Acts 5:29-32   Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead — whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.  God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.  We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Can it really be that Easter was just a week ago? I know a lot has happened in my life the last seven days, and the same is probably true for you. Just last week we thundered the words I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES.  HE IS RISEN…HE IS RISEN INDEED. ALLELUIA! It something we know with our heads and believe with our hearts. But now what–does that make any difference? Does your life change as a result of that knowledge and faith?

It certainly did for the disciples of Jesus. They were transformed from timid followers into mighty messengers. And this is perhaps most evident in the life of Peter. In the passage above we find him taking a bold stand for his Savior through the power of the Holy Spirit. He had been imprisoned for preaching Christ crucified and risen again. An angel freed him and the other apostles, and the next morning they were right back there preaching again. It hardly seems possible that this is the same fellow who cursed and said “I don’t know the man!” on Good Friday. But there he is, preaching with a zeal and fervor that cannot be stopped. The Jewish authorities had Peter and John brought in again, and asked them why they persisted. Peter’s reply?  We must obey god rather than men.

This all sounds very noble, and indeed it can be. When we think of this verse, we usually remember Peter’s mighty stand for Christ. We think of Paul professing his faith before kings and also being jailed for it. We think of Luther and his “HERE I STAND, I CANNOT DO OTHERWISE.” There were many men of faith in England through the years who literally lost their heads for refusing to yield to the earthly king at the expense of obedience to the King of Kings. There are people still today being killed for refusing to deny Christ. These are indeed admirable examples of obeying God rather than men.

However, this passage is not limited to grand public displays. It should also be true for your everyday living. But it is difficult to do on a daily, individual level. Friends encourage you to do something you know is wrong or unethical, and you find it hard to say NO. Maybe someone told you a way to fill out your tax forms to hide some of your income from Uncle Sam. They say, “Everyone else is doing it.” Peer pressure is powerful, and all too often we give in to it.

And I thought of another way that you should look at this passage. When it says We must obey god rather than men, that means all men, including yourself. All too often you want to be your own master. “Nobody’s gonna tell me what to do.” The human mind has the amazing capability to justify that even though something is wrong for everyone else, it is acceptable if I do it. But if something is wrong, it is wrong, period! God has set the standards for us in His Word, and it is pretty clear. The problem is, we would rather obey ourselves than God.

As a result of this kind of rebellious behavior, when we stop to examine our lives, we feel guilty. We know that we have fallen short of the ideal, that we have not obeyed God, and we feel ashamed. It is at this point that the message of the cross and the empty tomb needs to be recalled. Our Father in heaven knew that we are sin-filled people, that we need a means of rescue, and sent Jesus to take care of us. The Sinless Lamb of God carried all of your sins to the cross, died with them there, and rose again that you might be assured of forgiveness and victory. HE IS RISEN.  BECAUSE HE LIVES, YOU WILL LIVE ALSO.

 So again I ask the question: He is risen indeed–now what?  A proper understanding of Easter, an understanding that flows from faith, means that you want to join Peter in affirming We must obey god rather than men. Knowing that Christ is Risen, that you are forgiven, redeemed and restored, leads you to conform your life to God’s desire for you.

What can you do in your day to day living that will show your willingness to live according to God’s Will? What can you do to show those around you that Easter does make a difference? As a believer, as a disciple of Jesus, you want to obey God in response to the free gift of forgiveness He has given. Knowing that Jesus rose from the dead in order that you might also rise to eternal life, makes you want to obey God, it makes you want to please Him. So how will you do that this week?