Read Acts 4:1-31
The healing of the lame man made a great stir in the temple. Peter at once began to speak to the wondering people, explaining the miracle. In doing so he told again the story of Jesus Christ, who had been rejected by the rulers and crucified, but whom God had raised up and glorified. Through Him, said Peter, is this man made strong and well. It grieved the rulers that Peter was proclaiming Jesus Christ as the power through which the lame man had been healed, and also as the author of the resurrection.
While Peter was thus speaking, there came a party of priests and Sadducees with a squad of temple police, to arrest the apostles, whom they put in prison over night. This, however, did not check the progress of the gospel. In the very next sentence we read, “But many of them that heard the word believed.” The rulers had cast the apostles into prison, but they could not put chains upon the Holy Spirit. The number of the converts continually increased until the three thousand of the day of Pentecost had become five thousand.
Always opposition has helped God’s cause. The storm that sets itself to put out the flames only fans them into intenser violence. This truth should give great confidence to those who are called to suffer persecution. There is a beatitude for such — “Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
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