The Unstoppable Work of God
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These are my notes from a sermon at my church Lakewood Baptist Church in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
If you would like to listen to the full sermon, you can do so here.
Insights from Acts 5:12–42 for Christian Life and Church Practice
Every Christian and every church leader knows seasons when the gospel seems hemmed in—when opposition presses close, when progress stalls, when doubt whispers that the whole effort might come to nothing. The Book of Acts answers that whisper with a resounding No. God’s work cannot be stopped. In Acts 5:12–42, Luke gives us a scene from the earliest days of the church: raw apostolic power, genuine human courage, and the quiet hand of God steering events no one could control. The result is a gospel that keeps moving forward, no matter who tries to shut it down.
Let’s draw a comparison to the Battle of Bunker Hill. On June 17, 1775, outgunned colonial militia held their fire until they could see “the whites of their eyes,” inflicted devastating casualties on the British, and then retreated. They lost the battle but gained something greater: the confidence that they could stand and fight. That confidence carried them to eventual victory.
The parallel is instructive—but only to a point. Unlike those soldiers, we already know how the war ends. Jesus is risen, ascended, and returning (Acts 1:8). We have read the last page. The question is not whether God will prevail, but how He does His work among us along the way. Acts 5:12–42 shows us four answers.
Acts 5:12–42 (NASB)
¹12 At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. ¹13 But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. ¹14 And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number, ¹15 to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. ¹16 Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.
Imprisonment and Release
¹17 But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. ¹18 They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. ¹19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, ¹20 “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.” ¹21 Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach.
Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought. ¹22 But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and reported back, ¹23 saying, “We found the prison house locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we had opened up, we found no one inside.” ¹24 Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this. ¹25 But someone came and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” ¹26 Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned).
¹27 When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, ¹28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” ¹29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. ¹30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. ¹31 He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. ¹32 And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Gamaliel’s Counsel
¹33 But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them. ¹34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. ¹35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. ¹36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. ¹37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. ¹38 So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; ¹39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”
¹40 They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. ¹41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. ¹42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Reading the Scene
The passage opens with the church doing exactly what the church should do: gathering, worshiping, and watching God work. “At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico” (Acts 5:12). People held the believers in high regard, yet a healthy reverence kept casual onlookers at a distance—a direct echo of God’s judgment on Ananias and Sapphira just verses earlier (Acts 5:1–11). Far from driving people away, that holy seriousness drew them in. “And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number” (Acts 5:14). The sick were carried into the streets, crowds came from surrounding towns, “and they were all being healed” (Acts 5:16).
Then opposition arrives. The high priest and the Sadducees, consumed by jealousy, arrest the apostles and lock them in a public jail (Acts 5:17–18). But during the night, an angel opens the prison gates and gives them a direct order: “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life” (Acts 5:20). They obey. By daybreak they are back at the temple teaching.
The officials convene the full council, send for the prisoners—and get a bewildered report: “We found the prison house locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we had opened up, we found no one inside” (Acts 5:23). Then word comes that the men they jailed are standing in the temple, teaching again (Acts 5:25). Afraid of a public backlash, the officers bring them in carefully, without force (Acts 5:26).
Hauled before the council, the apostles hear the accusation: “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching” (Acts 5:28). Peter’s answer is direct: “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him” (Acts 5:29–32).
The council is furious—ready to kill. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, widely respected, stands and offers a measured argument. He cites two failed revolts—Theudas and Judas the Galilean—and draws a conclusion: “So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God” (Acts 5:38–39). The council takes his advice, beats the apostles, repeats the order to stay silent, and releases them.
The apostles’ response is astonishing. They walk out “rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:41–42).
Four Ways God’s Work Advances
- Through Miraculous Signs (Acts 5:12–16)
The healings in these verses carry real weight. They echo Jesus’ own ministry (Mark 6:53–56) and fulfill what Isaiah spoke centuries before: “Then the lame shall leap like a deer” (Isaiah 35:6). These were not spectacles; they were credentials. God authenticated the apostles’ message with visible proof, and people responded with faith.
The sermon behind this passage calls it a “progress report” on the mission Jesus outlined in Acts 1:8—witnesses empowered by the Spirit, spreading the gospel outward from Jerusalem. And here is the part that runs against modern instinct: the fear that followed God’s judgment on Ananias and Sapphira actually strengthened the church’s witness. It kept the insincere away and preserved the community’s integrity (Acts 5:13). Holiness did not repel people; it drew them.
For church leaders, this is a pointed lesson. Growth rooted in doctrinal faithfulness and moral seriousness is more durable than growth built on clever marketing. God’s power confirms truth, not technique.
