“So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.” Acts 5:38-39
It was as the famed rabbi Gamaliel predicted, the leaders were indeed fighting against God. From here on out the Christian faith would keep on winning, despite the constant appearance of dramatic, disappointing setbacks (e.g., James martyred, Peter arrested, Paul’s earlier successes, Stephen’s stoning, Paul’s arrests, etc.).
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; 18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.” Matthew 10:16–18
You would expect the twelve apostles to think more than twice about sharing Christ again after receiving thirty-nine lashes to their backs . But the scars were a constant reminder of the fulfillment of Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:17-18, and their calling in the Lord. The pain they endured aligned them forever with the cause and perspective of the Christ.
It is counterintuitive to rejoice following such a beating, but for each man it crystallized for all time the mission before them. Nothing conceivable could ever be worse than what they’d just endured other than death, which would serve as an emancipation and reunion with their Master. The best was yet to come!
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