Burunche’s Blog

Acts 5:24 When the police captain and the chief priests heard this, they were frantic, wondering what would happen next and where all this would end! 25 Then someone arrived with the news that the men they had jailed were out in the Temple, preaching to the people!

There’s a good reason for the police captain to be frantic, for guards whose prisoners escape are usually put to death. If the police captain can’t locate his prisoners, he will die along with many of his fellow officers. But God has no interest in this man dying. Soon, someone runs to the police captain, “Captain! Captain! Your prisoners are preaching in the temple!”

26-27 The police captain went with his officers and arrested them (without violence, for they were afraid the people would kill them if they roughed up the disciples) and brought them in before the Council.

28 “Didn’t we tell you never again to preach about this Jesus?” the High Priest demanded. “And instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring the blame for this man’s death on us!”

29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our ancestors brought Jesus back to life again after you had killed him by hanging him on a cross. 31 Then, with mighty power, God exalted him to be a Prince and Savior, so that the people of Israel would have an opportunity for repentance, and for their sins to be forgiven. 32 And we are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to all who obey him.”

Well, if the religious leaders think their threats carry any weight, they’re quite wrong. Peter proceeds to give another fiery sermon right there during the hearing. Who knows how many of these religious leaders are quietly considering becoming Christians? But the Council members are fed up and want to eliminate these irritating radicals, until a respected teacher named Gamaliel speaks up. (Gamaliel means “God is my reward.”)

33 At this, the Council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one of their members, a Pharisee named Gamaliel (an expert on religious law and very popular with the people), stood up and requested that the apostles be sent outside the Council chamber while he talked.

35 Then he addressed his colleagues as follows:

“Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About four hundred others joined him, but he was killed, and his followers were harmlessly dispersed.

37 “After him, at the time of the taxation, there was Judas of Galilee. He drew away some people as disciples, but he also died, and his followers scattered.

38 “And so my advice is, leave these men alone. If what they teach and do is merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them, lest you find yourselves fighting even against God.”

Why does God allow Gamaliel’s advice to be quoted? Not only is Gamaliel a brilliant scholar, but he also is a man who loves God deeply. And in addition, Gamaliel also is the mentor for a young firebrand named Saul of Tarsus. We know Saul by the name he takes after Jesus confronts him, Paul. Even though Saul persecutes Christians, there’s never any evidence that Gamaliel has encouraged him to do so. Perhaps Gamaliel already is quietly following Jesus.

40 The Council accepted his advice, called in the apostles, had them beaten, and then told them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and finally let them go. 41 They left the Council chamber rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer dishonor for his name. 42 And every day, in the Temple and in their home Bible classes, they continued to teach and preach that Jesus is the Messiah.

We read this and wonder about the disciples. Rejoicing after being beaten? Are you kidding? But the disciples know that God has given them the messages they have been preaching, and their consciences are clean before God. There’s a story about John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. Wesley faced enormous opposition when he began, and many people attacked him whenever possible. One day a man was standing in a field behind a hedge as Wesley was passing. Wesley was musing to himself, worried that he might be losing his focus because nobody had attacked him for a week. The man said, “There’s that man Wesley! I’ll take care of him!” and tossed a rock at Wesley. Wesley immediately reacted, “Praise God! I’m still going in the right direction!”

When we have mountaintop experiences, we expect to enjoy some euphoria and divine protection, not to be attacked. But God has enemies everywhere, and if we are truly following Him, we must be willing to endure suffering. Remember that in Northern Nigeria, Southern Sudan, and other places, Christians are dying as their churches are attacked by Islamic terrorists. May God help us to remain faithful, no matter how much opposition we face.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to remain faithful, even in the face of opposition. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 5:12 Meanwhile, the apostles were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Hall, and they did many remarkable miracles among the people. 13 The other believers didn’t dare join them, though, but all had the highest regard for them. 14 And more and more believers were added to the Lord, crowds both of men and women. 15 Sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow would fall across some of them as he went by! 16 And crowds came in from the Jerusalem suburbs, bringing their sick folk and those possessed by demons; and every one of them was healed.

Oh dear! Now the Jewish religious leaders are really in a fix! It was bad enough when Peter and John acted as channels for the Holy Spirit to heal a cripple, but now things are escalating. The apostles are doing remarkable miracles right there in the temple, and people are getting healed and delivered even if Peter’s shadow simply falls across them. The first time it happened, Peter was completely gob smacked, for this was the last thing he anticipated. But when Peter realized what was happening, he began walking among the crowds so that his shadow would touch as many people as possible. This phenomenon has two advantages: lots of people are getting delivered and healed, and Peter is encouraged to be out with people as much as possible rather than hiding with some of the other believers. The longer Peter is witnessing in public, the more other believers are willing to do so.

