Some Things Never Change
“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. Bit to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must want these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name. Acts 4:16-17
Does this sentiment seem at all familiar to you? Peter and John have just appeared before the Sanhedrin. The result is that now all the big guys are in complete uproar. Here are these two uneducated, ordinary guys claiming that they have indeed given the lame guy his legs back. Worse, they are claiming to have done it in the name and power of Jesus Christ. You know the elders, Sadducees and the rest of the crew were thinking, “Oh please! Are we ever going to stop hearing about this Jesus?” Pretty sure that they won’t, they decide to stop Peter and John. They tell them, “That’s it, no more talking about Jesus.” Fine, except Peter and John aren’t quite so easily deterred. Politely they say, “Sorry but we can’t help ourselves. We’re going to talk about Jesus.”
Reading this account of nearly 2000 years ago, I saw some similarity to our own times. How often have you recounted a miracle in your life just to have some one explain it away? There is a medical reason, a paperwork reason, a misunderstanding of the original circumstance, something, anything other than what it really is, a miracle.
The name of Jesus is not terribly welcome in our world these days. We aren’t supposed to invoke it in a public school setting. It isn’t politically correct to approach someone whose behavior is abhorrent based on the teachings of Jesus. He isn’t invited into many, if any, secular settings but conversely I hear his name slandered in those same settings, all the time.
As Christians we are supposed to stand still, be quiet and not oppose those whose lifestyles bring total dishonor to the precious name of Jesus. We are supposed to stand silent in the face of a culture that demands respect for every other belief system while blatantly blasting ours. We face a Sanhedrin of our own every time we raise the name of Jesus in a secular venue. We are told as plainly as Peter and John, “Don’t talk about him here and by all means keep your miracles to yourself.”
For all the freedoms we posses in this fine country the one we cherish most is being severely challenged. Pray that we all have the courage of Peter and John to stand up for the name we say we love. Pray that no one will able to silence those of us who do believe in one nation under God and who do put our trust in Him.
My Savior never pretends that he doesn’t know me. He fights for me and he’s proud to know me. How can I do any less for him?
Does this sentiment seem at all familiar to you? Peter and John have just appeared before the Sanhedrin. The result is that now all the big guys are in complete uproar. Here are these two uneducated, ordinary guys claiming that they have indeed given the lame guy his legs back. Worse, they are claiming to have done it in the name and power of Jesus Christ. You know the elders, Sadducees and the rest of the crew were thinking, “Oh please! Are we ever going to stop hearing about this Jesus?” Pretty sure that they won’t, they decide to stop Peter and John. They tell them, “That’s it, no more talking about Jesus.” Fine, except Peter and John aren’t quite so easily deterred. Politely they say, “Sorry but we can’t help ourselves. We’re going to talk about Jesus.”
Reading this account of nearly 2000 years ago, I saw some similarity to our own times. How often have you recounted a miracle in your life just to have some one explain it away? There is a medical reason, a paperwork reason, a misunderstanding of the original circumstance, something, anything other than what it really is, a miracle.
The name of Jesus is not terribly welcome in our world these days. We aren’t supposed to invoke it in a public school setting. It isn’t politically correct to approach someone whose behavior is abhorrent based on the teachings of Jesus. He isn’t invited into many, if any, secular settings but conversely I hear his name slandered in those same settings, all the time.
As Christians we are supposed to stand still, be quiet and not oppose those whose lifestyles bring total dishonor to the precious name of Jesus. We are supposed to stand silent in the face of a culture that demands respect for every other belief system while blatantly blasting ours. We face a Sanhedrin of our own every time we raise the name of Jesus in a secular venue. We are told as plainly as Peter and John, “Don’t talk about him here and by all means keep your miracles to yourself.”
For all the freedoms we posses in this fine country the one we cherish most is being severely challenged. Pray that we all have the courage of Peter and John to stand up for the name we say we love. Pray that no one will able to silence those of us who do believe in one nation under God and who do put our trust in Him.
My Savior never pretends that he doesn’t know me. He fights for me and he’s proud to know me. How can I do any less for him?
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