The purpose of the Guidance for the End Times Series is to encourage and inspire Christians to hold fast to true faith in Jesus Christ’s good news. It is our hope that studying the early disciples of Jesus will help you stay faithful to what Jesus has called us to do. If the message of Jesus Christ is in your heart, it will inspire you to live a certain way that is not distinctly different from the first apostles and first generation of the church. Let the gospel of the kingdom of God be the catalyst for the way you conduct yourself in the dark days to come.  

The Essence of the Gospel  

In this installment, we begin in the fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. In the third chapter, we read of an amazing miracle of healing in the name of Jesus Christ. We saw a powerful sermon delivered by the apostle Peter to a crowd of onlookers. He admonished them to repent, be converted, and turn away from lawlessness which are essential elements of the gospel. Jesus taught, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) There is an important question implied by Jesus’ words.  

What are we supposed to believe? It is important to continuously return to the subject of the gospel. Remember, the Greek word translated as gospel means good news. Christians are to believe the good news Jesus preached, but what is the good news? The majority of Christian denominations claimed that the good news is you can accept Jesus Christ into your heart and be saved, but this is not what Jesus taught. To be clear, you MUST acknowledge Jesus as your savior, but what did Jesus say the good news is? Read the following verses carefully: 

“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ³⁵ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” (Mark 8:34-35) 

Notice that Jesus and the gospel are addressed as two distinct reasons for giving your life, yet Jesus and the gospel are linked. Do not miss this point. Who Jesus is, IS NOT the gospel. Jesus preached the gospel! You can lose your life for Jesus’ sake AND the gospel’s sake, two separate things which have an intimate connection.  

Now reread Mark 1:15. The gospel is identified in this verse as the kingdom of God is at hand. This is what Jesus told the people to believe. They were to believe that the kingdom of God was drawing near or coming. There should be no misinterpretation of this fact as the same Greek word was used to describe Judas coming to betray Jesus in Matt. 26:46-47. This Greek word is used to show that something or someone will be arriving soon. Consequently, the good news of Jesus Christ is that the kingdom of God is coming or will arrive soon as described in Dan. 2:44 and Dan. 7:13-18. Jesus is explicitly linked to that kingdom because He will be the King. King Jesus explained that He would resurrect all the saints that God the Father has given Him at the end of this age (see John 6:39-40,44).   

Why is this important to cover as we go into Acts 4? Because this is the very message that the apostles were preaching! They were preaching that men must come out of sin and believe that those who turn to God to keep His ways will be resurrected through Jesus Christ at the time when He will establish God’s kingdom on earth. This same message has been considered heresy for 2000 years despite the fact that hundreds of millions of people have claimed to be followers of the One who declared this message fully. Also read John 11:23-24 where Martha, a disciple of Jesus, declared her belief in the resurrection of the saints on the last day just as Jesus Christ taught. The good news is that those who set their hearts to live in the righteousness of God will be resurrected and given immortality at Jesus’ return to rule the earth (the last day of this age). This truth is found throughout the New Testament, yet the masses believe that Jesus taught about entry into heaven despite having no evidence for this belief!!!  

In Acts 4:1-3, we read that the religious leaders were, “grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” Remember that the resurrection is tied directly to the coming of Jesus to institute the kingdom of God on earth. It is unfortunate that the preachers of our time do not preach the message Jesus taught His disciples to proclaim even as we see the day of Jesus’ return drawing nearer.  

Peter and John were thrown in prison for preaching this message. This is a life changing message that convicts the believer to change his/her life to live God’s way (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:1-5; Rev. 22:14-15). 

The result of preaching the real gospel is described in Acts 4:4 which says, “Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.” This means 5000 men believed that they could be resurrected through Jesus Christ if they lived the way He commanded them to live. The fact that the apostles were thrown in prison did not deter them from believing the real gospel message of Jesus Christ. Those who truly believe do not place their hope and trust in this world. Their hope is in the world to come, the kingdom of God, and the promise of the resurrection! We must learn to place our hope and trust in the better world to come! 

By What Power Or By What Name? 

Now let’s read the trial of Peter, John, and the lame man in Acts 4:5-12. Peter and John were questioned about how they were able to perform this miracle (verse 7). Peter powerfully declared that the miracle was done by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Annas and Caiaphas knew who Jesus of Nazareth was because they put Him on trial a little over 50 days before this event. Read John 18 for proof of this fact. The band of men who came to arrest Jesus declared that they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth (John 18: 3-7).  The same high priests who had Jesus sentenced to death would have been familiar with who Jesus of Nazareth was, but Peter boldly declared that the miracle was done by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Peter made it plain that the man they had crucified was and is the Messiah (Christ).  

