SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/19/2017 8:35 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-3 Persecution
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts 5:17-28
Message of the verses: “17
But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of
the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. 18 They laid hands on the
apostles and put them in a public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the
Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, 20 “Go, stand
and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life." 21
Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to
teach. Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the
Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to
the prison house for them to be brought. 22 But the officers who came did not
find them in the prison; and they returned and reported back, 23 saying,
"We found the prison house locked quite securely and the guards standing
at the doors; but when we had opened up, we found no one inside." 24 Now
when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words,
they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this. 25 But
someone came and reported to them, "The men whom you put in prison are
standing in the temple and teaching the people!" 26 Then the captain went along with the
officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were
afraid of the people, that they might be stoned). 27 When they had brought
them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, 28
saying, "We gave you
strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled
Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon
us."”
We begin by looking at
the fear of the captain and his officers as they went to go and get the gospel
preaching apostles who were preaching in the temple in the early morning hours
when they thought that they should have been in jail for that is where they
left them the night before. One can
only imagine the thoughts that went through the minds of these men as they were
probably wondering how the apostles got out of their jail, and wondering if
they go to arrest them what the people would want to do to them, perhaps even
stone them and so they acted very causally not wanting to feel the wrath of the
crowd. Now as far as the apostles I am
sure that they remember how Jesus acted when He was arrested and so they
probably knew that this was going to happen and went quietly with the officers.
Now back at the
council where they stood the day before they were once more being asked
questions by the high priest. Their
crime as the high priest pointed out was speaking in the name of Jesus
Christ. This indictment was brought up
earlier back in chapter four and they told the Jewish leaders that they were to
obey God rather than man as they were on a mission from the Lord Jesus to
preach the gospel and were not going to stop when these leaders told them to
stop. Once again we see that the leaders
were upset because the apostles were saying that it was because of the leaders
that Jesus was put to death “intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” Well my first Pastor use to say “if the shoe
fits put it on,” and in this case the leaders should have confessed of putting
Christ to death, repented and ask the Lord to forgive their sins, but we know
that this was not about to happen. Let
me quote what Matthew writes in Matthew 27:25 “And all the people said,
"His blood shall be on us and on our children!"” This exactly what is happening to these men
but they must have forgotten saying this.
John MacArthur
concludes by writing “Conspicuously absent from the high priest’s charges is
any mention of the apostles’ escape from prison. Since the Sanhedrin could not explain that
miracle, they simply acknowledged it and ignored it. Their minds made up, they had no wish to be
confused by the facts. They ‘loved the
darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil’ (John 3:19).”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Last night at our prayer meeting which begins
with a message and the message for the last year or so has been on holiness and
our pastor spoke of holiness and faith.
As we look at the passage we have been looking at for the last three
Wednesdays we see that the apostles were living a holy life as they were
obeying what the Lord desired for them to do and they were also living by faith
as they trusted the Lord in circumstances that they did not totally understand.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord even in times when I don’t understand what He is doing.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:
“Mary” (Luke 1:46-47).
Today’s Bible question: “Where
was Amon when his servants slew him?”
Answer in our next SD.
10/19/2017 9:01 AM
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