I was reading the book of Acts last night and something in chapter 5 just really stood out to me. The apostles are performing miracles and then preaching to the crowds. They were arrested because of this and during the night an angel of the Lord comes and frees them from jail so they can continue to “tell the people the full message of this new life.”
When the priest and associates (people who put the apostles in jail in the first place) arrive back in the morning and go to check on their prisoners they realize they are nowhere to be found even though their holding cell is still securely locked with guards standing outside.
They are furious with the apostles and demand once again they stop teaching. The apostles stand firm saying, “We must obey God rather than men!”
Still furious, they wanted to put the apostles to death. However a Pharisee named Gamaliel has the sense to question whether this is the right thing to do. He gives the example of Theudas and how the overall plan to kill him had basically backfired. He then continues to say, “Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
In my head I’m picturing this whole situation going down and when I look back over it I’m pretty sure I actually started laughing. But I haven’t even gotten to my favorite part yet!!!
So, they decide Gamaliel’s argument has a considerable amount of merit. They aren’t going to kill the apostles! They are going to let them off with only a flogging! Rejoice!!!
Acts 5:40 says, “His speech persuaded them. 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.”
*chuckle* My thought: After all this! I desperately want to know who they think they are kidding?!?! “ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus” Right, because that worked so well the first…and second time!
And my own notes and comments from reading this section reads like this, “Sometimes being flogged is a blessing.” There’s some more irony and perspective for you.
And still!!! Acts 5:41 “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” Now, I picture this scene basically consisting of a group of apostles walking away bleeding and giving each other high-fives because they recognize they are bleeding for Jesus. It’s quite the awesome mental image.
OK, I’m almost done. I promise. But this is the best part! Brace yourselves:
Acts 5:42 “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 Christ.”
Clearly, as I mentioned before, the words they had been given after their flogging, demanding them to stop preaching (AGAIN) did a lot of good. Oh wait! Actually, it doesn’t seem to have done anything to stop the apostles from telling people about Jesus. Ooops!
Point (or two) for Jesus =-)
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