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In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this Man’s blood.”
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Acts 5:26-32
This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The Sanhedrin had every intent to put the apostles on trial for disobeying their orders not to preach and teach in the name of Jesus. And so while Jesus’ appointed substitutes were sharing the Gospel, healing the sick, and driving out evil spirits from the crowds who gathered to see them in Jerusalem, the Jewish religious authorities took them into custody and had placed them in the public jail.
There, an act of God occurred as an angel appeared to the imprisoned apostles and opened the cell door, releasing the apostles to continue the work of their Master. And Jesus’ followers did just that and were in the temple courts going about the business they were called to do when the Sanhedrin sent guards to go and fetch them from the jail for the hearing only to find the said cell empty. Confused about what had happened, the Sanhedrin was told that the apostles were back in the temple courts and teaching the people.
So how did the Sanhedrin respond to what had happened?
Well, we see in today’s passage where they sent the captain of the guards along with his officers to once again gather up the apostles so they could come before the court of Jewish religious leaders. Of interest, the captain and his officers made sure they didn’t use force in once again abducting Jesus’ men because they were afraid the people would riot against them with stoning, a sign that the apostles had indeed gained quite a faithful following.
And so the apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin after being taken into custody and we’re reminded of how Jesus was as well before being falsely accused and then crucified. The scriptures tell us that the high priest didn’t take long to enter into questioning the apostles saying:
“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this Man’s blood.”
The words of the high priest showed the Sanhedrin was in denial over their culpability for Jesus’ murder. It was as if the high priest was saying, “How dare you blame us for killing Jesus? We are wiping our hands clean of His blood?” But there was only one problem with this attitude. It avoided the truth and as Peter and the other apostles respond, we find them reminding the Sanhedrin who had true authority over them and the true obedience they had for Him. Look again at their reply here:
“We must obey God rather than human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
The Jewish religious authorities who sat on the Sanhedrin council believed that everyone had to operate in regard to their wishes and in doing so they were acting as if they were gods in and of themselves. It was unacceptable behavior for men who claimed to be so devoted to the very God they stole power from.
The apostles weren’t sent to obey human beings. Like their Master Jesus, they were to be about their Father God’s business and so they did empowered by His Holy Spirit. It was this God, the God of their ancestors and the ancestors of the Sanhedrin as well, that not only called them to bring people to salvation but who raised Jesus from the dead on the third day. Jesus didn’t raise Himself after being put to death by the Jewish religious authorities, God did that and then exalted His Son to His right hand as “Prince and Savior” over all.
Why did God do such a thing?
So that not only Israel could be brought to repentance and the forgiveness of their sins but the whole world as well. Remember that Jesus came to bring salvation to the Jews and the Gentiles.
And so the message was clear from the apostles. They would not and could not comply with the Sanhedrin’s command to be silent and not speak the name of Jesus. They had witnessed Jesus’ ministry and then His death, resurrection, and ascension. No one else could speak so personally about Jesus as they could. God knew it and empowered them on the Gospel-sharing mission Jesus had sent them on, a mission to make disciples of all nations through the gift of the Holy Spirit which was given to them for being truly obedient to their God.
This Holy Spirit and its associated power were just as available to the Sanhedrin as it was Jesus’ apostles. All they had to do was shift their focus to God and believe in Jesus as Savior, showing true obedience to God and His Son, the ones who were in true authority.
Unfortunately, they were too drunk on their own power and spiritual pride. Like so many other people today in positions of worldly authority, they failed to see their need for God to guide them and Jesus to save.
Today, I encourage you to not repeat their errors in judgment. Surrender authority of your life to the One who created you and accept His willingness to forgive your sins through repentance and bring you eternal life by way of His Son Jesus.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
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