Released For A Purpose

“But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ‘Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.’” – Acts 5:19-20

This is one of the most curious prison-breaks, for sure. The apostles had already been doing a lot of ministry, for which the jealous Sadducees ended up arresting them. They were released that night by an angel, but his words must have been surprising. They weren’t to go and have a well-deserved break. Maybe take a shower, get what sleep they still could, lie low until the opposition died down, avoid getting caught again.

When I think about what God wants me to do, very often I’ve already applied the filter of my own common sense or comfort. What I’m really asking is, what might God be asking me to do within the bounds of what makes logical sense and wouldn’t disrupt my comfort too much? What do I want to do, that I think God would approve of? Not that there isn’t a place for prudence and rest, but passages like these challenge me. The angel released the apostles not to comfort, but to ministry; not to return home, sit and rest, but to go to the most public place there was, stand, and continue to speak. What happened was a miraculous victory not because it involved the end of suffering or avoidance of persecution, but because it publicly demonstrated the sovereignty and power of God within that very suffering and persecution.

When others revile us, persecute us, and utter all kinds of false evil against us, Jesus said, we should “rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12). As Martyn Lloyd-Jones puts it, “we know who we are, where we are going, and what awaits us when we get there.” And indeed, even after they were found again that same day, brought before the council and beaten, the apostles left “rejoicing” (Acts 5:41). Comfort and logic had nothing to do with it. What they had was purpose and what they experienced was power. And they continued in it every day.