Hallelujah! Glory to God! The Lord God Almighty has been good to us throughout the past week, as He had been good to us in all the days of our life. He has never failed us nor forsaken us even for a moment in our life rather He stayed close to us as He promised His continuous presence with us (Deuteronomy 31:8; Hebrews 13:5-6). Of course, the world we live in is filled with lots of struggles and conflicts but His unfailing support and strength sustained us up until this moment and He will continue to sustain us until the end of our days on earth. God cares for each and every one of us – no matter who we are. He is a compassionate, loving, and merciful God (Deuteronomy 4:31; Psalm 103:8; 1 John 4:16). The world without God is broken, defective, and filled with wickedness (Genesis 6:5-8; Deuteronomy 12:8; Judges 17:6; 21:25). The present world is broken and filled with antagonism, and we, being sinful, are incapable of fixing such brokenness. However, the Lord God, the Creator and the Sustainer of everything in this universe, is able to fix our brokenness if we let Him to fix our brokenness. The brokenness in people causes enmity, and the enmity leads them to hate each other or steal away privileges/ideas from one another, or take away belongings from one another, or anything as such. However, if we submit and surrender our lives to the Lord, He will help us overcome such hostile situations. Even when we think that there is no hope for us or there is none to help us, if we trust in the Lord, He will miraculously bring help for us where it is most needed. Though there are many examples to mention from the Scripture regarding this, two of the biggest examples of God’s care are mentioned below for our reference:

1. 1. 1. The first example is of Joseph son of Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham. Joseph was one of the two favorite sons Jacob had (the other was Benjamin). He was sent by his father Jacob to check on the welfare of his brothers who were tending their father’s flock in a far-away pasture-land (Genesis 37:12-14). Joseph found his brothers at Dothan, beyond the territory of Shechem, tending their father’s flock. When his brothers saw him coming to them, they plotted to kill him for the reason their father loved him more than any of them and made for him a unique ornate robe (Genesis 37:1-11 [kv. 3-4,11]). However, Ruben, the oldest brother of them all, stopped them from killing Joseph but they stripped him of the ornate robe he was wearing and threw him into an empty cistern nearby. They might have left him alone in that waterless cistern to die. The miracle which happened in Joseph’s life was that unexpectedly God sent a caravan of Ishmaelites (Midianite merchants) who came from Gilead at that particular point in time at that particular route (Genesis 37:25-28). When Judah, the fourth oldest brother, saw the Ishmaelites passing by, he persuaded his brothers to sell Joseph to them instead of him dying in the empty cistern. Thus, the brothers pulled Joseph out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites who in turn sold him to the Egyptians, particularly, to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard (Genesis 37:26-28). We know the remaining incidents that took place in Joseph’s life as well as in his brothers’ life (Genesis 37:1-50:26).
      2. The second example is taken from the parable that Jesus shared with an expert in the law. This is about the Samaritan man who helped a Jewish traveler who was attacked and robbed by a group of robbers on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho (Luke 10:25-37). Though the robbers attacked him, stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead, though a priest and a Levite who traveled the same route saw the person helplessly lying on the road but did not extend their hands to help him, though there was none else at that point of time at that particular place to help the helpless and half-dead man, the Lord miraculously sent an unexpected person (refer to: Matthew 10:28-31; Romans 8:28) who is of lower status/class to help the helpless person of the higher status/class (in those days, the Jewish people never used to associate with the Samaritan people because the Samaritans were considered lower status by the Jews). When the Samaritan saw the helpless and half dead person lying on the road at that solitary place, he did not leave him alone to die, instead (as the Scripture states) he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him (Luke 10:33-35). Ultimately, the traveler, who was attacked, robbed, and left alone to die on the road by the robbers, was found miraculously and saved by an agent of God – a Samaritan man. When you and I end up in similar situation and the people who are supposed to help us do not show up to help us, God will show up to help us, either by sending an angel from heaven or raising up an agent from here on earth to help us. The writer of Psalm 121 who put his trust in the Lord stated that: … where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2 [read the entire Psalm 121 to get a clear picture]). Yes, our help comes from the Lord who created us in his own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 121:2). It doesn’t matter who will help us or how we will be helped or from where help will come for us, one thing is true that help will come from God’s side for sure.

