07/19/2009

Sunday School 9:45 a.m. - Proverbs 30:24. "Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: 25. Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; 26. coneys are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; 27. locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; 28. a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces.

Scripture reading: #364

Vesper's this evening at 5:00! Dialogue on 'self-determination.' (In the fellowship hall!)

Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. - This week: "The Age of the Spirit is also the Age of the Church..." for better or for worse. ("Desire of the Everlasting Hills" by Thomas Cahill.)

Flogged but rejoicing

Acts 5.27 Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28. "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."

29. Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! 30. The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

32. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." 33. When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.

35. Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.

37. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.

39. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." 40. His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42. 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.

Let’s look at how this man, Peter, looked at flogging, or suffering in general:

1 Peter 2:19. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

21. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

24. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

John 3:6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

What got you where you are…your own ambition; ego; impatience; greed…or perhaps, on the other side of the same coin, was it laziness; indecision; lack of diligence; lack of vision; inattention or insolence?

Those two sides of a coin seem so incongruous, yet are all behaviors ‘born of the flesh.’

Actions born of either side of that coin can, and will, bring suffering and consequences of humiliation.

What was the difference between the actions of Peter, and the other disciples, that resulted in them being flogged; and those actions of Theudas, and Judas the Galilean, that brought about the deaths of those two?

“A Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people,” said of Theudas that he was “…claiming to be somebody...”

Gamaliel said of Peter and the other apostles, “…in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

Theudas was claiming to be somebody. Zig Ziglar said that when he was a young man he “always wanted to be somebody.” Now that he is older he wishes he “would have been more specific.”

Rudolph Bultmann talked about the “I” and “Thou” identities and that authentic identity for a Christian comes from God saying “Thou art Mine.” Our identity as Christians must be found and contained in God… ‘in Whom we have our life and being.’

It isn’t enough to claim to be somebody, or try to be somebody, or assume we are somebody.

If our identity is in Him then it makes no difference who we are, or what becomes of us, because ‘we are not our own but have been bought with a price.’

The difference between those who suffer for Christ and those who suffer for being somebody is a matter of celebration and not celebrity.

Peter and the other apostles were able to endure flogging and leave “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”

Peter said, “…it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.”