Introduction
      There was a woman who had to do a lot of traveling for her business. Flying made her very nervous, so she always took her Bible along with her because she was a committed Christian. 
      One time she was sitting next to a man on a plane, and when he saw her pull out her Bible, he gave a little chuckle and smirk and went back to what he was doing.  After awhile, he turned to her and asked, "You don't really believe all that stuff in there do you?"
      The woman replied, "Of course I do. I’m a Christian."
      He said, "Well, what about that guy that was swallowed by the whale?"
      She replied, "Oh, Jonah. Yes, I believe that."
      He asked, "Well, how do you suppose he survived all that time inside the whale?"
      The woman said, "Well, I don't really know. I guess when I get to heaven, I will ask him."
      "What if he isn't in heaven when you get there?" the man asked sarcastically.
      And the woman replied, "Then you can ask him!"[1]
      Is it just me, or have you begun to notice how there seems to have been an increase in religious persecution in recent years?  People are a bit more bold in their put-downs, and folks are not as tolerant of people of faith as they used to be.  This is not only true here in this country, it is especially true around the world where Christians are a distinct minority.  It is estimated that 200 million people in more than 60 nations are being denied their basic human rights for one reason only - they are Christians.
      In the text we have read together this morning, we learn of the rising tide of persecution against the early church.  I believe there are many things we can learn from this passage about courage in the face of opposition, boldness when we are tempted to be timid, and joy even when we suffer.  In the course of our time together, I want us to look at three particular matters as it relates to this passage.  They are a miraculous rescue, a voice of reason, and a cause for rejoicing.

I. A Miraculous Rescue
      In the first part of this passage we note that on the heels of God’s judgment of Ananias and Sapphira, God did some amazing things among the people by means of miraculous healings through the apostles.  However, it was as a result of these healings that the second wave of persecution by the religious authorities occurred.  They were angered by the failure of their first confrontation with Peter and John to curb their preaching in the name of Jesus.  The disciples unashamedly ignored the Sanhedrin's prohibition and threats.  So, filled with jealousy and anger, the Court decided to take further action.
      This time they arrested not only Peter and John but most if not all of the apostles as well, and the Sanhedrin had them put in jail.  However, during the night, they were rescued by an angel of the Lord and set free from the prison.  We are told that at daybreak they entered the Temple as they had been told, and they began to teach the people once again.  They disobeyed the Sanhedrin, who instructed them not to speak in the name of Jesus any more, in order to obey the word of God revealed through the angel who told them to proclaim the words of life in Christ.
      Meanwhile, the Sanhedrin was convened.  When they sent for the apostles, they were humiliated to discover that they were no longer in prison, even though the jail was securely locked and the guards were standing at the doors.  They discovered that the apostles were at the Temple once again, and the captain of the Temple guard and his officers re-arrested the apostles and made them appear before the Sanhedrin a second time for questioning. 
      The high priest charged the apostles with contempt of court and defiance of the Sandehrin's authority.  He stated, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood," referring to Jesus.  The apostles' response took the form of a mini-sermon, and their concern was not to defend themselves but to lift up Christ.  They said, "We must obey God rather than men!"
      This passage points to the fact that there are times when, because of our higher commitment to Christ, we need to go against what a person in authority tells us to do.  It may be a boss, a teacher, even a parent, or a judge.  They tell us to do something we know is wrong according to the teachings of Scripture, and out of our Christian commitment we must choose to obey God rather than the person in authority. 
      The passage also demonstrates that there are other times when we need to be bold for Christ, even when it costs us something. All too often, when we are cornered in the classroom or at work with the issue of our commitment to Christ, we become timid in our witness, or we avoid the subject altogether.  We are afraid of what others will think of us, and we are fearful that they will write us off.  Someone comes into our office, and we turn our Bible over because we’re not sure what they will think.  But here we see that the apostles were bold in their witness, and they pointed to the truth.  They stood for the glory of God, and they took no care to defend their actions or their words.  You and I would do well to follow their example in our own lives, even when it costs us, too.

