In an incident recorded early in the book of Acts, followers of Jesus were arrested and put into prisons for preaching Christianity after a Jewish council had charged them not to. During that time some of the Jewish leaders formed a council again and called the Christian leaders to appear before them.
“We strictly charged you not to teach in this name,” the Jewish leaders said. “And yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching…”
The Apostle Peter responded to the council by saying, “We must obey God rather than men.” The council were enraged and they wanted to execute the Apostles. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and said:
Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.
So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!
The video below is a powerful visual depiction of the spread of Christianity, the most important movement in history.
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