Acts 4-6; Proverbs 26
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“We cannot help speaking about what we have seen or heard” (Acts 4:20)
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word
of God boldly.” (Acts 4:31b)
“Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full
message of this new life.” (Acts5:20)
“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they
never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”
(Acts 5:42)
The great numbers added to the early church daily were because the
believers and witnesses would not keep silent. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke boldly, even
in the face of punishment, about the good news of the life, death, and resurrection
of Jesus. They were not ashamed;
they were not scared. They were
passionate and dedicated.
I think believers today, myself included, become relaxed in their
faith. It is almost as if we let
the newness and excitement wear off.
Think about a child who gets a special Christmas gift, and at first it
is all they can talk about. They
tell everyone they see that they got that special gift for Christmas, and they carry it around with them wherever they go. But after a while they get preoccupied
with other stuff and their excitement and thankfulness for that gift wears
out. Their attention goes to
something else. This is why, as I
wrote about recently, I feel it is so important to revisit the story of Jesus’
death and resurrection often … to remember what He did for us so we do not take
it for granted.
Then there are also believers today, once again including myself,
who remain silent because they worry about what other people think. The apostles didn’t care if people
thought they were crazy; they didn’t even care if they were put in jail. They had experienced Jesus and could
not hold it in. We are also often
afraid of offending others. I
think if you speak with genuine passion and excitement and with love and
respect toward others they will not be offended even if they believe
differently. When you speak about
your faith, focus on what Jesus did for you in your life; do not try to take on
the role of a judge for someone else’s life.
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put
it under a bowl. Instead they put
in on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before
men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)
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