Acts - Week 3 / Wednesday

Reading for today: Acts 5:17-42

Things are happening so fast and furious for the apostles and the newly-founded church that you can't help getting excited as you read this account. Nothing can stop them from spreading the good news about Jesus Christ, much to the consternation of the Sadducees and the other "religious" leaders. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the apostles are unafraid of whatever threats come their way because of the gospel.

When their preaching lands them in jail, a supernatural event takes place. An angel appeared and opened the doors of the jail and led them to freedom. Can you imagine what was going through their minds as that angel set them free?

When the apostles are finally re-arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin, they are given one of the best compliments they could have been given, and it came from the Sanhedrin! "You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching," the apostles are told. This group of disciples, who are now part of this fledgling church, have filled the whole city with the truth about Jesus Christ. Wow! I wish that could be said of us! To what extent have we filled our community with the message of Jesus Christ?

As to the allegiance of the apostles, there is no question. Their declaration was, "We must obey God rather than men!" That stance got them a good beating (flogging) by the Sanhedrin, and an order not to speak in the name of Jesus any more. Of course, that order fell on deaf ears, since it did not come from God, but from men.

I would remind all of us that they have just come through a painful flogging, and a "court order" not to say anything more about this Jesus. If they were going to be intimidated, this was the occasion. This hurt! And they were told to keep silent by the top officials of the city. So, how do these disciples respond to this harassment and persecution? They rejoiced because they had been counted worthy of suffering for the name of Jesus.

And they continued doing what they had been doing all along. "They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ." That kind of boldness can come to our lives, too, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Remember Acts 1:8, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Tomorrow: All is not well in the new church!