Acts 5:17-42

17 The high priest and his friends, who were Sadducees, reacted with violent jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 "Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!" 21 So the apostles entered the Temple about daybreak and immediately began teaching.
When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council, along with all the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought for trial. 22 But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, 23 "The jail was locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!" 24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. 25 Then someone arrived with the news that the men they had jailed were out in the Temple, teaching the people. 26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested them, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would kill them if they treated the apostles roughly. 27 Then they brought the apostles in before the council. 28 "Didn’t we tell you never again to teach in this man’s name?" the high priest demanded. "Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about Jesus, and you intend to blame us for his death!" 29 But Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by crucifying him. 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this to give the people of Israel an opportunity to turn from their sins and turn to God so their sins would be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him." 33 At this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member had a different perspective. He was a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert on religious law and was very popular with the people. He stood up and ordered that the apostles be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he addressed his colleagues as follows: "Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About four hundred others joined him, but he was killed, and his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got some people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered. 38 "So my advice is, leave these men alone. If they are teaching and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God." 40 The council accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. 41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus. 42 And every day, in the Temple and in their homes, they continued to teach and preach this message: "The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus."
No pain, no gain (Devotional by Chris Bunch):
It was a cold January morning. The temperature was 5 degrees and the wind chill was below zero. A couple guys and myself were running in the snow for two miles training for the Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis in May. As I ran with a ski mask on I looked at my friend and said, "This is nuts. Why are we out here?" He replied, "Remember: No Pain, no gain." In our scripture today the apostles (which means messenger or missionary) are in jail when miraculously they are set free by God’s angel. The angel calls them to go teach and you think at this point in the story that God is going to bless his servants, and they will not have to suffer any more pain in jail.
However, once word gets out that they are sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and his love, they are immediately arrested again, humiliated and flogged (Flogging was not a simple slap on the wrist. Leather strips made into whips were beaten against the bared upper body of the person. A triple-strap whip would be beaten across both chest and back.) In obeying God, the apostles did not receive a reward, but a punishment.
Today, many Christians believe that once they turn to Christ that their life will be nothing but a problem free, blissful life. But, if you read the Bible carefully, you will realize that obeying God often results in pain and suffering.
Yet, the reward in obeying Christ is eternal blessing with him in heaven, and that reward is worth the pain here on earth. So, the question is: Will you obey God and his commands today? Are you willing to have some discomfort and maybe even be made fun of to live your life Jesus’ way?
On that particular day my friend said, "No Pain, No Gain" that phrase ticked me off. However, when I crossed the finished line in May completing the run under my goal time, the gain of this accomplishment was pretty sweet. I had little, to no pain at the end of the race, so that painful January morning did not seem so bad.
Whatever pain you experience for doing the right thing and following Jesus will ultimately have a reward. The Bible says this: I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return (2 Timothy 4:8)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to obey you rather than any person today. And, if that means I suffer pain, I will accept it. Because I know obeying you has a greater reward than obeying human beings. In Jesus name. Amen