luke Subject – Book 2 (Acts) What Jesus continued to do through the Holy Spirit in the Apostles and early Church

3. Our Mission THEALLIANCE We are A Christ-Centered, Acts 1:8 Family But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8

4. Acts 2 1. Pentecost! 2. The Church is born!

5. Acts 3 Lame beggar healed… by Jesus!

6. Acts 4 1. Tough Witness(1-22) 2. Great Prayer (23-31) 3. Amazing Grace (32-37)

7. Tough Witness Rulers – power Smart people – academic, religious elite Culture setters Antagonistic worldview Acts 4:1-2

8. Naturalism No angels No miracles No resurrection No supernatural, just naturalism Acts 4:1-2

9. Naturalism “…small trifling particulars of structure often make me feel uncomfortable. The sight of a feather in a peacock's tail, whenever I gaze at it, makes me sick!” Charles Darwin, 1860

10. Naturalism “…small trifling particulars of structure often make me feel uncomfortable. The sight of a feather in a peacock's tail, whenever I gaze at it, makes me sick!” Charles Darwin, 1860

11. Naturalism Acts 4:1-2

12. Response And they arrested them… Acts 4:3

13. Progress Report #4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. Acts 4:4

14. Progress Reports 1. 120 – Acts 1:15 2. +3,000 – Acts 2:41 3. Day by day additions – Acts 2:47 4. 5,000 men – Acts 4:3

15. Tough Witness Acts 4:5-7 They still needed an answer

16. Tough Witness Acts 4:8-12 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them… (8)

17. Tough Witness Acts 4:8-12 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. (10)

18. Tough Witness Acts 4:8-12 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. (10)

19. Tough Witness Acts 4:8-12 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. (10)

20. Tough Witness Acts 4:8-12 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. (10)

21. Tough Witness Acts 4:8-12 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. (11)

22. Tough Witness Acts 4:8-12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (12)

23. Tough Witness The character of the witnesses … And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13

24. Tough Witness The truth of the witness A preview of postmodernism Acts 4:14-16

25. Tough Witness The response to the witness Gag order  Acts 4:17-18

26. Tough Witness The witnesses respond 1. God is in the picture 2. You must judge 3. We will testify Acts 4:19-20

27. Tough Witness 1. Personal threats 2. Undeniable truth Acts 4:21-22

28. Great Prayer Acts 4:23-31 2. Opposition to Jesus 3. God’s sovereign plan worked out 4. Now they are threatening us 5. So we pray… (27-29)

29. Great Prayer Acts 4:23-31 1. Let us speak your word with all boldness Answered – Acts 4:31 2. God to confirm with signs in Jesus’ name (29-30)

30. Great Prayer Acts 4:23-31 1. Let us speak your word with all boldness Answered – Acts 4:31 2. God to confirm with signs in Jesus’ name Answered – Acts 5:12 (29-30)

31. Amazing Grace Acts 4:32-37 Description vs. Prescription

32. Amazing Grace Acts 4:32-37 Description vs. Prescription Grace  Love  Witness Why is this here?

33. Great Prayer Acts 4:23-31 1. Let us speak your word with all boldness Answered – Acts 4:31 2. God to confirm with signs in Jesus’ name Answered – Acts 5:12 (29-30)

34. Amazing Grace Acts 4:32-37 …if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” Luke 16:30-31

35. Amazing Grace Acts 4:32-37 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35