The Apostles are Arrested for Preaching Jesus
Then they brought the apostles before the high
council, where the high priest confronted them. “We gave you strict orders never again to teach
in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead,
you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to
make us responsible for his death!” But
Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human
authority. Acts 5:27-29 (NLT)
Gamaliel’s Warning to the Judges of the Council
“So my advice
is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things
merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not
be able to overthrow them. You may even
find yourselves fighting against God!” Acts
5:38-39(NLT)
The apostles preached Jesus everywhere they went, and the
crowds were growing. The 70 men who
formed the Jewish council of rulers (Sanhedrin) were getting nervous; they couldn’t
have this kind of insubordination. They
had warned Peter and the others to keep their public speech respectful (which,
to the rulers meant…be quiet about Jesus!)
Warned repeatedly, Peter and the others kept on obeying
God’s call to tell everyone the Good News about Jesus, the Christ. So, back in handcuffs, they stand before the
judges, who are trying to figure out what to do with them.
Gamaliel is a member of the council, and the respected
teacher who taught Paul in his pre-Christian days. He has the apostles put out of earshot and
gives the council his advice, in which he describes previous uprisings, and
then tells them to let this thing run its course. In his closing argument Gamaliel utters the warning
we all need to hear: if
this thing is from God there’s nothing you can do to stop it; and if you try,
you might find yourself opposing God! Is
THAT what you really want?[2]
In some ways throughout the last 20 centuries, the
cause of Christ has been harmed more by “rulers” than any enemy from “the
outside”. Movements come and go; the
Kingdom of God is forever, and is well-able to defend itself.
Recently (and I really mean the last couple of
decades) my Methodist family has been embroiled in a controversy where Gamaliel’s
wise counsel can use some dusting-off and applying to some attitudes.
I am referring specifically to the push from the LGBTQ[3]
or “progressive” coalition to “normalize” that lifestyle considered sin by many
in the conservative/historic position. This “push” is to have stricken from all
Methodist doctrines any reference to homosexuality being incompatible with
Christian teaching.
The merits of any such push aside, the vitriol and just plain meanness emanating from both sides of this
tiresome argument is nauseatingly less than Christian. Name calling and demonizing are hardly what
Christ wanted for His bride, the church.
So, let me play Gamaliel, and speak to the rulers of
today’s organizations: Let
it go!
If God is really behind what those of the Reconciling
push are pushing, you don’t want to be found a stumbling block! If the pushers are wrong, you don’t have to
defend the kingdom with clever political machinations. The Father is well-able to speak for Himself…and
He will! The only thing at stake here is
money and buildings; do you really think that matters to God? If you do, you’re making the same mistake as
the Sanhedrin.
Peter learned[4]
to put away his sword; and those who fancy themselves as protectors of the
Methodist Church and conservative values, ought to do likewise, putting-away
the mean-spirited demonizing of those who think differently. When we do that we only sling mud on the
wedding dress of the Bride of Christ and handcuff the real Gospel.
For You Today
Loving others means proclaiming God’s Good News; you
can do that…and you can leave what others do about it to them…keep on
preaching, saints!
No comments:
Post a Comment