There is a significant lesson regarding suffering and obedience in Acts Chapter 5, beginning at verse 16, in the New Testament part of the Bible. Do check this out now. We read of crowds gathering around those men of God who were ministering in the love of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. At this time, they had suddenly become very popular with ordinary needy people. But this gave rise to jealousy among the traditional religious leaders in Jerusalem, who had rejected Jesus.
Serious consequences result when a man rejects Jesus Christ. The apostles are arrested and put in jail - not the ordinary people - but the leadership. There were no divisions, among the leadership, even when it came to going to jail.
That night, an angel appears, opens the doors of that Jerusalem jail, brings them out, and tells them what to do. Speak about excitement, and dramatic happenings.
The Bible is never boring - not when the anointing of the Spirit of God is upon His Word! The angel instructs the apostles to go, tell, and tell the people the full message. The apostles did exactly as they had been told.
Learn the lesson of being obedient to God, as soon as you possibly can. And tell the whole story. Do not withhold any part of the Word of God. These leaders not only believed the whole story; they told the whole story. How vital this is today as some tell in part, and some believe - partially.
Back in the court, there is calamity, but no prisoners! The jail was locked. Guards were posted. It looked all right from the outside, but no-one inside.
Many things in life can appear like that; all right on the outside, where everything seems to be in order, but nothing significant beyond. There can be places where no-one is filled with the Holy Spirit - and perhaps even a heart and mind in distress and turmoil, but the individual attempts to display a brave face to the world.
In the court, people are puzzled. Does your witness and testimony to Jesus sometimes puzzle people?
A messenger arrives with surprising information, “The men you put in jail are in the Temple Courts.” They had been obedient to the word of the angel of the Lord.
Arrangements are hurriedly made to bring the apostles to this court, without any signs of force.
We told you NOT to do this. You have FILLED JERUSALEM with your teaching, and you are determined to make us the guilty ones!
The reply in verse 29 is a good guiding principle. GOD did it. The words are similar to those of their previous experience in prison. And if you want to know to whom GOD gives the Holy Spirit the answer is there. Sometimes we have to choose.
The religious authorities are furious and livid. The word used means “sawn through”. They were “cut up” regarding what was happening, and are on the point of issuing death threats, when someone saw and knew how serious the situation was.
A member of the Court arises. Gamaliel was an honoured and respected teacher, and after they put the apostles outside he addresses the court.
“Be careful what you do. This is not the first time this has happened. Leave them alone. Let them go. If this is of man it will fail. It will evaporate and disappear. It will only last a short while, and fizzle out. But if it is from God you won’t be able to stop it. You will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
That is straight talking to furious livid angry religious people, who were closed to what God was doing in their city.
One sad aspect of this is that Gamaliel did not know this spiritual move was from the living God.
Gamaliel sat on the fence, but when the Holy Spirit comes He electrifies the fence and you have to get off on one side or the other.
Or, Gamaliel did know, and was afraid to take sides! Whatever it was, we don’t hear any more about Gamaliel, but we continue to hear about the apostles, the church, and Jesus Christ.
Aren’t you glad? O, before I sign off - which side of that fence are you on?
Sandy Shaw
Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children’s Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled “Word from Scotland” on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.
His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.
Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com
Tags: Electrify, Example, Faithful, Fence, leadership, love, loyalty, Obedience, spiritual, suffering
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