Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. (Acts 5:41-42, ESV)

When was the last time you had something you could not stop talking about? Maybe it was a product that actually lived up to the hype, or a vacation destination that was absolutely the best. Or maybe you have listened to one of those monologues and found yourself a little envious of the amazing experiences of your counterpart. The truth is, we are designed to speak of that which we love. Today we read about the apostles doing just that.  

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The last part of Acts 5 is a small portion of the apostles' journey sharing the gospel. In fact, they cannot STOP sharing about Jesus. The religious leaders are so annoyed by the apostles, they are determined to silence them. The apostles are thrown into prison, but God has other plans. When caught and confronted again, Peter defends their actions, saying they must obey God and not men. His continued defense of their mission angers the religious leaders, and the apostles are beaten and charged again not to speak of Jesus anymore. Even in the face of extreme push-back, the apostles rejoice and continue their mission, telling others about the gospel, everywhere they go.

Usually, no one is going to physically beat you over your testimony of a great vacation destination; so, to us, it seems extreme that the religious leaders beat the apostles because of their testimony about Jesus, whom they loved. Why not let them talk? People can listen and judge for themselves, right? The physical opposition the apostles experienced is just a glimpse of the unseen spiritual battle for our hearts that goes on daily. As much as the apostles, compelled by the Holy Spirit within them, could not stop talking about Jesus, the hard-hearted religious leaders seemed just as determined to silence them.  

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In verses 38 and 39, a respected Pharisee is speaking to his council about the apostles. He says, “...if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” Although he wrongly assumed the gospel message was “of man” and would fail, he also knew that God’s plan cannot be stopped. How ironic that his proclivity for speaking God’s truth is now a moment we read about centuries later, in the very gospel he tried to stop, which shows him opposing God. Countless believers, throughout history, whose hearts have been transformed by grace, could not stop talking about it. Many others have tried to stop the gospel, yet the message persists. It is because of those brave and bold souls, empowered by God, that we have God’s words in our hearts today.  

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So, can you relate to the apostles? Do you talk about Jesus incessantly? Is your love for Jesus so consuming that you must speak of it to everyone, even when they oppose you? My guess is that many of us shy away from speaking of Jesus, knowing virtual beatings or verbal rebukes may come our way. You may read verses like our Scripture today and cringe a little when you compare the apostles’ zealousness to your daily walk. I love the early church’s boldness for Christ, but I am also challenged to examine why I fear man. This tension forces me to reassess what the good news means to me. When I am truly confronted by what I have been saved from and how faithful God has been to me, I cannot help but want that relationship for others.  

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The Bible is clear that some will oppose the gospel message. It is an uncomfortable reality to face opposition, but I hope you will not care! Philippians 3:8 says, “...I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as my Lord...” I pray you are emboldened when you read of the apostles' steadfastness and even cheerful acceptance of the beatings and admonishments they endured. May we meet opposition with rejoicing that we are among those worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus and never cease speaking of him.

Lord, I am so thankful for the boldness of the early church. Sometimes we forget that your plan cannot be stopped. I pray you will give us courage to speak of you, even when faced with opposition. God help us to persist and “never cease teaching and preaching” about Jesus. Show us where and how we can lovingly share your truth. Amen.