Without Ceasing

I was reading about the hardest places on earth to be a Christian and knowing full well that I have never faced any violence for my faith. Could I withstand it? Would I still be a Christian if I knew that the cost could be my family and my life?
Our pastor preached from Acts 5 yesterday and the last three verses hit me. The apostles were kept from death my Gamliel's reasoned advice to the Sanhedrin yet they were still flogged. That is not roughed up but whipped with metal and glass whips that tear apart your skin. Can you even imagine enduring that torture?
Then what do they do? They rejoiced. They celebrated being counted worthy to suffer for Christ's name. Then they continued to share the gospel without ceasing in the temple and in homes.
That is an amazing story. the last verse shows how we must share the gospel, "every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus."
Acts 5:40-42
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.

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