SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/20/2017 9:41 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
Persistence
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts 5:29-32
Message of the verses: “29
But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. 30
“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging
Him on a cross. 31 “He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a
Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32
“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has
given to those who obey Him."”
When we were studying
the 4th chapter of Acts we look at a verse that is similar to verse
29 “But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in
the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge (Acts
4:19).” Once again we see Peter place
the Sanhedrin in opposition to God. Now
we mentioned that the priests were made up of the Sadducees who did not believe
in miracles or angels and this comes in direct opposition of what the apostles
have done through the power of the Holy Spirit which was miracles and also the
fact that Jesus arose from the dead goes against their beliefs and so the truth
was staring them right into the face and they refused to see it.
Once again we also see
that Peter accuses this group of Jewish leaders with the death of Jesus Christ,
and with good reason for they were the ones behind having Jesus put to
death. Yes you can blame the Romans and
you can also blame mankind for whom Christ died for, but this group of men were
the ones who kept pushing for the death of Christ and Peter reminds them of
it. John MacArthur writes “Diacheirizo (put to death) appears only
here and in Acts 26:21. It means ‘to put to death with one’s own
hands.’ Far from backing off,
Peter intensifies his accusation of the Sanhedrin. He had previously charged the Jewish
authorities with responsibility for Jesus’ death (2:23-34, 36; 3:13-15;
4:10). Now he insists they are as guilty
as if they had killed Him with their own hands.
They had not merely put the Messiah to death, but to the shameful death
of ‘hanging Him on a cross’ (cf. Deut. 21:23).”
Peter goes on telling
this group of Jewish leaders that this Jesus whom they had as much killed with
their own hands is the One whom God raised from the dead and then set Him at
His own right hand in heaven. John
MacArthur writes on the word “Prince” “archegos
(‘Prince’) refers to the originator or pioneer of something (cf. it use in Heb.
2:10 and 12:2). Here it describes Jesus
as the source of eternal life (cf. Acts 3:15) and is closely connected with the
term ‘Savior.’ He came to grant
‘repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.’ Repentance from sin is an integral part of
saving faith, not a human work added to it.
The apostles’ claims to be witnesses to and proclaimers of the momentous
events of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection were never disputed by their
opponents. And not only were they
witnesses, but ‘so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey
Him.’ Two interesting points are made
here. First, the saved are described as ‘those
who obey Him.’ They are characterized by
obedience (cf. Romans 1:5; Heb. 5:9), which is synonymous with saving
faith. The verb used is peitharcheo, which means ‘to obey one in authority.’ Salvation is surrendering in obedience to the
authority of Jesus Christ as Lord.
Second, the Holy Spirit is given to every saved person at salvation (Cf.
Acts 2:4; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 12:13).
So Peter makes obeying God and the gift of the Holy Spirit synonymous
with saving faith.”
Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:
“In his own house” (2 Kings 21:23).
Today’s Bible question: “What
Jewish girl became a Persian queen without the king knowing she was a Jew?”
Answer in our next SD.
10/20/2017 10:10 AM
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