A Wise Man's Advice

A Wise Man’s Advice

 

 

“And now, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone.  For if this plan or this work is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.  You may even be found fighting against God.”  So they were persuaded by him. 

Every day in the temple complex, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.--------Acts 5:38-39,42

 

 

Peter and the other apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin and the high priest, because they were teaching the Good News to the people and doing it in Jesus’ name.  And Peter told them, “We must obey God rather than men…”  And he continued, accusing them of murdering Jesus by hanging Him on a cross.  And that God had exalted Jesus to His right hand as ruler and Savior, to bring repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”  

 

When they heard this they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But A Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up and gave the Sanhedrin some very WISE advice, he told them to STAY AWAY from these men and LEAVE them alone, and if their plan or work is of a HUMAN nature, it would be OVERTHROWN; but IF it was of GOD, NOBODY would be able to OVERTHROW them. And then a VERY DANGEROUS WARNING:  “You may even be found fighting against God.”  Then the very next sentence tells us the response of the Sanhedrin, ‘they were PERSUADED by him.” 

 

They called in the apostles and had them beaten, then ordered them NOT to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.  I think the response of the apostles was done in OBEDIENCE to God: Every day they continued to teach and preach in the temple complex, and in various homes, proclaiming the GOOD NEWS that Jesus is the Messiah.

 

As Christians, today we are told that we need to be tolerant of other beliefs and in some instances we are even told what we can and can’t say or do to PROCLAIM the GOOD NEWS that Jesus is the Messiah.  We are not allowed to have prayer and scripture read in the schools, some schools don’t want the name of JESUS spoken or they don’t want anyone proclaiming that He is, to them the MOST IMPORTANT man in HISTORY, the students can’t wear anything of a Christian nature, but anything crude or of a worldly nature is ok. 

I believe that a lot of people should WAKE-UP and take the advice of Gamaliel, and HEED his warning about being ‘found fighting against God.’  Something you don’t want to do.  Because you will DEFINITELY lose that battle.  

 

But I really like the response of the apostles, they were beaten and warned not to preach or teach about Jesus, but they KNEW that that was exactly what God wanted them to do and they were GOING to OBEY God.  So EVERY DAY they taught and proclaimed that Jesus is the Messiah.  They didn’t back down and give up, but was OBEDIENT to the ALMIGHTY GOD.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are ‘fighting against God’ and it is a battle that you cannot win.  So SURRENDER to Him by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and STOP! Fighting against Him.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!