Acts 5: 12-29 (NLT) reads, “The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area of Solomon’s Colonnade. But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits and they were all healed. The high priests and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, ‘Go to the temple and give the people this message of life!’ So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching. When the high priests and his officials arrived, they convened the high council—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, ‘The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!’ When the captain of the Temple guards and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. Then someone arrived with startling news: ‘The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!’ The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. ‘We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!’ he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!’ But Peter and the apostles replied, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority’.”
I would like to highlight specific points within this passage of scripture for you to consider:
(1) The apostles were empowered by Holy Spirit while performing these signs and wonders.
(2) Although the people had high regard for the apostles, they dared not join them. Unfortunately, they wanted the manifestations of Holy Spirit without association with Holy Spirit-empowered vessels.
(3) More and more people believed in Jesus due to the apostles’ teachings.
(4) The high priests and Sadducees became so jealous that they arrested the apostles and placed they in jail.
(5) THE ANGEL OF THE LORD RESCUED THEM and gave them instruction to go back to the Temple to teach the Good News. There are no details as to which route of escape the apostles took or where they were in between the time they were rescued and daybreak, BUT THE LORD PROVIDED A WAY.
(6) The apostles were OBEDIENT despite the threat that had come up against them and the possible future consequences of their obedience to God’s instructions.
(7) The entire council assembled to witness and engage in the trial of the apostles, but they were left stunned when the apostles weren’t in the place that they had confined them to (the jail).
(8) The high priests accused the apostles of being disobedient to the instructions they had provided to them which included to never teach in Jesus’ name.
(9) Due to the apostles’ obedience to God’s instructions, all of Jerusalem was filled with the teachings of Jesus.
(10) The apostles stood their ground and declared to the very people who could’ve issued them severe punishment that they must be obedient to God rather than human authority.
During Jesus’ ministry, He prophesied to the apostles revealing that they would suffer persecution, death, beatings, and misfortune due to serving Him and being obedient to His instructions. This particular passage of scripture was fulfillment of one of Jesus’ prophesies. The apostles were only teaching the Good News and allowing the Holy Spirit to use them to perform miracles that would cause the people to believe. Why would the people hearing the teaching and receiving the miracles be so afraid of the high priests and Sadducees to the point of not openly supporting the apostles? Why would the high priests and Sadducees become so jealous of men teaching in the name of Jesus? How could being obedient to Jesus’ instructions land the apostles in jail and on trial? They were not doing anything “wrong”. They were simply being obedient.
Friend, how could you end up here in this place when you only gave God a “yes”? How could people walk away from you for surrendering your life to Him? How could people not support the transformation occurring within you via Holy Spirit’s power? How could your obedience to God’s instructions cause you to be confined by human authority figures? How could human authority figures be so jealous of Holy Spirit working within you that they attempt to confine you to a place where Jesus has broken you out of?
I desire to charge you on today to honor God even if it means facing opposition from people. I desire to charge you on today to continue to walk in obedience to His instructions and Word. I charge you today to know that He will provide a way of escape for you just as He did for the apostles. I desire to charge you on today to take your eyes off of the “confinement” and human authority figures and SET THEM OF JESUS. I charge you today to suffer for His sake. Your obedience will be fruitful! Stay steadfast and unmovable just as the apostles did. TTYL!
Real Talk with Keve 