“So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” Acts 5:38–39
Michael Jordan and LeBron James are two of the best basketball players ever. They possess physical abilities for playing the game that no one comes close to touching.
Now imagine playing basketball in the driveway with your friends, and LeBron James shows up and asks to be on your team. Do you think the other team stands a chance? No way. LeBron would slam dunk on your friends hard enough to make them cry.
This scenario is similar to what’s happening in the text we read today. The religious guys who oppose Jesus and his followers were talking about what they should do, since these followers of Jesus just wouldn’t stop talking about him. One of the leaders stood up and said they should be careful; if by some chance God just happened to be on the disciples’ team, then they would certainly not fare well on the opposing team. Their fate might involve something worse than getting dunked on.
So they decided to leave the disciples alone for a bit. It’s not wise to play against God’s team.
Read
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31
- Why should we not fear when people are against us?
- Is any force of opposition ever capable of succeeding against us?
Prayer
Our Father, thank you that you are with us and that nothing can stop you and your plans. We rest in that fact. Amen.
This devotion is adapted from the Acts Study Guide: Chapters 1–5. Pick up a copy today for only $7.99. The study guide includes an 11-week curriculum with small group studies, group inductive studies, as well as 55 daily devotions for your personal or family worship.
