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Good morning, boys and girls. Have you ever tried to do something that you know isn't going to work before you even try it? (let them answer) If I asked you to jump up and sit on my shoulders while I was standing here, how many of you think you could do it? (if someone wants to try, let him/her try) See, I knew it wasn't going to happen even if you tried.

Or let me show you this. Suppose I asked you to drive this bent nail into this board, do you think you could do it? (let someone try if they want to try) It is almost impossible to drive a bent nail into a board. You have the same chance of driving that nail that you do trying to make fire with wet matches. Wet matches will not work. You must wait until they dry and that will take some time. It just doesn't work. If you really want to try something that will not work, try to blow up this balloon with a hole in it. (let someone try to blow up the balloon) There are some things that just don't work and we don't even try.

The reason I tell you this is that was the advice that Gamaliel, a very brilliant person and leader of the Jews, told many of his friends when they discussed Jesus and his followers. The friends of Gamaliel wanted to kill the followers of Jesus. They wanted to hang, stab, stone, and crucify people like Peter and John and the other disciples. They wanted to get rid of them because people were excited about their teaching of Jesus. It was like Jesus was there even after they crucified and buried him. They did not want to believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead and returned to heaven with the Father. They didn't want to believe that the Holy Spirit was working in the lives of Peter and John. But Gamaliel saw what was happening, and he knew a little about the way God worked.

Here is what he told them. Gamaliel said if the things that Peter and John were doing were not from God they would last about as long as a bent nail, or wet matches, or a balloon with a hole in it. If it were some trick or fancy talk, it would die quickly and fade away.

But Gamaliel said, "If it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them - in that case you may even be found fighting against God!" Does anyone want to fight God?

Would you like to be in a fight with God? (let them answer) I didn't think so. Fighting God is more like hammering a bent nail, trying to strike a wet match, or blowing up a balloon with a hole in it than anything I know.

The people listened to Gamaliel and turned the disciples loose. Peter and John and all of the disciples went out and taught the love of Jesus, and thousands of people became followers of Jesus, just like the disciples were.