Scripture: Acts 5:33-39, Acts 22:1-8- Acceptance is a gift for the humble heart!
In Acts 5:33-39, we run into another one of Israel’s upper crust, a leading rabbi named Gamaliel
who was a teacher of the law and respected by all the people. Read verse 33-39 we see major
persecution was about to begin against the early church. The real question is: where did that
wisdom come from? It doesn’t appear that Gamaliel was a believer at this stage, so where did his
wisdom come from? In Acts 22:1-8 Paul was on trial and giving his testimony before the crowd.
In verses 3-5 he said, “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at
the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward
God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons
both men and women, as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders,
from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even
those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.” Paul’s teacher was Gamaliel! Gamaliel knew
he had taught him well, and watched Paul achieve leading status among the Jews for Paul’s zeal
in killing Christians. He then had to witness Paul’s salvation and his dramatic transformation. This
perhaps clarifies where Gamaliel’s wise counsel came from. God loves to save the lowest of the
low because humility comes easily. But the only way He saves the wealthy and elite is when people
choose to bow their knee and humble themselves, and it is far more difficult for the powerful and
influential to reach that place. Acceptance is a gift for the humble heart!
❖ We can only have a jubilee if we abide in Christ who rode into Jerusalem triumphantly
Matt.21:9, if not, whatever we bring forth will not last; or will benefit only the kingdom of
darkness. It amounts to nothing before the Lord.
❖ Pray that God will give you the grace to see any area where you are laboring to bring forth
fruit that will amount to nothing.
❖ Ask Him for the grace to turn away from those labors and focus only on what will bring a
true Jubilee (Luke4:18-23)