Acts 5: 22-26….They didn’t have to search .

But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Comment: Previously, immediately after Jesus’ death, the disciples hid from fear of the Jewish leaders. But not now, emboldened by their angelic release they went straight back onto their job of proclamation. The Jewish leaders heard of locked doors, and empty cells and then of open air preachers. Fearful, for the crowd were on the disciples side, they tried to have them secreted into their presence. Christmas as celebrated in the West is in a couple of days. The leaders problems in one sense all began with the baby who was born those 30 odd years before this event.

PS. We don’t actually know the date on which Mary gave birth to baby Jesus. But assuming the 25th to be as good a guess as any, the couple, with the wife by now very large and presumably uncomfortable will be arriving in Nazareth tomorrow. Tonight is the last night sleeping on the roadside! I wonder if she is having any of those nagging Braxton-Hicks contractions. Remember this is baby one and she is almost certainly only a teenager.

Prayer: We have so much to be thankful for Lord Jesus. Please accept our thanks and praise.