Tag Archives: threats

BE PREPARED

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BE PREPARED

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3: 13-16).

Wise counsel again from Peter! Be prepared.

Keep in mind the reason for his encouragement, that this group of people to which he was writing, believers in Jesus, most of whom were Jews, were the butt of Roman society’s animosity because they were misunderstood. They were part of a new cult, according to the pagans, which was not Jewish. They had tolerated the Jews but this group was spurned even by the Jews. Oh, they worshipped a Jew who was executed by the Romans and was said to have risen from the dead.  However even this phenomenon of resurrection was not new in their religious teachings, but it was their refusal to acknowledge Caesar as Lord, that got them into real trouble.

The pagan Romans and Greeks worshipped many gods, including the ancient character of Genesis, Nimrod, by his many pagan names and derivations. His evil wife, Semiramis had elevated to him to a god after he died. Semiramis also proclaimed herself to be a goddess – the Queen of Heaven. Her son, Tammuz, who was born after Nimrod’s death, whom she claimed was Nimrod’s son, conceived supernaturally after he died, was said to have risen from the dead after being killed by a wild beast in the forest.

Christians were accused of cannibalism because, during their love feasts they celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus by ‘eating His flesh and drinking His blood.’ Although they were, in the main, model citizens, they kept to themselves for fear of persecution, and worshipped in secret. This kind of behaviour made them suspect, and spawned all kinds of false rumours about them.

Peter’s counsel was, ‘Don’t be afraid of them’ – a quote from Isaiah 8:12b. You have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to fear from them. If you are living your life according to the standards of God’s kingdom, their malicious lies will have no substance. You will put them to shame by your respectful behaviour, your good deeds and by your courteous your response to their questions

Answer them when they question you. You have a very good reason for the hope in you that buoys you up and keeps you going in the face of hardships and unfair treatment. They don’t understand how you can do it? Tell them that is through God’s grace powerfully at work in you that you can put up with injustice without retaliating. You don’t only grin and bear it. You accept it joyfully because it gives you the privilege of suffering alongside your Master who suffered for you.

Jesus said that we must not fear the people who threaten to kill us. They can do no more than put our bodies to death. They cannot kill the indestructible soul within us which belongs to God. The one we are to fear, not be in dread of, but to reverence as Lord, is the one who has the power to destroy both body and soul in hell.

Peter encouraged these sufferers to focus on Jesus. This is the antidote to fear and to the temptation to resist or retaliate. If we keep on gazing at Jesus instead of allowing bitterness and resentment to fester inside, our spirits will remain calm as we draw strength from His suffering.  We remember that ‘He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.’

If Jesus trusted the Father and died trusting Him, can we not also trust Him when we are mistreated for His sake? If we keeping thinking about Him, what He did and what He said, and how He suffered, trusting the Father for justice, it will take the focus off ourselves and save us from suffering from PMS (Poor Me Syndrome!) PMS is the root cause of depression in many people, not chemical imbalances. Imbalances are often the result, not the cause of depression.

There is nothing more medicinal and uplifting than a grateful heart. Gratitude for what Jesus did for you will lift you out of the pits of despair because what He did gives you access into the fullness of His life, His favour and His blessing.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

 

 

THE BOOK OF ACTS – WHO IS IN CHARGE?

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WHO IS IN CHARGE?

“The religious leaders renewed their threats, but then released them. They couldn’t come up with a charge that would stick, that would keep them in jail. The people wouldn’t have stood for it — they were all praising God over what had happened. The man who had been miraculously healed was over forty years old.

“As soon as Peter and John were let go, they went to their friends and told them what the high priests and religious leaders had said. Hearing the report, they lifted their voices in a wonderful harmony in prayer:” Acts 4:21-24a (The Message)

This was the acid test for the apostles. How would they respond to this new development? They were enjoying the favour of all the citizens of Jerusalem, believers and unbelievers alike. Now the Sanhedrin was taking them on, just as it had taken on their Master.

As followers of Jesus, they had watched and listened to His response to the irrational rage of the Jewish religious hierarchy. Even when they arrested, tortured and killed Him, He neither resisted nor bad-mouthed them. He was representative of another kingdom which overrode the worldly kingdom they represented.

Peter and John politely listened to the ranting of the religious rulers but made it clear that they had no intention of obeying them. They had a higher authority to which they were accountable and He was backing their obedience by replicating through them what He had done through Jesus.

