I'm Too Afraid!

Acts 4:18-22, “18So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” 21So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.”

Have you ever thought about what it meant for these apostles to answer their interrogation this way in Acts? They were telling that regardless of their laws, Rome’s laws or their threats they were going to preach Christ. They had to tell, or preach, about what they had seen and heard. Do you feel that way? Do you feel so compelled about your faith that you have to tell it regardless of the consequences? If not, why not?

The apostles and followers gave up their careers, their land, their families and their money for the sake of Christ. Yet we are afraid to talk about it in our daily lives because the government tells us we cannot. God tells us to tell everyone, and the government says we cannot. Who should you listen to? Who do you owe everything to?

Are we afraid to be fired, arrested, and made fun of because we are real Christ followers? I am sure glad the early Christians were not. This is one thing to be thankful for during this season.

With Christmas coming and why we celebrate this season, Jesus Christ, are you going to become politically correct so you do not offend anyone? Read Acts 3 and 4 again and see if your thoughts about this change. We are Christ followers in all areas of our lives. We are not supposed to wait till someone opens the door for us to talk. We are to go and preach and to tell everyone. The great commission does not tell us to wait.

If Christ is permeating everything in your life, then how can you not tell others about Him? Remember if you love the world, then you do not love God. He said it I did not.

John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”