Take Courage | Jesus Has Overcome

In the previous blog called “An Honor To Suffer | Trusting God through pain and hardships,” we discussed the definition of suffering and how it can be an honor when it allows God’s glory to shine through our weaknesses and pain.

In today’s message, we’re going to look at how the disciples praised God in the midst of suffering and persecution.

Acts 5 and The Historical Context

The Hebrew word for suffering is סבל (Se-vel), which can be defined as physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, or psychological pain and agony one may feel.

With this definition in mind we are going to be reading from Acts 5:25-41, but before we dive into that section, here is some context for this Scripture:

Acts 5 takes place in Jerusalem (vs.16). While the Apostles were there they were healing the sick and all those being tormented by impure spirits. Because of this the High Priest and all his associates, including the Sadducees, were filled with Jealousy (vs. 17).

Now Got Questions explains the Sadducees as an aristocratic class connected with everything happening in the temple in Jerusalem. They were wealthy, held powerful positions—including chief priests and high priest—and made up the majority of the 70 seats of the ruling council called the Sanhedrin. The Sadducees worked hard to keep peace by agreeing with Rome’s decisions, since Israel was under Roman control and they seemed to be more concerned with politics than religion.

Because of their jealousy, the Sadducees arrested the apostles and put them in a public jail. But an angel of the Lord was sent to free them, telling them to continue preaching the gospel. At daybreak, they went right back into the temple courts and began teaching the people.

Later, officers were sent to retrieve the apostles from jail, but when they arrived, the apostles weren’t there. And this is where we find ourselves in the story.

Acts 5:21-41 says,

Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.

The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “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 human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

Rejoicing in Suffering

The disciples were punished for sharing about Jesus. They were flogged and yet in that torture they could leave it rejoicing. Why? Because “they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (Jesus).”

Examples of praising the Lord throughout all types of suffering can be seen throughout Scripture and a popular example of this would be the book of Job.

In John 16:33, Jesus says,

“These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

The Greek word for tribulation is thlipsis, which means persecution, affliction, distress, and suffering.

Jesus is saying: You are going to go through hard things. And if you are a bold follower of Jesus, you will be persecuted.There are different levels of persecution, but one thing is certain—you will experience it.

So, in your suffering, in the hard things, in all of it—take courage.

Courage means doing something despite the fear—not that the fear is gone, but that in the midst of fear, you still choose to move forward. Take courage, because Jesus has overcome the world.

A Shift in Perspective

As a body of believers, the only way we can truly live this way, like the discples, is if we have a shift in perspective.

Revelation 21:1–7 says:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ He also said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.’”

Praise God!

We need to be less preoccupied with our physical condition in this world and much more concerned with our spiritual condition.

Romans 12:1–2 says:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

Are you offering your body as a living sacrifice? True and proper worship is laying down your life—your desires, your passions, your calling that you have for yourself. It’s putting to death and crucifying your flesh.

But what is the flesh?

Galatians 5:19–21 (NLT) says the acts of the flesh are as follows,

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”

This isn’t referring to someone wrestling between the flesh and the Spirit—this is someone who is actively walking in these things, not pursuing God, and not allowing the process of sanctification.

If you want to be able to rejoice in your suffering and in your pain—and to look to Jesus—you have to become more concerned with the things of God and less concerned with your present circumstances.

The Promise of Renewal

The true healing we are longing for can only be found in Jesus. And whether the things you are going through will get better here on earth or not, the promise is this:

“That one day He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

And we can trust that God’s words are “trustworthy and true.”

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