Daily Devotions
February 13th, 2013 by Pastor SolleyActs 4:1-14 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide. 4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. 5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,
6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
I find this very interesting about the church in the book of Acts as well as the church today. Looking at what had taken place, the healing of the lame man in chapter three and the preaching of the gospels, at the souls that were then saved, the Pharisees and Priests could say nothing against it. (Verse 14) The good that had been done by these men through the power of the Holy Spirit could not be denied or ignored. The gospel being preached and what it was doing for the lost in bringing them to Jesus Christ could not be denied or ignored. They could say nothing against what they were seeing done in and through the church. But they did say much against it and did much to stop it didn’t they? Why is it that when people see the life changing power of the church and the gospel, when it cannot be denied or ignored, that they first thing they so is fight against it? Why not just see, hear, believe, and receive the gospel message, why not just repent and come to Jesus Christ? Because even when people can see, even though they cannot deny, Satan can still blind their eyes to the truth. Friend, do you know what the church and Jesus Christ can be for you today, have you seen with your own eyes what it has done, what He has done for others? The power of the gospel cannot be denied or ignored in this world today so why not simply believe and receive?