Acts 5:12-42
Today's Passage: Acts 5:12-42
There will always be skeptics and critics of the Christian faith. As the apostles continue to perform miracles and as the power of God is on clear display in the life of the early church, opposition arose as it always has (and always will).
What to note and the source of great encouragement is two-fold from this passage:
This was the cry of the apostles who were included in this supernatural movement as they faced direct threats from the naysayers. Their justification for continuing their mission to make the gospel known should inspire us to continually proclaim the same message: God raised Jesus from the dead, exalted Him as the only true source of authority and judgment, that through Christ, God has forgiven sin, because they are witnesses of it, and because the Holy Spirit has been given.
No matter the assailant or pending persecution, our allegiance lies with God and not to any human man or institution.
Gamaliel understood God’s authority over all things, and His confession is incredibly comforting when we consider the mess our world and personal lives are in.
Gamaliel stated: “it is of man, it will fail.” How feeble and frail are our humanistic attempts to force things into existence! We have no more power to affect results than we do to fly or become invisible. No manmade agenda will succeed if it is only of man and not of the Lord.
He also said: “if it is of God, you cannot stop it.” This is our hope. God is in charge and does not bend or bow to any other source of influence. What confidence to know He cannot be thwarted!
Do you view God this way: able to stop human endeavors because He is the only sovereign?
Do you also view God as the unstoppable Almighty that He truly is?
How might our lives look differently if we truthfully viewed God this way? If you do see Him as the scriptures portray, what are some examples you’ve seen of God doing just as Gamaliel described?
Written By: Drew Dukes
There will always be skeptics and critics of the Christian faith. As the apostles continue to perform miracles and as the power of God is on clear display in the life of the early church, opposition arose as it always has (and always will).
What to note and the source of great encouragement is two-fold from this passage:
1.We MUST obey God rather than man. (v. 29-32)
This was the cry of the apostles who were included in this supernatural movement as they faced direct threats from the naysayers. Their justification for continuing their mission to make the gospel known should inspire us to continually proclaim the same message: God raised Jesus from the dead, exalted Him as the only true source of authority and judgment, that through Christ, God has forgiven sin, because they are witnesses of it, and because the Holy Spirit has been given.
No matter the assailant or pending persecution, our allegiance lies with God and not to any human man or institution.
2.The sovereignty of God is our hope and confidence. (v. 38-39)
Gamaliel understood God’s authority over all things, and His confession is incredibly comforting when we consider the mess our world and personal lives are in.
Gamaliel stated: “it is of man, it will fail.” How feeble and frail are our humanistic attempts to force things into existence! We have no more power to affect results than we do to fly or become invisible. No manmade agenda will succeed if it is only of man and not of the Lord.
He also said: “if it is of God, you cannot stop it.” This is our hope. God is in charge and does not bend or bow to any other source of influence. What confidence to know He cannot be thwarted!
Do you view God this way: able to stop human endeavors because He is the only sovereign?
Do you also view God as the unstoppable Almighty that He truly is?
How might our lives look differently if we truthfully viewed God this way? If you do see Him as the scriptures portray, what are some examples you’ve seen of God doing just as Gamaliel described?
Written By: Drew Dukes
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