Monday after the Fifth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on July 5, 2021 by under
Scripture: Acts 5:27-32 (NKJV)
5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, “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!”
29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Devotion
It is often necessary and important to hold men to their own words and actions. Politeness is not always called for. In fact, our society is dying under the weight of niceness. This is not how the Apostles carried out their ministry. Peter had been saying over and over again that these men were primarily responsible for the murder of Jesus. In verse thirty he says, “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.” God raised Him up; you murdered Him. This direct language makes the Jewish council nervous. The high priest says, “you… intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” Surely he must have remembered the mob who stood before Pilate and said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” (Matt. 27:25).
It is important to know when gentle words are called for and when blunt words are called for. These men were running toward hell. Only the clearest and most direct language would do. When speaking with unbelievers in our current society, it is often advisable to be gentle at first, but eventually they must be confronted with their sin and guilt. Our society largely doesn’t believe in sin and guilt. They must be confronted at some point to show them their need for the Gospel.
Prayer: O God, who hast prepared for them that love Thee such good things as pass man’s understanding, pour into our hearts such love toward Thee that we, loving Thee above all things, may obtain Thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