This is the kind of situations the early church, including the apostles and disciples, faced in their life immediately after the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven. According to the promise of Christ regarding the coming of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, 26; Acts 1:8), the Holy Spirit came down on the Day of Pentecost upon all Christ’s followers who gathered and waited in the upper room where they were staying (Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-4), the church being established (Matthew 16:18-19; Acts 2:14-47), and, as the followers of Christ began to increase, quarrel and disagreements arose within between the believers (Acts 6:1-7), and persecution began to break out against them from every side/region (Acts 6:8-12; 8:1; 12:1-5), but the Lord promised His protection upon His people even in the midst of severe persecution (Psalm 46:1-3; 121:3-8; Isiah 41:10; John 16:33; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

The Acts of the Apostles describes several aspects in connection with the ministry the followers of Jesus were called to, some of them are: (i) the commissioning of Jesus’ disciples to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth; (ii) the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven (Acts 1:9-11); (iii) the coming down of the Holy Spirit to earth (Acts 1:8a; 2:1-4); (iv) the establishment and expansion of the New Testament Church (Acts 2:14ff), (v) the persecution the followers of Jesus Christ went through (Acts 6:8-12; 8:1).

Regarding the persecution against the followers of Jesus Christ: they faced persecution from all around ever since the church was established on earth. In fact, the persecution was initially ignited by the Jews, particularly by the Jewish leaders like the elders, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the other members of the Sanhedrin (Mark 8:31; Acts 4:5ff; 5:17-18; 6:8-12; 8:1). Most of the people who opposed John the Baptist and Jesus during their ministry on earth belonged to the Jewish community, especially the Jewish religious leaders. Righteous people throughout history (both the OT and NT times) faced persecution in one way or other, especially the followers of Jesus Christ. The passage we chose for this week’s Scripture for the Week meditation (Acts 5:12-32) relates to God’s miraculous deliverance in times of trouble at any given life-situation to anyone who trusts and relies on Him. As the first-hand receivers of the Great Commission to continue God’s mission after Jesus’ ascension to heaven (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8), the apostles and the disciples preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God with great passion and enthusiasm to everyone they come across. As a result, many were added to their group and with the help of the Holy Spirit the Church was established on earth. The apostles, with the help of the Holy Spirit, were mainly focused on expanding the church near and far within the Jewish territories as well as to the Gentile world by empowering the existing believers and strengthening the new believers. When everything related to God’s mission on earth was going on well, the enemy started working against it and persecution broke out against Christ’s followers. The followers of Christ felt helpless because their persecutors were more powerful and influential than the believers in the newly started church. Almost everyone – the religiously influential Jews, politically powerful Romans, culturally dominant Greeks, and almost everyone who was not a follower of Christ was on the side of their enemies. Humanly thinking, at that point in time, there was no one to help/support them except God. As we have stated earlier, the persecution against Christ’s followers was initially enkindled by the Jews and all the other dominant groups either joined them or followed the pattern in persecuting the followers of Christ, and this persecution spread like wildfire.

As the apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people and more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number, the high priest, his associates, and the other members in the Sanhedrin opposed the apostles (Acts 5:17) and arrested them and put them in public jail for trial (Acts 5:18). Although, the apostles were thrown into the jail because of the gospel, they were not afraid because they knew beforehand about the persecution that was coming their way for Jesus already foretold them while He was with them: 

17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you … 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another (Matthew 10:17-22)

In the context of our passage (Acts 5:12-32), we have seen that the apostles were arrested and placed in jail for questioning (Acts 5:18), but God did something extraordinary which neither the high priest or his associates or even the apostles knew could have predicted. As we have discussed in an\\the earlier part our meditation regarding God sending His angel or agent to help people who are in trouble (especially in the case of Joseph son of Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham and the Jewish traveler from Jerusalem to Jericho), the Lord sent an angel to the securely locked jail with the guards standing at the doors and delivered the apostles. After delivering the apostles, the angel of the Lord told them: Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life (Acts 5:19-20). The apostles did exactly what the angel of the Lord commanded them, as it is mentioned in the book of Acts: At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people (Acts 5:21). Again, the captain of the temple guard went with his officers and the apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest, who warned the apostles sternly not to teach/preach in this name (Acts 5:25-28); which means, the high priest along with the other members of the Sanhedrin (the full assembly of the elders of Israel) gave strict orders to the apostles not to teach/preach in the name of Jesus Christ. However, Peter and the other apostles neither feared them nor kept their orders, rather they responded to the high priest and the full assembly of the elders of Israel that they must obey God rather than human beings (Acts 5:29). Similarly, in one an earlier occasion, Peter and John responded to the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees (when they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus) saying … Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:18-20). The apostles who were strengthened by the Holy Spirit made it clear why they must obey God rather human beings: (i) they witnessed the death of Jesus (John 5:30; 1 John 1:1-4); (ii) they witnessed the resurrection of Jesus (John 5:30); (iii) they witnessed the ascension of Jesus to heaven (Acts 1:9); (iv) they believed that Jesus is exalted above all else  (John 5:31a); (v) they believed that Jesus is currently seated at the right hand of the Sovereign Lord God as Prince and Savior of mankind (John 5:31b); (vi) they believed that Jesus will bring Israel and the rest of the humanity to repentance and forgive their sins (John 5:31c); as the writer of the book of Acts stated:

