Back in Chapter 2 I mentioned that one of the themes of Acts was “the unstoppable spread of the Gospel” and how Luke would show us obstacle after obstacle and see the gospel overcome each in turn.
In Chapter 5 we see the BIG obstacle rear its head: persecution. As American Christians, we tend to view persecution as a distant reality - something that happens far away, or long ago, but not something that we really have to contend with daily. That wasn’t the case for Luke’s readers, who likely lived during the reign of the dreaded Emperor Nero. For them, persecution was as real and imminent a threat as pandemic is for us today.
Luke’s narrative reminds his readers that while persecution is real, it cannot overcome the Gospel or the power of God. Truth will find a way, and the prisons and crosses of the powerful will not contain it. Even when things seem grim, Christ ultimately prevails and Satan can at best win only temporary victories.
So take comfort today - we serve a God who is greater than the obstacles we face. We serve a Lord who will ultimately be victorious. And when He does, He has promised that we will share in His victory.