Acts 5:33

Acts 5:33 declares, When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them;  Instead of receiving the Gospel, the religions leaders sought to slay the apostles.  Though the leaders of the world today, whether they be government or religious, tell us to quit proclaiming the Gospel, we must obey God rather than man. We need to fill the world with this doctrine, starting where we are.  Governments nor religion will not save a person.  Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can do that, and the Gospel is a powerful thing that the world cannot stop.  Verse thirty-four adds, Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space,  Verse thirty-five continues, And said unto them, Ye men of Israel take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.  Gamaliel told them to think about what they were about to do.  This is still good advice for people who intend to harm Christians today.  They are standing in defiance of God.  Veres thirty-six states, For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.  Verse thirty-seven adds, After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.  Gamaliel stood up in their midst to remind them of two others, Theudas and Judas of Galilee, who had led some to follow them, boasting that they were somebody.  We don’t need to look too far to find people today who will stand in defiance of God.  Verse thirty-eight continues, And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:  Gamaliel told them to leave the apostles alone, and if the work was of men it would come to nothing. Verse thirty-nine concludes, Butif it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.  Gamaliel also told them if the work was of God, then they could not overthrow it.  After Theudas and Judas died, their followers soon dispersed.  His advice to the council was to give it time, and if it were of men it would come to naught. Then, he shared the reality of the situation, that if it were of God, you   cannot overthrow it.  There are a lot of dead messiahs who have come along, but there is only One living Messiah Who ever came.  As the council was advised in that day, if it is of God then you cannot stop it, because you find yourself fighting against God.  Verse forty says, And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.  The council agreed, but still had the apostles beaten and warned them again not to preach about Jesus.  We may come to a point one day, and some people in other parts of the world are already there, where we will be beaten and imprisoned for sharing the gospel, and would this threat keep us from doing so. Verse forty-one adds, And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.  The apostles went back to the temple and continued to do what they had been doing.  They counted it worthy to suffer shame for Jesus’s name.  Verse forty-two continues, And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. The apostles did not go around in secret to preach the gospel, but preached boldly in the temple and everywhere they went.  If we were to be beaten or imprisoned, would we be silenced, or have we already effectively silenced ourselves.  We need to represent Christ in such a way that the world marvels at the power of God.