A.O.T.A. Pt2 “Priorities”

The Acts of the Apostles Part Two – “Priorities”

Definition of the word Priority; The fact or condition of being regarded as important Source – Google

Acts 4:1,2 (NLT); While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the . These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a of the dead.

They were more concerned about their than about the miracle right in front of their eyes; particularly the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.

Acts 4:3,4 (NLT); They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning. But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of believers now totaled about men, not counting women and children.

Peter and John believed that people coming to Jesus was a night in jail.

Acts 4:5-7 (NLT); The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, along with , John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose , have you done this?”

Caiaphas knew very well, the truth about and the of the whole Spirit but his was Earthly, position and power!

Acts 4:8 (NLT); Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people,

The of the Holy Spirit had indeed those who had it in the Upper Room. They were never the same and the has never been the same.

Acts 4:9 (NLT); are we being questioned today because we’ve done a deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed?

Caiaphas knew who had healed the lame man as did the lame man himself!

Acts 4:10 (NLT); Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God from the dead.

Peter’s was sharing the message of Jesus!

Acts 4:11(NLT); For Jesus is the One referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the .’

Acts 4:12 (NLT); There is in one else! God has given other name under heaven by which we be saved.”

Peter proclaimed the message of the , of salvation in Christ . From the moment this statement was made until this very moment, of people have this reality; of salvation and Christ alone. It is both a and l belief or any and all persons who profess to except the Bible as by God.

Acts 4:13(NLT); The members of the council were when they saw the of Peter and John, for they could see that they were men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.

The power of the Holy Spirit gave . The of the Holy Spirit gave ! They also had the greatest three years of training under Jesus, that any group of human beings had or ever have

Acts 4:14 (NLT); But since they could the man who had been healed right there among them, there was nothing the council could say.

The Miracle was the evidence. A lame man standing up, right among them is irrefutable ! You cannot argue against someone’s experience.”A person with an experience, is never at the mercy of a person with an argument.”

Acts 4:15-17(NLT); So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves. “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. But to keep them from spreading their any further, we must warn them to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”

When a group of religious leaders call a miracle, , they have a skewed sense of God, power, faith and their priorities are wrong. This is still a problem today.

Acts 4:18 (NLT); So they called the apostles back in and commanded them again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

This was a moment of decision for Peter and John. Would their relationship with God be their priority or not? This is your moment, is your relationship with God, your number priority or ?

Acts 4:19 (NLT); But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to you rather than Him? We stop telling about we have seen and heard.”

Peter and John to take the consequences. They were in, no matter the cost because Jesus meant to them then else.

Acts 4:21-23 (NLT); The council then them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a . For was praising God, for this miraculous sign-the healing of a man who had been lame for more than years. As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said.

Is your relationship with God your highest priority? If it’s not, then start today, to put Christ in every area of your life!