The physician Luke wrote how the apostles were put in prison for teaching and preaching, and after an angel freed them, they were teaching and preaching again when the high priest confronted them and asked, “Did not we straightly command you that you should not teach in this name?” He told them they had “filled all Jerusalem” with their “doctrine”, and after “Peter and the other apostles” told them, “we ought to obey God rather than men”, the religious leaders were “cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them”. It was at that time, “a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space. And said unto them, … Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought. But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it; lest haply you be found even to fight against God. And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go”, and in chapter five and verse forty-one of the book of Acts Luke shared how the apostles, “departed from the presence of the council” where we read:
And they departed from the presence of the council,
rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
The verse begins, “And they departed from the presence of the council, ...” Luke began with the words, “and they departed which means “and the apostles left, traveled and journeyed” “from the presence of the council” or “apart and separate from the audience of the religious leaders or Sanhedrin. Luke shared how the “apostles” departed from the appearance of the religious leaders known as the “Sanhedrin”.
The verse goes on to say, “... rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” Luke continued with the words, “rejoicing that they were counted worthy” which means “exceedingly glad, thriving and joyful that they, the apostles, were deemed entirely deserving” “to suffer shame” or “to be dishonored, insulted and treated with contempt” “for his name” which means “on behalf of Jesus' name and everything His name covers including the thoughts or feelings of which are aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing and remembering”. Luke shared how the apostles left the “Sanhedrin” with joy because they were deemed deserving to be dishonored and insulted for the “name” of Jesus.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “apostles” left the “religious leaders” known as the “Sanhedrin” with joyful hearts because they were deemed as deserving to be insulted and dishonored for the “name” of Jesus. God loves people, and His desire is to have a personal relationship with them through His Son Jesus. Anyone who yields their life to Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and be encouraged toward a joyful response when they face adversity. Those who are wise will carefully consider the reaction and attitude of these “apostles” and surrender their lives completely to Jesus who alone gives “exceeding joy” in the midst of adversity.
Next time Luke shares how the apostles, “ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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