…the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, "Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!"
Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. So one came and told them, saying, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!" Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!" But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:21-29

A long text and a short devotional thought.

No matter how those who opposed Christ and the gospel, God made a way for the “words of life” to be proclaimed. So what did the Lord’s enemies do? They again insisted that the Apostles were not to speak.
They rightly observed that Jerusalem was buzzing about the “words of life.” They could see that they were losing the battle.
They also correctly understood that they were being identified as being “the bad guys” responsible for Christ’s death—at least humanly speaking. And humanly speaking, they were!
The apostles’ reply? "We ought to obey God rather than men.” Clear and simple. The enemies of Christ employ threats and force. The Church fights only with the truth of the gospel.

May Christ’s Church never lose sight of these truths.