Acts 5:21 states, And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. The apostles were already back in the temple, teaching. Evidently, the high priest and religious leaders were not at the temple. They sent to the prison for the apostles. They were not really interested in being where God was working miracles, only in stopping them. If those who profess to be following Christ become more interested in preserving their position than rejoicing in God's work in the world, then there is a problem. Verse twenty-two adds, But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, The guards sent to get the disciples from the prison didn’t find them there. We as Christians have been set free from the prison of sin, and no one should ever find us there again. Verse twenty-three continues, Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. The chief priest and those with him received a big surprise. The guards were in place and the prison was locked, but the apostles were gone. Then came the news. The apostles weren’t there. Verse twenty-four says, Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. When the high priests and captain of the temple heard these things, they did not rejoice at the miracle but worried how much the gospel might grow. We need to pray that our church leaders never become concerned about the spreading of the gospel and the converting of the lost. Verse twenty-five adds, Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. Those that they had put in prison were in the temple teaching again. If we had just been miraculously delivered from prison for preaching the Gospel, where would we be found? We have been miraculously delivered from the prison of sin, so where are we found? Verse twenty-six continues, Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. The apostles were brought without violence before the council again because the religious leaders feared the people. The people of the world today seem to have less and less fear of what will happen if they harm Christians, even preachers. Verse twenty-seven states, And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Verse twenty-eight adds, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us The apostles were brought before the council again, since those on the council were afraid to stone them because of the crowd. The apostles were asked if they were not told to no longer teach in the name of Jesus and attribute His blood to their hand, and if yet they had filled Jerusalem with this doctrine. How effective are we at filling our neighborhood with the Gospel of Christ? Verse twenty-nine continues, Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Peter and the other apostles answered that they ought to obey God rather than man and so should we. This is still the choice everyone has today, and if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, then we should always obey God. Verse thirty says, The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Then Peter reminded them that they had crucified Jesus but that God raised Him from the dead. Every person shares the blame for the death of Jesus Christ, since He died for the sins of everyone. Verse thirty-one adds, Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Peter said that the God of their fathers, the only God, had raised Him up. This is the only reason salvation is possible. Verse thirty-two continues, And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. The apostles were a witness to the fact as was the Holy Spirit Who filled all the followers of Christ. The Holy Spirit will always do His part, but the question is will we.
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