#DailyDevotion We Have The Word Of The Life

Act 5:12-20  Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.  (13)  None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.  (14)  And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,  (15)  so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.  (16)  The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.  (17)  But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy  (18)  they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.  (19)  But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,  (20)  “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

After the resurrection, ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit, the apostles began their mission in earnest. As a confirmation of their message of Jesus and the resurrection, the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name, they performed many signs and wonders. Many people were listening to them, repenting of their sins and being baptized into the faith of Jesus Christ. The ‘none of the rest’ must be referring to the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees who continued in unbelief despite the empty tomb and all that the apostles were doing. But the lay people in and about Jerusalem held the apostles in high esteem.

The Church was growing. People who were not yet fully converted believed in the power of the apostles and were carrying out the sick and laying them on mats in hopes of St. Peter’s shadow falling upon them and making them well. The power and authority Jesus had fallen upon his apostles so their message would have his power and authority as they witnessed concerning Jesus and the salvation he had won for them.


Now the high priest and the priest had them arrested out of jealousy. They did not like the people listening to them. They probably also didn’t care that part of the apostles’ message included how the high priest worked with the Romans to have Jesus executed. But bars could not stop the apostles’ message. The Lord sent an angel to free them with this message, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

Now the “words of this Life” is the word of Jesus who is the Life of the World. While we don’t have all the signs and wonders accompanying our continuing of the message, their message and our message is the same. Jesus Christ came to save sinners. Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, for your sins. His death has won life for you. Be repentant of your sins, hate them, and believe Jesus has reconciled you to the Father and his life will be yours. Eternal life he will give you freely even now. On the Last Day, he will raise you to eternal life even as he is risen from the dead to the glory of the Father.

Heavenly Father, may the message of the Life we have received from the apostles continually be upon our lips, that we may raise people dead in their sins to eternal life and preserve this message among us and in us always till Jesus is revealed again. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.