Friday, March 02, 2007
These Men Had Been with Jesus
Jesus repeatedly warned the disciples that they would be misunderstood. He told them they would be persecuted just like He was. Consider this encouragement that Jesus gave His disciples. He said, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12 KJV).
Those who ended up persecuting Jesus' disciples were deceived. They actually felt they were doing the work of God. Jesus warned, "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me" (John 16:2-3 KJV).
As soon as the religious leaders heard about the healing and Peter's preaching, they jumped to intervene. They did not want things to get out of hand. Their authority was threatened as was the tranquility they had worked to achieve. The last thing the Temple rulers wanted was more trouble. The Sadducees did not like that these common men were teaching in the Temple. And they certainly did not want Jesus to be preached or the resurrection of the dead.
Many who heard Peter's sermon were convicted and repented. According to Acts, five thousand men responded to Peter's message about the life found in Jesus.
Peter and John were held in the jail overnight. They had the night to think over what had happened and what their future might hold. This could have been enough time to cause ordinary men to back down. But these men were witnesses of life beyond their explanation. These men had been with Jesus.
Early the next day, the religious leaders, including many of those who had conspired to kill Jesus, asked the disciples about the source of their power and authority.
This is not the first time that Peter and John had been together in the presence of this assembly. They were there when Jesus was tried by many of these vary same men. They had stayed in the background then. This time they were the ones on trial. Peter's failure before the cock crowed and his resulting regret may have provided the inspiration he needed to stand firm this time. In this moment of trial, Jesus' words must have come alive in a way never before possible.
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, responded and gave Jesus credit for the great miracle. He said, "It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed."
Drawing a connection with the temple, Peter called Jesus the capstone, the corner stone who was rejected the religious leaders. Peter's word seem to compare the religious leaders to someone searching about vainly for a stone to fit the corner of the foundation when they previously rejected the real corner-stone. They said that they wanted answers. But did they really? Would they like the truth when it was proclaimed to them? Sometimes we think we want the truth, but when we hear it we want anything but the truth.
Going a step further, Peter declared Jesus as King and Savior. He said, "There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." This was a statement loaded with political meaning. Instead of Caesar being the one to save and bring life to the people, Peter declared Jesus as the true Son of God and Savior. Throughout many parts of the empire, the Roman emperors were worshipped as gods. While this practice began long before the ministry of Jesus, it really blossomed after the early Church started. The establishment of Christ's kingdom stood at odds to Roman rule as well as Jewish sentiments about the oneness of God. Peter put his own twist on popular saying for those who had already started to view the emperors as gods. The slogan was, "There is no name under heaven by which men can be saved than Caesar."
The deification of the emperors led to a massive showdown between the early Church and Rome. And it was only beginning. Additionally, the Christian faith by its very core message proved antagonistic to the Jewish Temple authorities in Jerusalem. Peter and John never set out to start a new religion. They were trying to carry on the work of Jesus to help the Jews recognize their true calling and purpose to be a light to the world.
In contrast, the Temple leaders did not like the Gospel or its challenge to their authority. While the Jewish rulers were the first persecutors of the early Church, the practice eventually extended to the Romans. Initially, the Romans provided some protection to Christians. However, this all changed in less than 100 years. Christianity and Roman rule were on a collision course because both proclaimed absolute authority.
When Julius Caesar became emperor, some people in the East worshipped him as a god even though people in Rome did not consider him to be divine. After his murder in 44 BC, a spectacular comet appeared for eight days. This event was seen as the divine authentication of Caesar's deity. His adopted son Octavian proclaimed his father "divine" and himself "Son of God" when he became emperor in 27 BC.
Octavian changed his name to Augustus and began to allow emperor worship. A temple was erected in Ephesus in honor of Julius Caesar. Already considered to be divine by some it was a simple transition to the development of full scale emperor worship. Emperor cults sprang up especially in the eastern reaches of the empire. This practice encouraged emperors to seek such honor. Emperor worship gave validity to Roman rule, unified the empire despite its many cultural differences and reduced social unrest. Despite these advantages, emperor worship developed slowly.
A number emperors came and went before Domitian in 81 AD arose to power. He really fueled the practice of emperor worship. He was obsessed with his status and that of his family. A very brutal leader, Domitian demanded worship as a god through the entire empire. This included Roman citizens as well. Those who refused to worship Domitian were slaughtered, including many Christians.
Domitian insisted on being called "Lord and God" whenever he was mentioned or addressed. Eventually, this became tied to economic survival. You couldn't eat, drink, travel or do business without paying honor to the emperor. For example, the public fountains providing drinking water for the towns and cities were devoted to the Emperor. Before drawing water one must acknowledge the emperor as the provider of life itself.
This is what would come out of these initial encounters. Peter and John had witnessed things that made Caesar a fraud. He was no god, and they knew it because they had seen God in human form. And His name is Jesus.
The Temple leaders were surprised to see Peter and John respond with such wisdom, courage and spiritual authority. Acts recounts that these were unschooled, ordinary men. The Jews took note that "these men had been with Jesus." That simple fact changed everything. When you are with Jesus and follow Him, you can't help but to become like Him.
Confronted with irrefutable miracles and mysteries, the Temple leaders were at a loss for what to do. These men defied explanation. The Jewish leaders did not know that to say so they tried to used intimidation. They were worried about what would happen if the name of Jesus became a source of inspiration for the masses. They said, " We must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."
Peter and John refused to comply. They responded, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
All the Temple leaders could do was issue some further threats. They were not sure how to punish these men because everyone was praising God for the great miracle that God worked through them.
Peter and John were God's vessels to change the world. They were ordinary men who did extraordinary things simply because they had been with Jesus. As a Christian, our position is in Jesus not ourselves. This truth is one of the greatest mysteries of the Christian faith. It is also one of the most incredible realities that make is possible for us to become something far beyond our wildest dreams.
