Life comes from God.  Eternal Life is the gift of God made possible by Jesus, His Son. 

“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.” –Peter, the Rock, Acts 5

This is God’s story …

Acts 5, The Message

They All Met Regularly

^12-16 Through the work of the apostles, many God-signs were set up among the people, many wonderful things done. They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony on the Temple porch named after Solomon. But even though people admired them a lot, outsiders were wary about joining them. On the other hand, those who put their trust in the Master were added right and left, men and women both. They even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on stretchers and bedrolls, hoping they would be touched by Peter’s shadow when he walked by. They came from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, throngs of them, bringing the sick and bedeviled. And they all were healed.

To Obey God Rather than Men

^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.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The Acts of the Apostles reveal what happens when God is in it, leading and directing all the details of our lives given to His authority. We learn that nothing on earth will stop what He wants done in and through us for His glory and so that others will know His story of redemption. 

Even those who do not believe in Jesus know enough not to get in God’s way. 

Even the demons know who Jesus is and always will be—Son of God!  They will flee when God’s people pray!

How we respond to God depends on the measure of our faith and trust in the One who saved from our sins that leads to eternal life and delivered us from our own self-seeking ways that only lead to death. 

Do I really believe what God says to be really real—or not?

Am I living haphazardly, doing life my own way, jumping on any band wagon of belief until it eventually “fizzles out,” as Gamaliel says, and comes to nothing?

What is God’s call to me?

These are important questions to consider prayerfully while seeking God first, asking what He wants with an obedient heart, mind, and soul.

We learn much from the early believers, growing from the inside out and outside in.

• Believers met regularly.  Strength and confidence build as our need to belong is met by God who loves us. Blessings come to those who seek God in Jesus Name, thanking Him for all He has done for them.
• Followers of Jesus lived in “remarkable” harmony.  Peace is a promised gift from Jesus to all who believe and trust Him no matter what is going on around them.
• They shared possessions knowing and believing that all provision comes from God.  “No one was in need.”
• Others “admired” the believers and were drawn to the Jesus in them as God’s Holy Spirit did wonderful things through them.
• They consistently told God’s Story of redemption while giving God the Glory.
• They were submissive to God’s Holy Spirit leading.
• They were “promptly obedient.”  From parting the waters of the sea, or opening the jailhouse doors—the obedient walk forward on His command to “Go and Tell” others about Life, real everlasting Life in Jesus!

When God is in it—nothing can stop us from accomplishing it.  What is it?  Helping people find and follow Jesus by pointing the way to be redeemed while being reconnected to God who loved us before we loved Him. (1 John 4:19) (John 3:16-17)

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 This is God’s story fulfilled in all who believe in Jesus and are promptly obedient to God’s Holy Spirit who comes to live within us. 

Oh Lord,

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Oh what blessed assurance—This is my story: Jesus is mine and yours!

In Jesus Name, For God’s Glory, Amen.  I believe.