April 22nd 2026 Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON ACTS 

THE WORD COULD NOT BE SILENCED

Acts 5:14 “. . . more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” 

Remember in the previous chapters how the Jewish leaders attempted to silence the Apostles from proclaiming the Good News about Jesus. Remember how they attempted to threaten them with imprisonment if they continued to perform miracles. Remember how finally the Jewish leaders realized that they could not silence the Apostles. Remember Isaiah’s prophecy in the Old Testament, “. . . My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)  

Today’s devotional verses document that the word of God through Isaiah was being fulfilled, “. . . more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” The Holy Spirit was at work through the Apostle’s preaching and teaching. Lives were being changed spiritually and physically as “The Apostle’s performed many signs and wonders among the people.” (verse 12)    

The way the believers cared for one another, their response to the preaching of the Apostle’s, their faith in Jesus in the face of the opposition of the Jewish leaders had a tremendous positive impact upon so many so that they “ . . . brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” (verses 15-16)  

Today there are literally billions who confess Jesus as Lord. There are tens of thousands of Christian denominations. No one has been able to estimate the number of Christian congregations in the world. In the United States there are at least 370,000 congregations. The Holy Spirit continues to do His work through God’s holy Word and the Sacraments to bring people to faith in Jesus, receive pardon for their sins, and live with assurance of everlasting life in heaven.   

Prayer: Lord, bless me and my fellow believers in Jesus that we boldly spread the gospel so those who do not know or believe in Jesus will hear who He is and what He has done for them for the forgiveness of their sins, eternal life, and salvation. In His holy name. Amen. 

Almighty God, Your Word is cast 
Like seed into the ground;  
Now let the dew of heav’n descend  
And righteous fruits abound. 

Let not the sly satanic foe  
This holy seed remove,  
But give it root in ev’ry heart  
To bring forth fruits of love. 

Let not the world’s deceitful cares  
The rising plant destroy,  
But let it yield a hundred fold  
The fruits of peace and joy. 

So when the precious seed is sown,  
Life-giving grace bestow  
That all whose souls the truth receive    
Its saving pow’r may know.  

Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast // LSB 577

Public Domain // Used by Permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000198