"Now, try to stay out of trouble, will you? I got you out of this mess one time,
I may not be able to do that again." That could have been what the angel told
Peter and some of the apostles in Acts 5, but he didn't. What he did say was
in verse 20, "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of
this life." And we can read in verse 21 that they did just that, and got right
back in trouble.
The angel knew that the apostles had to speak about the life that Jesus offered -
a life that was full with the promise of a permanent life later in heaven. Jesus had
given the apostles then, just as He has given to us, a lot of sermon material. They
used that material and preached even in the face of prison, beatings, angry words
and threats against their lives to talk about "all the words of this life."
Have you gotten in trouble lately for speaking out? Our prayer should be, "please
help me to be bold when that time comes".
