The book of Acts has been called the Acts of the Apostles. When you read the pages of Acts you come to see the audacity and boldness of these unrelenting men. They preach and teach the word of God with boldness. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and did signs and wonders. The Church grew by leaps and bounds and flourished with unity and great grace. The Church grew exponentially.

 

     But they met resistance from the same people who opposed Jesus. The Sadducees and Pharisees, whose power over the people, was threatened by the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ. Frequently the Apostles were thrown into the local jail and on one occasion were freed by the hand of an Angel. The ruling authority was the Sanhedrin. It consisted of seventy leading men plus the Chief Priest. The question was “what are we to do with the Spirit- filled men” who preach Jesus Christ as the Messiah and he has risen from the dead. Some said “kill them”. But a wise old leader named Gamaliel stood up and told them to leave them alone. “Let them go,” he said, “ because if this purpose and this affair is of men it will come to nothing; but if it is of God you cannot stop them. So take care that you do not turn out to be men who are fighting against God.”

 

     Here is wisdom, offered by a long standing Jew to the ruling council. This wisdom aided the cause of Christ. William Barclay says Gamaliel is “An unexpected Ally.” Some of the best counsel I have ever had came from the lips of a secular Medical Doctor. His words were spoken at the right time that made a big difference to me. God uses such people to fulfill his purposes and bring about a larger good.

Stay Safe and Be Well,
Pastor Gene Wells