Led by the Spirit: Journey Through the Book of Acts Part 1Sample

Day 8: Obey God, not Man

What do people who are passionate have in common? Whether it is a die-hard fan of a pop artiste or an entrepreneur who believes strongly in his business idea, passionate people possess a contagious energy that is unmistakable to the people around them. Passion fuels their dedication, and they are often willing to overcome any challenges in the pursuit of their goals.

In Acts 5, we see the evangelistic passion of the early church even in the midst of persecution. After the apostles were miraculously released from their arrest, the angel of the Lord spoke to them to go straight to the temple to proclaim the Gospel. This divine encouragement enabled them to persist in witnessing in spite of threats. The story does not end here. Even after they were rearrested (Acts 5:27), they boldly took the opportunity to explain why they must keep witnessing instead of pleading for their own release.

The early church apostles were so focused on getting the message of the Gospel out that they cared little about self-preservation and the price they had to pay. They would rather obey God than man. In fact, they were so fervent that they rejoiced that they were “counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41). What appeared dishonourable to others - being arrested, jailed, and flogged was reinterpreted by the apostles as an honour that they could be Christ’s witnesses.

The early church experienced its fair share of naysayers and opponents in response to its evangelistic zeal. In our modern day and age, we, too, are not immune from such responses. In a bid to draw others to Christ, we will come across others who would respond negatively or harshly to us. In such moments, we can be encouraged by the early church’s example of not backing down but pressing on with tenacity to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

At the end of the day, the message of the Gospel appears as “foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). For those of us who know the power of the Gospel to save, it is only reasonable that we do all that we can to present it to those desperately in need of it. Would we bring the Good News to all with an urgency and passion that reflects the greatness of its message?

Reflect:

• What are some difficulties you face in being a passionate witness of the Gospel? Pray and ask the Lord to enable you to overcome these challenges.
• Being consistently passionate about sharing the Gospel with others can be a challenge when we may not see immediate fruits. Ask the Lord for a greater measure of persistence in doing so.