Acts - Week 17

Week 17 Acts 5 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 5:29-30 

29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. 

Believers are told to obey the government (see Romans 13:1-5). This passage in Acts 5, however, makes the case for civil disobedience when the government wants you to do something God does not. The apostles were told never to speak again in the name of Jesus and His resurrection. This is their reply. They told the Jewish authorities that the God of their ancestors had raised Jesus from the dead after they killed him.   

REFLECT 

Observe how Peter and the apostles replied. They connected their answer to the ones who were accusing them. In the heat of an argument it is difficult to know how to answer. Pray for wisdom. 

RESPOND 

Read Matthew 27:24-25 to see that the religious leaders had agreed to be responsible for the death of Jesus. Now they wanted Peter and others not to accuse them of that.  

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 5:31-32 

31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.” 

Peter and the apostles continue telling the religious leaders what the God of their ancestors had done with Jesus. Plus, they tell the purpose of this: so Israel “would repent of their sins and be forgiven.” Even though the religious leaders did not believe in the resurrection, Peter and the apostles say they were witnesses of these things. Another witness, they said, was the Holy Spirit given by God to those who obey Him, which the religious leaders clearly did not. 

REFLECT 

The apostles had prayed for boldness and now they displayed it by what they said to these religious leaders. Also seen in this passage is that God wants people to repent of their sins and be forgiven. Have you done that? 

RESPOND 

Read Mark 1:3-5 to see what John the Baptist was calling Israel to do. The religious leaders had not done that. 

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 5:33-34 

33 When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 

Now the apostles were really in trouble. The authorities wanted to kill them for the charges they were making against them. They were also furious they claimed to be witnesses of the resurrected Jesus. Sometimes God uses even unbelievers to offer worldly wisdom. There is no indication Gamaliel was a believer in Christ but he had some things he wanted to say to the high council once the men were sent outside. Note Gamaliel was highly respected by everyone. 

REFLECT 

Thank the Lord that sometimes He can even use unbelievers to accomplish His purposes. He did this with Caesar Augustus making a decree to get Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus (see Luke 2:1-5). 

RESPOND 

To confirm that Gamaliel the Pharisee was highly respected, read Acts 22:3-4 to see that he had taught Saul/Paul in his unsaved state. This indicates Gamaliel was an unbelieving Jew opposed to Christ and His followers. 

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 5:35-37 

35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered. 

Now Gamaliel talks to the high council without the apostles present. He reasoned with them by giving examples of those who had followers but their movements turned out to be failures. He was building the case that what the apostles and their followers believed might come to nothing so there was no reason to take their lives at this point. 

REFLECT 

Think about what you are learning about this passage. Make some notes about it. 

RESPOND 

Talk with your disciple about the lessons learned from this passage. Even though different situations are faced today, the principles involved are helpful to remember. 

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 5:38-39 

38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!” 

Now Gamaliel gives his conclusion: “leave these men alone. Let them go.” He presents alternatives to them. If these men are not of God they will be overthrown. If, on the other hand, what they represent is from God then the religious leaders will be found fighting against God. This blunt contrast of choices surely seemed ominous to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Supreme Court. What would they now do?  

REFLECT 

No matter what difficulty you are experiencing, may you have someone who will bring reason to make any adversaries think again about what they are doing. 

RESPOND 

Talk with your disciple about what you are learning from Acts. Now only in chapter 5, there are many other things to be learned about the early church and witnessing.