John 13:35<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\nNot just saying we love each other, but a heart felt love, a sincere love that is evidenced in actions. A unified love.<\/p>\n
Empathy (relationship), Holy Spirit power (God\u2019s presence) and real Love (community). Those three together prove God is really among us.<\/p>\n
Now don\u2019t get me wrong, apologetics are great, evidences for God\u2019s existence, the first cause, fine tuning, historical evidence, moral law, all of that is wonderful, but if it\u2019s not bathed in empathy, Spirit, and love, it will be empty, even offensive.<\/p>\n
So the Sanhedrin, they see the evidence, they don\u2019t have a word to say, so they head back to discuss it privately. <\/p>\n
Verse 16: \u201cWhat are we going to do with these men?\u201d they asked. \u201cEveryone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.\u201d<\/p>\n
They can\u2019t deny it. Jesus really did heal the crippled man. The people saw the change. And the church had grown to 5,000.<\/p>\n
The word had spread, it had gone viral, the truth was out. So, the leaders knew what they had to do: Stop the spread. <\/p>\n
Verse 17: They said\u2026 \u201cBut to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anytime God does something through his church, the enemy tries to stop it. Through these leaders he\u2019s going to try to stop God\u2019s message from going out.<\/p>\n
And believe me, the same is true for you. The enemy wants to keep you quiet about Jesus. Sure, you can come to church and worship him; Talk to other Christians about Jesus, but my goodness you better not talk to unbelievers. The devil gets very mad at that. \u201cKeep it in church!\u201d as someone said to me. My Answer: No. <\/p>\n
Verse 18: \u201cThen they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stop. Talking. About. Jesus.<\/p>\n
I often think about this in our city. There is no rule or law that says we can\u2019t talk about Jesus to the people around us.<\/p>\n
But there are powerful unwritten social rules. A silent pressure that weighs down on us: Don\u2019t bring up politics, or religion. Don\u2019t talk about that.<\/p>\n
Keep quiet. Just talk about the weather.<\/p>\n
No one says it out loud. But it\u2019s just not polite to bring up Jesus, isn\u2019t that it? It\u2019s an unwritten rule. Religion is private. It\u2019s none of your business. All the stuff the devil tells us, to keep us quiet about Jesus.<\/p>\n
But, if it is the unwritten rule that we don\u2019t talk about Jesus in our city, that is the one rule we must break. And I think we can do it in a way that will actually be received fairly well. I really do.<\/p>\n
People are more open than I\u2019ve ever seen to talk about God.<\/p>\n
If we speak with love, and then listen, and then pray, and then speak with love, then listen, then pray, and speak with love about Jesus, then listen, and then pray, you\u2019d be amazed how receptive someone can be.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a very simply formula. You\u2019re in a conversation. Bring up Jesus. “What do you think about Jesus? Did you know he died on the cross for your sins?” Then immediately begin listening with empathy, ask questions, keep listening, as you listen, pray in your heart for them, then make another statement about Jesus, then again listen, listen, and listen, pray as you listen, then make another statement about Jesus, listen, listen, listen, love on them. Make them feel understood and heard. Make them feel that they matter, because they do. Offer to pray with them, or invite them to church. Simple. Empathy, Love, Spirit. Those three together, they just can\u2019t deny.<\/p>\n
It does not matter how much they deny Jesus, or raise interesting questions, or push back, if you listen, and love, and speak in Spirit, they won\u2019t forget your empathy, your love, or how God seemed to be with you.<\/p>\n
Speak, Listen, Pray.<\/p>\n
Spirit, Empathy, Love. <\/p>\n
Next, verses 19-20: But Peter and John replied, \u201cWhich is right in God\u2019s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
We could stay silent… Obey the unwritten American rules. But, who should we obey? God or society? The Sanhedrin tells John and Peter to be silent. And they politely refuse. They even put the question back on them, \u201cYou be the judge, which is the right thing to do? Follow God or not?\u201d We cannot help but speak about Jesus.<\/p>\n
You must make a decision as well. I worry many of you already have. At times I do! We\u2019ve decided to obey the old saying, don\u2019t bring that up, instead of obeying the Bible. But let me challenge you today: Do you want to be liked, or do you want to be faithful? It\u2019s time to speak up, politely, tactfully, with love, about Jesus.<\/p>\n
And it will take courage. Boldness. Which God gives abundantly. Don\u2019t be afraid. He is with you.<\/p>\n
Make a decision today. A new choice.<\/p>\n
Verse 21: \u201cAfter further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the future, we will face further threats as well. But if we know who we are, if we aren\u2019t shaky in our identity, we can be courageous. If someone throws it back at us, or tries to stop us, we can brush it off, because we know exactly who we are. And their opinion, or words, won\u2019t affect how we view ourselves.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n