The Next Morning … a story of perseverance in suffering

Have you ever been in a car accident? Think about the next morning. If you are like me, your whole body hurts. Your muscles ache. If you were cut, simply to move aggravates those cuts. The next morning is tough. Trying to get over an accident is similar to recovering from a surgery. The day after the surgery, you wonder what all the surgical team did, what they moved or stretched, and how in the world everything hurts so badly. The next morning, you hurt. Let me shift your thinking just a bit. What about after being beat up? The next morning is rough. But, as you will see below, the next morning we want to focus on today is a story of perseverance in suffering.

 

The Setting

Luke describes an incredible scene of joy, gratitude, and happiness in Acts 5. People were getting healed, helped, and were receiving Gospel hope. In fact, people were coming from all over Jerusalem and the surrounding cities to see and hear the apostles. God’s power was upon these men as they shared God’s mercy physically, emotionally, and spiritually with the people.

But not everyone was happy. In fact, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and members of the ruling class of Jews in the Sanhedrin were angry. They hated what was going on with the apostles and this new church. Even worse was the fact that the new church was meeting daily in and around the temple in Solomon’s Porch. The more good deeds the apostles accomplished, the angrier the religious leaders became. So, they collected the apostles and threw them into prison (Acts 5:12-18).

God’s Intervention in Prison

As it was getting toward the end of the day, they were thrown into prison to be dealt with the next day by the Sanhedrin. However, God had different plans for them. In the night, an angel of the Lord came down and let them out of prison. Now it was late when the angel released them. Luke does not explain how the angel did it completely; in fact, it looks like it was done in a supernatural way. They were able to leave without the prison guards knowing anything about it.

The angel gave the apostles some instructions for the next day. “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20).

The Next Morning

You guessed it. Having spent much of the night in the prison and gotten little rest, Luke describes what happens next.

“And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught” (Acts 5:21).

They got up and went right back to the temple to teach.

What happened next is of no surprise to you probably. While the apostles were teaching, the Sanhedrin was ready to bring them before them. They send the guard to the prison to get them when they realize that they are gone. Here it is as Luke tells it:

But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. (Acts 5:21-24)

The apostles are gone! At this point, they are all wondering what happened. As they sit in amazement and confusion, another person walks in with this report:

“Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” (Acts 5:25)

In other words, “Hey leaders, you do not have to look long, hard, or far, the guys are back teaching in the temple again!”

The Story Continues

The guards went and brought them to the Sanhedrin immediately. They asked why they continued to tell the message of Jesus to all the people. Peter defended their practice reminding the leaders that the apostles and this new church were going to obey God, not man. As you can imagine, these leaders became indignant. They wanted to kill them all immediately.

But God. In God’s providence, Gamaliel steps up and asks for the apostles to be sent out. While they were out, he reasoned with the rest and convinced them not to kill the apostles. He told them that unless God was actually behind this movement of Jesus followers, this movement would die off in time. They just all needed to be patient.

Therefore, the Sanhedrin calls for the apostles to come back before them. Back to Luke’s story…

And [the Sanhedrin] agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. (Acts 5:40)

Did you catch those two details? First, they beat them. Second, they told them to not speak of Jesus anymore. Then, they let them go.

So what happens next, should not surprise you.

The Next Morning … perseverance in suffering

Going on little sleep and now having been beaten, what do our apostles do?

Luke again:

So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (Acts 5:41-42)

Their response was just as before. They rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus, and the next morning and every day both in the temple and from house to house they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

The next morning they simply continued with perseverance even in suffering.

What about you and me?

Crazy, isn’t it? I can’t even imagine. These men continued in perseverance and endurance even after being beaten up and being told again to not tell anyone else about Jesus. Yet, they continued.

Sore. Maybe broken ribs. We do not know the extent of the beating. Yet, they continued.

For sure, I do not face this kind of pushback today in my life. If I share Jesus with anyone, I will not be beaten, thrown in prison, or anything like this. However, I may face some kind of embarrassment. Possibly someone will ridicule me. Maybe even someone will laugh at me for “believing this stuff.” But prison, no sir. Yet, will my story be, “He continued”?

What about you? What will you do today in face of whatever inconvenience you have in sharing the Gospel?

Yet, will your story be, “He or she continued”?