These are words we here over and over again in these three chapters of Acts. Peter and John heal a lame man as they approaching the Beautiful Gate at the 3:00 prayer time. (In Jewish tradition, there are seven times a day for prayer. If you know this, you will find several references of people turning to prayer "at the appointed time.")
So, the man who is healed does not just walk away, he leaps away, and he praises God. Suddenly, the disciples are doing Acts of healing just as mighty and impressive as Jesus did. The Holy Spirit has empowered the to be witnesses, which does not only involve speaking, but also acts of healing and compassion.*
But witnessing does involve speaking as well. In fact, the disciples seem to spend as much time defending themselves as they do healing and preaching. They are brought up against the council more than once in these beginning chapters of Acts, and they are thrown into prison, only to let out by the power of the Holy Spirit.
"You know those uneducated fishermen you threw in prison? They're preaching in the temple again?"
For a little while, at least, the faith community seems to lead an ideal life. They are devoted to Jesus, and to one another. They have no secrets (it seems) and they share everything -- not because they have to, but freely. They sell property and lay the proceeds at the apostles' feet, to be used for the good of the whole community. Wow.
Until Ananais and Sapphira. It doesn't take long for someone to come along who gets the idea that they will sell a piece of property, give some of the proceeds to the apostles, tell the apostles that they have given everything, and secretly keep some of the money for themselves. The motivation for this behavior is unclear. The apostles seem more concerned that the couple has lied than that they held money back. The ideal seems to be that no one has any personal property any more, but the truth is, the apostles do not require anyone to give. As Peter says, "It was yours to keep or to give away. Why did you lie?" And then Ananais is struck dead (and later, his wife).
The death penalty for duplicity. This is sobering. No second chances for Ananais and Sapphira. This is one of those stories that I kind of wish was a metaphor. Because I can understand it as an object lesson, but not as a real event. In real life, I'd like a little more room for repentance and forgiveness, another chance to get it right.
Finally, there is the figure of Gamaliel the Pharisee. He warns the other religious leaders to watch out for the followers of Jesus, take a "wait and see attitude." After all, there have been supposed messiahs before. After they died, their followers scattered, and that was that. See what happens with this man Jesus and his followers, Gamaliel says. "If their plan or activity is of human origin, it will end in ruin. But if it originates with God, you will not be able to stop them."
Gamaliel was wise in many ways. We could learn from him even now.
*P.S. I do not know the significance of the age of the man who was healed. Why was it important that he was over 40? Anyone?
I wonder how the apostles felt when people started coming to them with piles and piles of money. Remember, Jesus was so poor that he had to sponge off his friends all the time, and now his followers are rich, rich, rich!!! There must have been some late-night meetings where they said, "Boyz, we gots to handle this very, very carefully..."
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