So this next section in the book of Acts is quite long so I’m going to break it up into smaller bits. I should be studying all of Acts 5:17-42 but I’ll break that down today into Acts 5:17-21. This is the start of the Apostles arrested and freed, part one.
17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.
the Apostles arrested and freed, part one
Remember that signs and wonders were being performed on a daily basis? Well…the plot thickens.
The priests weren’t happy!!!
17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy
Jealousy is an ugly emotion. This wanting something you don’t have. The wanting what others have. All these signs and wonders of God on display and it wasn’t with the high priests and the Sadducees.
Who were the Sadducees you ask? Good question. The Sadducees were predominately part of the Jewish aristocracy. So you are talking the high priests, the wealthy merchants, and noble families. A lot of them were part of the ruling council called the Sanhedrin. Highly involved with politics and yet having to work with other sects in order to maintain that power. Got Questions proved to be very helpful in teaching me more about the Sadducees.
Anyways, they were jealous. Jealousy can cause you to do all sorts of things. In this case, they arrested the apostles and tossed them in the clink.
18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.
God acted
Do you think that God let them stay there? Nope. During the night, an angel of the Lord came to their rescue. He opened the prison doors and brought them out.
19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out,
He didn’t bring them out to just send them on their merry way. He brought them out with a purpose. They were to stand in the temple and preach the word to the People.
and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”
And that’s exactly what they did’ Entering the temple at daybreak and began to teach the people the words of Life.
21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.
Like no hesitation eh? They just went and did what they where told. Solid men with a firm foundation of trust in God.
Think about it
Just think about this a bit eh? Being locked up, having an angel of the Lord stop by and tell you “keep preaching and teaching”, even though they’d JUST BEEN LOCKED UP!! My inclination would be to run hard and fast. BUT I also am not part of a group of people used to seeing God performing signs and wonders.
They had just be rescued from prison because God was doing marvelous things within their community and the men in power god jealous about it.
Perhaps they saw it as par for the course. God acted, men responded negatively, God acted, gave them a job, and they responded affirmatively. It was in essence the continuation of the same. Men of God being faithful and God showing up.
So here’s my question: why don’t we see signs and wonders happening in communities of the faithful now? Wouldn’t that change the face of the church now? Wouldn’t that create more believers willing to stand in the gap more firmly because they see God at work more often?
Don’t get me wrong. I see God at work all the time. Guiding conversations, coming the aid of his people in small ways, doing things in ways that those who know see it clearly. But signs and wonders that make the larger community see? Why don’t see those more often? That would shake up our world wouldn’t it!!!
The question is, would that be a good and needful thing? Isn’t God’s word enough to build faith? Can I trust God to continue building his church without those obvious signs and wonders? It’s hard sometimes right? I want the easier path sometimes you know? The obvious point it out… that’s God at work which doesn’t cause me to have to search out explanations or having to explain. Signs and wonders are just easier to point to.
TRUST GOD
That’s what it seems to boil down to. How much will I trust God to lead the church as he is currently doing? Who am I to demand it be any different? I should rather be asking God, how can he use me to facilitate his glory being known so that people are drawn to him? Isn’t that the goal of every community of believers? How can we showcase his glory so that our community of faith grows!?!?!
Can signs and wonders help? For sure, but as we’ve seen in this passage, those same signs and wonders can also create rifts that can ripple through the world around us. Those ripples can affect that community of faith.
I also wonder if they can create expectation? For instance, I have a young Christian friend who is always seems is looking for the next fix or high from God in action. What prophecy, what healing, what _____ He never seems happy is God tells him to wait, or to rest, or to just serve quietly. And if the church were filled every day with signs and wonders what atmosphere might that create? Might it create more “seeking the fun” believers? We need both, we need those constantly expecting God to act in big ways people, and those with a quieter, steadier faith of seeing God in the small things. Both create an active community of faith.
Good passage that’s helped me to think through a bit.
What do you think? Would the church benefit from a more signs and wonders time? Do you think that how things are in most North American churches is beneficial too?
Follow Along
If you are interested in the rest of the series you will find them here eh?
- Acts 1:1-5
- Acts 1:6-11
- Acts 1:12-26
- Acts 2:1-13
- Acts 2:14-41
- Acts 2:42-47
- Acts 3:1-10
- Acts 3:11-16
- Acts 3:17-26
- Acts 4:1-4
- Acts 4:5-12
- Acts 4: 13-22
- Acts 4:23-31
- Acts 5:1-11
- Acts 5:12-16
- Acts 5:17-21
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