Additionally, Peter declared that Jesus Christ of Nazareth had been raised from the dead by God. Some of these priests that they were standing in front of paid soldiers to lie about Jesus’ resurrection (see Matt. 28:11-15). These men asked Pilate to place soldiers at Jesus’ grave because they knew He prophesied that He would rise on the third day after His death (Matt. 27:62-66). Even though these men received a true report from the soldiers who were guarding the grave of Jesus, they paid them to deny the truth of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth which would have proved He is the Messiah. These chief priests knew that the nation of Israel was prophesied to be save through the Messiah and Peter put the truth of the matter in their faces (Acts 4:12).  

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.” (Acts 4:13-14) 

The miracle was undeniable! These men were silenced by the truth, yet they continued to conspire against the work of God (verses 15-18).  

Will You Be Silent or Bold? 

It is at Acts 4:19-20 that we come to the central message of this installment in our series. Remember, this is Guidance for the End Times. Our goal is to learn how we should behave by studying the Acts of the Apostles who were personally trained by the Lord Jesus Christ. This series is not about coming up with our own ideas about how to navigate the darkest time in human history. Our goal is to point you to the best examples we know and encourage you to emulate those examples rather than promote the speculative ideas presented in movies, books, podcasts, etc. Peter and John declared that they could only speak what they heard and saw. They would not compromise the message of Jesus Christ because they were threatened by the religious authority of their time.  

Christians living in the end times need to learn to have the same boldness and commitment to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. There are some who do not want you to preach about the kingdom of God and what must be done to enter that kingdom. There are those with ordinations from formal institutions who do not want you preaching the whole truth of what repentance is like John the Baptist and the apostles of Jesus Christ! They will call you legalistic for preaching the same message as Jesus Christ who they claim to follow. Those who hold to the whole message of Jesus Christ are called heretics by those who pick and choose which parts of His message is most inviting to the masses. Your job is to be a real follower of Jesus Christ, proclaiming His message in power through words and character!!! 

The example of the apostles in the book of Acts was to declare the truth in word and to live by the words they preached. They were not hypocrites preaching one way and living another way while seeking to gain the financial support of those who would listen. They were shining lights wherever they went, honoring God through their faithful example under intense persecution. Christians in the end times must learn to emulate their example.  

The Biblical Response to Persecution  

In the last section of Acts 4, we read of the way John, Peter, and the rest of the saints responded to the threats made by the religious establishment. We will briefly discuss their response in the paragraphs below. We also recommend reading our two-part study The Christian Response to Suffering and Persecution for an in-depth look at the topic. 

In verse 21-22, the chief priests further threaten Peter and John not to teach in the name of Jesus, hoping that they could scare them not to continue the work God set before them. They acknowledged the miracle, but they were willing to fight against God anyway. Nevertheless, they let Peter and John go after threatening them. In verse 23, we see Peter and John rejoining the saints to discuss what happened during their trial. In verses 24-30, Luke records the prayer of these gathered saints. Acts 4:24-28 shows us that this group’s prayer included reference to Ps. 2:1-2. Christians would do well to study and understand this psalm. Verse 28 shows that this conspiracy amongst the rulers of men is brought forth by the will of God. Christians do not need to worry about the outcome of such evil plans because God has determined the outcome beforehand. What Christians should do is acknowledge that God is in control of world events and become familiar with the prophecies of God enough to pray about them.  

“And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, ³⁰ By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30) 

Notice that the saints prayed for two specific things: 1) boldness to speak the word of God and 2) that signs and wonders be done in the name of Jesus. The desire of the saints was to double-down their efforts to do the work of God. They did not recoil in fear or ask to be spared from persecution. They asked for boldness to combat any fears they may have had. They asked for more miracles to be done in the name of Jesus in response to the threats made by the chief priests.  

Remember that Jesus told His disciples that they would be hated of all nations for His name’s sake (Matt. 24:9). Jesus also mentioned that they would be killed, that some would fall away, that some would hate the brethren, and that some would betray the brethren. These disciples would have been well aware of this teaching, yet they prayed for boldness to speak and more miracles to be done. Their prayer was about moving the work of God forward rather than self-preservation. This is exactly how Jesus prayed (Matt. 26:42; Luke 22:42). All Christians need to learn to pray for the boldness to speak God’s words and for miracles to be done in the name of Jesus Christ!  