That said, these particular signs belonged to the apostolic era—tied to eyewitnesses of the resurrection (Acts 1:21–22; 2 Corinthians 12:12). No one today holds that same office. But God still works with power through changed lives and answered prayers. The pattern remains: faithful witness meets divine power. Proclaim Christ plainly; trust God to do what only He can do.
- Through Miraculous Deliverance (Acts 5:17–26)
The Sadducees denied both resurrection and the existence of angels (Acts 23:8). So there is a sharp irony in the fact that God sent an angel to free the apostles from the Sadducees’ jail. God used the very thing they refused to believe in to undo their plans.
The angel’s command is worth noting: “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life” (Acts 5:20). The word “Life” captures the heart of the gospel—forgiveness, the indwelling Spirit, the hope of eternity. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Paul would later write from prison, “The word of God is not bound” (2 Timothy 2:9, paraphrased). You can jail the messenger, but you cannot chain the message.
This scene also affirms what Hebrews says about angels: they are “ministering spirits sent out to serve” those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14). We may even encounter them without recognizing it (Hebrews 13:2). No one should expect a nightly prison break, but this passage invites a quiet confidence: God will get His messengers where they need to be.
- Through Providential Circumstances (Acts 5:27–40)
No angels appear in this section—just human politics, fear, and one man’s measured counsel. The officers are afraid of the crowd (Acts 5:26). The early church had prayed for boldness in the face of threats (Acts 4:29–30), and God answered through the very public opinion that restrained the authorities.
Peter’s declaration before the council establishes a principle Christians have leaned on ever since: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). When human authority commands what God forbids, or forbids what God commands, the believer’s allegiance is settled.
Then comes Gamaliel—not a believer, but a respected teacher of the Law. His argument is prudent rather than faithful, yet God uses it to spare the apostles’ lives. His words, whether he intended them this way or not, state the thesis of the entire passage: “If it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them” (Acts 5:39). This confirms what Proverbs 21:1 says: God directs the hearts of rulers like streams of water.
This is how providence often works—not through fire from heaven, but through crowd dynamics, political caution, and a well-timed speech. Recognizing God’s hand in these ordinary events takes patience and hindsight. For church leaders navigating hostile environments, the lesson is plain: do not lose heart. God can steer forces you cannot see.
- Through Joyful Perseverance (Acts 5:41–42)
The apostles leave the council with torn backs and unbroken spirits. They rejoice “that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41). This is not forced optimism. It flows from the same deep source the writer of Hebrews describes in Jesus: “For the joy set before Him He endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2). Joy in suffering is possible when the sufferer knows what the suffering is for.
Jesus Himself promised this: “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12). And Paul would later write that he had no choice in the matter: “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16).
The final verse is quietly stunning: “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42). Every day. In public and in private. Beaten and unbowed. The apostles did not control the miracles, the angelic deliverances, or the political maneuvering. They controlled one thing: whether they would keep showing up and keep speaking. They did.
Faithfulness is God’s chosen instrument. Like a long-distance runner who simply refuses to stop, the Christian calling is to keep going—day after day, conversation after conversation, prayer after prayer.
Three Applications
Put the Gospel First
God moved heaven and earth for the gospel in this passage. Signs confirmed it. An angel protected its messengers. Providence shielded them from execution. If God goes to those lengths, the gospel deserves first place in every believer’s life. Examine your priorities. Make room for the work of telling others about Christ.
Recognize Where Authority Truly Rests
Peter’s stand before the council was not an act of rebellion for its own sake. His willingness to defy the authorities grew from a lifetime of obeying God in the small, unseen areas—marriage, purity, honesty, daily faithfulness. Selective courage collapses under pressure. Full submission to God in ordinary life is what makes extraordinary obedience possible when the moment demands it. If the government forbids worship, disobey. But that defiance only has weight if you have been obeying God faithfully all along.
Show Up Every Day
You do not need an apostle’s credentials to live this way. You do not need signs, angels, or political protection. You need the willingness to be present and to speak. God has a long record of using ordinary people who simply refuse to quit. Show up. Speak up. Trust that He will use it.
Conclusion
Acts 5:12–42 gives us a picture of a church under pressure and a God who will not be stopped. His work advances through the spectacular and the mundane, through angelic intervention and a Pharisee’s common sense, through public miracles and private house-to-house teaching. The apostles played their part—not by controlling outcomes, but by staying faithful.
That same work continues. The gospel is still advancing. The call to every Christian and every church leader is the same one the angel gave to the apostles that night: Go. Stand. Speak the words of this Life.