Unstoppable! 'Can't Be Shut Up! (Part 2)' — Acts 5:22-25

Monday, March 13, 2023

But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the [apostles] were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, "The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!"

When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. Then someone arrived with startling news: "The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!"

— Acts 5:22-25 NLT

Key Thought

With the apostles miraculously delivered from jail, the "message of life" (Acts 5:20) in their hands could not be derailed, sidetracked, or snuffed out by threats, persecution, and imprisonment. The book of Acts repeats this theme over and over. In fact, later in Acts, persecution and imprisonment became the conduit that God used to move Paul to the heart of the empire, Rome, to proclaim Jesus. The character and compassion of Jesus' disciples repeatedly won the hearts of those who jailed them and opened the door, literally and figuratively, for the Good News of Jesus to travel across the vast stretches of the Roman Empire. If we are willing, prayerful, and committed, the same can happen, and is happening, today!

Today's Prayer

We ask, dear Father, that the Holy Spirit moves in us and helps us have the kind of faith and conviction that the early disciples had. We pledge our hearts, souls, and minds and all of our strength to your mission in the world. We want the message of Jesus to be as unstoppable in our day as it was in the days of the early church. We ask for this in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • 2 Timothy 4:1-8
  • Acts 28:28-31

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Illustration

Illustration of Acts 5:22-25 NLT — But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the [apostles] were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, "The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!" When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. Then someone arrived with startling news: "The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!"

About This Devotional

Unstoppable! is a one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage, a reflection and a prayer. The reflection opens up the day's scripture and shows how it challenges one to live for Jesus.

Unstoppable! is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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