They were
sisters, but they lived in different cities. One day
they came home for a visit. But one had become a
Christian. Said the other, after a few days,
"You're a great deal easier to live with than
you used to be." There's a difference when
Christ comes in. Do your loved ones recognize that
you're a Christian and that you've been with Christ?
But sometimes, with the compliment, there comes
contempt.
Mark the
contempt. It's written in Acts 4:13, "Now when
they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and
perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men,
they marveled; and knowledge of them, that they had
been they took with Jesus." Now the word
education, and the word "ignorant" means
"unlearned" means they had no technical
they had no special qualifications. They were laymen
who loved the Lord, and who went to the school of our
Savior. Oh, on the men in whose heart the Lord
dwells, there's dignity and grace which neither
academic charm, a attainment nor professional rank
can give.
Mark the
charge. "The greatest evidence for Christianity
is a Christian." When the fold in authority saw
that an extraordinary miracle had taken place through
Peter and John in the healing of the lame man, they
couldn't deny it. Are you, Christian? Is your church
producing something that the world can't deny? Away
with arguments. Give them evidence that the gospel
"is the power of God unto salvation."
Afraid that more people might be converted and
changed, they charged them bluntly not to speak or
teach a single further word about the name of Jesus.
But note their
consecration. It's written in Acts 4:20, "Peter
and John said unto them, We cannot but speak the
things which we have seen and heard." "The
trouble with so many people," said H.G. Wells,
"is that the voice of their neighbors sound
louder in their ears than the voice of God." Not
so, John Knox. It was said of him, "He feared
God so much that he never feared the face of any
man." That was true of Peter and John. Is it
true of you? It is, if you're a true-blue, God-called
and God-sent minister. You might as well tell the
rain to stop falling, or the sun to stop shining, or
the wind to stop blowing, or the flowers to stop
blooming as to tell Peter and John, and any
born-again believer to go away and never again to
talk about Jesus.
Mark their
confidence. When they were let go, they went back to
their Christian friends. You see, "birds of a
feather flock together." If you're a Christian,
you'll seek out the Christians. And what did they
talk about? The Lord. They lifted up their voices to
God in united prayer and said, "Lord, thou art
God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea,
and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of Thy
servant David has said, Why did the heathen rage, and
the people imagine vain things? The kings of the
earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together
against the Lord, and against His Christ." You
see Jew and Gentile crucified Christ. They consulted
together against the Lord and His Anointed. They
agreed in saying, "We'll not have this Man to
reign over us." But the Bible says, "He
that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord
shall have them in derision." Why? God answers,
"Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill in
Zion." That's to say, men may rebel, and refuse
to bow the knee to the name of Jesus; but God says,
"My will and way shall be done, and you'll not
spoil My plans. My King will reign." Oh, you
can't outwit the Lord, nor change His plans. He works
everything according to His will. And "Jesus
shall reign where're the sun does his successive
journeys run; His Kingdom spread from shore to shore,
till moons shall wax and wane no more." But if
you'd reign with Christ then, you must receive Him
now. "As many as received Him, to them gave He
power to become the sons of God." You will
receive Jesus and crown Him King of your heart, won't
you? If you do, He'll save you. You'll be forgiven.
You'll have peace. Eternal life will be yours. But if
you reject Him, you'll perish. Oh, then, let me beg
you with all my heart to receive Jesus this moment as
your Savior and Lord.
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic
Association
All Scripture verses are
quoted from the New King James Version..
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to the next message in this Sower Scripture Study on
the book of Acts.
This series of messages on the
books of the Bible were originally written for
broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The
Sower." They are collected and reprinted here
for your enjoyment and spiritual edification.
