Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Acts 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Acts 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

The Bible tells us that we are to be blameless in the world, meaning that no one could honestly lay charges of sin to our account and be a reproach to Christ.

In this passage, we find a very different kind of accusation: the best kind! What a great thing to be accused of, filling an entire city with the doctrine of Christ! Notice their chief complaint: "You intend to bring His blood upon us..." or to paraphrase: "Don't make us feel guilty for sinning!"

Being a witness for Christ can be extremely unpopular, or at least the right kind of witness. You will probably not be hated for telling all your friends that God is love, but if you give them the other side of the Gospel (the fact that Christ had to die because their sin was under God's judgment), you might be less likely to be invited to the Christmas party.

So what was the apostle's reaction to the complaining? They reminded the audience that their words came from God, and could not be ignored. Not only did they refuse to back down from their position, but they added more accusation!

"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree..."

How's your witness this week? Probably not quite this bold, and neither is mine to be honest. So what makes the difference? These were not special people, or even exceptionally gifted people. They were unlearned fishermen. The difference is what came before this account in the previous chapter (4:29):

"And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word"

How could they be so bold and fearless? Because they knew they couldn't be! They had to fall on their face before God and beg Him to give them the courage to speak in the face of ridicule and danger. They undoubtedly remembered His words only a few months before:

"whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you..." John 16:23

Why do we not witness with power and boldness? Maybe we don't ask, and maybe we don't ask believing His promise to hear and answer.

What could this week be like if everyone on our Sunday School class, everyone in our church, got on their knees before God and begged Him to use them to proclaim His name to those who don't know Him, to fill them with truth and boldness? I have a crazy idea... Let's try it and see!

Easter Sunday!

Easter time is here! As children hunt for Easter eggs, many parents hunt for the right church where they can bring their entire family. Easter is a time when many people who normally do not attend church traditionally look for a place to worship with their families. We believe that VBC is the right place for you and your family this Easter! We will have a special service celebrating the resurrection of Christ, with a great Bible message from our pastor. Make sure your family knows this Easter that there is a place for them at VBC!

For more information, go to http://visionbaptist.com/main/page_events_events_easter.php