PPA: Find Out What This Is

Read Acts 5:33-42 Gamaliel addresses the men of Israel (and persuades them).

It is interesting to me that the apostles essentially made a ‘jail break’ but did not make a ‘break for it’ when they got out. They stuck around to spread their message of Jesus. What faith!

The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles not to teach in the name of Jesus, but they did and told the Sanhedrin, “We must obey God rather than men!” The Sanhedrin was furious and wanted to kill them. But Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, spoke.

He made four points:

1) You guys need to consider this carefully. We all need to be reminded to consider things with a godly point of view and not act based on our feelings. We need to weigh the consequences and examine our motives.

2) If their purpose is of a human origin, it will fail. We need to examine our motives, at the same time remember we do not know the motives of others. However, we will judge what we see and be judged by how we act (whether right or wrong). “Be above reproach,” 1 Tim 3:2.

3) If their purpose is of God, you cannot stop it!

4) If you fight against some things, you are fighting against God.

Gamaliel persuaded them, but they had the apostles flogged and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and they let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

I’ve thought of something new to sum up. It is called PPA. Promise, Perspective, Apply.

Promise: If you seek the purpose God gives you, you cannot be stopped. (That does not mean you will always succeed. Even failures teach, rebuke and change for God’s purpose.)

Perspective: The Way I See It…God give everyone a purpose. Do you accept yours or deny yours because of fear or because you don’t put God as a priority in your life?

Apply: Always pray for the Leading hand to guide you and not traditions, past hurts, past experiences or your feelings. Remember, Satan uses feeling to trip us up.