It’s easy to become discouraged when you are the object of bullying. And when the bullies control all the important cultural institutions and positions of political power, and when they are ready to arrest and beat and even kill people who disagree with them, how can anyone hope to stand up to them?

Maybe that’s how you feel these days, as Christian teachings and ethics come under fire from the “cancel culture” that permeates New York and Hollywood and Washington, D.C. And the apostles might have felt this way too, when the high priest threw them in jail (5:18), and when they were beaten just because they proclaimed the name of Jesus (5:40).

Instead, they had the greatest of confidence. Even though they had been imprisoned and beaten, they went right back to the Temple and continued to teach the people about Jesus (5:21, 42). So, how could they be so bold?

Because they knew that, however powerful their enemies might have been, their God was so much greater, so much stronger. For the high priest may have locked them up, but God sent an angel to open the doors of their prison (5:19). And because they demonstrated the power of God not just to heal the sick (5:16), but to give both repentance from and forgiveness for sin (5:31), multitudes of men and women flocked to them, believing in Jesus (5:14). That’s why the apostles could even rejoice when they suffered in the name of Jesus (5:41) – because they knew they were on His side, the winning side.

And even though Gamaliel was one of the religious leaders, and even though he didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah, he knew that God is in charge of all the events of history. He knew that any movement of God would be unstoppable, and that it would be futile for anyone to try to stand against God’s plans (5:39).

And history has proved the truth of Gamaliel’s warning. For the Church of Jesus Christ continues to grow and spread all over the world, while the temple in Jerusalem didn’t even last 40 years after the Resurrection. And no matter how hard any group of elites may try to cancel out the truth of the gospel today, their efforts will be just as impotent in the face of God’s sovereign power.

So, let the bullies bluster and rage. Let the twitter mobs unleash their ignorance and hatred. For however jealous they may be of the Church (5:17), the real truth and the real power have always belonged to Christ. So may He receive all the glory.

Acts 5:12-42 (ESV)

Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.
13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy
18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.
19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,
20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”
21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,
23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.”
24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.
25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,
28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.
34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.
35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men.
36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.
37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.
38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail;
39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice,
40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.