Acts 5:17-42 (GW)
17 The chief priest and the whole party of the Sadducees who were with him were extremely jealous. So they took action
18 by arresting the apostles and putting them in the city jail.
19 But at night an angel from the Lord opened the doors to their cell and led them out of the prison.
20 The angel told them, “Stand in the temple courtyard, and tell the people everything about life {in Christ}.”
As we begin Lent, imagine receiving a beating as a warning to stop talking about Jesus. Would you quit? Would you go underground, secretly sharing His salvation with others? Or would you do as the disciples did: rejoice that you were considered worthy to suffer shame for Jesus’ sake and then go right back to your public ministry? Yesterday, I talked about passionate obedience. The Lord’s disciples experienced submission. These men were not compelled by fear or the hope of reward—they faced shame, physical pain, and death because they loved Christ too much to stay quiet!
People who receive salvation and then sit back, content that their name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life, have missed the point of discipleship. Salvation is not just for our benefit; the Lord’s grace also positions us to be used for His glory. He intends to live through us, expressing His life-changing principles so that we can impact others. The only hindrance is the restriction we set on ourselves.
Life might seem easier if we choose when to obey God, but we’ll never be satisfied. Instead, we will always wonder why the Lord does not use us more or bless us better. Passionate obedience begins with commitment. Our dedication may at first be based on the promised reward, which is acceptable because blessing is part of obedience. But as we mature and experience increasingly difficult challenges to our submission, our devotion also grows until we, too, can rejoice when we suffer for His name. Don’t be afraid to suffer for Christ? If doing the right thing brings a good conscience before God, it is worth it. In more ways than you can imagine.
Michael