But the high priest
rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and
filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public
prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and
brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people
all the words of this Life.” And when they heard this, they entered the temple
at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who
were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people
of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers
came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, “We
found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when
we opened them we found no one inside.” Now when the captain of the temple and
the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them,
wondering what this would come to. And someone came and told them, “Look! The
men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for
they were afraid of being stoned by the people (Acts 5:17-26).
Once again, the message of the apostles
stirred up strong reactions among the people. Many were healed and delivered
through the supernatural signs the Lord granted to confirm the preaching of the
gospel of life. Many believed in Jesus Christ and were added to the number of disciples
in the community at Jerusalem… “And more than ever believers were added
to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5:14). Jesus
taught that the gospel was and still is a message of hope beyond despair and of
life beyond death, and it convicts and prompts a response from all who hear it…
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who
sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from
death to life” (John 5:24). Today we are exhorted by the words of the
angel of the Lord to the apostles to boldly proclaim to our generation the
words that promise life.
The Sadducees did not believe in life after
death… “There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there
is a resurrection” (Luke 20:27). How sad and hopeless to hold to such
an empty belief in a fallen world where we are confronted by death all the
time. There is the death of a shattered dream, a fractured relationship, a
broken promise, as well as the ever-approaching end of this physical life. To
believe there is no life after death is to be captive to despair fueled by the
lie that we are prisoners of our circumstances and of this material world.
Peter and the disciples recognized that the gospel proclaimed by Jesus Christ
offers hope beyond every trial and life beyond every death… “Lord, to
whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). In
Christ, maturing disciples know that death is not the final word, and we look
forward to ultimate victory and eternal life in glory!
The Angel of the Lord brought life to
the death of the prison. Don’t miss the wonderful example of life breaking into
the death of the prison cell. The apostles’ gospel ministry had been shut down
with their arrest and imprisonment, but the angel of the Lord raised them up
and set them free to continue sharing the gospel. Jesus brings life to any
dark, dead-end situation… “In him was life, and the life was the light of
men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John
1:4-5). As our faith in Christ grows we learn to anticipate life beyond the
seeming terminal trials we may face today.
As we grow up into Christ, we are transformed by and compelled to share
with others…
The Words that Promise Life.
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