Something wonderful happened in Jerusalem. Jesus had already died and was buried, and then He rose from the grave and went back to heaven. That was the most wonderful part of all, but that was not the end of the story. Jesus is real and alive in heaven right now, and He was real in the hearts of many who loved Him in Jerusalem.
God had given Peter and the other apostles power to heal sick people as they went about preaching about the risen Jesus. There were hundreds who believed what Peter and the apostles told them about Him, and they became believers and were added to the Lord Jesus too. Did you notice? They were not added to Peter but to the Lord Jesus. In fact, the new believers were so anxious that their family and friends should know about the Lord Jesus that they brought the sick people into the streets and laid them on beds and couches. They hoped that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might pass over them. Sick people even came from nearby cities, and they were all healed! Don’t you think Peter was a very important person?
No, not really. The Lord Jesus is the important person, and Peter was only the messenger. The high priest and his friends simply hated all this preaching and were jealous, and they grabbed the apostles and threw them into prison. They thought, That will keep them quiet!
But God has obedient angels who do whatever He says, and one of those angels opened the prison doors in the night and told the apostles, Go to the temple and speak to all the people all the words of this life.
Are you wondering why the angel didn’t go himself to tell the people? Because God did not send angels with this message. Angels could not say, “Jesus died for me,” because the holy angels did not sin, and they never needed a Saviour. But I am a sinner, and I need a Saviour. And you are a sinner, and you need a Saviour too.
In the morning the high priest called the council together and ordered the guards to bring the prisoners. And you and I know what the guards found—there was nobody inside the prison! They soon found the same men preaching in the temple.
The captain brought the apostles peacefully to the council where they were angrily told, Don’t preach anymore! You’re trying to blame us for the death of this man Jesus!
Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We are to obey God rather than men. God has raised up Jesus whom you hung on a cross and killed. God has exalted Him by His right hand to be the Prince and Saviour who forgives sins.
Peter’s words cut right to their hearts like a knife, and it made them furious. They wanted to kill Peter and the other apostles, but instead they gave them a beating and let them go.
But here’s a surprise. The apostles left the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Jesus’ name. And they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus Christ as the Saviour of sinners.
Is Jesus just an ordinary man to you? You will meet Him in eternity and find that He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Will you receive Him as your Saviour right now? There will be no precious blood to wash away your sins if you die without Him. He is more than a man; He is the Son of God, and He is my Saviour forever!
You may read this story for yourself in Acts 5:12-42.
MEMORY VERSE: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29
ML-11/11/2012