Acts 5-7 covers stories of the rapid growth of the early church as well as the persecution that accompanied it. The apostles seem incredibly active and the text says that multitudes were believing in the gospel. At one point the apostles are again brought before the Jewish religious leaders and reprimanded for not stopping their spread of the gospel. The Jewish religious leaders aren't sure what to do with the apostles, but their most respected rabbi makes a profound statement in 5:38-39. He says that if this new movement is of man it will eventually fail like all the others before it. But if it is of God, we will never be able to stop it. So let's let these prisoners go and see what happens.
So a highly educated, respected, non-believer logically articulates one of the strongest rationales for faith in Christ. The gospel / Christianity did not eventually fail or putter out. In fact it reshaped the entire world and is still going strong today.
May that realty motivate my faith today.
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