The early church was united in purpose even considering their possessions to be common amongst their own. Barnabas offered accordingly offered acordingly, Ananias and Saphira did not. How do you view your property, like Barnabas or Ananias and Saphira- How doe God view sin in the church, and how do we-

The early church's response to persecution is the perfect model for us to follow when persecution comes upon us. A response of prayer that God would continue to carry out His plan for His people, through us, by His power.

Persecution will come to those proclaiming the Gospel. Peter, John, and the healed lame man model how we are to combat persecution - by pointing people to salvation that can be found in Christ alone. Being led by the indwelling Holy Spirit, we will tell our persecutors the truth of who they are, who Jesus is, and our unwillingness to be silent.

After Peter makes clear his audience's dilemma, he compassionately Pleads with them to repent, and in contrition, turn back to God through faith in Jesus Christ - the faith they had just seen make the lame man whole. The Gospel preached by Peter, by the power of the Holy Spirit, is the same Gospel we will preach- the audience's dilemma and then the hope of salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Peter's open-air sermon, like all good gospel proclamations, begins with showing his audience their dilemma. He shows these Israelites that they are at enmity with God, because they have killed the Holy, Righteous, Author of life - the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. The One sent by God to save His people they had crucified, and then God raised Him from the dead,and He is now reigning over all. Peter then points to the lame man made whole, faith in and through Jesus Christ, as an example of what they had denied. Peter preaches to them who Jesus is, and their relationship to God for their denial of Him. His Gospel proclamation has them in a very terrifying place, without hope. Does he leave them there, condemned and without hope- We will find out next week.

We see in the early church evangelism that we can copy. As we are going, we have the greatest gift there is to give to broken people. It is not the gift of physical healing we possess, rather it is the gift of eternal life to be obtained through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us go and have compassion on those in need of healing.