Standing Firm

Via

 Yesterday I was reading Acts 5 and was very encouraged by the actions of the apostles in this chapter of Acts. To give you some background, Acts documents the start of the church after Christ's death and resurrection. The apostles were sharing the truth about this miracle and what it means for believers, and the number of believers were growing by the thousands all the time. Acts includes many miraculous events and encouraging reformations (including Saul's conversion to Paul...who wrote most of the New Testament!). In chapter 5, the apostles are sharing the Gospel in the temple courts and the Sanhedrin (sort of the legal body of elders in Israel) were outraged. They did not want this movement of Christianity to continue growing because it undermined their authority and implied that they were responsible for the death of the Christ. They essentially call the apostles in for a trial and demand that they stop spreading this teaching in Israel.

Let's think about this from our perspective. This would be like if practicing Christianity were illegal in the United States (as it actually is in several countries of the world!). It would be like us being hauled into jail and going to court over talking to someone about Jesus. It would be like me being arrested for even writing this post and sharing it online. How would you react? How would I react? It's easy to just assume that I would stand firm in my faith, but when faced with the consequences of that decision, I'm just not sure it would be that easy.

How did the apostle respond? First they said, “We must obey God rather than human beings! ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. ³¹ God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. ³² We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” (Acts 5: 29-32)
  
So, they basically said, you're not the boss of me--God is! (so I'm going to do what he says, not you!) Which, by the way, he raised from the grave the man that YOU killed. (a reminder that God is more powerful than they are). God made Jesus a savior to allow all of us forgiveness of our sins (stating the Gospel), and we witnessed this (this is how we KNOW it's true) and so did the Holy Spirit, which God gave to us (we have HIS power living IN us!). 

Wow! Talk about sticking it to the man!! Can you imagine confronting authority like this? But it wasn't just defiant, it rang with truth. They emphasized the reasons why they were going to defy the law and emphasized the importance of their message. They could have stopped at the first line, but they went on to explain how God raised Jesus as a Savior for Israel. They literally shared the Gospel with the Sanhedrin--the very reason they were brought to trial! Talk about taking a risk! 

What was the result? "They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.⁴¹ The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. ⁴² Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah." (Acts 5: 40-42)

Well, they were beaten. I mean, not just a slap on the wrist...flogged. That's severely whipped and beaten. And then were told not to speak of Jesus again. Eek! Again, how would you or I react? It would be so easy to feel confused or abandoned. Why would God allow me to be punished for doing the right thing? But here's the thing--this world is broken and lost. It hates God. That's just a fact. And if we're not being persecuted, if we're not being met with opposition, if there aren't at least some awkward/uncomfortable/painful consequences for sharing His love with a fallen world, then we probably aren't doing enough. The apostles rejoiced in being considered worthy enough to suffer for Jesus! Can you imagine? But if you really think about it, that beating was a sign they were on the right track. It didn't stop them; it fueled them! They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah! 

How encouraging is that?? 

God, I pray that you would show me opportunities to share your love and truth with this broken world. I pray that you would give me courage and faith in the face of opposition, no matter the consequences. When I face a set-back or negative reactions, I pray for JOY in knowing that I am obeying and serving the one true God who is loving, powerful, forgiving, and just! I don't want to share the Gospel or worship you only when it's convenient, polite, or politically correct. I want to worship you ALWAYS and in EVERYTHING! Holy Spirit, you witnessed God's great miracle. You were THERE. Fuel me with the faith of someone who witnessed that miracle for themselves. Give me the determination to stand firm in that knowledge and that unwavering faith. 

Amen.