Acts 5: 29-31: Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead – whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.”

This is part of the defense that Peter and the other apostles voiced to the Sanhedrin –the full assembly of the elders of Israel. The apostles had been jailed for simply preaching the gospel and healing many, but were miraculously delivered from jail in the night. They were found in the temple courts the next morning teaching the people. They were now called upon to defend their beliefs.

The center of what they believed was Jesus Christ so it was necessary for them to give the Sanhedrin an explanation in a nutshell of why they were doing what they did. God has the final authority. The first two chapters of the Book of Luke give us a full and orderly account of the coming of Christ into the world. He was the promised Savior whose coming was announced by the angel Gabriel who identified himself as one who “stands in the presence of God”. The Holy Spirit moved on Mary to break into song when she heard she would be the mother of the Christ child and her cousin Elizabeth was filled with praise. The shepherds rejoiced in the fields when angel hosts appeared to share the good news with them. So much joy by men and angels on the night of Jesus’ birth! Have you found your joy in Christ? When I read these two chapters of Luke the Holy Spirit said:

“Jesus the Son of God came from eternity past through the ages and the generations to perform his Father’s business. Ordained of God to be the Prince of all mankind and interpret God to man. He came to reveal God’s will in such a way that believers through the ages should know with certainty that the very God of the universe is present every day and totally involved in the affairs of men, the events affecting life on the planet, and is ever in charge of all that proceeds in time and eternity. I am the Eternal God knowing the end from the beginning.”