by Pastor Rich Carlson

Acts chapter 5 includes a lot of interesting twists and turns. For example: 
1.      The apostles performed many miraculous sings and wonders.
2.      They were highly regarded people were afraid to join them.
3.      People hoped the apostles' shadow might fall on the sick.     
4.      All of these people were healed!
5.      The religious leaders got jealous and put the apostles in jail.
6.      An angel opened the jail doors and freed the apostles.
7.      The angel instructed them to tell the "full message."
8.      At day break the apostles did as they were instructed.
9.      The leaders found the jail doors locked and the cell empty. 

I was stopped by the phrase "full message," which they were instructed to teach. I looked back at what the apostles had been preaching before and how their new message differed. The difference I found was a change from blame to hope; from condemnation to confidence; from focusing on the execution of Jesus to focusing on the Savior. They still reminded the Jews that they were the ones responsible for crucifying Jesus, but they went on in their full message to the good news that Jesus—who was killed, was raised, and was exalted by God as Prince and Savior—had made repentance and forgiveness available to Israel.  

The full message moved on from negative to positive. The apostles began stressing the results of Jesus' death and what good news that is to all who accept it. It is interesting that even the apostles got hung up on negativism for a while, but they ultimately learned to move on to a full message. Yes, bad happened, but good came from it for them and for us. I want to accept the full message and to offer it to others.  

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. "God is Faithful" is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.