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What happens when doing exactly what Jesus commanded leads to beatings, imprisonment, and threats to your life? In Acts 5:17-42, we discover the apostles experiencing precisely this scenario—faithfully preaching the gospel, experiencing miraculous success, and then facing brutal opposition from jealous religious authorities.

The high priest and Sadducees arrest the apostles out of jealousy, but God miraculously frees them through an angel. Instead of hiding, they immediately return to the temple to continue teaching. When arrested again and reminded they were forbidden to preach about Jesus, Peter boldly declares, "We must obey God rather than men." This fearless response nearly gets them killed until Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee, intervenes with wise counsel: "If this plan is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them."

Even after being beaten and warned again, the apostles leave "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name." Their response challenges our expectations of the Christian life. Contrary to popular teaching, faithfulness doesn't guarantee comfort—it often invites opposition. As Paul wrote, "All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."

This passage offers profound insights on responding to persecution: maintain unwavering faithfulness, love your enemies rather than retaliating, and recognize the powerful outcomes of persecution—an unstoppable church, unexpected joy, evangelistic impact, and eternal glory. As Paul describes it, our "light momentary affliction" is preparing for us "an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."

Are you prepared for opposition? Have you embraced Jesus' call to take up your cross? True discipleship means counting Christ as infinitely greater than anything we might surrender—even our comfort, reputation, or life itself.

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