After the first few times Peter’s shadow fell on someone, leading to their healing, the other disciples quietly questioned him. But Peter had no explanation, for he wasn’t doing anything special or different. Peter was simply praying and praising God and God was the One doing everything. Why was Peter favored in this fashion? Despite all the previous warnings from religious leaders, Peter was brave enough to circulate among the crowds while many others remained in the shadows. But the religious leaders can’t possibly allow Peter to continue in this fashion.

Acts 5:17 The High Priest and his relatives and friends among the Sadducees reacted with violent jealousy 18 and arrested the apostles, and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go over to the Temple and preach about this Life!”

21 They arrived at the Temple about daybreak and immediately began preaching! Later that morning the High Priest and his courtiers arrived at the Temple, and, convening the Jewish Council and the entire Senate, they sent for the apostles to be brought for trial. 22 But when the police arrived at the jail, the men weren’t there, so they returned to the Council and reported, 23 “The jail doors were locked, and the guards were standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”

AAAAND this would be an “OOPS!” While the religious leaders are stroking their beards and congratulating themselves on having jailed these pesty apostles, God smiles and sends an angel who releases them and orders them to return to the temple to preach.

  We read this story and wonder why God delivers the disciples when so many believers since then have died for their faith. We must continue to remember that God’s ways are higher than ours as Isaiah tells God knows the hearts of the religious leaders, and there might be many who want to believe in Jesus but who fear ostracism from their fellows. Who knows how many of these leaders quietly begin believing in Jesus, leading others to a saving faith?

There’s a lot you can say about Peter. Peter is impetuous, given to hyperbole, and sometimes heavy-handed. But of all the disciples, Peter is the one who walks through the streets of Jerusalem, allowing his shadow to fall on sufferers and leaving healing and deliverance in his wake. Other disciples, emboldened by Peter’s example, will also eventually do the same thing, glorifying God in the process.

What can we learn from Peter? There’s a time to remain in your room, praying and spending time listening to the Lord. But at some point, you must leave the safety of that room and meet people in all their imperfections, their sin, and their needs. As Peter walked through Jerusalem, he had no idea of the illnesses or the number of demons tormenting those around him; however, God knew everything and God guided Peter. If we will step out, God will guide us. We might never know how much God is doing, or we will only learn years later.

Forty years ago, my husband was working at an ambulance company in Memphis, Tennessee. One of the other EMT’s was a young woman struggling with drugs and alcohol abuse. She had narrowly escaped death when a boyfriend involved in witchcraft refused to murder her. We did what we could to encourage her and pray for her, but then we left for the mission field in 1988. Two years later, we were back in Memphis at a Christian concert. Suddenly, my husband heard a voice near him saying, “Bob? Bob Young? I got saved!!!” The speaker was our friend. She told us that she had felt as if she was underneath an enormous pile of garbage with only a pinpoint of light penetrating the darkness. When Bob would come, the light would get brighter, and when I would join him, the light shone brighter still. Eventually, our friend entered a Teen Challenge program. The night she got saved, she was praying by herself, and her prayer was, “God, whatever my friends have, I want it!” Our friend’s life changed forever that night, for she committed her life to Jesus and made a total-and permanent-change.

We were thrilled and shocked at our friend’s testimony, for we didn’t feel that we had done anything particularly unusual. We prayed for our friend, but we didn’t try to lecture her. But God took our availability and did something magnificent with it.

Our hospital chaplain tells a similar story. After passing through the hospital, praying for all the patients one morning, our chaplain was chatting with one of the relatives. “Pastor, I got healed when you prayed for my sister!” the lady exclaimed. Evidently, this lady was sick but was struggling to care for her sister who was even sicker. As our chaplain prayed one morning, this lady felt everything in her body coming back into alignment, and suddenly she knew that she was healed.

Once more, we realize that God is not as interested in our talent or our abilities as He is in our availability. When we allow God to use us, He will do miracles. So, get out of your comfort zone! Ask God to send you to people who need Him and then see what He will do.

PRAYER; Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to be willing to go where You send us and do what You want us to do. In the mighty and precious name of King Jesus. Amen.