Witness to Cornelius

Witness of Peter to Samaria

Witness to Saul

Witness of Philip to Ethiopia

The Witness of Stephen

The annoyance/frustration of the unbelieving Temple guardians spills over into violent jealousy. But

arresting the apostles backfires again. An angel intervenes and then a believing Pharisee intervenes. Not

only is their foolishness twice exposed, but their whips/nails only embolden the apostles by making them

suffering witnesses.

Shortly after the witness of the supernatural generosity of the Kingdom, Satan attacks by creating

counterfeit generosity. He lures a couple into premeditated hypocrisy. They pretend to be more generous

than they are. To prevent further damage in this critical time of church incubation, God bears witness to

his firm opposition to intentional spiritual deceit.

The ‘disruptive witness’ of the new Temple confounds and angers the guardians of the old Temple. Defiant

and clinging to power, the violence of these powerful men only increases the boldness and intensity of the

‘idiots’ who are bearing witness to the presence of the New Creation.

The interpenetration of heavens/earth (the temple at Herod’s Temple) creates highly accelerated healing.

All the earth’s wealth can’t begin to compare to the wonder of the restoration of all things that’s suddenly

happening in Solomon’s Colonnade. As a witness, Peter explains what’s happening to the onlookers who

are reborn by the incursion of such concentrated eternal life.

The witness starts in Jerusalem at the very doorstep of the temple. When the heavens infiltrate the earth,

we see the four fold shalom of Eden in the explosion of new life. Even the fortress of the coveting,

hoarding human heart is breached.