Sermon Notes
I. _______ (v. 17-26)
A. _______ (v. 17-18)
B. Miraculously _______ (v. 19-21a)
C. The _______ and re-arrest (v. 21b-26)
II. _______ (v. 27-42)
A. Apostles’ _______ (v. 27-32)
B. _______ and reason (v. 33-39)
C. _______ (v. 40-42)
Going Deeper
- Read Acts 5:17-18. Have you ever been filled with jealousy? Why is jealousy so damaging?
- What are the apostles instructed to do after being miraculously freed during the night (5:19-20)? How is the gospel “life”? Why might the apostles be tempted to disobey the angel?
- Why were the authorities unable to force the disciples to face the Sanhedrin in v. 26? Do you think they might have been tempted to not go?
- How does Peter respond to the high priest in v. 29? John Stott offers a definition of civil disobedience: “If [a human] authority misuses its God- given power to command what He forbids or forbid what He commands, then the Christian’s duty is to disobey the human authority in order to obey God’s.” Have you ever been put in a position like this? When? What did you do? What will you do in the future?
- The apostle’s message in Acts is about the risen Christ (read Acts 2:24, 32; 3:15; 4:10; 10:40; 22:14). Why is the resurrection so important to their message?
- Who is Jesus according to v. 31? What does Jesus offer?
- Read Ps. 106:47; 118:25-26; Is. 63:8; Jer. 17:14; Joel 2:32. How does Jesus fulfill these OT passages?
- Is Jesus your ruler and Savior? How do you know?
- Why didn’t the Sanhedrin put the apostles to death (v. 34-39)?
- What happened to the apostles in v. 40? John Stott says: “The devil has never given up the attempt to destroy the church by force…Persecution will refine the church, but not destroy it.”
- How is the response to being flogged and shamed surprising in v. 41?
- How did the apostles show boldness in v. 42?
- Pastor Adam talked about three reasons we obey people rather than God (fear, people pleasing, pleasure). Why do you obey people rather than God? What will you do change that this week?
