Teach, Preach, Live
Read the Text: Acts 5
Memorize the Text: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. (Acts 2:42)
Consider the Text: Acts 5:29-42
The apostles faced imprisonment for declaring the message of the gospel. The persecution came from those who desired to stop the movement of the early church. In Acts 5, the opponents are defined as the Sanhedrin, who made up the leadership of Judaism. They sought to stop the movement of the Lord because it threatened their power and prestige. This group of religious leaders demanded that the apostle stop sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. The apostles responded by declaring their obedience to the Lord alone and followed through on the declaration in practice.
The apostles knew the TRUE MASTER. The leaders in Jerusalem attempted to stop the apostles by demanding their silence. Peter and the apostles responded to them with the declaration of disobedience to their command because the apostles obeyed the Lord over the people. This response comes from the understanding that Jesus must be the Lord and Master of one’s life and not just Savior. Therefore, they responded to Jesus by offering him complete lordship and control of their lives.
We receive pressure from many avenues that demand our attention. These pressures attempt to silence our life in Christ and keep us from outwardly living for Jesus. When we receive Christ in salvation, we must accept him as Savior and Lord, meaning we must be like the apostles and make Jesus the Master of our life. Thus, we live in a state of obeying Jesus over people.
The apostles knew the TRUE MESSAGE. Obeying Jesus meant declaring the message of Jesus. Therefore, the message of the apostles was the gospel. They declared the work of Christ and the offering of repentance from the Lord. They did not seek to form a message loved by humanity, but they desired to speak God’s message of redemption. Therefore, the apostles served as ambassadors of their Master and declared the message of their King.
The message we must declare as a believer is the gospel. We must announce the work of Christ in the death, burial, and resurrection. We extend an invitation to people to respond to the message and receive Jesus. The apostles were not in the business of telling about Jesus, but they were in the business of inviting people into a relationship with Jesus. Likewise, we must be in the invitation business.
The apostles knew how to live following the TRUE MESSIAH. The apostle gathered every day at the temple or in people’s homes. They made it the focus of their life to join with other believers and live life together. This life included the worship of the Lord, the teaching of the truth, and sharing the gospel. The lives of the apostles and early believers were marked by following Jesus authentically and allowing him to be the heartbeat of all they participated in and did.
Today, believers must follow the true Messiah authentically. This includes constant gathering with other believers for edification, worship, spiritual growth, and evangelism. The Lord called believers to be a family and not journey through this life alone. Like the early church, we must be Great Commission believers who are growing disciples who seek to be disciplemakers.
Believers today live with various threats to silence the message of the gospel. Although we face the temptation to remain silent concerning the cross, we must seek to walk in faithfulness and live out the calling of the Lord in our life. We need to pursue living like Christ and proclaiming the message of Christ in faithfulness to the commissioning of the Lord. When you think about your walk with Christ, would others see you living for the true Master, proclaiming the true message, and living like the true Messiah?
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
