The Gospel in Motion: Stand Tall
Contributed by Enid Victor

During the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.” —Acts 5:19-20

Jealousy is flourishing and Jerusalem’s religious leaders are getting mad. “The high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy” (5:17).

The religious leaders have given “strict orders” (5:28) to the apostles “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (4:17-18, 40). But because of the miracles happening in the city, increasing numbers of new believers joined the church. Even Peter’s shadow falling on a sick person brought healing. “Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed” (5:16).

So, the apostles are arrested and locked up tight in the jail for the night. But the apostles’ imprisonment was child’s play to the Lord’s angel who “opened the doors of the jail and brought them out” (5:19). The angel told them, “Go, stand in the temple courts … and tell the people all about this new life” (5:20).

The next morning, the high priest and leaders are stunned by yet another miracle—they had left these men locked up and guarded in jail but somehow now they are standing tall in the temple courts and teaching the people about the new life in Christ Jesus (5:23-26).

Brought back before the Sanhedrin, Peter and the apostles testify of what they have seen and what they know of the power of God and the resurrection of Jesus. “When [the leaders] heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death” (5:33).

“But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin” (5:34). Gamaliel was the leader of the Pharisees and the most respected teacher and elder of the Sanhedrin. Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor of the new church who later became the apostle Paul, was a student of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).

Gamaliel reminds the Sanhedrin of previous rebels, whose followers gave up after the leaders’ death. Maybe that will happen here too. Gamaliel tells the Sanhedrin, “Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (5:38-39).

Gamaliel was persuasive. The apostles’ lives were spared; however, they were flogged (5:40). Like Jesus before his crucifixion, the apostles’ backs were bared and their skin was splayed, and again they were commanded “not to speak in the name of Jesus” (5:40). When they were freed, they rejoiced! And, “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah” (5:42).

Is their testimony of “human origin” or is it “from God?”

Consider—

╬ Have you ever fought against God? Remember what that was like—were there feelings of frustration, anger, jealousy? What was the turning point of your battle with God?

╬ Do you know someone who is presently fighting against God? With compassion, ask the Holy Spirit to give them what they need today to become a bold witness to the power of God and the resurrection of Jesus and to the new life found in Jesus’ name.

╬ Father God, God the Son, and God the Spirit, we confess that many of us know what it’s like to fight against God. Forgive us that we often pursue our own will rather than Yours, Lord. Give us courage and heart to live and to speak of the new life in Christ Jesus. In Christ’s name. Amen.