Day after day, . . . [the apostles] never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. Acts 5:42
In an interview, a musician who’s a believer in Christ recalls a time he was urged to “stop talking about Jesus” so much. Why? It was suggested that his band could be more famous and raise more money to feed the poor if he stopped saying his work was all about Jesus. After thinking it through, he decided, “The entire point of my music is to share my faith in Christ. . . . No way [am I] going to be silent.” He said his “burning calling [is] to share the message of Jesus.”
Under much more threatening circumstances, the apostles received a similar message. They’d been jailed and miraculously delivered by an angel, who told them to continue telling others about their new life in Christ (Acts 5:19–20). When the religious leaders learned of the apostles’ escape and that they were still proclaiming the gospel, they reprimanded them: “We gave you strict orders not to teach in [Jesus’] name” (v. 28).
Their reply: “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (v. 29). As a result, the leaders flogged the apostles and “ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus” (v. 40). The apostles rejoiced that they were worthy of suffering for Jesus’ name, and “day after day . . . never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news” (v. 42). May God help us to keep following their example!
The Apostles Persecuted
17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”
21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles.
25 Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” 26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!
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.
INSIGHT
- If you’ve ever been told to stop talking about Jesus, what was your response?
- What are some ways you can tell others about Him?
The Sadducees (Acts 5:17) were among the first-century religious sects who were unfriendly to Jesus (see Matthew 16:1–12; 22:23–29). After His death and resurrection, His apostles also experienced resistance from them. They were a party of priestly aristocrats, whom some believed traced their priestly roots to Zadok the priest who was loyal to kings David and Solomon (see 2 Samuel 15; 1 Kings 1). They believed that the Torah (the Law) was the chief authority and held that the doctrine of resurrection couldn’t be defended from the Law.
PRAYER
Dear God, thank You for the example of the apostles and others who were bold witnesses for You. Please give me courage to follow their lead. In Your name, I pray. Amen!!
Read: Acts 5:17-21, 25-29, 41-42 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: Numbers 12-14; Mark 5:21-43