II.  A Voice of Reason
      When the Council heard these words of defiance and triumph, they were furious.  The New English Bible translates it, "They were touched to the raw."  Many wanted to put the apostles to death.  But Gamaliel, a Pharisee, asked that the apostles be put out of the Court so that the members of the Sanhedrin could talk about the matter among themselves.
      Gamaliel was the grandson of the famous rabbi Hillel, and he was given the honorific title of "Rabban," which means "our teacher."  Saul of Tarsus had been one of his students, and Gamaliel had a reputation for scholarship, wisdom, and moderation.  The text also tells us that he was honored by all the people. 
      Gamaliel stood up and counseled caution because of historical precedent, and he gave two examples involving Theudas and Judas the Galilean.  Both men advanced Messianic claims for themselves, and they both won a following.  But then each was killed, and all their followers were scattered.  Their movements faded away.  Gamaliel took the failure of both revolts as an object lesson which justified a policy of lassez-faire .  His advice to the Council was, "Leave these men alone!  Let them go!  For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  If, on the other hand, it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God" (vv. 38,39).  
      Gamaliel was a model of reason and sanity in an emotion-charged situation.  Every business, school, church, and home needs a Gamaliel - one who can speak a word of caution and reason in the midst of confusion and emotion.  God had shaped his character to see matters clearly, to use common sense, and to think in balanced ways.  He brought a new perspective and offered a new idea.  The result was that Gamaliel was a blessing to everyone.

III.  A Cause for Rejoicing
      The Council accepted Gamaliel's suggestion.  They called the apostles in, had them flogged, and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus anymore.  The flogging was presumably the same punishment that the Lord received before his crucifixion. 
      What was the reaction of the apostles?  The text tells us that they left the Sanhedrin rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name of Jesus.  Though their backs were bleeding, their lips were praising God!  They rejoiced that they had the honor to be dishonored and the grace to be disgraced.
      In this response we see the disciples living out that to which Jesus had called them in the Sermon on the Mount, when He said, "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" (Mt. 5:10-12).   Perhaps the disciples remembered these very words of Jesus as they left the Sanhedrin that day.
      In this passage we see a rising tide of persecution against the church.  Satan has never given up his attempt to destroy the church by force.  Throughout the centuries, Christians have been oppressed with physical persecution.  From Nero to Diocletian, the first three centuries after Christ were marked by a systematic attempt to snuff out the church by Roman emperors.  Christians were regularly arrested and executed, primarily because they would not bow down and worship an image of the Roman emperor.  It wasn’t until Constantine proclaimed Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire after his sudden conversion in 323 AD that the persecution ended. 
      However, the favored position of Christianity was short-lived, and persecution resumed in other parts of the world.  Even to this day, especially in many Communist, Hindu, and Muslim countries, the church continues to be persecuted.  It is estimated that more Christians died for their faith in the 20^th century than in all the previous 19 centuries combined!
      •  A few years ago the Chinese State Council passed new regulations that outlaw unauthorized foreign religious activities.  These regulations also give Chinese security forces greater legal means to crack down on unregistered house churches.
      •  In Pakistan there is a blasphemy law which has sent many Pakistani Christians to jail.  Under this law a person can be sentenced to death on the evidence of only one person's word that he or she has blasphemed the prophet Mohammed.
      •  In Iran all church leaders have to sign a document that they will not allow any Muslims into their church.  A pastor named Halik refused to sign the document, and it is suspected that this was the reason he was stabbed to death.
      •  In January of 1992 I had the privilege of traveling to India to witness first-hand the work of God there.  In the course of our time, we met a man named Khamlekar.  He is an amazing person, full of grace and wisdom.  God has used him in a mighty way to spread the gospel in the Indian state of Andre Pradesh.  Khamlekar is a modern-day Paul, and the influence of the church planters with whom he works is far-reaching.  But his work for Christ has had its consequences.  Numerous times he has been beaten; he has been thrown in jail, and he and his family have suffered greatly.  The Hindustani party killed several people who are working with the organization with which he is affiliated, Mission India 21.  The persecution continues.
