Acts 5:17-42 provides us a glimpse into a story of some of the apostles during the time of the early church. They had been preaching the gospel, healing people, and drawing large crowds. The religious leaders in Jerusalem were jealous so they had the apostles thrown in jail. But that night, there was a miracle – an angel of the Lord came and released them from prison and told them to stand in the temple courts and tell people about the new life in Jesus!
Though the apostles had just been arrested and thrown in prison for the ministry they were doing, they committed themselves to the work of the Lord and went into the temple courts to teach people.
Before long the apostles were brought in front of the furious religious leaders again and threatened them again telling them that they were told not to talk about Jesus.
Despite intense pressure and the very real threat of prison or death, Peter and the other apostles confidently stated, “We must obey God rather than human beings!”
Immediately, the religious leaders wanted to put them to death. One of the Pharisees convinced the leaders not to kill the apostles and they were instead flogged and instructed not to speak in the name of Jesus again. What happened next was amazing. These unjustly beaten apostles started rejoicing! They were glad and honored to suffer for Jesus’ name. They went out and never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
They demonstrated such commitment to the good news of Jesus Christ and in doing so they became powerful, purposeful instruments of God.
You Are What You Are Committed To
17-20 Provoked mightily by all this, the Chief Priest and those on his side, mainly the sect of Sadducees, went into action, arrested the apostles and put them in the town jail. But during the night an angel of God opened the jailhouse door and led them out. He said, “Go to the Temple and take your stand. Tell the people everything there is to say about this Life.”
Promptly obedient, they entered the Temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching.
21-23 Meanwhile, the Chief Priest and his cronies convened the High Council, Israel’s senate, and sent to the jail to have the prisoners brought in. When the police got there, they couldn’t find them anywhere in the jail. They went back and reported, “We found the jail locked tight as a drum and the guards posted at the doors, but when we went inside we didn’t find a soul.”
24 The chief of the Temple police and the high priests were puzzled. “What’s going on here anyway?”
25-26 Just then someone showed up and said, “Did you know that the men you put in jail are back in the Temple teaching the people?” The chief and his police went and got them, but they handled them gently, fearful that the people would riot and turn on them.
27-28 Bringing them back, they stood them before the High Council. The Chief Priest said, “Didn’t we give you strict orders not to teach in Jesus’ name? And here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are trying your best to blame us for the death of this man.”
29-32 Peter and the apostles answered, “It’s necessary to obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, the One you killed by hanging him on a cross. God set him on high at his side, Prince and Savior, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things. The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who obey him, corroborates every detail.”
33-37 When they heard that, they were furious and wanted to kill them on the spot. But one of the council members stood up, a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of God’s Law who was honored by everyone. He ordered the men taken out of the room for a short time, then said, “Fellow Israelites, be careful what you do to these men. Not long ago Theudas made something of a splash, claiming to be somebody, and got about four hundred men to join him. He was killed, his followers dispersed, and nothing came of it. A little later, at the time of the census, Judas the Galilean appeared and acquired a following. He also fizzled out and the people following him were scattered to the four winds.
38-39 “So I am telling you: Hands off these men! Let them alone. If this program or this work is merely human, it will fall apart, but if it is of God, there is nothing you can do about it—and you better not be found fighting against God!”
40-42 That convinced them. They called the apostles back in. After giving them a thorough whipping, they warned them not to speak in Jesus’ name and sent them off. The apostles went out of the High Council overjoyed because they had been given the honor of being dishonored on account of the Name. Every day they were in the Temple and homes, teaching and preaching Christ Jesus, not letting up for a minute.