23rd August 2010

Acts 5:17-42 – The Apostles persecuted.

• “Insecurity makes our decisions insecure”
• Here again we see how information we receive is significantly affected by the motive of our heart
• Firstly the Sadducees who during the reign of King Agrippa held all but three of the positions in the Sanhedrin were jealous.
• What was happening did not fit either their theology or they politics.
• This message the Apostles were speaking about promoted the resurrection – something the Sadducees did not believe in.
• The message promoted a new King; something that would threaten their cozy relationship with the Romans.
• On the other hand was Gamaliel.
• Rabban Gamaliel the Elder had huge credibility.
• He was the first to receive the title Rabban instead of Rabbi meaning ‘my master, my great one’. Rabban means ‘our master, our great one.'
• He was the grandson of Hillel [some of who’s 7 laws of exegesis Jesus used].
• It was said of Gamaliel by his peers that; When Rabban Gamaliel the elder died, the glory of the Torah came to an end; and purity and holiness came to an end. [Misha Sotah 9:15].
• Gamaliel whose heart was less motivated by politics and perhaps less cluttered by the need to his protect theological viewpoint; was much more secure.
• He tells all that if this is not of God it will go away; if it is of God it is best not to fight it.
• Fighting this movement would mean fighting God.
• How many leaders have found themselves in a juxtaposition with the Holy Spirit because of their own insecurities. Scared they may be wrong, they therefore are not able to trust God to fight His own battles.
• My insecurity means I will make poor decisions about the things that happen around me and I will be unable to stand upon them for long.
• As a leader of myself and others I need to pray today for a security in God that allows me to make right choices.