Tag Archives: religious bullies

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE – DON’T BE AFRAID OF RELIGIOUS BULLIES

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DON’T BE AFRAID OF RELIGIOUS BULLIES

“‘I’m speaking to you as dear friends. Don’t be bluffed into silence or insincerity by religious bullies. True, they can kill you but then what can they do? There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life – body and soul – in His hands.'” Luke 12:4, 5.

Always, always, Jesus put life into its correct perspective. For Him, life includes this life and the life to come. If our concern is only for this life, we will make decisions and choices which will adversely affect us in the eternal realm.

Had He only considered preserving His life for the short time He was on earth, the outcome would have been very different for us human beings. But He didn’t. The writer to the Hebrews puts it like this, ‘”…who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2b NIV).

Jesus was never afraid of the truth. He spoke it and He lived it fearlessly. Truth cannot die and those who hold to the truth cannot be destroyed. The body is destructible and will die, be it by natural or unnatural means, but the inner being will never die. It will continue to live, either with God or without God, depending on what we do with the truth.

Pilate asked Jesus, ‘What is truth?’ He didn’t even wait for an answer but, unknowingly, he was standing in the presence of the one who said, ‘I am the truth.’ So, what is truth? Everything that God is, says and does is the truth.

Jesus came to represent the Father, and to reveal the Father and He is therefore the embodiment of truth. Look and listen to Jesus and you have an accurate representation of the truth.

Religious bullies come in many subtle disguises. Some kill people who don’t subscribe to their religion. Others kill people’s names in the media and especially on the internet in the name of ‘truth’. Character assassination is a common way of destroying the opposition, especially in political circles.

But Jesus assured us, ‘Don’t worry about people like that. They may kill your name or even your body but they cannot kill you. Only God can do that and you are safe with Him forever if you stand on the side of truth.’

It is neither pleasant nor easy to face the hot breath of lies that is often used against us, especially when we are a threat to people as Jesus was. We either want to curl up or shut up but the counsel from God’s word is, ‘Stand up, speak up and look up.’ You may pay a price for your courage but the reward far outweighs the cost in the long run.

Ungodly people think nothing of using revenge to vindicate themselves when they cannot get their own way, but God’s Word says, ‘Don’t be like them. Let God do your vindicating for you.’ It may not happen in this life but God is a righteous judge. He will always have the last word, ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ That question has only one answer – no-one. A man of God once said, ‘Fear God, and you will have nothing else to fear.’

Silence Them With Threats!

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SILENCE THEM WITH THREATS!

“They sent them out of the room so they could work out a plan. They talked it over. ‘What can we do with these men? By now it’s known all over town that a miracle has occurred, and they are behind it. There is no way we can refute that. But so that it doesn’t go any further, let’s silence them with threats so they won’t dare to use Jesus’ name ever again with anyone.

“They called them back and warned them that they were on no account ever again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John spoke right back. ‘Whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. As for us, there’s no question — we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard.'” Acts 4:15-20 (The Message).

How naive of these so-called ‘leaders’! Did they really think that their puny threats would put a stop to a spiritual revival that was gathering momentum like a snowball tumbling down a mountain? Their threats were no more effective than shouting against thunder.

These apostles were on a roll. God had raised up Jesus and elevated Him to the highest place in the universe. To Him was given all authority in heaven and on earth and to His faithful apostles He had delegated His authority to preach and heal in His name. Everyone who heard would have an opportunity to respond to the good news that the kingdom of God had come to all people.

What were the Sanhedrin’s threats against a commission like that, especially when God’s power was let loose to confirm the message they were delivering? Put yourself in their shoes. How much notice would you have taken of the hot air of these bullies when God was on the move and He was using you?

The apostles were drunk with the power of God. They were exhilarated with the sweet air of the kingdom after living their whole lives in the stale atmosphere of religion. God had opened a window and let in the fresh breeze of the Holy Spirit and they were not about to shut it again and go back to the very beliefs and ways that had imprisoned them. They wanted everyone to know this vibrant new life that had been poured into them.

Peter and John’s response was not arrogant or disrespectful. God’s power was at work in them and they were not about to shut it down because a few religious cranks ordered them to do so. Jesus was alive and resident in them through His Spirit. They simply stated the truth. Should we obey God or you? You decide.

They were speaking to men who claimed to be obeying God and teaching the people to obey God. Now these same men were ordering a few Galilean peasants not to obey God in spite of what was obvious. No one could do what the apostles were doing without the power of God. They themselves had acknowledged that a miracle had happened and they could not get around it.

Every encounter the apostles had with the religious hierarchy laid more guilt on them and showed them up for what they were, power-hungry bigots who were more interested in their own position than in the responsibility of their role as Israel’s leaders.

Those who lead God’s people need to be careful not to allow self-interest or pride of position get in the way of representing Jesus to the people. We are to be both followers and leaders. Peter and John were not fazed by threats or intimidation. They had their mandate and so do we.

Don’t Be Afraid of Religious Bullies

Bible Study, , ,

DON’T BE AFRAID OF RELIGIOUS BULLIES

“‘I’m speaking to you as dear friends. Don’t be bluffed into silence or insincerity by religious bullies. True, they can kill you but then what can they do? There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life – body and soul – in His hands.'” Luke 12:4, 5 (The Message).

Always, always, Jesus put life into its correct perspective. For Him, life includes this life and the life to come. If our concern is only for this life, we will make decisions and choices which will adversely affect us in the eternal realm.

Had He only considered preserving His life for the short time He was on earth, the outcome would have been very different for us human beings. But He didn’t. The writer to the Hebrews puts it like this, ‘…who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross…’ (Hebrews 12:2b NIV)

Jesus was never afraid of the truth. He spoke it and He lived it fearlessly. Truth cannot die and those who hold to the truth cannot be destroyed. The body is destructible and will die, be it by natural or unnatural means, but the inner being will never die. It will continue to live, either with God or without God, depending on what we do with the truth.

Pilate asked Jesus, ‘What is truth?’ He didn’t even wait for an answer but, unknowingly, he was standing in the presence of the one who said, ‘I am the truth.’ So, what is truth? Everything that God is, says and does is the truth. Jesus came to represent the Father, and to reveal the Father and He is therefore the embodiment of truth. Look and listen to Jesus and you have an accurate representation of the truth.

Religious bullies come in many subtle disguises. Some kill people who don’t subscribe to their religion. Others kill people’s names in the media and especially on the internet in the name of ‘truth’. Character assassination is a common way of destroying the opposition, especially in political circles.

But Jesus assured us, ‘Don’t worry about people like that. They may kill your name or even your body but they cannot kill you. Only God can do that and you are safe with Him forever if you stand on the side of truth.’

It is neither pleasant nor easy to face the hot breath of lies that is often used against us, especially when we are a threat to people as Jesus was. We either want to curl up or shut up but the counsel from God’s word is, ‘Stand up, speak up and look up.’ You may pay a price for your courage but the reward far outweighs the cost in the long run.

Ungodly people think nothing of using revenge to vindicate themselves when they cannot get their own way, but God’s Word says, ‘Don’t be like them. Let God do your vindicating for you.’ It may not happen in this life but God is a righteous judge. He will always have the last word, ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ That question has only one answer – no-one.

A man of God once said, ‘Fear God, and you will have nothing else to fear.’