ARE WE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF GOD?

Acts 5:33-39

When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 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 (Peter and John) be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: "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."

When I first read our passage today, I was impressed with the maturity and clarity of Gamaliel's arguments. Historically, these "men of Israel" had heard and experienced many accounts of being on the wrong side of God. One that immediately comes to mind is the Book of Jonah. Jonah, as you probably know, was told by God to go to the city of Ninevah and preach repentance to the Ninevites. The people of Ninevah were enemies of Jonah and his people, so that was the last thing he wanted to do. He not only was fearful for his own life, but he also did not want them to repent -- instead he wanted them to experience God's full wrath. So he ran away. He jumped on a boat going the opposite direction of Ninevah. You are familiar with the outcome: God sent a great storm, then a big fish that swallowed Jonah and vomited him on the shore. During this experience Jonah finally agreed to do God's will -- although without joy. He went to Ninevah and preached one of the best sermons of all time -- so good in fact that the people of Ninevah repented. Jonah's story ends on a hill outside of town, as he waits and watches for the Lord to destroy the Ninevites. Jonah was ultimately angry and disappointed because the Lord chose to spare Ninevah.

I see the Sanhedrin in this same place -- deciding to take a wait and see approach with the expectation that God will punish the followers of Jesus, believing that the Christian movement will turn to nothing, it will fail. Unfortunately, like Jonah, the Sanhedrin are so committed to their own agenda they are unwilling to allow God to lead in their lives. As a result they don't experience the joy of salvation. Instead they are left with the harshness of the lesson without the benefit God intended.

Jonah sat on the rocky ground and baked in the sun, angry at God for His forgiving nature. The Sanhedrin wanted to punish the apostles, in fact they wanted to put them to death -- but they were on the wrong side of God as well -- doing in great error what they thought was God's will. As we will see further in our story, some were ultimately transformed, but many were not. Which will you be? Transformed by the experience or stubbornly stuck in your expectation or tradition?

Are you on the wrong side of God? What change of thought will it take to correct your thinking? Have you had an experience in which you resisted God's will? What do you think He was trying to tell you or get you to change?

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