Join us as we read the scriptures and a daily devotion written by Don Crisp. We pray these messages will bless us all at this time.
Friday 25 September : Acts 5: 33-39a :
Categories: Don’s Daily Devotions
Friday 25 September : Acts 5: 33-39a :
V33: Enraged by the Apostles’ teaching and testimony, we are told for the first time that the council seek to kill them, as their rage and malice grow.
V34: But a wise and highly regarded teacher of the law, a Pharisee named Gamaliel – we learn in Acts 22:3 that Paul had once been his pupil – asks for the Apostles to be put out of the room while he addresses the council.
V35-37: He advises them to be cautious in how they treat the apostles, reminding them of other “popular movements” in recent years which had for a time an enthusiastic following, whose leaders have claimed ” to be somebody” – perhaps Messianic pretenders – yet the risings they lead came to nothing, and they were executed.
V38-39a: He argues that this was because their movements were merely human, God was not in them. So he advises to leave the Apostles alone – for if their ” movement” – the teaching and claims of Christ which they declare – is merely of man then it too will come to nothing.But if it is of God, they will not be able to overcome it, but will be fighting against God. 2000 years on, despite all the world and the Devil seek to do against the church it has still not been overthrown, nor ever will be, for this is indeed the work of the living God.