Obeying God
In the book of Acts we read of the religious leaders saying to the apostles,
"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."
Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!" Acts 5:28,29.
Here Peter and other apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin, the ruling body that had told them not to preach in the name of Jesus. Their crime being preaching the gospel of Christ.
So angry were the religious leaders that they wanted to kill the apostles. Fortunately a Pharisee named Gamaliel (a respected teacher of the law) stood up. Then after giving all present a history lesson about past men who had claimed to be the Messiah and failed. Convinced them not to kill the apostles. Gamaliel stating,
"...but if this is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found to opposing God!..." Acts 5:39a
In John's gospel Jesus warns us about persecution when he states,
"Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is 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.
Jesus also tell us,
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 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.
Persecution is hard to go through. That is why if we are to go through it we must be certain that we are going through it for the right reason. That being, telling the world around us about the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus in love.
Please think about it.
