June 27 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Acts 5:17-32:

¹⁷Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
¹⁸And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
¹⁹But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
²⁰Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
²¹And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
²²But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told,
²³Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
²⁴Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
²⁵Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
²⁶Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
²⁷And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
²⁸Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
²⁹Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
³⁰The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
³¹Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
³²And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Devotional

The apostles had been put in the common prison for preach­ing the gospel. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, "Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." "And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." "This is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life." "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." And this knowledge of him we get through the Word of God. Jesus said, "I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me." And these his words are spirit and they are life. When Christ asked the twelve disciples, "Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." All who believe these words have eternal life. Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemna­tion; but is passed from death unto life." But this word must be proclaimed. Christ sent out his disciples to preach the gospel to every creature. They were his witnesses, and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. These cannot but speak the things which they have seen and heard. All those who attended that prayer meeting at Jerusalem, "were filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." Do we?

Prayer

O God, our Father, we thank Thee that Thou hast brought unto us the words of life, the Gospel of salvation, through which alone we can have life eternal. Grant unto us grace and strength from on high that with boldness we may bear witness to the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. Cause Thy name to be remembered in all generations. Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens. Let Thy glory be above all the earth. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Acts 5:19, 20; 1 John 5:11; 2:25; John 17:3, 8; 12:63; 6:63, 68; 5:24; Mark 16:15; Acts 5:32; 4:20, 23-31.

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