Devotion Acts 5:40-42 Am I Truly A Soldier For Christ?

“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.”  I think that only the truly lovely Holy Spirit filled saint could have written V40.  It is first written “His speech persuaded them.”  It makes one want to jump up and shout “Hallelujah!” these religious leaders listened to reason and are going to release the Apostles!  The Apostles will be unharmed and okay.  Then the sentence is completed and these men continued on as brutes.  The released them, but first they flogged them.  Family, this flogging was not a slap, punch, or a kick.  This is the same type of punishment that Jesus received.  The basic meaning of the word used her is to “flay.”  To flay is to peel the skin off.  To whip or beat someone in such a way that their flesh is peeled from their skin.  Surely they were not peeled as profoundly as Jesus was, but these cold religious brutes (empty of the love of God, or for God) expressed their brand of kindness by ripping flesh and making blood flow from the Apostles.  When the Apostles were released they were definitely not unharmed, but they were okay.  Yes, their bodies were brutalized and they would bear the scars the rest of their lives but their hearts were happy, they felt great honor to suffer for the name of Jesus.  They knew that people associated them as belonging to Jesus and they could not be more joyous whatever they had to endure!  Body harmed, but better than okay.

“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”  They rejoiced that they had suffered for the name of the one they love.  And love, given by Jesus, nurtured by the Holy Spirit within, overflowing out of them to each other and to a lost world, was the only explanation for their joyous response.  It was the love of the Father that flowed through Jesus and motivated Him to step down from His heavenly throne to suffer and die for us.  It was the love of God for us that allowed it (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8).  Only those who belong to Jesus (with the Holy Spirit within), those who love God more than anyone or anything else that exists, can have go through such extreme hardships for the name of Jesus and praise God for the honor of it.  If anyone does not understand, then that person’s relationship must be re-examined by them self.

“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.”  The threats and the beatings did not stop the Apostles and the disciples.  They did not return to their former lives as the Sanhedrin had hoped, instead they continued on in the new lives that Jesus had given them.  Their old lives were gone and they lived only for their life in Christ.  They lived to do the works that God had prepared beforehand for them to do.  (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:8).  Family, as ugly as what happened to them is, let us really consider it.  How would we react?  Would we give up our faith if we were flogged?  Not beaten as we think of it, but peeled alive.  Maybe it would only take the threat of being flogged?  What else might cause us to shrink away and give up our walk with God?  What might cause us to abandon Christ (though He never abandons us)?  The Apostles were going to tell about Jesus regardless of the consequences.  Are we quiet because the government tells us to be?  Are we quiet because it is the company policy? Are we quiet for the sake of politeness of being politically correct?  Do we silence our tongues at the altar of prosperity?  The Apostles and early disciples could not be shut up.  Are we shut up today?  What shuts up you and me?  Family, may we bold for Jesus.  It is an eternal life and death battle for us and the world. Let us be loyal and loving children of God and brave and strong enough to hold onto the Truth of God and share it with all we can.  Whatever the consequences, may we express our love for God and each other by being bold in His will.  May we always, in all we say and do, praise and honor God (Colossians 3:17)!  Praise God!

Am I A Soldier Of The Cross

Sir Isaac Watts

Am I a soldier of the cross,

A follower of the Lamb,

And shall I fear to own His cause,

Must I be carried to the skies

On flowery beds of ease,

While others fought to win the prize,

And sailed through bloody seas?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;

Increase my courage, Lord!

I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,