How does Acts 5:25 connect with Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19-20? The Scene in Acts 5:25 “Someone came and reported, ‘Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts, teaching the people!’” • The apostles had just been freed by an angel (Acts 5:19–20) and immediately returned to public ministry. • Their location—“the temple courts”—made their message unmissable to Jews gathered from many places (cf. Acts 2:5). • Their activity—“teaching the people”—shows open, unapologetic proclamation. Jesus’ Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age.” • Four verbs outline the marching orders: go, make disciples, baptize, teach. • The promise of Jesus’ continual presence undergirds the mission. • The scope is universal—“all nations.” Connecting Threads 1. Same Task—Teaching Disciples ‑ Matthew: “teaching them to observe.” ‑ Acts: apostles are “teaching the people.” ‑ Both passages spotlight instruction in Jesus’ words as essential to disciple-making (cf. 2 Timothy 4:2). 2. Same Authority—Commissioned by Christ ‑ Matthew: authority explicitly given by the risen Lord (v. 18). ‑ Acts: the angel’s directive (5:19-20) echoes that authority; heavenly intervention validates their mission. 3. Same Presence—Christ With His Messengers ‑ Matthew: “I am with you always.” ‑ Acts: miraculous release from prison shows that promised presence in action (cf. Hebrews 13:5-6). 4. Same Courage—Obedience Despite Opposition ‑ Matthew anticipates the need for courage (“I am with you”). ‑ Acts records fearless obedience in the very place their arrest had occurred (cf. Acts 4:19-20). 5. Same Expansion—From Jerusalem Outward ‑ Matthew envisions “all nations.” ‑ Acts begins in Jerusalem, then Samaria and beyond (Acts 1:8); 5:25 is one early ripple in that widening circle. Lessons for Today • The Great Commission is not theory; Acts 5 shows it lived out under pressure. • Teaching God’s Word publicly and faithfully remains central to disciple-making. • Opposition does not cancel the mission; divine presence overcomes human restraints (Philippians 1:12-14). • Every act of obedient witness—whether in a temple court, workplace, or home—joins the unbroken line between Matthew 28 and Acts 5. |
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