DESPISING THE SHAME (4 OF 8)
Scripture: Acts 5:27-42
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Despising the Shame (4 of 8)
Series: Acts: The Gospel Gone Viral
Jonathan McLeod
Acts 5:27-42
Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name (v. 41).
THANKFUL FOR SUFFERING?
One popular Thanksgiving tradition is to ask people what they're thankful for. You might do this before your Thanksgiving dinner. Each person around the table takes a turn saying what he or she is thankful for. We expect to hear people say they're thankful for blessings such as family, health, freedom, and salvation (if the person is a Christian). We probably don't expect to hear someone say they're thankful for suffering. But that's what the apostles did in Acts 5.
The apostles had been arrested for sharing the gospel with the people of Jerusalem. They were beaten and ordered not to talk about Jesus anymore. But they didn't stop talking about Jesus. And they didn't become discouraged. Instead, ''they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name [i.e., the name of Jesus]'' (v. 41). If you're rejoicing about something, you're thankful for it. Why were the apostles thankful for suffering dishonour for the name of Jesus?
[Read Acts 5:27-42.]
SUFFERING FOR JESUS
The apostles had suffered ''dishonor'' (i.e., disgrace, shame). Since the apostles had been beaten (v. 40), the public would have seen them as criminals (i.e., they suffered shame). Why were the apostles thankful for this? The apostles weren't thankful merely because they were suffering. They were thankful because they were suffering for Jesus. Jesus was the one who had told them, ''You will be my witnesses'' (Acts 1:8). The apostles were willing-even thankful!-to endure shame for ...
Series: Acts: The Gospel Gone Viral
Jonathan McLeod
Acts 5:27-42
Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name (v. 41).
THANKFUL FOR SUFFERING?
One popular Thanksgiving tradition is to ask people what they're thankful for. You might do this before your Thanksgiving dinner. Each person around the table takes a turn saying what he or she is thankful for. We expect to hear people say they're thankful for blessings such as family, health, freedom, and salvation (if the person is a Christian). We probably don't expect to hear someone say they're thankful for suffering. But that's what the apostles did in Acts 5.
The apostles had been arrested for sharing the gospel with the people of Jerusalem. They were beaten and ordered not to talk about Jesus anymore. But they didn't stop talking about Jesus. And they didn't become discouraged. Instead, ''they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name [i.e., the name of Jesus]'' (v. 41). If you're rejoicing about something, you're thankful for it. Why were the apostles thankful for suffering dishonour for the name of Jesus?
[Read Acts 5:27-42.]
SUFFERING FOR JESUS
The apostles had suffered ''dishonor'' (i.e., disgrace, shame). Since the apostles had been beaten (v. 40), the public would have seen them as criminals (i.e., they suffered shame). Why were the apostles thankful for this? The apostles weren't thankful merely because they were suffering. They were thankful because they were suffering for Jesus. Jesus was the one who had told them, ''You will be my witnesses'' (Acts 1:8). The apostles were willing-even thankful!-to endure shame for ...
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