The early church was doing well. However, last time (Acts 5:1-11) we saw the introduction and the punishment of hypocrisy as it entered the church for the first time. We saw that it was Satan’s way of trying to stop the growth of the church. Well Satan continues in tonight’s passage as we see him, once again, resorting to external methods to stop the church’s growth.
In tonight’s passage, the experience of Peter and John gives a clear picture of persecution. Let’s begin by looking at verses 12-16. READ. Wherever and whenever these things take place among believers, there will be persecution of one sort or another. Let’s look at some of the causes of persecution for a moment.
First, signs and wonders and miracles cause persecution. Note there were many miraculous signs, not just a few. That’s how God works among His people to demonstrate clearly and without question that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. It’s also how God shows that Jesus is alive and still actively at work on earth.
You see, the world doesn’t understand these miraculous signs and wonders. The world doesn’t understand how a life can be totally changed by the saving grace of Christ or how a miraculous healing of the body can take place. And what the world doesn’t understand, it rejects, abuses, and persecutes. Why?
- Because miracles show the ignorance and inability of man.
- Because miracles show that there is a Being higher than man—a God to whom man must surrender and obey.
- Because it reminds men of their great need.
Second, just unity among believers causes persecution. The world is afraid when they see believers coming together. The world is afraid of the impact we can have on them. They’re afraid of our doctrine, our worship, and the discipline that comes with it. They’re afraid of our purpose and mission and of what so great a body bound together can do.
Third, just the holding of public worship by true believers causes persecution. The worship and praise of God is the foundation of our beliefs. The world is afraid of the attraction and pull of sincere and committed worship as well as the loyalty and commitment of sincere worship.
Fourth, separation from the world and being different causes persecution. The believers of the early church were different: their lifestyle, their commitment to God, their giving of all they were and had, their fear of God. Their commitment caused them to walk completely separate from the world and from the enjoyable pleasure it offered. Yeah, the believers were radically different.
Fifth, the commitment to reach out and evangelize the world causes persecution. The world believes there are many ways to reach God. So long as the world’s religions allow men to live as they wish and still give them a sense of security, they are acceptable and considered to be of value. So the commitment and mission of true believers, that there is only one way to God, is considered narrow by the world.
The world mocks and opposes the idea that Jesus is the only Savior of the world. The world rejects and does its best to erase the message of Christ from off the earth.
Sixth, the reaching out and mobilizing of large crowds causes persecution. The world fears large crowds who are different and separated from it. Even if the crowd means no harm, even if the crowd is out to help the world, the world fears it. Believers are different in a way the world doesn’t want, that is, different in morality and righteousness, giving and sacrificing.
Seventh, the meeting of man’s needs causes persecution. True believers see the world as being in desperate need, physically and spiritually. So they give of themselves to meet those needs. The world mocks and ridicules that commitment. The world doesn’t like that kind of deep commitment because it reminds them of how sinful and selfish they are.
The world approves of SOME of the needs being met. But they reject the idea of being totally committed. Note that the people were clamoring to get to Peter, believing if they could just fall under his shadow they would be healed. Also note there is no mention that anyone was actually healed this way. The implication is that some were. If so, the same two ingredients that bring about healing miracles were at work: the Lord’s power and the faith of the sick.
We should always remember that God cares and loves so much that He always honors a person’s faith. If a person had a faith so great that he really believed that Peter’s shadow carried the virtue and power of God, God would most likely heal the person. Isn’t God wonderful?
READ 17-18. Here comes the actual persecution. Note that the persecutors were the religionists and secular leaders of the world. They were jealous. They were consumed with an anger over the preaching of Jesus. So the apostles were arrested and thrown in jail. Of course this was an attempt to silence them. Being opposed, actually arrested and jailed would be enough to restrain, frighten, and shame many preachers and believers. So they thought.
READ 19-21. Here we see the miraculous deliverance from persecution. Peter and John’s situation was serious. It was night, they were behind prison doors, they were doubly imprisoned with guards also stationed outside the prison doors, and they were to stand trial the next morning, a trial that could cost them their lives. But note:
God’s deliverance in this situation was through the miraculous working of an angel. Scripture definitely says angels are ministering spirits, sent to serve those who will inherit salvation. The point is this: God cares. He always cares about the situations of His children. So He will do whatever is necessary to deliver His child through trouble.
Sometimes God delivers by giving His presence of love, joy, peace, and security so the believer can endure and still minister while in the trial. I experience this type of deliverance often. Paul is a good example. He spent years in prison, but while there he was always witnessing and ministering.
Sometimes God delivers believers unto Himself, taking them on home to heaven when their ministry on earth is done. Then sometimes the believer is to remain in the trial and die as a martyr or as a sufferer in the name of Jesus. Sometimes there is a need to reach an observer standing there witnessing the trial of the believer. That believer’s hope and faithfulness to the end speaks volumes to the observer. God proves His love and power for His servant.
God sometimes delivers believers out and away from trouble. They can best serve the Lord by being free of the trial completely.
God’s purpose for Peter and John was for them to go, stand, and tell the people the full message. When you look at the Greek words used in the original manuscripts, you see the emphasis being made here.
- Go: literally meaning go now, go immediately.
- Stand: take your stand, stand forth without reservation or hesitation.
- Tell: proclaim, preach, teach, courageously, boldly, without fear.
- “The full message of this new life”: The whole gospel of salvation. Not watering it down or changing anything; not holding back or softening the message.
Note something significant: difficult assignments usually follow miracles. A heavy responsibility falls on the one for whom God works a miracle. The disciples obeyed, and they obeyed fully and completely, without hesitation. They obeyed as soon as they could. They arose at daybreak and entered the temple and began teaching.
READ 21-25. The failure of the persecution resulted in utter frustration. The story of what happened next is an excellent picture of persecution whenever it is launched against Christ and His followers.
1. The persecutors (the worldly court) convened to try the disciples.
2. The guards found them missing: they had been delivered out of the persecution. Again note that God always delivers His children out of the suffering of persecution, either through it or away from it.
3. The persecutors were puzzled, completely baffled wondering what had happened. They couldn’t understand how the disciples could be delivered from the jail that was securely locked. They were apprehensive about the growth of the new movement. In the present situation, the authorities probably thought some of the guards had either willfully released the prisoners or else been careless while on duty.
4. The persecutors made an unbelievable discovery. The disciples hadn’t fled for their lives like other escaped convicts would. They were standing in the temple courts teaching the people. They were demonstrating unbelievable behavior. They weren’t acting like other men. They were like a blazing fire on a rampage through a forest—unstoppable.
The persecutors had never seen a conviction and hope like that of the disciples’. They had a conviction and hope that was totally different from that of any other man.
They were convicted that the resurrection of Jesus Christ had actually happened. They were convicted that men must believe the resurrection of Jesus and repent to know God and to be saved. And they were convicted that they must proclaim the gospel no matter the persecution.
I close with this: The behavior of true believers in persecution will always perplex and dumbfound the persecutors. The true believer’s trust and message of the living Lord cannot be stamped out. The believer has to proclaim and live for his Lord even in the face of persecution.
So the moral of this story is that you will encounter trials as you live the Christian life. Jesus even said, “. . . In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
You WILL be persecuted in one form or another. However, because of our belief in the truth of God’s Holy Word, we can proceed with boldness adhering to the example set for us by Peter and John.