Those who ended up persecuting Jesus' disciples were deceived. They actually felt they were doing the work of God. Jesus warned, "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me" (John 16:2-3 KJV).
As soon as the religious leaders heard about the healing and Peter's preaching, they jumped to intervene. They did not want things to get out of hand. Their authority was threatened as was the tranquility they had worked to achieve. The last thing the Temple rulers wanted was more trouble. The Sadducees did not like that these common men were teaching in the Temple. And they certainly did not want Jesus to be preached or the resurrection of the dead.
Many who heard Peter's sermon were convicted and repented. According to Acts, five thousand men responded to Peter's message about the life found in Jesus.
Peter and John were held in the jail overnight. They had the night to think over what had happened and what their future might hold. This could have been enough time to cause ordinary men to back down. But these men were witnesses of life beyond their explanation. These men had been with Jesus.
Early the next day, the religious leaders, including many of those who had conspired to kill Jesus, asked the disciples about the source of their power and authority.
This is not the first time that Peter and John had been together in the presence of this assembly. They were there when Jesus was tried by many of these vary same men. They had stayed in the background then. This time they were the ones on trial. Peter's failure before the cock crowed and his resulting regret may have provided the inspiration he needed to stand firm this time. In this moment of trial, Jesus' words must have come alive in a way never before possible.
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, responded and gave Jesus credit for the great miracle. He said, "It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed."
Drawing a connection with the temple, Peter called Jesus the capstone, the corner stone who was rejected the religious leaders. Peter's word seem to compare the religious leaders to someone searching about vainly for a stone to fit the corner of the foundation when they previously rejected the real corner-stone. They said that they wanted answers. But did they really? Would they like the truth when it was proclaimed to them? Sometimes we think we want the truth, but when we hear it we want anything but the truth.
Going a step further, Peter declared Jesus as King and Savior. He said, "There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." This was a statement loaded with political meaning. Instead of Caesar being the one to save and bring life to the people, Peter declared Jesus as the true Son of God and Savior. Throughout many parts of the empire, the Roman emperors were worshipped as gods. While this practice began long before the ministry of Jesus, it really blossomed after the early Church started. The establishment of Christ's kingdom stood at odds to Roman rule as well as Jewish sentiments about the oneness of God. Peter put his own twist on popular saying for those who had already started to view the emperors as gods. The slogan was, "There is no name under heaven by which men can be saved than Caesar."
The deification of the emperors led to a massive showdown between the early Church and Rome. And it was only beginning. Additionally, the Christian faith by its very core message proved antagonistic to the Jewish Temple authorities in Jerusalem. Peter and John never set out to start a new religion. They were trying to carry on the work of Jesus to help the Jews recognize their true calling and purpose to be a light to the world.
In contrast, the Temple leaders did not like the Gospel or its challenge to their authority. While the Jewish rulers were the first persecutors of the early Church, the practice eventually extended to the Romans. Initially, the Romans provided some protection to Christians. However, this all changed in less than 100 years. Christianity and Roman rule were on a collision course because both proclaimed absolute authority.
When Julius Caesar became emperor, some people in the East worshipped him as a god even though people in Rome did not consider him to be divine. After his murder in 44 BC, a spectacular comet appeared for eight days. This event was seen as the divine authentication of Caesar's deity. His adopted son Octavian proclaimed his father "divine" and himself "Son of God" when he became emperor in 27 BC.
Octavian changed his name to Augustus and began to allow emperor worship. A temple was erected in Ephesus in honor of Julius Caesar. Already considered to be divine by some it was a simple transition to the development of full scale emperor worship. Emperor cults sprang up especially in the eastern reaches of the empire. This practice encouraged emperors to seek such honor. Emperor worship gave validity to Roman rule, unified the empire despite its many cultural differences and reduced social unrest. Despite these advantages, emperor worship developed slowly.
A number emperors came and went before Domitian in 81 AD arose to power. He really fueled the practice of emperor worship. He was obsessed with his status and that of his family. A very brutal leader, Domitian demanded worship as a god through the entire empire. This included Roman citizens as well. Those who refused to worship Domitian were slaughtered, including many Christians.
Domitian insisted on being called "Lord and God" whenever he was mentioned or addressed. Eventually, this became tied to economic survival. You couldn't eat, drink, travel or do business without paying honor to the emperor. For example, the public fountains providing drinking water for the towns and cities were devoted to the Emperor. Before drawing water one must acknowledge the emperor as the provider of life itself.
This is what would come out of these initial encounters. Peter and John had witnessed things that made Caesar a fraud. He was no god, and they knew it because they had seen God in human form. And His name is Jesus.
The Temple leaders were surprised to see Peter and John respond with such wisdom, courage and spiritual authority. Acts recounts that these were unschooled, ordinary men. The Jews took note that "these men had been with Jesus." That simple fact changed everything. When you are with Jesus and follow Him, you can't help but to become like Him.
Confronted with irrefutable miracles and mysteries, the Temple leaders were at a loss for what to do. These men defied explanation. The Jewish leaders did not know that to say so they tried to used intimidation. They were worried about what would happen if the name of Jesus became a source of inspiration for the masses. They said, " We must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."
Peter and John refused to comply. They responded, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
All the Temple leaders could do was issue some further threats. They were not sure how to punish these men because everyone was praising God for the great miracle that God worked through them.
Peter and John were God's vessels to change the world. They were ordinary men who did extraordinary things simply because they had been with Jesus. As a Christian, our position is in Jesus not ourselves. This truth is one of the greatest mysteries of the Christian faith. It is also one of the most incredible realities that make is possible for us to become something far beyond our wildest dreams.
