When they heard this,
they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named
Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and
gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. And he said to them, “Men
of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these
days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four
hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and
came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census
and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who
followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away from
these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man,
it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You
might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, and when they had
called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the
name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council,
rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And
every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching
and preaching that the Christ is Jesus (Acts 5:33-42).
The Jewish council was enraged by the success
of the apostles. They had filled Jerusalem with their teaching and God
confirmed their message as… “many signs and wonders were regularly done
among the people by the hands of the apostles” (Acts 5:12). The most
alarming result was a growing community of those who believed that Jesus is the
Christ… “more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of
both men and women” (Acts 5:14). The Jewish elders believed the only
way to stop this movement was to kill the apostles. But the Lord moved a
God-fearing and respected leader, Gamaliel, to stand up and speak some
important truth. Through Gamaliel’s words, the reaction of the council, and the
response of the apostles the Holy Spirit exhorts us to seek and follow the
plan that cannot fail.
The plan of God cannot be overthrown.
Gamaliel shared two recent examples of men who claimed to be the Christ. They
gathered large numbers of followers but perished along with their plans and
their movements. Because mankind is fallen and controlled by a sinful heart,
without the grace of God working through our heart, all of our plans are
imperfect and destined to fail… “Unless the LORD builds the house, those
who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman
stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1). But when we are born again we have
the grace of God at work in us, conforming our will to His perfect will… “for
it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians
2:13). He gives us the mind of Christ… “’For who has understood the
mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” (1
Corinthians 2:16). As we discover and pursue His plan, God grants success
and victory… “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the
purpose of the LORD that will stand” (Proverbs 19:21). Let’s seek and
be devoted to God’s perfect plan today.
The plan of God may bring suffering.
The council had the apostles beaten and they repeated their charge to stop
speaking in the name of Jesus. There were two contrasting results of the
apostles’ proclamation of Jesus Christ. There was the advance of God’s kingdom
evidenced by signs and by increasing numbers of new believers and the increase
of opposition that produced suffering. The apostles rejoiced that they suffered
for Christ. The Spirit moved Paul to encourage us to share in Christ’s
suffering too… “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection,
and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians
3:10). Suffering for Christ is part of becoming more like Him.
The plan of God is worthy of wholehearted
devotion. Plans that originate in God’s heart are good, guaranteed, and
glorify Him… “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD,
plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah
29:11). God gets the glory and we get the blessings when we are
wholeheartedly devoted to His perfect plan.
As we grow up into Christ, we learn to set aside our personal plans and
give ourselves to…
The Plan that Cannot Fail.
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