So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things. And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. (Acts 5:11-13)
In the previous lesson, we learned of a couple named Ananias and Sapphira, who lied to the Holy Spirit of God. They had made a vow to God and did not keep their promise, therefore God struck them dead, as a warning to the new forming church, that believers are not to play with nor lie to God. (see ACTS: Lying to May is Lying to God; Husbands & Wives, Beware ) Because of this, great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things; but also because of this, those who were not a part of the church, none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.
How respectful of the non-believers. We should all respect each other's freedom to make our own choices about what we will and will not believe. But we should never disrespect anyone's choice, if they choose to believe differently from us. For those of us who choose to believe the Truth, the Word of God, we just need to be mindful that we represent Christ in such a way that we "...Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) The apostles, disciples and new believer to the faith demonstrated this behavior, And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. (Acts 5:14-15)
The Holy Spirit allowed the apostles to perform the miracle of healing without even having to touch the person who was infirmed. Jesus promised, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." (John 14:12) We who are saved are filled with the Holy Spirit of God and have access to this same power. Jesus also taught, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done... [according to God's will], but also if you say... [according to God's will], it will be done." (Matthew 21:21)
Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. (Acts 5:16-18) As we learned throughout the study of the gospel and now during the founding of the church, the majority of Jewish religious leaders did not want any part of the Truth. They preferred ...laying aside the commandment of God, you [the Pharisees and some of the scribes] hold the tradition of men... (Mark 7:8)
But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. (Acts 5:19-21) Man thinks that if they can silence the church, even put us in jail or kill us, the message of the gospel will stop. The world has tried for thousands of years to destroy God's people and God's Word, but Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God, Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever, Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners. (Psalm 146:3-7)
And that's exactly what God did, gave freedom to the prisoners; and when the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, the apostles entered the temple early in the morning and taught. They spoke to the people all the words of this life. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (I John 5:11-12) That is the message, simple and plain, but powerful and true! The world needs to hear this message, and God will make sure the world does. As Job testified, Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You." (Job 42:1-2)
But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. (Acts 5:21-24) We will study the "outcome" in the next lesson...
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