Bible Reading: Esther 3,4&5: Acts 5:22-42
“And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” Acts 5:41 (KJV).
This is the reaction of men who have been completely sold out to God. They rejoiced in bearing shame and humiliation for Christ, whom they witnessed His total submissiveness to the will of the father. They were following after the order of Christ Jesus who endured the cross, despising the shame. For they consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself. (Hebrews 12:2). They were not intimidated but gained great strength in their punishment for Christ. They transcended the realm of pain to the translated realm of rejoicing for being punished for Christ whom John reported in John 1:14 (KJV), “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father,) full of grace and truth”. They witnessed His transfiguration beholding His glory. They became bold to declare Him and was ready to bear the mark of punishment in their body for Him. This was what Paul meant when he said in Galatians 6:17(KJV) “From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus”
How many of us in todays’ assembly will rejoice for being caned for propagating the good news of the kingdom? How many are ready to bear shame and humiliation in the service of God? How committed is the body of Christ today to witnessing for Christ? These are some of the questions that come to mind when meditating on this verse of scriptures. The church is expected to face persecution headlong for through it great revivals burst forth. Today the body of Christ is intellectualizing our compromise to worldly threat. We have become diplomatic in order to fence off persecution. The church cannot advance through compromise and diplomacy. We must declare the truth with boldness irrespective of the consequence, for if God be for us who can be against us. When we set our affection on the things of the world we become diplomatic instead of been truthful, we compromise instead of standing firm on the truth. From our reading of today in Acts 5, the Apostles boldly confronted the Council with the truth. Esther took a stand to preserve God’s people “Go, gather together all the Jews that are in Shushan, and fast ye for me, neither eat or drink three days, night and day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so I will go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish” Esther 4:16 (KJV). This is total trust and commitment to the cause of God.
Prayer: Father give me the grace that is in Christ who endured the shame and humiliation at Calvary to bring salvation to man.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo