As the story of the early church unfolds in the book of Acts we find many factors at work. Some of these factors, like the power of the Holy Spirit and the faithfulness of the apostles, help to move the good news of Jesus Christ outward, further into the world. Other factors, however, were intended to slow or to stifle the gospel. One of the more powerful human emotions is on display in our reading from Acts for today. “Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him…, being filled with jealousy, arrested the apostles and put then in the public prison” (Acts 5:17-18). Jealously over the popularity of Peter and the other apostles had infected the religious elite. As a result they chose to take action against the followers of Jesus.
It didn’t work of course. The church continued to grow and to develop until it spread throughout the world. The trajectory of the gospel established in Acts can be traced for centuries afterwards and though the flight has not always been smooth and even, the gospel continues to confront women and men to this day, challenging them to live a life centered on the grace of God in Jesus Christ. As it turns out, of course, jealously has also continued to be a factor in human life. Nor is the church immune to such sinful attitudes. Anger, bitterness, pettiness, dissent, division, all continue to bedevil people of faith. But as we learn from the book of Acts the Holy Spirit is not defeated. There is no prison, physical or emotional, that can contain the gospel or extinguish its light. The good news of Jesus Christ is as vibrant today as it was in the weeks after Pentecost. People of faith still find themselves released from the bonds of doubt and given words to speak. Again, the trajectory of the church established in Acts shows us that even when we fall short or are confronted by obstacles the good news will be shared, and no human emotion can quell it.
Prayer: Gracious God, help us to trust the power of your Spirit and to follow your word into the world, serving others and sharing the gospel. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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