God loves you! He wants each of us to know Him personally and to have the good life through Him (John 14:6). And He assigns us the task of helping people know the Father through Him. Jesus said that anyone who believes in Him will do the same works he has done (physical and spiritual) and even greater works (John 14:12). Exciting stuff!
The apostles knew this. They knew the power of the resurrection and the message they had to preach and teach. And so they did. Nothing could stop them. Not imprisonment. Not organized religion. And not the government.
Of course, opposition came. It always does. When we preach a message of life and reconciliation with God, we will face all sorts of jealousy, anger, and hostility. That’s just a fact.
Notice that God used an angel to bring the apostles out of the public jail. And notice the angel told them to go to the Temple and preach a message of life. That was a crazy dangerous assignment. They took it on without hesitation. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for every person who faithfully relays your message of life.
For the Acts church, much like we find today, it was organized religion; the big whigs, the powerful – the entire assembly of the elders of Israel – who were convened to silence God’s messengers. The world has many worthless and wicked people. That’s reality. Don’t be surprised to find them in the church and every community. They are constant liars (Proverbs 6:12). Like the apostles, it is our job to be obedient to God, not human authority (5:29).
The hard-hearted people in authority were determined to eradicate the name of Jesus. Thank God for the wisdom of Gamaliel, who God used to share the truth that God’s plan is always victorious. You can tell a man’s character by the long-term fruit of his life and ministry. And those he impacts and serves. Gamaliel knew this, and he was courageous enough to stand up and convince the high council with godly advice. Where are you today? Do you have an authority (board, principal, boss, committee) to whom you need to speak? In every team and every situation, seek God’s counsel and, like the apostles, rejoice that God counts us worthy to work for Him as part of the Body of Christ.
Peter and the apostles testified that the God of Israel raised Jesus from the dead. And that Jesus is at God’s right hand, as Prince and Savior (5:31). God wants all people to repent of their sins and be forgiven.
The apostles made it clear to the high council that they were witnesses (5:32) of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But they also make a bold claim - one that impacts every human. They claim God himself (the Holy Spirit) is also a witness of what happened in Jerusalem to Jesus Christ. You’ll run into people who say they can’t know because they weren’t there or haven’t seen Jesus. The reality is that the God of Israel, the only God, will testify to every human heart that asks him the truth about Jesus. We, like the apostles, must tell of the need to repent of sins and be forgiven. But we are never alone in this task. The Holy Spirit is always right with us. God convicts the human heart. And God alone saves and forgives.
Lastly, I leave you with this sober reality: the message of the new life was received with a decision to kill the apostles. But for Gamaliel and his wise counsel, the high council would have murdered all the apostles. The Gospel is good news. But for those invested in things of this world, it is received as an affront, a challenge, and with devilish opposition. That will always be the case until the Day Jesus returns to this world to bring final judgment.
God used Gamaliel, an expert in religious law. Thank God for Gamaliel. God can use anyone. Thank God for every man and woman that shares the “message of life” and obediently follows the One True God.
God’s purposes always prevail.
Lord Jesus, thank you for this day before us, full of potential to do good. Thank you for Creation and your unfailing love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice. Thank you for your people who continue to preach and teach daily and from house to house that “Jesus is the Messiah.” Amen.
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