Acts 5:17-20 - During the night an angel

5:17,18

Just as the goings on were similar, perhaps even greater, than when Jesus walked the earth, the reaction of the religious leaders was also similar. They were filled with jealousy.The people respected the apostles in a way that they never respected the Sanhedrin, and things were happening, the evidence was there before their very eyes. So with characteristic wisdom and vision they arrested the apostles and put them in jail.

5:19,20

As usual, the Sanhedrin and reckoned without God.For “during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out”. Interestingly, the apostles were not told to flee, but “to stand in the temple courts and tell the people about this new life”. The miracles happened because the gospel was happening, God’s purpose was to bring new life to many people. If the apostles had put the focus on themselves they would not have been walking with the Lord. We need to be Christ focused, not self-focused. Moreover, this is in the interests of the people, for the gospel brings new life. The church is incredibly foolish and cruel when it chooses to go along with the culture, for people are enslaved by sin, they are on a destructive road. Our job is to show them the way to get off that road.