Acts 5:29-32

Holy Spirit empowers us to spread the Good News!

The light of the world was born to die for  mankind…no greater gift has ever been given than Jesus!

There is already plenty of angst during the Holiday Season and looking into the New Year. And sometimes we tell ourselves we can outrun the angst by being strong. One email assured me the New Year is my time to “create a new, stronger, and more marketable self”. Who knew?
I want to vote for a very different idea: Instead of finishing the year strong, why don't we finish the year soft. Rested and at home in our own skin. You know... Open to gratitude, and compassion, and gifts of tenderness, and the love found even in broken (or unfinished) places. In other words, let us live unfrozen.

I take heart in Fred Rogers’ (Mr. Roger's Neighborhood) affirmation that we live fueled by grace and graciousness. When we do, it touches deeper needs in others, and we literally "love someone into existence.” Yes. And here’s the deal; that "someone" you love into existence, may be yourself.

"May I live this day compassionate of heart, clear in word, gracious in awareness, courageous in thought, generous in love." John O'Donohue

Acts 5:29-32

29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” The New King James Version

Peter pits the council’s motives and judgments directly against the will of God.

The high priest had protested that the apostles’ preaching implied that the religious leaders were responsible for Jesus’ death. Peter now directly charges them with crucifying Jesus. Jesus rescues all who trust in Him from sin and its consequences. Savior is the title He was given at His birth. 

The old testament asserts that God must intervene in the life of Israel for them to have new spiritual life. This power to intervene in the life of people, and offer salvation, is attributed to Jesus. Israel’s hope is based on God’s gracious forgiveness of the sins of those who believe in Jesus. Faithlife Study Bible

As to the accusation of disobedience to authority, Peter put the charge in context. Jesus had said, “You shall be witnesses to Me”. The council said, “You shall not be His witnesses”.  All authority comes from God. When any authority commands what God has forbidden, or forbids what God has commanded, a Christian must obey the Author of all authority, God Himself. We submit to governmental authority because the One who instituted the authority is God Himself. When we submit to government, we are submitting to God. 

Tree here refers to the Cross. 

The declaration that God has exalted Him to His right hand would have been understood by the Sanhedrin as a reference to the Resurrection. The apostles’ claim regarded the resurrected Jesus as equal with God. The NKJV Study Bible

Faith takes the Saviour in all his offices, who came, not to save us in our sins, but to save us from our sins. 

Had Christ been exalted to give dominion to Israel, the chief priests would have welcomed him. But repentance and remission of sins are blessings they neither valued nor saw their need of; therefore they, by no means, admitted his doctrine. 

Wherever repentance is wrought, remission is granted without fail. None are freed from the guilt and punishment of sin, but those who are freed from the power and dominion of sin; who are turned from it, and turned against it. Christ gives repentance, by his Spirit working with the word, to awaken the conscience, to work sorrow for sin, and an effectual change in the heart and life. The giving of the Holy Ghost, is plain evidence that it is the will of God that Christ should be obeyed. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

Acts 2:33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.

Acts 3:15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.