SCRIPTURE:
40 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. 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 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.
Acts 5:40-42
OBSERVATION:
What causes you to rejoice? A pay raise? A positive diagnosis? A good grade or good news? There are many things in life that cause us to rejoice…and there should be! God has blessed us with so many good things, and we should rejoice in these things. But is suffering on your list of things you rejoice in? Because if not, you’re missing out.
When the apostles are brought before the Sanhedrin, the highest court in the land, for preaching the Gospel, they are persecuted, flogged, and beaten. They suffer for doing the work that God called them to do. And yet even so, their response is not to complain or call out injustice; it is to rejoice. Luke writes that “the apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” (Acts 5:41).
The apostles had rejoiced in their suffering because they saw suffering as a privilege, for in doing so, they experienced the very act of love Christ endured for them. They saw suffering for Christ as a worthy calling––something reserved for a small few. Suffering wasn’t a problem; it was a privilege.
And most importantly, rather than being discouraged by their suffering or allowing their suffering to cause them to quit, their suffering motivated them. “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” (Acts 5:42). Suffering didn’t cause them to stop; it fueled their faith to burn brighter, reach further, and preach more boldly than ever before.
APPLICATION:
When you suffer for Christ, do you rejoice or do you complain? Do you see it as a privilege or as a problem? Do you receive that worthy calling, or do you refute it for the sake of convenience or comfortability?
Suffering is difficult. It is painful. It requires sacrificing a part of yourself and enduring hardship, discomfort, and even heartbreak. But isn’t that what Christ did for you? When you suffer for Christ’s sake, you not only take part in His sufferings; you experience the great love that He has for you. When you endure the pain of suffering, you realize the great pain He endured for you. When you experience the heartbreak of suffering, you experience the heartbreak He experienced because of you. And when you sacrifice yourself out of love to continue suffering, you come to know the deep, fervent, unconditional love that Christ had, has, and will always have for you.
As Peter, one of these suffering disciples wrote in 1 Peter 4:13-14, “13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”
What causes you to rejoice? Good things––things you want to experience, the things that bring you comfort and joy, the prayers answered in the way you’ve hoped for––should cause you to rejoice. It’s not bad to rejoice in these things; it’s expected! However, if you only rejoice in these things, you’re missing out. You are missing out because God is so good that even He turns bad things into blessings. Rejoice when you suffer for Christ, because it is a worthy privilege reserved for a small few. Rejoice when you suffer for Christ because in doing so, you share in His glory. And rejoice when you suffer for Christ, for if you don’t, you’re missing out on one of the greatest opportunities to experience His great love for you.
PRAYER:
Jesus,
Thank You for suffering for me. I repent for causing you to suffer and for putting those nails in Your hands and feet. I ask for Your forgiveness, and I realize and receive Your great love for me. Thank You for the privilege and worthy calling of getting to suffer for You. When You call me to suffer for You, help me to suffer well. Give me vision to see things like You do, faith to not give up, and the heart to love You and love people well in spite of everything. I love You, Lord. Thank You for loving me.
In Your name I pray,
Amen
