And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them. Acts 4:1
And so it begins! Our text introduces the element of persecution to the early Christians in Jerusalem, an element that continues to this day. Until this point, the Christians had been free to openly witness for their risen Lord, and had done so, experiencing favour with most of the people they encountered. And they openly gathered for regular Assembly activities. But that was about to change, and the disciples were not surprised. Nor should we be.
The healing of the lame beggar had ignited amazement among the temple worshipers. And it ignited indignation among the temple authorities. These were the same people who had plotted successfully to have Jesus of Nazareth crucified. The disciples had performed a great miracle in the Name of that same Jesus, Who the disciples claimed to be alive. The Jews had delivered Jesus to Pilate for envy, and now they challenged His disciples for envy. The envy and opposition is still going on.
Persecution should come as no surprise to Christians, because it is the norm, not the anomaly. Jesus had told His disciples that the world would hate them because it hated Him. While we should expect persecution, we should never fear it. Jesus said ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world’ – John 16:33.
Nobody likes persecution. But remember to see it as God sees it – proof that you are His child. -Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the video of this message: https://youtu.be/m9PTIqWIcUs