Opposition

Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life. 

Acts 5:17-20 

When God move it creates friction. The action of preaching Christ causes an opposite reaction. When the apostles preached Christ in Jerusalem and people began to receive their message and embrace Christ, it caused quite a stir. People were being healed and multitudes were converted to being followers of Christ. The religious leaders were aghast. In order for them to maintain their control over the people they had to crush this movement. Our text describes their solution. They incarcerated the apostles. God intervened in a miraculous way to liberate them. The angel who freed them told them to go to the temple and preach Christ. The religious leaders sent officers to fetch them out of the prison only to find them gone. Word came to them shortly that the men they had arrested were in the temple teaching. They sent the officers to re-arrest them. When they had them in custody again, they challenged them with, ‘Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!’ Their response was, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’ They proceeded to articulate the same Christ-centered message as before. The religionists were so furious they plotted to kill the apostles. After counsel from one of their wiser members, they beat the apostles instead of killing them and warned them again to stop preaching Christ. The apostles were happy to suffer for Christ and continued their preaching. Truth will always have its’ opponents. It is still worth proclaiming.  

Our Wise and Holy God, 
we rejoice that You give boldness to Your people to preach Christ. 
We praise You that the message continues to go forth, 
even in the face of opposition. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning