Pe
ter and John found themselves in prison at the hands of the high priest for following God rather than man. And their experience at the hands of man is an incredibly revealing lesson and admonition for us.
Acts 5:17-21 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
Because they refused to stop teaching in the name of Jesus the Jewish leaders were compelled out of fear to imprison them, because Peter and John were compelled to “be witnesses” for Jesus.
If you go back to Acts 4 you will note that the first time they had been detained for teaching in Jesus’ name their response was:
Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
And that prayer was answered and they immediately went back to the Temple and began teaching… in Jesus’ name. And what was the result:
Acts 5:12-16 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
But now they found themselves locked up in prison for being obedient… but!
Acts 5: 19-21a But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught.
If we’re honest with ourselves and the Holy Spirit, we need to ask the question… are we in prison? I think the answer for the majority of us is yes. God has called us to preach and teach the Gospel, but both the enemy and our own selfish nature keeps throwing us in prison.
We have a strong desire to prolong and maximize our life, and at times that desire becomes our foremost focus because it gets hindered by any number of things. As a result, we find ourselves unable to communicate the Gospel. We are unable to share the message of life a lost and dying world desperately needs because we have been imprisoned. Perhaps its by our loyalties to others or to our worldly position, anxiety or fear, lack of security, a job, or living a life based on past success; that one strikes home! Whatever it is that is imprisoning us, it is is keeping us from the freedom in living the abundant life in Christ.
Well, here’s the good news. The Holy Spirit wants to come into our prison and not only open the cell door to free us, He wants to re-lock the cell door so we can’t be thrown back in. And just like He did for Peter and John, He wants to set us free to Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
This morning we need to ask ourselves, what has imprisoned us? We need to ask the Holy Spirit to free us so that we can be about the business of our calling… spreading the Gospel and making disciples. And if we are sincere in our motive for asking, we can be assured that He will set us free and provide us with the boldness to be about the business of the Kingdom. And He will provide us the power and strength to stay out of prison; the enemy’s prison and our own, self-imposed prison.
The Holy Spirit wants us to be free to enjoy the abundant life, but He won’t force it upon us. If we are content to remain in our personal cell, He will simply wait outside until we call out to Him. But when we do, He will do exactly for us what He did for Peter and John. No one can keep us from our Kingdom business but ourselves.
Are you in prison?
Ask the Holy Spirit to set you free so that you can… Go, stand and speak in the Temple and tell the people about this new life… The bread of life (John 6:35)… The way, the truth and the Life (John 14:16).
What is the temple He is calling you to enter and teach?