Thursday: The Second Arrest
If the apostles could be used to bring God’s judgment on sin, as in Ananias and Sapphira’s case, they could also be used to bring God’s grace on sinners. Their powerful healing ministry (Acts 5:12-16) was tangible evidence that God’s Spirit was working through them. That even Peter’s shadow, it was believed, could heal people is striking.
Image © Lifeway Coll. Goodsalt.com
The closest parallel in the Gospels is that of a woman who was healed by touching Jesus’ garment (Luke 8:43-44). Luke, however, does not say that Peter’s shadow actually had healing power but that the people thought so. Yet, even if popular superstition was involved, God would still dispense His grace.
Notwithstanding, the more the apostles were filled with the Spirit, and signs and wonders multiplied, the more the religious leaders were filled with jealousy. This led them to arrest the apostles a second time (Acts 5:17-18). It was only after their miraculous escape (Acts 5:19-24) and another bold speech by Peter, stressing that they should “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), that some of the authorities began to consider the possibility that supernatural influences could be at work.
Read Acts 5:34-39. How did Gamaliel try to dissuade the Sanhedrin from killing the apostles?
The Sanhedrin was controlled by the Sadducees, with the Pharisees forming an influential minority. Gamaliel was a Pharisee and a doctor of the law. He was so highly regarded among the Jews that he became known as “Rabban” (“our teacher”), rather than simply “Rabbi” (“my teacher”). Paul was one of his disciples (Acts 22:3).
Gamaliel recalled two other rebel movements in Israel’s recent history that had also attracted followers and caused turmoil. The leaders, however, were killed and their followers were completely dispersed. The lesson he drew was that if the Christian movement was of human origin, it would soon disappear. On the other hand, if it was a divine movement, as claimed by the apostles, how could they hope to withstand it? Gamaliel’s advice prevailed. The apostles were flogged and once again commanded not to speak in Jesus’ name.
| What does this story tell us about how needful and helpful good counsel can often be? How can we learn to be more open to getting counsel even when it may consist of what we don’t necessarily want to hear? |
(34)
How often do we see tradition or fixed ideas of what God's plan is for us as a church as the end but it is not. When will we learn that from Genesis onwards God has progressively been revealing his plan for us and the Universe. At certain stages it is revealed slowly and at other in big steps
28 “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.”
Stop, preaching you are making us guilty.
Light have come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.
Theudas was killed and all his followers dispersed
Judas the Galilean was killed and all his followers scattered
Jesus was crucified and killed and resurrected 120 men gathered together in the upper room
Praised
Repented
Asked
Yielded
to the receiving of the Holy Spirit.
41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were ADDED to their number that day.
Leave these men alone! Let them go! We will know the origin of their work.
However, Gamaliel knew this was the work of God. You will (Gamaliel does not mention we will) only find yourselves fighting against God.
Let Us Follow What The Holy Spirit Tells Us To Do..Coz Jesus Christ B4 Ascending To Heaven Said That In Matthew 28:18-20, Go!Not A Request But A Command! And Not Only That, He Continued By Saying; I Shall Be With You,even Unto The End...Lets Remove Fear,and Stand In The Words Of Jesus Christ..You And I Are Light To The World..
How do you know when you are following the Holy Spirit and not some internal whim of your own? I have been in church decision-making meetings when people have claimed that the Holy Spirit has led them to a particular insight into some problem. Sometimes such insights are downright nonsense. I have also been in situations where both sides claim the leading of the Holy Spirit. Is it possible for both sides to be right?
Here is a little thought that may be worth considering. Perhaps the work of the Holy Spirit is not to tell us what to do and which is the right answer but to encourage us to think issues through and engage with one another. Perhaps that is why we are still discussing some issues within the Church organisation. The Holy Spirit is giving us time to work out the answers.
"Perhaps the work of the Holy Spirit is not to tell us what to do and which is the right answer but to encourage us to think issues through and engage with one another."
I'm of the opinion that if we choose to seek the Holy Spirit in truth, He indeed shall direct us to the truth.John 16: 13
Shalom.
Gamaliel is worthy of giving the advice because he didn't use his deep knowledge of the bible to establish any cultural bias. We can see how open-minded he is unlike the others in the Sanhedrin who are judging the matter with a written manual. The church faces, time and again, issues that emanate from cultural differences in a global context. Those issues do call for instant wisdom from the Spirit as we may not browse them from a shelf.
Today's lesson goes with the song in SDAH 573 especially the chorus... "I will go where you want me to go dear Lord, over mountain or plain or sea, i will say what yo want me to say dear Lord... I will be what you want me to be.
