Awesome respect was given to the Lord’s Church; thereby, providing a set up for supernatural miracles - many in number. Acts 5:12-13. The common people did greatly magnify them because of the many supernatural miracles. The common people knew that the One True God chose to work within their community. Some hesitated to join this Church because of fear of having their sins exposed and dying because of it, such as with Ananias and Sapphira. Yet, believers were added - multitudes of men and women. (14) Miracles of healing and deliverance did continue. Sick and vexed folks from surrounding cities were all healed. (15 & 16) What was the reaction from the priests about the miracles and growth of this Lord’s Church? They should have been happy about those healed and delivered. Instead, they were filled with great wrath which was rooted in jealousy. (17) Why weren’t they happy about all these people receiving healing and deliverance? Because, they were only concerned about keeping their positions of power secure. They feared that someday, the majority of the Israelites would violently turn on them to stone them to death. (26) This is truly a vivid picture of religious sickness. There is nothing more dangerous than a misguided religious spirit. It can be the cause of extreme pain and surprise when it afflicts you. It can be very traumatizing. I have personally listened to many accounts of this while I was witnessing to people. I was able to empathize with the person communicating the pain caused by a mismanagement of a style of ministry led by a misguided religious spirit. 2nd Corinthians 3:6 indicates that God has made a precious people competent ministers of the New Testament - not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. So what we need is a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit in order to overcome any condemnation that religion brings. Romans 8:1-2 reads: “There is therefore no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk after the Spirit rather than after the flesh. For the law of the Spirit of (resurrection) life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”. The religious leadership of the Jewish priesthood of that day was not walking in the HIS Spirit. They were obsessed with power for themselves over the common people. Therefore, they laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. God knows how to rescue the righteous as HE sees fit to do so. The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors and brought them out. The angel said to the apostles: “Go stand and speak in the Temple to the people all the words of this life”. Acts 5:20. The apostles entered into the Temple early in the morning hours and taught the people as they were commanded to do by the angel of the Lord. The priests sent officers to bring the apostles out of the prison for their hearing before the religious council. The officers reported back that the prison was found to be securely with the keepers standing outside; however, when the doors of the prison was open in order to get to the apostles, there was no man inside. This greatly troubled the priests, who were not sure what this would lead to. Then, one came and told them, saying: “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the Temple where they are teaching the people”. The captain went with the officers went to the Temple to escort the apostles to area of the Council. There, the high priest asked them, “Did we not sternly command you that you should not teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” Then, Peter and the other apostles answered: “We ought to obey God rather than men”. They were willing to obey God even if the consequences were to be death by execution that day. The fear of mortal man had been lifted off of them. They went on to say: “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging on a tree. This same Jesus has God exalted with HIS right hand to be a Prince and a Savior so that repentance plus forgiveness of sins can be given to Israel. Furthermore, they said that we are HIS witnesses of these things (including HIS resurrection appearances) and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God has given to them that obey HIM. When the council of priests heard this, they were cut to the heart as they took counsel to slay the apostles. However, a man with a great reputation among the priests as he was a doctor of the law; Gamaliel stood up to speak after the apostles were taken into another room. He started with: “You men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do as touching these men”. He reminded them of what happened to the movements of people following Theudas and Judas as both were scattered into nothing. Acts 5:38-39 reads: “And now I say unto you, refrain from these men and let them alone. If this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought. But if it be of God, you can not overthrow it and you may be found even to fight against God.” To this, the priests agreed. They called apostles back into the Council room. They flogged the apostles and commanded that they shouldn’t speak in the name of Jesus anymore. As they let them depart, the apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for HIS name. Furthermore, they ceased not to preach and teach Jesus Christ in the Temple plus in every house that welcomed them. They could have avoided teaching and preaching in the Temple because of a desire to avoid any further conflicts with the Jewish Priest Council. However, the apostles refused to be intimidated by the religious leaders of that day. What was the result of this? Acts 6:7 reads: “The Word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem. Furthermore, a great number of the priests became obedient to the faith
