The World Cannot Stop The Stand

We want to teach someone but are unsure of the outcome. We may worry about being rejected or messing up. We wonder what the world thinks of us, we Christians. We desire to turn the world upside down just like the apostles and disciples of the first century.
We learn in Acts 5:17-21 that the apostles had been thrown into prison for preaching and doing good works in name of Jesus Christ, but an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors. The angel of the Lord then instructed the apostles to go and preach at the temple. Once again the officers brought the apostles before the Jewish council for teaching in the name of Christ (vss. 22-27). In Acts 5:28, the high priest asked the apostles, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name (name being Christ)?” In vss. 29-32, Peter and the apostles responded, “We ought to obey God rather than men…And we are His witnesses to these things…” The council began plotting how to kill the apostles. Then Gamaliel, a highly respected Pharisee and teacher of the law, sent the apostles outside to discuss with the council the situation. He reminded the council about two other men, Theudas and Judas of Galilee, who led a group of people at different times, but after each was killed their followers scattered and the movements died. Gamaliel understood the difference between a movement from man and a movement from God. The work of man will come to naught, but the work of God would be impossible to stop. Gamaliel said if their work was from men that their fate would be the same as the others, but if they were from God this council could not overthrow it lest they be found to be fighting against God Himself (vss. 33-39).
How often do you and I make the stand in the name of Jesus Christ? Apparently not enough or this world would be much different. If we decide to make the stand for Christ, we should expect difficult times to come as well as good times of course. In difficult times when people question your convictions, Peter gives us an inspired response, “We ought to obey God rather than men…And we are His witnesses to these things…” When Theudas and Judas of Galilee were killed, their movements died with them. When Jesus Christ died not to mention His triumph over death, His movement spread throughout the world. The gospel of Jesus Christ cannot be stopped. We carry a message to a lost world that cannot be stopped. However, this movement can be delayed or quietened if we do not take the stand. If and when people attempt to slow you down, remember they will find themselves fighting against the God of Heaven. The stand is too powerful. The stand will overcome. The stand has begun.
-Tyler Alexander