30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him (Acts 5:30-32)

The apostles knew very well who the Lord God Almighty is and obeying Him was more important than obeying any human being – in fact, Jesus revealed God the Father to His disciples (John 8:28-29; 17:25-26; Hebrews 1:3). Perhaps each of the apostles had specific experiences in their relationship with Jesus in addition to those together as a group as Jesus revealed to them that He and the Father are one (John 10:30; 14:6; 17:21). Jesus taught His disciples to obey and fear God rather than human beings: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). One of the Old Testament prophets, Samuel, also urged the Israelites to obey God; saying, it will go well with those who obey God’s commands more than bringing a sacrifice before Him: To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams (1Samuel 15:22). Obeying God’s righteous laws and decrees must be the first priority of a godly/righteous person. The disciples also believed that it is better to obey God and serve Him alone rather than obeying the rules and regulations and traditions set up by man based on their selfish ambitions. Jesus said: If you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15); and, If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love (John 15:10). The apostles were called to obey and do the will of the One who called them for they knew very well who Jesus was, is, and will be. Apostle John wrote:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it … 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1-5, 14)

Again, Apostle John wrote in the first Epistle of John that they were all well connected with Jesus during His earthly ministry:

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete (1 John 1:1-4)

The world that persecuted the apostles and the believers thereafter, also persecuted the Creator God who incarnated in the form of a human being (John 1:1-3, 14), as Jesus stated: A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also (John 15:20). In fact, persecution drew the apostles closer to the Lord than ever before and they trusted Him all the more. Throughout the ages, almost everyone who trusted God earnestly was persecuted in one way or other due of their faith in God. For instance, during the Old Testament time, the prophets and other God’s saints were persecuted (Jeremiah 37:14-15; Matthew 23:37; Acts 7:52); and in the New Testament time the early Church members who put their faith in Jesus Christ were persecuted (Acts 6:8-12; 8:1; 12:1-5). Apostle Paul stated that In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:12-13).

The apostles believed that suffering for the cause of the gospel is a blessing. Although they were mistreated and flogged for teaching/preaching in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, they rejoiced in the Lord and praised God, as it is mentioned: The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (Acts 5:41). Jesus pronounced blessings upon everyone who bears ill-treatment and persecution because of their faith in Him or for the sake of the gospel of the Kingdom of God:

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:10-12)

Dear friends, the reason the world persecuted Jesus is because it did not know Him, and the world persecutes us today because we are His disciples and because the world neither knows Him nor the One who sent Him (1 John 3:1). As we have seen how the Lord Himself and His apostles and other disciples/followers rejoiced when they suffered for the sake of the gospel of the Kingdom of God, let us also rejoice when we face struggles and opposition in the ministry of God and in our personal walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Apostle Peter encouraged the early Christians, saying: If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name (1 Peter 4:16). Apostle Paul said: I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). Everyone who overcomes the barriers of persecution and carries out the ministry they were called to will be victorious in the end. Apostle John received the message from the resurrected Lord while he was exiled on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 1:9), and the message said:

3 Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away … 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children (Revelation 21:3-7)

Prophet Isaiah also prophesied that the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces: The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken (Isaiah 25:8). In the light of such absolute promises, as the faithful followers of Christ, let us bear His name in our lives and through all life-situations. Let us try our best to live as a Christian and die as a Christian for our reward in heaven is great as Jesus promised (Matthew 19:27-29). May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!