SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/19/2017
8:35 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-3 Persecution
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts 5:17-28
Message of the
verses: “17 But the high priest rose
up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they
were filled with jealousy. 18 They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a
public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of
the prison, and taking them out he said, 20 “Go, stand and speak to the people
in the temple the whole message of this Life." 21 Upon hearing this, they
entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high
priest and his associates came, they called the Council together, even all the
Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to
be brought. 22 But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; and
they returned and reported back, 23 saying, "We found the prison house
locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we had
opened up, we found no one inside." 24 Now when the captain of the temple
guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed
about them as to what would come of this. 25 But someone came and reported to
them, "The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and
teaching the people!" 26 Then the
captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without
violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned). 27
When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest
questioned them, 28 saying, "We gave you strict orders not to continue
teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us."”
We begin by looking at the fear of captain and his
officers as they went to go and get the gospel preaching apostles who were
preaching in the temple in the early morning hours when they thought that they
should have been in jail for that is where they left them the night
before. One can only imagine the
thoughts that went through the minds of these men as they were probably
wondering how the apostles got out of their jail, and wondering if they go to
arrest them what the people would want to do to them, perhaps even stone them
and so they acted very causally not wanting to feel the wrath of the
crowd. Now as far as the apostles I am
sure that they remember how Jesus acted when He was arrested and so they
probably knew that this was going to happen and went quietly with the officers.
Now back at the council where they stood the day before
they were once more being asked questions by the high priest. Their crime as the high priest pointed out was
speaking in the name of Jesus Christ. This indictment was brought up earlier back in
chapter four and they told the Jewish leaders that they were to obey God rather
than man as they were on a mission from the Lord Jesus to preach the gospel and
were not going to stop when these leaders told them to stop. Once again we see that the leaders were upset
because the apostles were saying that it was because of the leaders that Jesus
was put to death “intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” Well my first Pastor use to say “if the shoe
fits put it on,” and in this case the leaders should have confessed of putting
Christ to death, repented and ask the Lord to forgive their sins, but we know
that this was not about to happen. Let
me quote what Matthew writes in Matthew 27:25 “And all the people said,
"His blood shall be on us and on our children!"” This exactly what is happening to these men
but they must have forgotten saying this.
John MacArthur concludes by writing “Conspicuously absent
from the high priest’s charges is any mention of the apostles’ escape from
prison. Since the Sanhedrin could not
explain that miracle, they simply acknowledged it and ignored it. Their minds made up, they had no wish to be
confused by the facts. They ‘loved the
darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil’ (John 3:19).”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Last night at our
prayer meeting which begins with a message and the message for the last year or
so has been on holiness and our pastor spoke of holiness and faith. As we look at the passage we have been
looking at for the last three days we see that the apostles were living a holy
life as they were obeying what the Lord desired for them to do and they were
also living by faith as they trusted the Lord in circumstances that they did
not totally understand.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
Trust the Lord even in times when I don’t
understand what He is doing.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Mary” (Luke 1:46-47).
Today’s Bible
question: “Where was Amon when his
servants slew him?”
Answer in our next SD.
10/19/2017 9:01 AM
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