But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
Verse 4
When the people listen to Peter’s message, then they believed. The number of believers increased when they listen to Peter’s message.
Through these words, we can identify listening to the words of God is the way to increase believers. Many churches and pastors are considering how to increase the number of believers. Increasing believers are the mission received from Jesus. Jesus said to us to make disciplines and teach and let them follow the teaching. The teaching is transferring Jesus’ words to the people. Concretely, Jesus’ mission to us in our life is to transfer Jesus’ words which are God’s words because Jesus is God.
Then the people who listen to Jesus’ Words will turn back from an evil life to Jesus’ way which means the number of believers increases. This is the Church renaissance many people hope.
But we have to make it clear that the church is not someone’s private asset. The church is not a private asset of the Pastor. Some pastors regard the church as their possession and do business. This is some inconvenient word but it’s real. The fake shepherd pastors are really in this world. Jesus was very angry with those people who make church business place and sold the saints to the wicked devil.
The church is Jesus’ own and the saints are too. Never church to be used as a business to the fake shepherds.
Which is right in God’s eyes
Verse 18
Peter did not afraid of leaders of government who has power in this world. Why was he not afraid of them? And why did they try Peter not to tell Jesus’ words to people? Because they were all fake shepherds. They did not know who Jesus is. Their eyes were covered by the power which is given to them. So many leaders in the church are covered by the power which is given in the church. They lead the people so they can think they are someone in the church. They like to receive greetings and like to sit in the first place in the meeting. But what Jesus said to us? Do not like to receive greetings from the people and sit in the last place in the meeting and serve those people who are undergoing some trouble. Actual help is needed for them.
because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
Verse 21
Peter preached Jesus’ words to the people and so many people were turned back to God. And he was arrested at the church but was released without harm. So people were praising God for what had happened.
all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Verse 31
From this time, people have started to speak the word of God boldly filled with Holy Spirit. Because of the Holy Spirit, people can get a bold minds. This means without filling with Holy Spirit, it is difficult to speak God’s word boldly, and if we are filled with Holy Spirit then we start to speak God’s words boldly.
Why? When we are filled with Holy Spirit we start to speak Holy Spirit. Because I think Holy Spirit is God’s soul and God wants to speak his words to the people so the disciplines are filled with Holy Spirit then God’s words are going outside of us. God’s work is done through us filled with Holy Spirit.
When we are filled with Holy Spirit? When we are met with God’s will then Holy Spirit comes to us. When we repent our sins and seek God’s forgiveness of our sins then our sins are cleared by Jesus’ blood automatically. Then Holy Spirit comes to us and works God’s will like this speaking God’s words.
In Conclusion, God wants to speak and do God’s will through us and when we are filled with Holy Spirit then God is working through us. We always want to be with God with clean status by Jesus’ blood. Which means we are clean and Holy Spirit is with us. If we are living with God’s will then Holy Spirit will be with us always and we can do God’s work continuously. So we can live with God’s will because God is within us. We are with God and Jesus and God and Jesus are with us. This is the combined one status Jesus has said before.
For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales
Verse 36,37
and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
This is what I am wondering and surprised about so much. How can they sell their possessions and how they can give those possessions to people who are needed? We live in this Capitalism world, the asset is so important to live conveniently. People can think if we have money then we can do anything and we can enjoy enough. So money is so important thing to people.
But in my thinking, money was so important throughout all eras. At the time of Acts, the people may need money to enjoy life. They could buy slaves who work instead of them. And they can do anything by giving bribe money to the people who had power at then.
In these words, there is an expression from time to time. What is it from time to time? That meaning is not always but sometimes. So, not all people gave up their possessions. But some people sometimes they did this. I think it’s a sort of work of God’s soul. Paul has regarded what he had as excreta. He sold what he had done and distributed it and worked instead. If God’s grace and belief come to us, then someone does this full of grace.
So, giving their money to poor people is very very surprising to me. How these days, some people contribute their assets to the people who need them. Not all people say about what they did. So some of the stories maybe are hidden. So when we consider those sometimes it happens in this era too. And this happening is raised by Holy Spirit and God’s will.
The key to this work is by the grace of God. If someone has grace filled with Holy Spirit, he could do this kind of work too. He will regard God as all the best and the others are not important to us. The food/cloth/shelter are given to us by God who is our Father. So we don’t need much money actually. Because He will give us those things every day not to be lack. So we don’t need to worry about those essential tools to live when we live with the God of Father. So selling my possession is possible. Actually, I don’t need my possession. Sometimes possession is hiding our eyes and not seeing the really important thing and what is the most precious thing. Hallelujah, thank God today you gave me the grace and make me filled with Holy Spirit. I realized when I am filled with Holy Spirit then God works His work through me.