Counted Worthy To Suffer Shame For His Name

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It is written:

Acts 5:41-So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.

When these words were written by Luke, it was in reference to how the Apostles had been arrested for preaching in Jesus’ Name. While under the supervision of the governing authorities, they suffered imprisonment and physical suffering. Luke’s words encourage me: they rejoiced that they were “counted worthy suffer shame for His name.”

The Apostles saw their suffering as something to be proud of.

When we suffer as Christians for preaching and teaching the Gospel, we can expect the world to fight against us and persecute us. Jesus Himself warned us that this would be the case:

John 15:20-Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

Some of the persecution that we will face comes in the form of lies spoken about us to try and discourage and discredit us and our work in the Lord. Indeed, this is how the enemies of Christ Himself sought to destroy Him:

Matthew 26:59-Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,

Mark 14:56-For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.

The men who killed Stephen followed the same gameplay:

Acts 6:13-They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law;

Satan is the father of lies, and he knows how to use lies to try and destroy the good that God is doing in the world.

John 8:44-You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

We need to remember that Satan is a defeated foe, but if we will hold true to God (even with the attacks waged against us), we will be victorious through Christian alone.

Revelation 12:7-12-And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8  but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9  So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10  Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12  Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

Christian, when the world speaks lies of you, hold to the truth of God. He is your Judge, and He is your Defender.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.