We read together the closing
verses in this fifth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles,
and we have the account there, how the Apostles were set free
and allowed to go, and the result of that freedom. And as we pick
up the account in the 33rd verse, we remember perhaps that they
had been imprisoned and had been brought out of prison, and were
before the council, the Sanhedrin. And they were faithful. Peter was faithful in the things
that he spoke. And because of those words, it
made him very bitter. And we really, when they heard
that, they were cut to the heart. and took counsel to Salem. And
I believe when the Word of God is preached and proclaimed, and
it comes into the heart, what a work it does. And indeed it
is, it condemns, it cuts to the heart, and it either has an effect
of a saving knowledge or of a hardening knowledge. And we would bless
God if the truth as it's preached and spoken with regard to the
great compassion and acts and work of the Lord Jesus Christ,
that it may have a wonderful effect upon us. And it may, instead
of hardening our hearts, may it soften our hearts. And may
we bow down before the Lord as our gracious God and Master. Well, we have this statement
that the apostles said, and we are his witnesses of these things
and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that
obey him. And that was the words that they
concluded their sermon with, all those words with, and it
was then that they had this reaction when they heard that they were
cut to their heart and took counsel to slay them. They wanted to
get rid of them because They didn't want to hear these words.
They were condemning words. They didn't want to hear them.
And how true that is today. People don't want to hear the
word of God. It condemns them. They realise
they're offending God. They're walking contrary to God.
And it does condemn them. And therefore we see this so
clearly here. And they took counsel to slay them. And then God caused
this man Gamaliel. a Pharisee, who was a doctor
of the law, had a reputation among all the people and commanded
to put the apostles forth a little space. And I'm sure you will
remember that the apostle Paul was brought up at the feet of
Gamaliel and he learnt the law exceptionally well. So Gamaliel
was obviously a good teacher and a doctor of the law, he knew
it very, very well. The sad thing is there's no indication
that Gamaliel was in actual fact a good man himself. But the Lord
raises up people to perform his will and his work. And we see that Gamaliel here,
he addressed the council. He was one of the Sanhedrin here
and he addressed them and he said to them, you men of Israel
take heed to yourselves what you intend to do as touching
these men. And then he gives two examples
of two people who had risen up and had pretended to be more
than they were and how they had died and both of their works
had come to nothing. And it was clear that they were
not of God. And so really, Gamonius here
speaking along these lines and instructing the people not to
touch them because if it's not of God it won't prosper and if
it is you won't be able to stop it. And so he comes and he says
and now I say unto you refrain from these men. They'd been put
outside so they weren't able to hear what he was saying so
he was able to speak freely to the council and to state those
things which were important that they would hear. And now I say
unto you, refrain from these men, and let them alone. For
if this counsel, or this work, be of men, it will come to naught. But if it be of God, ye cannot
overthrow it, lest happily ye be found even to fight against
God." Well, it was words of wisdom and words of truth that Gamaliel
was able to declare to the Sanhedrin And we see the result of those
words of wisdom. And we read, and to him they
agreed. They took notice of those words
and they agreed to them. They then called these disciples
back into the council, when they had called the apostles and beaten
them. Just think of that. This was,
these beatings were probably receiving 40 stripes, 40 lashes
of the whip for preaching the gospel. That was their crime. That was their sin. In fact,
it was no crime and no sin. But this was the result. They
were called and although they were agreed to let them alone,
yet they still beat them. The apostles were beaten. and they commanded them and they
said that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let
them go. Well, what a condition to be
let go in, suffering as they would have been from those lashes. And it was not easy to endure,
they were very painful. And what was the result, what
was the effect? We read, and they departed from
the presence of the council. rejoicing that they were counted
worthy to suffer shame for his name. Now I believe that's a
wonderful example we have before us here of the grace of God in
these men's lives and may truly be an example for us today because
by comparison We live a very comfortable and easy life. But sometimes the Lord does allow
situations to develop so that we have a little understanding
of what these apostles went through. And as we may be called in measure
to pass through a little of this opposition, yet to be able to
say and do what they did. They rejoiced. They rejoiced
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. It's for His name. That was the
real secret, wasn't it? They were willing to suffer shame
for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well may it be so in
our lives today. May we indeed not be ashamed
of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, it had been very costly
to them to state the things they had, and they'd spoken very freely
and very honestly, and in the fear of God, and they weren't
in the fear of man. They did those things that were
right and God-honouring. And so we now read, they rejoiced
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
And so today, may we be found joyful if we are accounted worthy
to suffer shame for his name. And I believe there will be that
in measure in each of our lives. It may be in a different way,
but I believe the Word of God is true, that we shall suffer
opposition, we shall suffer persecution, and yet we shall be able to thank
God that if that is so, that we are counted worthy to suffer
shame for his name. And then you might think, well
they would have gone home then and sat at home and kept very
close so there was nothing further to offend. Not so. They were vigilant in the things
of God. And daily in the temple, again
it wasn't in a back corner, in the temple where they were bound
to be seen. and bound to have been observed. And they were daily in the temple
and in every house. They were going from house to
house. They wanted to declare the great and glorious truth
of everlasting gospel, the saving knowledge of Christ. What a wonderful
example for you and me today in our lives. Here was this example,
daily in the temple, And in every house they ceased not to teach
and to preach Jesus Christ." Well, it would be a great blessing
if the Lord blessed us with similar ability and similar zeal and
similar desire, only concerned to do the will of our God, that
His name may be honoured and glorified and that souls might
be blessed. Well, we have these words in
God's Word to encourage us, to instruct us and to teach us. May we indeed take them to heart
and bless God for them. Amen.