Hope in Persecution - Acts 5:41-42
"The man's name was Don and he kept an unusually immaculate work bench. However, one winter he found out one of his drawers was in total disarray. There was junk all in one of his drawers. He got his little four year old who was kind of mischievous little kid and he shouted out his name, Bobby! Bobby came running in, he said, did you do this? And Bobby goes, yes sir. And he apologized."
Family Discussions:
- For what crimes were Peter and the apostles being punished in that day?
- What was their response to being flogged?
- Why is it important to rejoice in suffering?
- Can you give personal examples of suffering for your beliefs?
Transcription:
00:14 You know, it's amazing. Uh, when you read the history books. In fact you can't even find it in the new history books. But in the old history books, I mean really old history books of America to read the suffering of the guys and the women who built the United States of America and what they suffered for the name of Christ. I mean, what they suffered just because they believed in Jesus so much and they wanted his name to be proclaimed in this country forever and what they went through to get us where we are today. Well, it's even more exciting to look back at the early Christians and to see how much they suffered to take the name of Christ to the world. If it wouldn't have been for their suffering and their sacrifice, you and I wouldn't even know the name of Christ today. So here we are in that suffering.
01:00 We're in Acts chapter five and the courage of these men and these women is amazing in the early church. We're in verse 41. The apostles had been proclaiming the name of Jesus. They were warned. They continue to proclaim his name. So they were flogged. They were beaten with whips and it says in 41, "So they went on their way from the presence of the council rejoicing that they had been considered worthy of their suffering, their shame for his name, and every day in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching that Jesus was the Christ." I heard a, uh, a really cute story one time. Uh, and just such a tender story of somebody who suffered unjustly. The man's name was Don and he kept an unusually immaculate work bench. However, uh, one winter we've, when we found out one of his drawers was in total disarray.
02:01 The, there was junk all in one of his drawers. Uh, he got his little four year old who was kind of mischievous little kid and any, he shouted out his name, Bobby! Bobby came running in, he said, did you do this? And Bobby goes, yes sir. And he apologized. His daddy dawned with fumed and the father and the son clean the drawer together. The next day he found the same drawer in the same disarray. Bobby, he shouted again once again, the little kid came running with big scared eyes and once again they cleaned the drawer. On the third day, when the mess appeared again, little Bobby got a spanking. After Don had sent his son to his room and when went back out to the garage to rearrange the drawer. You can only imagine how he felt when he looked closely at the shreds of paper and the bits of string and the piece of grass, the strands of hair, and he discovered that they'd not been put there by son.
03:02 after all. For right in the center of that tangled hodgepodge was a nest of cute little mice. Don shook his head and begin the long trek to Bobby's room where he knew for the next hour he would sit on the edge of the bed drying tears and trying to explain the injustices of life to a four year old who had suffered quietly. You admire those who came before us, don't ya? you know, Acts is full of Christian persecution. For what crimes were Peter and the apostles being punished in that day? And, uh, what was their response to being flogged? And here's a third question. Why is it important to rejoice in suffering? And, um, even though you probably hadn't been beaten for being a Christian, can you give personal examples of suffering for your beliefs? And here's the thought for the day. Uh, you know, speaking the truth often brings persecution in today's world as a family, determine that you will always be true to God's word regardless of the potential persecution that may come upon you.