Is what you are doing worth fighting for? For that matter, first and foremost, is it honoring God and the Name of Jesus? Jesus' Name is powerful but we who are His followers have a responsibility not to dishonor His Name nor bring shame to Him.
None of us would wish to be harassed, persecuted or tortured for Christ; many of Jesus' followers are though. The early believers in Christ suffered such as a 'norm'. After all, Christ suffered at the hands of jealous and callous men. Men who supposedly upheld the commandments of God as scripted by Moses in the Book of the Covenant (Law).
They didn't do too good a job of that and only became extremely jealous of Jesus. They also became extremely jealous of Peter and John and the "success" they were having in teaching and preaching the message of Jesus.
These begruding, resentful religious leaders had Peter and John arrested, flogged* and ordered not to teach in the name of Jesus anymore. Spokesman Peter, replied,
"We must obey God, not men" (Acts 5:20 Good News).
Upon their release, Peter and John went straight back at it - continually being the witnesses Jesus asked them to be. They were NOT sticking up for their own rights by their declaration of obeying God rather than men. NO! This was sticking up for God's rights. They were proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ. This at personal cost. They had been flogged. Remember what that entails? Forty lashes to the back from a whip that must have done plenty of damage and presented plenty of pain.
How strange then, after leaving the presence of furious "men of the cloth", we find the apostles "rejoicing"!! They were rejoicing because,
"...they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name of Jesus" (Acts 5:41 NIV).
How happy would you be to suffer in such a way for the sake of Jesus? I ask this question of myself too. Frankly, I'm fearful of such. The apostles, likely still in great discomfort, sallied forth and,
"...never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ" (Acts 5:42 NIV).
Imagine!
The major point is that they did what they did, despite the threats of great physical retribution to themselves. The onus was on their heads. Nevertheless, they persevered and persisted -- to address their own personal rights or rights of the congregation? NO! NO! NO! Triple, NO! They didn't dare to laugh into the face of this. They feared God and did so for Him and out of their love and obedience to Jesus. They did not push their own personal agenda.
Are you wondering where this is leading? It has greatly disturbed me time and again upon learning of, and even viewing, certan people of God in the position of influence in the pulpit, laughing into the face of the government of their land, disregarding the health of their community inside and out, in the neighborhood of those places they'd called, "The House of God". What desecration!
How can one continue to respect a man who mockingly proclaims there is no such thing as a pandemic (COVID-19) and it is only 'fear tactics' being spread about to stop people from coming to church and disregarding, in large part, SOP.
Openly laughing!
For what?
For their rights to practice their religion!? Such tomfoolery! It reflects back onto the character of the laugh-er. Additionally, such shame and disgrace reflected upon the Name of Jesus, which is far worse. Would these so-called, leaders really continue so brazenly if they would suffer flogging, for proclaiming "NO pandemic!" and scoffingly laugh about it? Harmful, harmful message.
For Peter and John, and many others of their caliber, even in this day and age, who sincerely proclaim the" good news that Jesus is the Christ," "obeying God rather than men" in the very face of legitimate and certain harassment, flogging, confiscation of property, and other forms of persecution and torments, they would be in consternation over this kind of namby-pamby, dangerously insolent behavior. How does it edify the congregants and how does it honor the Lord?
Think about it! Are you loving your neighbor as yourself, proclaiming Christ, OR are you blatantly, advocating your own will to assert your own rights in disregard of those 'neighbors', and laws of the land? Only you can answer these questions for yourself.
I certainly hope that the Name of Jesus will not turn sour and distasteful to the "whosoever" would have! May we uphold the Name of Jesus in reverence and fear of God, bringing glory and honor to His Name. Proclaim the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ; that Jesus IS the Christ. Follow God's will not our own. This is the message to trumpet forth and is eternally worth fighting for.
Whose rights will you fight for?
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks, or the church of God...For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved." (1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NIV).
~ERC September 2021~
Based on Acts 5:17-42 (NIV/GoodNews)
No comments:
Post a Comment