That was the disciples determined will, and so should be ours. God help us be what He wants us to be.
I entirely and always depend on the holy spirit in whatever I do....so help me God.
What does in mean to depend on the Holy Spirit? It sounds a really good idea but how do you know that you are depending on the Holy Spirit and not just following your own ideas?
Maurice Ashton, the bible said n I quote " and be it when He the Spirit of truth is come, it will guide u into all truth and it shall not speak of itself "Now knowing the Holy Spirit is in us is when ur life n lifestyle revolves around n portrays Jesus. When people see u n say indeed this is a true Christian, when all u exhibit is what Christ would've done...... To mention but a few, then u know the Spirit of God is in you.
Josiah, prophets, apostles and Jesus all point to scripture as "the lamp for our feet and light for our path". The Holy Spirit is sent to lead us into all truth through the inspired, written word of God.
Look to scripture while praying for the Spirit to enlighten you.
The wise virgins(Matt 25) had oil IN their LAMPS. Oil alone will not make light. The lamp without oil will not make light. Together the lamp(Word of God) and oil(Spirit of God) will make light.
How did Gamaliel try to dissuade the Sanhedrin from killing the apostles?
Sometimes, we keep on fighting against things that happen in our lives and forget that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose."(Rom. 8:28). Gamaliel probably knew the character of his student Paul, and as a wise man he was letting himself to think (watching, hearing) differently than his colleagues.
We need to be more open to hear than to speak. Although everyone has the need to express himself, we normally do it more often than listening to what others have to say! There is "a time to be silent and a time to speak..."(Eccl. 3:7). That was probably the case of Gamaliel, when he spoke his words were of wisdom! Although a teacher, he was open to facts!
Gamaliel's advice was good for that time and place but I don't think it can be universally applied. Look how many Protestant denominations that were started by a gifted preacher which are still carrying on long after the preacher's death,even though such preachers did not have the whole truth. Just because the preacher is popular and has a big following doesn't mean he is preaching God's Word.
I thought the same thing at first, then I connected a few more dots. The preachers of the Americas during the formation of the country were in a country/land were religion could be freely taught/discovered, i.e. no one was dying as a martyr for their faith. So in a land where you aren't being murdered for your belief or for starting a new faith it would be hard for your ideas to die out since you weren't labeled or remembered as a martyr. Jesus was ridiculed and killed for His teachings, and the Truth was not blotted out (die) with Him at the Cross - which I believe was the point that Gamaliel was making that can still apply today. Even though other sects may continue after the death of their leader/founder I wouldn't say the same rule applies because they weren't killed for their cause and eventually the Truth will overcome the false ideas of Christianity.
A good example is JN Darby who was the first to bring the secret rapture into a Protestant Church. Later Cyrus Scofield greatly influenced the founding of the Dallas Theological Seminary that produced many of the most popular preachers of today.
That the Sanhedrin arrested these gospel heralds reveals they acted rashly out of fear. Their guilt drove them to this course as it had with their condemnation of Jesus. They never acted justly in their exercise of authority for they knew it would expose them as frauds, which they boldly worked to conceal.
The results of the apostle's work was people being healed, in body, mind, and soul, glorifying God for the mercy and peace found in Christ. Much good was the result of the gospel work, yet these leaders reacted by demonstrating the worst perversion of authority possible, their wicked hearts blinding them to justice, and unable to recognize the good work being done for their people, and the world.
This is the result of harboring sin, no matter one's position, education, or authority. Soon, the sentence penned by Daniel some 600 years before would be fulfilled, resulting in their authority and nation being removed for good. The "vineyard" had been given to "a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof", as Jesus had foretold, so these men worked to prevent what Jesus had said "the gates of hell could not prevail against"; the church and it's mission to save.
Gamaliel's counsel, like the lame man who was healed, was from the Lord, who would still save these men from their sins if they would only forsake them, repenting and believing the Gospel. The same call of God echos today while men still allow the devil to blind them so they cannot see their real need.
We are so worried about our meetings and issues in the church that we fail to do the work the Lord Jesus gave us. We must not get so worked up about our different opinions but rather let God work them out while we preach the gospel and care for the needy.
We are worried because evidently we are lacking the Spirit. I've come to the conclusion that it's because we/me are not tapping in daily, hence we/I are powerless. "Not by might or power but by My Spirit..." No matter how good a teacher/preacher, I'm nothing and I will not be saved if the Spirit isn't within me.
Lord help though me!!!
Gamaliel was such a good teacher, why then would Paul not understand and went on persecuting the early Christians?