 God Will Strengthen You 

Prayer is the Christian way of communicating directly with God the Father. This line of communication must be utilized to maintain a strong relationship. Christians should not expect God to communicate with them if they refuse to communicate with Him. This is no different than what we experience in human-human relationships. Failure to keep lines of communication open will result in an inability to receive support when it is needed. This kind of behavior is the reason why families do not help each other in critical situations. Unlike humans, God extends His mercy and support far beyond humans even when communication is broken. Nevertheless, do not use this fact as an excuse not to communicate with God the Father because the long-term ramifications will be disastrous.  

Jesus tells us that God the Father knows our needs (Matt. 6:8;32), but Jesus never says we do not have to communicate. Even though God knows what you need, you still need to ask (Matt. 7:7-11).  Jesus showed that our prayers should focus on the will of God rather than obsessing over the needs of the body (Matt. 6:9-13). God loves us so much that His Spirit also makes intercession on our behalf according to His will (Rom. 8:26-27).  When suffering persecution, pray to the best of your ability and know assuredly that God will work out the details as your loving Father! 

Read James 1:5-7. Though these verses are about asking for wisdom, the principles apply to other things you ask for. Wavering faith will result in receiving nothing from God. God can and will answer your prayers for strength to do His work, but you must believe He will answer to receive an answer. Now look at God’s answer to the prayer of the early disciples: 

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31) 

Keep in mind that not every prayer will be answered immediately. As it is written, “… the trying of your faith works patience.” (James 1: 3) God is patient and He requires us to develop character like His own. The Greek word translated as patience means cheerful endurance, constancy. Constancy and wavering are antonyms, total opposites. These saints were steadfast in their mission to preach the good news Jesus delivered to them. Remember, Peter and John declared that they could do nothing but speak what they heard from Jesus (Acts 4:19-20). Their unwavering faith was rewarded with an immediate answer just like many of Jesus’ requests of God the Father. This is the attitude a Christian must have when asking God for His support. Believe and you will receive. Ask for strength to do His will rather than asking for your physical needs and He will answer you. Put the work of God above your fears, physical needs, and personal desires and He will fill you with power through His Spirit. 

Providing for the Saints 

The end of chapter 4 concludes similar to chapter 2. In verses 32-37, we read of the fellowship and unity of the saints. It is my personal belief that this was recorded twice so that the saints of God would pay attention to the difference between the brethren and the world. If you read these verses carefully, you will notice that they are not promoting communism as some have suggested. There is no government forcing these people to share with the poor and downtrodden. These people “were of one heart and of one soul.” They saw themselves as one and shared what they possessed out of love. There is no government that can make you love someone else as yourself and be willing to sacrifice possessions that none of your brethren lack (verses 34-35). These are the actions of those who have the love of God in their hearts! 

It is worth mentioning that this was not a tithe to the apostles. This wealth was laid at the apostles’ feet for distribution to those who had need. We could assume that the apostles used some of this fund for their own needs but there is no scriptural evidence for this belief. Throughout the book of Acts, we will read of the apostles staying in the homes of believers just as Jesus commanded them when they were being trained for the ministry. These funds were used to provide for those who had need locally.  

The lesson to be learned from these verses is the saints should love one another as Jesus loves us (John 15:12). When the apostle James taught about faith, he used the providing for the brethren as an analogy (James 2:14-18). To make provision for the saints is how you prove that you love your neighbor as yourself. Remember this is the second greatest commandment according to Jesus Christ. These first century saints proved their faithfulness to God by willfully providing for one another in love. 

Please do not overlook this issue. It is indeed a salvific issue as stated by the Lord Jesus Christ (see Matt. 25:31-46). God the Father and Jesus Christ expects provision to be made for the “least” of the brethren. Neglecting the provision of the brethren is like neglecting Jesus Christ!!! 

Also, consider that neglecting the brethren may open the door to temptation. It is very easy to become anxious about your physical needs. When we become anxious about these needs, we began to focus on those needs more than the will of God. Jesus warned us not to become anxious about physical needs in Matt. 6:25-34. This is something we must safeguard ourselves from and our brethren. We must be willing to support our brethren in dark times like the widow who was willing to support Elijah the prophet (I Kings 17:1-10). DO NOT allow yourself to neglect the needs of the brethren which is the equivalent of neglecting Jesus. It will not end well if you do so (Matt. 25:44-46). 

Please reread this Bible study as often as necessary. Pray to the Father about what topics to study and try to make a list of things to keep track of what you need to study. Take notes and review those notes. Avoid excessive use of social media, streaming platforms, video games, etc. That time could be better spent growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18).