It is almost humorous to see the interaction between the disciples and the authorities. They just can’t seem to keep the disciples in jail. It is like an episode of the Andy Griffith Show where the sheriff and deputy can’t keep a miscreant in the local small prison. I would love to have seen their reaction when they went to get them and they weren’t in prison where they left them!
Here the disciples left prison, where they were freed by an angel, to go back to the temple to preach. The authorities came bristling with anger. “We told you to stop preaching!” The disciple’s response was brilliant – a simple, “We ought to obey God rather than man.”
These guys were not interested in leading a rebellion. The Bible makes it clear that we are supposed to submit to governing authorities. However there are times when man’s rules or expectations come into conflict with God’s. At times like this we have no choice – we have to obey God instead of man.
The sad thing is that we can often choose to obey man’s whims and expectations instead of God’s wished for us. It doesn’t even take man’s rules and regulations, but fear of man’s response that motivates our actions.
No matter what, laws, rules, peer pressure, or expectations we truly ought to obey God rather than man.
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