This week in New Testament we talked about Peter and some of the other apostles that were being persecuted for preaching about Jesus Christ. In Acts 5 they were actually beaten and told to stop preaching about Jesus Christ. There response was shocking to me:
Acts 5:41
And they departed from the presence of the council, REJOICING that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
I thought about the many times that I have been called out or suffered in the name of Jesus Christ. Although I have never suffered as Peter or those who were with them I have suffered in some ways. In each case I have never responded in the way these men did. Many missionaries may be in similar situations as they are persecuted for spreading the gospel. Would they ever think how blessed they actually are to be able to suffer shame for his name. The more I think about this the more I realize how correct they were to rejoice.
Would you rather be the apostles who have the light and knowledge of Jesus Christ and were chosen by him to spread the gospel or would you rather be the person who has no knowledge and therefore persecutes those who do? I think I along with many other would rather be beaten then have the knowledge of the gospel taken away from me. Even writing this statement I feel like it is very strong, but that is how the people of there day had to be and I feel like it is the same way we as disciples of Christ must also be.
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