Acts 5:17-42
Jesus' Story Continues After His Death
17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”
21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.
25 Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” 26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
Acts 17:24-31
God Raised Jesus from the Dead
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
Matthew 1:23
God With Us
23 "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us").
Mark 14:60-65
Jesus Admits He is the Son of the Blessed One
60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Jesus Was Seen by More than Five Hundred People After His Death
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
John 15:26-27
Jesus Promises the Disciples the Holy Spirit
26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
Acts 1:1-5
Jesus Appears for Forty Days After His Death and Promises the Disciples the Holy Spirit
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
The story of Jesus is a most unusual story, and a continuing one...It begins with an unusual start...His unusual birth by a virgin mother, and she is conceived by a Holy Spirit...He is given the name Jesus...In Hebrew His name is Yeshua...Joshua is the English for Jesus...Both Jesus and Joshua mean Yahweh saves...He is also called Immanuel which means God with us...Jesus is our Savior and our salvation...Mary's Son would be called Jesus for He will save His people from their sins, and be our salvation...Jesus grows up claiming that God is His Real Father...His first occupation is a carpenter...And later He becomes a Rabbi...He ministers to people by forgiving them of their sins...He is always speaking of God...Helping people, healing people and talking about God is very much His ministry...And during His ministry He does many miracles...He heals blind people, helps the lame walk, heals lepers, feeds four thousand and another five thousand with a few loaves of bread and a few little fish...And He is doing these miracles in front of hundreds and thousands of people...The people following Him are actually being eyewitnesses to these miracles...
He is later accused of blaspheming God by the religious leaders, when He says He is the Son of the Blessed One...He is put on a cross and is left hanging until He dies...And three days later God raises Jesus from the dead...Jesus is resurrected...The Sanhedrin were the ruling party of Israel...They also were the religious leaders of Israel...Peter, a Disciple, who saw Jesus after His death put it this way to the Sanhedrin..."We must obey God rather than human beings!...The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging Him on a cross...God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins...We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."...
The Apostle Paul was another one who saw Jesus after His death on the road to Damascus...Paul told the Athenians about Jesus...Paul put it this way, “The God who made the world and everything in it is the LORD of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands...And He is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything...Rather, He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else...From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands...God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us...‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’...As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’...“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill...In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent...For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man he has appointed...He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”...
One might think that Jesus' death would end the story...Some would think that raising someone from the dead is just a fairy tale...But He appeared to more than five hundred people after His death...This added to the story (to see someone after His death -alive and walking and talking) and helped the story continue...And He stayed on earth for forty days after His death...
But the Jesus story continued on after His death...Somehow His death did not end the story about the Man that many thought was the Messiah from the Old Testament...Peter and Paul would continue His story...Peter and other apostles were locked up in jail for healing a crippled man...And an angel let them out of jail...This story continues to sounds like a myth...But this story of Jesus was an unstoppable story...Some stories you can never stop...Some call Him a Myth, while others call Him a Legend, and He Himself calls Himself Truth, as well as the Way, and the Life...His followers believed Him and what He told them and taught them...There were His Disciples and followers who continued His unstoppable story...Mark, whose mentor was Peter, continued the story by writing a gospel, as well as another follower and author named Luke...Then two Disciples, Matthew and John would add two more gospels to the story giving us four accounts of Jesus from there own personal writings and perspectives...Another Disciple and maybe Jesus’ most ardent follower, Peter would write two epistles further adding to the narrative and the facts about the life of Jesus Christ...John would write three more epistles and the Book of Revelation besides his gospel story...Then the Apostle Paul writes thirteen epistles to continue and add to the story of Jesus...Jesus’ half brothers Jude and James add to the story of their own Brother, whom they would have known, of course, very well...
All these followers and writers added to this most odd story...The story is one that is hard to imagine...God has a most vivid imagination and Plan...When God expresses Himself, we often find what He done and His Presence is understood only with awe and mystery and imagination...One can see why it might seem as a myth...C. S. Lewis said this about the story of Jesus, “Now the story of Christ is simply a true myth: a myth working on us the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference that it really happened: and one must be content to accept it in the same way, remembering that it is God’s myth where the others are men’s myths: i.e., the Pagan stories are God expressing Himself through the minds of poets, using such images as He found there, while Christianity is God expressing Himself through what we call 'real things'.”...
Gamaliel was a notable Pharisee during Jesus time...He was a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people...He stood up in the Sanhedrin over Peter and the others and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while as he talked to the Sanhedrin...He addressed the Sanhedrin by saying: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men...Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him...He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing...After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt...He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered...Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone!...Let them go!...For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail...But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”...
The story continues today now two thousand years later...And why...One major reason is because this Man, this Teacher claims to be alive even today...He is still working today subtly through the Holy Spirit that He sends...We were not left alone when He ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit is with us, because God is with us...And the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us to the Truth and testify about Him...And we are to testify about Him...It maybe one of our purposes in life...