Facing Opposition
How can a person he a prisoner in a jail but yet be free? The prison only confines the body but the soul can be free. We in the non - communist countries do not realize how fortunate we are to be totally free to preach and teach the word of God. With our neighbours to the North and West there is no freedom. Today there are thousands in prison not because they have done anything to hurt society but because they are Christians and they are seeking to tell others about the Bible.
One such man was Herman Hartfeld. He was willing to go to jail for telling others of Jesus Christ and the spiritual freedom which comes from trusting in Christ as Lord and Saviour. He was willing to be bound in jail for the sake of a few who might come to know Jesus through his ministry. How willing are we to be known as Christians and be different than our neighbours who live in fear and bondage.
It is official Soviet policy that children are not allowed to be taught the Bible. They are to be taught only atheism. Brother Hartfeld was imprisoned for working with young people and spent over six years in prison for his subversive Christian activities. It is not the prison and the terror that is found in the Soviet Union that most concerns this man who is now in America. He is more concerned about the indifference of the people in the west where there is complete freedom to worship as we like and to do anything else which shows kindness to others. When the Hartfelds came out of Russia they were shocked with the disinterest in Christianity among the free countries. Some pastors who have left Russia have returned to USSR to help the churches even if they may be out in prison, they would rather die in a concentration camp than face the indifference to Christ in the free world. In Soviet countries about 20% of the population goes to church on Sunday. Although the West is totally free only 30% attend on Sundays. Why are we so careless about our freedom?
Peter and John were thrown into prison and faced persecution. They were strong and bold even if they were being pressured. Four years before they were unschooled fishermen and now they were boldly presenting God's message to the scholars of the day. They stood beware the Supreme Court of the Jews. Their defense was impeccable. They had the irrefutable evidence which could not be overturned. They were confident that Jesus was the only way to salvation because they were experiencing his power to do miracles. They were committed. They were filled with the Spirit and they used the power of prayer. However. even with their presentation of the truth and the evidence that God had healed a lame man, the leaders did not change their hard hearts. they were guilty but refused to admit they were wrong.
Could it he said of you that after you have been a Christian for only three years that you could give answers to the religious leaders of our community? We need to be more diligent in our study of God's word and in prayer and realize the same power which the apostles had.
The Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court of the Jews. did not know what to do with the disciples. They were considered dangerous because they had great spiritual mower. The court could not alter the facts, everyone in Jerusalem knew this man was healed. The only thing the religious leaders could do was to try to discourage the apostles from doing such things again, if we look at history only places where the leadership is weak do they persecute people who do good. In Africa, a man was preaching and witnessing very aggressively in a country that underwent a change in government. The new leaders were opposed to Christianity. They put many Christians in prison. They were told to stop witnessing and preaching. After signing a document they let this preacher go. When he was free they asked him what he had to sign. He told them that he was given a paper which said that he would never preach again and that if he preached. he would be prepared to die. He said that he was prepared to die so he signed the paper. He began to preach again with even greater boldness than before. This made such an impact on the authorities. they were afraid to bother him.
For several hundred years in Japan Christianity was outlawed because the government thought that it would be used to bring the people together against the government. Instead the government used Buddhism to control the people with the practice of fumie and kumi's. Many people became Christians even though the government killed many Christians. How could we have greater boldness for being a witness for Christ?
We obey when elders and government are in harmony with the true and living God but when their judgments and commands go against the God of Heaven and earth we must obey the higher power. Some times that will mean that we have to be different than people in the community but which is more important - to obey God who is the judge of the living and the dead - or to please man.
The disciples were united in spirit. They had the same goals and purpose in life. They wanted to proclaim the good news of Christ. They helped each other and prayed for one another. The prayer which Luke records in verses 24-30 are wonderful verses to use as a model in our own praying. Some of you may wonder how to pray. There are a number of prayers recorded in scripture. To develop your prayer life look up these prayers and use the words of the Bible in your own prayers to God. In fact some of the phrases in this prayer come from Psalms 2. So we see that the early Christians used other's prayers in their own prayers.
God answered and the place shook. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and as a result they became very bold in telling others about Christ. they did not fear men but trusted God to work in mighty ways in the lives of others. Those who are confused are restored to a sound mind. Those who have broken marriages can have marriages restored. People who have difficulty in loving others who are hard to get along with. Those who fear death look forward to eternal life with our maker. Those who have diseases are healed. God takes away jealousies, frustrations, anger and disappointments by giving purpose and meaning for life, peace. joy and love.
What can you do to have the power that the disciples had?
1. You need to be in touch with the source of the power. The source of power is from God. Therefore we need to be reading our Bible and praying daily. If we read the book of Acts we see that when the disciples demonstrated real power it was after a prayer meeting. Thus we need to be in united prayer.
2. The disciples were convinced that "Salvation is found in no one else. "For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Salvation has two parts. The first is that we are saved from our present selfishness and problems. Second we are saved from the wrath of God after death. Because God is holy, He cannot allow impurity in His presence. If we are not pure we cannot go to heaven where God is. God is angry when we disobey him and he will punish sin. How can we make God happy again? God does not need any things we could offer, food or incense or flowers. God wants us to offer ourselves to Him but we are sinful and cannot come before God without first being cleansed. God has made a covenant with man. He promises to bless and help us if we follow him. In this contract he says that the only way to purify our soul is to have our sins forgiven. This forgiveness can only come through Jesus Christ.
God does not want us just to have a form of Christianity. Coming to church and singing nice songs, listening to a message and then going home. Your life is like a beautiful light but unless it is plugged into the source of power it is not very useful. Once you get plugged in, you will find that God will use you to bring light to others.
3. The apostles knew that there was real power in united prayer. When they were released they went back to their own people and had a prayer meeting. They were strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit They asked that God would enable them to speak the word with great boldness. They asked that God would give them the power through the Holy Spirit to perform miracles and wonders through the name of Jesus. James said that we do not experience the power of God because we do not ask in prayer. We read in verse 31 that after they prayed, the place were they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.
This morning as we close let us unite our hearts in prayer and let us pray as the disciples did for the filling of the Holy Spirit and for the power we need to be bold witnesses for God.
CFC 7/18/82 WHC 9/25/80