Bruises and badges of honour (Growing Deeper with Acts 5:17-42)

The Pulse Podcast is about living abundantly wholeheartedly.

It includes different kinds of content: Interviews, featured topics, or biblical studies.

This episode is the later—a more in-depth look at Acts 5:17-42, a text about the growing persecution of the young Jesus movement, the honour of being dishonoured, and the source of our ultimate rejoicing.

I provide background to the text and then zero-in on verse 41: “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” That sure sounds like a strange time to be rejoicing! But Matthew Henry provides some perspective: “they were honoured to be dishonoured for Christ.”

Let’s listen in. When we care more about what God thinks than what people think, we have reached a tipping point called joy.

The sermon based on this text is called “Honoured to be dishonoured” and can be accessed here.