Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
(Acts 5:41 ESV)
Persecution - it’s something that we fear. It’s a circumstance that we seem to think is always around the corner. The real question, I think, is not from what direction persecution will arrive, but are we prepared mentally and spiritually when it happens. I don’t think that preparation comes from just getting tougher or being ready to ‘take the hits’, but by truly understanding our salvation, identity, and security. The narrative in Acts provides pathways for us to do this as it recounts the conflicts which the church was birthed and grew in.
This week we continue to look at the second half of Acts 5. If you missed last week, you can catch up online with last weeks sermon. I’d encourage you to read the chapter as we go back into it. How do you think you would respond to the pressure? Why do you think we seem to fold so easily to social pressure in the area of faith? What do you think it looks like to fight for our faith? It might be different than you think.