      But we need not fear for the Church's survival.  The early church father, Tertullian, in addressing the rulers of the Roman Empire, cried out, "Kill us, torture us, condemn us, grind us to dust....  The more you mow us down, the more we grow, for the blood of Christians is the seed of the Church!"[2] 
      Persecution will refine the Church, but it will not destroy it.  More often than not, persecution leads to deeper prayer, a greater dependence on the sovereignty of God, and a stronger solidarity with Christ in His sufferings.  It happened in Acts 5, and it still happens today.
      I personally believe that unless renewal comes to this country of ours it will be more difficult for us to live for Christ in the next 10 years than it has been to live for Him in the last 10 years.  Opposition to the Church of Jesus Christ is mounting in many quarters of our land, and it may cost us more to identify ourselves as Christians.  We may loose our tax exempt status as a church.  We may be prohibited from expressing our faith in the workplace or the public square with the charge that it is religious harassment.  And we may find that our efforts to share our faith with other people will be restricted in the future.  Increasingly, the courts are being filled with cases and lawsuits involving disputes over religious freedom in this country. 
      But should this be a cause for fear and shrinking back?  Absolutely not!  For our God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.  The Bible tells us that He that is in us is stronger than he that is in the world, and we are called to boldness for Christ, knowing that our future and our lives are in His hands. 
      The apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 8, "And we know that all things God works together for the good of those who love Him....  If God be for us, who can be against us?...  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (Rm.8:28,31,35,37-39).  
      How are we to react when persecution comes our way?  Next week when someone in your school, office, or neighborhood belittles you for your faith, what should you do?  First, like the apostles, rejoice that you have been counted worthy to share in the sufferings of Christ.  That does not mean you should say, "Bring it on!" or be obnoxious.  Rather, quietly know in your heart that you are suffering for Jesus, and this authenticates that you belong to Him. 
      Second, commit your way unto the Lord in prayer.  Look to Him to be your deliverer, and stand with confidence on the sovereignty of God.  Also, we should stand in solidarity with other Christians around the world who are suffering for their faith, and we should do all we can to shed light on Christians suffering in the Sudan, North Korea, China, Pakistan, and Indonesia, to name just a few of the places where this is happening.
      Third, as Jesus urged, turn the other cheek.  Don't return evil with evil, but return evil with good.  Go the extra mile and refuse to give in to your anger. 
      Dr. Christy Wilson, my former professor of missions at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and his wife Betty were missionaries in Afghanistan.  In 1974 they were ordered out of the country by the Muslim government, and then the authorities decreed that the little church building they had constructed be destroyed.  When the bulldozers showed up the morning of the scheduled demolition, the members of the church greeted them and served them tea and cookies as they leveled the building.  What an act of grace!  By the way, the workers were also ordered to dig down 10 feet below the foundation, because they had heard there might be an underground church there!  They did not understand. 

Conclusion
      What is to be our response?  How are we to live in the light of this passage?  Let me close by asking the following questions.
      First, are you willing to suffer for Christ if He calls you to?  Are you willing to put your faith on the line?  At work? In the classroom?  In your neighborhood?  In your family?  If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?  Remember, Jesus said, “He who does not acknowledge Me before men I will not acknowledge before My Father in heaven” (Mt. 10:33).
      Second, think about the words Gamaliel spoke in this passage, "If this is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."   Are you fighting against God today?  Are you resisting the Lord in your life?  Are you trying to live your life in your own strength, calling your own shots, and doing it your own way?  Why don't you give up the fight, and give it over to God?  He loves you, and He wants the best for you.  There is an old saying in the African-American church that goes like this, "Your arms are too short to box with God."  Are you fighting against God today?
      Finally, do you have a clear understanding of your calling in Christ?  These apostles were men of courage, they were men of principle, and they had a clear idea of their calling in Christ.  Do you have that same clarity?  It only comes from spending time with God, seeking His will, searching the Scriptures, and exercising the Disciplines of the Christian faith.  I encourage you to yearn to go deeper with God, know His mind, and do His will. 
      These apostles rose above the difficult circumstances of their lives.  Though their backs were bleeding, their lips were praising God, for they had a heavenly perspective on the events of the day.  They were waiting in the wings to do the will of God at a moment's notice.  Do you and I have that same readiness?
      May we be faithful to Christ in our witness for Him in the coming week.  Amen.