Thursday, April 22, 2010
By Dave Sonnenberg
“If this plan or this undertaking is of human origin; it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them- in that case you may even be found fighting against God.”--- Gamaliel, teacher of the Law in Acts chapter 5
Gamaliel is one of the wisest elders we encounter along the way on the Journey through Acts. He recognizes the ugliness that can come when religious people fight against each other. We shake our heads and need to be Gamaliel in our day. Rather than contribute to ugliness or being arrogant, Gamaliel humbly recognizes that the true movement of God (with God completely at the helm) is an unstoppable force!
We want to be on the side of God. We need to pray for God’s spirit to stir in our hearts- stir us to be more loving and more caring and more generous. Those on the side of God will not give up yet they will not tear down the world around them in the process. The early apostles just did not give up. They had doors shut on them, they were imprisoned, threatened, and frustrated along the way. . .but they kept at it. Faith is about pressing on in the face of obstacles and understanding that God is the one who leads the way. We are mere instruments. When we allow God to lead and not try to do it ourselves, then we may have a chance to see the unstoppable force of God’s goodness in our daily lives.
Never give up.
Acts 5:17-42
17 Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), being filled with jealousy, 18arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, 20‘Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life.’ 21When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching.
When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the council and the whole body of the elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22But when the temple police went there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported, 23‘We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.’ 24Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about them, wondering what might be going on. 25Then someone arrived and announced, ‘Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!’ 26Then the captain went with the temple police and brought them, but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
27 When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, 28saying, ‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.’ 29But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour, so that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’
33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. 35Then he said to them, ‘Fellow-Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. 36For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. 37After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; 39but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!’
They were convinced by him, 40and when they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonour for the sake of the name. 42And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
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