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- There is often a gap between the ideals that we cherish in our hearts and the actions that flow out of them.

Incredible generosity was the rule of the day in that early church.

Satan always attacks where the church is successful; he doesn’t need to attack where it’s failing!

- The issue was a functional problem, complicated by cultural tensions.

1. Both the complaint and the response arose from love for God.

Man’s only hope of genuine, loving community flows from love for God.

To neglect the preaching of God’s Word is to remove the path to unity, the passion for unity, the power to protect unity.

2. The problem was functional, not spiritual, and the Apostles discerned the difference.

They realised that, people who love God sometimes need better systems of expressing that love!

- It’s vital we recognise the nature of our problems!

- We must not treat functional problems as spiritual problems!

- If we do that, we’ll overlook our answer, doubt God’s goodness, and frustrate both ourselves and the church.

- Jesus faced stiff opposition, because then, as now, other kingdoms, other power structures, had usurped God’s rule.

- God’s kingdom has been planted and will one day remove all pretenders.

- The church cannot carry out God’s mission in this world, without a force greater than human power, we need the power of God's Spirit!

- The power of God frustrates the power and plans of evil.

- Disciples order their lives around one non-negotiable principle – love for God, expressed in obedience.

- Obedience is the doorway to spiritual power.

- The Holy Spirit cannot empower us if He cannot command us.

- Disobedience puts our wisdom in the place of God's wisdom, leaving us weak and unreliable in mission.

- The power the Spirit gives, that you need, and that the church needs, only flows through obedient pipelines.

· Spiritual power is often disguised as weakness, humility, and sacrifice.

- Authentic disciples order their lives around one non-negotiable principle – the love of God expressed in obedience (Jn 14:15).

- Obedience is the doorway to freedom.

- God’s call for obedience, seen correctly, is more invitation than ultimatum.

- The alternative to obedience isn’t independence - but slavery to sin.

- Obedience doesn’t destroy individuality.

- Obedience opens the door for God to reveal and restore your

unique personality and purpose.

- To obey God is to grow in knowledge of Him.

6 Keys to learn obedience:

1. Study the Word (Ps 1:1-3).

2. Learn to wait upon God in prayer (Is 40:31).

3. Understand obedience often means a head-on collision. (Prov 1:7).

4. God will occasionally allow us to walk in the dark. (Prov 3:5-6).

5. Expect struggles (Rom 7:15-25).

6. Learn to leave the consequences of obedience to God (Prov 16:3).

- His commands are not burdensome (1 Jn 5:3).

In keeping of them there is great reward (Ps 19:11).

· Obedience rightly understood is the road to freedom.

- Mature believers often receive the church’s admiration, but it is never their motivation.

- The desire for recognition, stems from weak faith.

- Ananias and Sapphira were spiritual posers; they wanted to be seen as devoted when they were not.

Three things to learn and why God has this account in Acts:

1. God reminds us, that Satan hates the witness of a Spirit filled church, and he will always seek to dilute its integrity.

2. God is passionate about protecting the purity of his church.

3. The sin of pretence is never far from us, and if we pursue it, something within us will die.

- Freedom and power as believers, does not grow out of pretended affection, it comes from honest submission.

- Balcony people cheer us on and fuel our courage by gracious affirmation and actions.

- The church today needs more “balcony” people.

- Barnabas’ nickname tells us that balcony people aren’t born, they are made by the Holy Spirit.

- Barnabas character was the fruit of God’s Spirit in his life.

· The reality is the Holy Spirit is your best friend in the world. Counselor, Comforter, Helper, or Advocate.

· The extent to which we encourage others, reveals the extent of our submission to God.

· Encouragers always build people up, they never tear people down.

· Encouragers are generous with their resources.

· Encouragers get excited about other people’s progress and they protect unity.

· Encouragers are humble.

· Encouragers give others a second chance.

- Ecclesia simply means: “called out people”.

- Scripture makes it clear that is a 2 directional calling.

a. It is an assembly of people called out of unbelief.

b. It is an assembly of people called together, in unity, in order to know Jesus, and continue His mission in the world.

- The church has its beginning in belief in Jesus, as revealed in Scripture, not in Jesus as we reinvent him.

- While authentic church life begins with belief, it must not stop there.

- Authentic belief in Jesus aligns his followers in: Identity, Affections, and Purpose.

- We are told to protect the unity that his Spirit alone can create.

- Because of the Holy Spirit in them, those early church believers were free.

- Because the church acted and lived what they believed, they ministered with great power and grace.

- When we live our message, we become our message, and cannot be silenced.

Bold disciples offer Hope to the World.

Timid disciples Withhold Hope.

· The word “bold” means “telling it all”.

· Boldness is the conviction and declaration of undeniable truth.

· Truth by its very nature is exclusive.

1. The Resurrection is the Foundation for Bold Faith.

· Because the resurrection affirms Christ's identity.

· The resurrection is the essential reason for our boldness.

· The resurrection is distinctive to Christianity.

2. The Resurrection Fuels our Boldness by affirming our Liberty from Death.

· To live is Christ, and to die is gain, because our existence doesn't end at death.

3. Christ’s Presence produces Boldness.

4. Miracles Strengthen our Faith.

· The greatest miracle is the conversion of the heart.

5. Scripture Sustains Boldness.

6. The Filling of the Holy Spirit Kindles Boldness.

7. The Exclusive nature of Christ Creates a sense of

Urgency that fosters Boldness.

· Love demands we tell others where salvation can be found.

8. Prayer that Focuses on the Sovereignty of God makes us Bold.

· The world around us needs us to be bold.

- The issue was: The subsequent preaching of the resurrection, the authority of Jesus, and response of the crowd, that resulted in their arrest and their trial.

- After Jesus rose from the grave, ascended into heaven, when his church began to declare his resurrection, everything shifts.

- Note two totally different world views. You are Living, right now, in Acts chapter 4.

The Sadducees, embraced a philosophy.

Peter and John, embraced God’s presence.

The Sadducees, had a philosophy of life.

Peter and John, had the presence of God.

The Sadducees, had an argument,

Peter and John, had God with them.

- Truth isn’t determined by counting hands, or consultative processes, or impact statement writers. Truth is declared by God.

- “They were recognised as having been with Jesus”.

- Our opportunity is not in debate, but in living.

- We need to stop being a phantom people, and be a present people.

- A Spirit-controlled believer, a Spirit-controlled church can never be silenced.

- Our Lives are simply the continuing Legacy of all our Choices.

- In matters of Faith, a wrong choice can have Eternal consequences – unless Grace Intervenes.

- The message of God’s Grace loses all Meaning where there is No Recognition of Sin.

- The Hinges of Choice can swing the Opposite direction where Grace is Announced.

- Christianity isn’t a system of Ethical Teachings.

- Christianity is a Relationship with the Creator God based on the Life, Character, and Identity of Jesus Christ.

- The Bible says only those whose Eyes have been Opened by the Spirit of God, who Know Jesus, are Spiritual people,

- Choosing Jesus is Life, Choosing anything else is Death.