There was a strong bond between the believers that was not only a unity of faith but also a bond strengthened by sharing their resources and doing life together. When they were in trouble, they had one another’s support in love and prayer. Peter and John went straight back to their ‘family’ to report what had happened and, no doubt, to discuss their response.

Their first recourse was to God. This is a reflection not only of how well they had learned their lessons from following Jesus but also how powerfully the Holy Spirit was leading and transforming them. The old Peter would have reacted as he did in the garden when the soldiers grabbed Jesus. He lashed out with his sword and slashed off Malchus’ ear. That was his natural human instinct, but not any more. The old Peter had been replaced by a new model, an imitator of Jesus.

They had learned from their Master that the kingdom of God, not their earthly circumstances, was central in their lives. Whatever was happening to them was serving God’s purposes in bringing “up there down here”. That’s how Jesus viewed life. He was never fazed by the imperfections He encountered. They always served a higher purpose — an opportunity for God to put His glory on display.

As leaders of the infant church, it was their opportunity to show their people how to deal with those who stood against them. Retaliate? No! Avenge? No! Resist? No! Stand? Yes. They had their mandate from Jesus. They were to be His witnesses to the world. As they stood firm in their commitment to obey Him, every obstacle would give way through His power in them.

That is the essence of ‘spiritual warfare’ — obedience to the Master in the confidence that His kingdom overrides the kingdom of darkness which will have to give way because Jesus is Lord.

THE BOOK OF ACTS – 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 rolling 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 use 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.

Be Prepared

Bible Study, , , , ,

BE PREPARED

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3: 13-16).

Wise counsel again from Peter! Be prepared.

Keep in mind the reason for his encouragement, that this section of society to which he was writing, most of whom were Jews and believers in Jesus, were the butt of Roman society’s animosity because they were misunderstood. These believers were part of a new cult, according to the pagans, which was not Jewish. They had tolerated the Jews but this group was spurned even by the Jews. Oh, they worshipped a Jew who was executed by the Romans and was said to have risen from the dead.  However even this phenomenon of resurrection was not new in their religious teachings.

The pagan Romans and Greeks worshipped many gods, including Nimrod by his many pagan names and derivations. His evil wife, Semiramis had elevated to him to a god after he died. Semiramis also proclaimed herself to be a goddess – the Queen of Heaven. Her son, Tammuz, who was born after Nimrod’s death, whom she claimed was Nimrod’s son, conceived supernaturally after he died, was said to have risen from the dead after being killed by a wild beast in the forest.

Christians were accused of cannibalism because, during their love feasts they celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus by ‘eating His flesh and drinking His blood.’ Although they were, in the main, model citizens, they kept to themselves for fear of persecution, and worshipped in secret. This kind of behaviour made them suspect, and spawned all kinds of false rumours about them.

Peter’s counsel was, ‘Don’t be afraid of them’ – a quote from Isaiah 8:12b. You have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to fear from them. If you are living your life according to the standards of God’s kingdom, their malicious lies will have no substance. You will put them to shame by you respectful behaviour, your good deeds and by your courteous your response to their questions

Answer them when they question you. You have a very good reason for the hope in you that buoys you up and keeps you going in the face of hardships and unfair treatment. They don’t understand how you can do it? Tell them that is through God’s grace powerfully at work in you that you can put up with injustice without retaliating. You don’t only grin and bear it. You accept it joyfully because it gives you the privilege of suffering alongside your Master who suffered for you.

Jesus said that we must not fear the people who threaten to kill us. They can do no more than put our bodies to death. They cannot kill the indestructible soul within us which belongs to God. The one we are to fear, not be in dread of, but to reverence as Lord, is the one who has the power to destroy both body and soul in hell.

Peter encouraged these sufferers to focus on Jesus. This is the antidote to fear and to the temptation to resist or retaliate. If we keep on gazing at Jesus instead of allowing bitterness and resentment to fester inside, our spirits will remain calm as we draw strength from His suffering.  We remember that ‘He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.’

If Jesus trusted the Father and died trusting Him, can we not also trust Him when we are mistreated for His sake? If we keeping thinking about Him, what He did and what He said, and how He suffered, trusting the Father for justice, it will take the focus off ourselves and save us from suffering from PMS (Poor Me Syndrome!) PMS is the root cause of depression in many people, not chemical imbalances. Imbalances are often the result, not the cause of depression.

There is nothing more medicinal and uplifting than a grateful heart. Gratitude for what Jesus did for you will lift you out of the pits of despair because what He did gives you access into the fullness of His life, His favour and His blessing.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.