6. A New Tribe - Acts 5 - Fear God, Not Men

Proverbs 9:10 tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” The first thing we see in Acts 5 the result of a lack a reverent fear of the Lord, and God’s immediate judgment on this requires the life of two offenders. The result is a wide-sweeping reverential fear across the whole of God’s people. In contrast to the irreverent behavior of these two at the beginning, we see the boldness of the Apostles as they share the gospel confidently in the midst of opposition. It is here we see their fear of the Lord played out as they all say, “We must obey God rather than man.” God sees our hearts and knows if we are completely sold out to him or if we are holding back a portion for ourselves. God also calls us to fear and obey him no matter what the earthy consequence may be. This purity before God and confidence in Him led to continued growth of the early church, both numerically and spiritually. Acts 5:29 - But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” For Scripture, notes, upcoming events, & more: http://bible.com/events/49323811