An Unlikely Convert

April 8, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

There is a man that we meet in just a couple of verses of Scripture. We know that he is a Roman centurion. I gave him an appropriate Roman name of Vitellius. I created a fictional backstory for this centurion, but all of the events are well documented in both biblical history and contemporary history books of the time. I have listed below all of the scripture references that you may want to consult, along with some quotes from notable historians. 

What isn’t fictional is the fact that the Cross didn’t happen to Jesus, but He came to make Calvary happen. 

Jesus said this about His crucifixion, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself” (John 12:32). That’s what happened to the thief, and to the centurion Vitellius, and to me, and to all who have acknowledged that Jesus is the Savior. 

Vitellius’ bold claim on the day Jesus was crucified still rings true 2000 years later: “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” 

Looking at Jesus who was lifted up on that Cross, we can appreciate the beauty of the 700-year-old prophecy about Him:

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem. Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:2-5)

Which is what we celebrate in Communion still to this day. “And [Jesus] took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you’” (Luke 22:19-20). 

The way Christians live today can still lift Jesus up for all to see. Jesus told His followers, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). 

When we live this way, our lives become the aroma of life to even sin-hardened thieves and war-hardened soldiers.  

Check out this video of Vitellius’ personal experience—

Here are some further resources for you to check out:

  • The Bible verses that form the background for this centurion’s story—Luke 23:1-47; Matthew 27:11-54; Mark 15:1-39; John 18:28-19:34
  • Historian William Barclay wrote this about the centurions, “The centurions were the backbone of the Roman army. In a Roman legion there were 6,000 men; the legion was divided into sixty centuries, each containing 100 men, and in command of each century there was a centurion. These centurions were the long-service, regular soldiers of the Roman army. They were responsible for the discipline of the regiment, and they were the cement which held the army together. … A centurion was the equivalent of a regimental sergeant-major; and the centurions were the backbone of the Roman army.”
  • The horrific torture of crucifixion

If you have missed any of the other messages in our series of Bold Claims, you can find them all my clicking here.

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Keep In Tune

April 3, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

When Luke says first that “Jesus grew in wisdom” before he mentions any of the other ways Jesus grew, that is our indication that a healthy mind is at the foundation for every other aspect of health (Luke 2:52). If you’ve missed the mental health keys we’ve already learned, you can review them by clicking here. 

It’s been said that lions are tamed with a chair. Specifically, with the legs of the chair. These powerful animals are trying to focus on too many points at one time which keeps them from initiating an attack. So they are not so much “tamed” as they are paralyzed and overwhelmed by trying to concentrate on too many things. 

It’s the same with us: If we try to concentrate on every voice speaking to us, we’ll become overwhelmed and paralyzed. “The Bible says this … my Mom says that … my best friend told me to try … my agnostic coworker said I should….” It’s overwhelming and mentally draining! Just like our bodies can become exhausted, so can our minds. Exhausted bodies are susceptible to germs, and so are exhausted minds susceptible to unhealthy ideas. 

Consider all of the voices Jesus had to deal with in His last days heading toward Calvary. From about 4 months out, things really began to intensify. He still had the voices of His critics constantly harping on Him, and I’m sure the devil was still looking for his “opportune time” (Luke 4:13), not to mention all of the other voices around Jesus. There are two important principles to keep in mind here: 

  1. God can speak truth to us through harsh, unfriendly voices 
  2. The devil can lie to us through kind, friendly voices 

So we cannot automatically listen to or ignore messages because of who the messenger is.

The friendly voice of Peter told Jesus, “You are the Messiah!” To which Jesus replied, “The Holy Spirit revealed that to you. Now let me remind you that we are heading to Jerusalem where I am going to be crucified.” 

The now not-so-friendly voice of Peter then rebuked Jesus, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to You!” Jesus turned to Peter to say, “Get behind Me, satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” 

The Father gave Peter, James, and John a glimpse of the glory Jesus would have when He was resurrected from the dead when they saw Him transfigured. During this time Moses and Elijah affirmed that Jesus was headed to Jerusalem to fulfill all that was prophesied about Him. In the aftermath of His transfiguration, Jesus again repeated, “I am going to be crucified and resurrected.” 

As Jesus entered Jerusalem on the day we now celebrate as Palm Sunday, people cheered and the religious leaders jeered. To both groups, Jesus once again affirmed His mission, “I am going to be crucified and resurrected.” 

(See Luke 9:18-44; 18:31-33; Matthew 16:23; John 12:12-19, 23-33)

No matter what others said or did, Jesus never changed His tune. How did He keep clear about the mission He was on? He simply compared every voice with God’s voice. Jesus never changed His tune because He was in tune with the Father’s voice. 

Years ago, I played the tympani in our church orchestra. I learned very quickly that the best way to tune these big kettle drums was to put my face close to the drumhead while I hummed the proper note. Then as I adjusted the tuning pedal, I knew I had the tympani tuned to the right note when what I was humming resonated back to me from the drumhead. 

At the Transfiguration, the Father told the disciples to listen to the voice of Jesus. Jesus claimed that He only said and did what the voice of His Father resonated to Him. And Jesus told us that His sheep know and follow His voice in the same way (Luke 9:35; John 12:49-50; John 10:3-5). 

The Book of Psalms opens with these words: 

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)

The word meditate can be translated as “hum.” When we read and study God’s Word, the Holy Spirit will help us know which voices are in-tune with the Father’s heart and which ones are out-of-tune. You can check out a great example of this from the life of the apostle Paul in Acts 20:22-24; 21:10-15. 

So our important mental health reminder is this: To make sure we are listening to the right voices, tune your ear to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Then receive any voice that resonates with that tune, and reject any voice that is out of key. 

If you would like to download the graphic of this reminder for your phone, simply leave me a comment with the model of the phone, and I’ll get the right-sized graphic right out to you. If you’ve missed any of the messages in our mental health series, you can find all of them by clicking here. 

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Rejuvenated Faith

March 28, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

I have always appreciated the story of the desperate father who brought his son to Jesus. We get the idea from this story that this Dad had tried everything he could think of to help his boy, but nothing had worked. 

This father heard about Jesus and he believed that Jesus could help them. We read that he brought his son to Jesus, but when he arrived, he found Jesus still on the mountain where He was transfigured, along with Peter, James, and John. The nine remaining disciples apparently tried to address this problem, but they were unsuccessful. 

As Jesus and the three disciples came down the mountain, they found an argument in full boil. The teachers of the law were arguing with the disciples of Jesus. Apparently, each group had its own idea of how to help this demon-possessed boy. 

Now, because of the failure of the disciples to bring relief, this father is experiencing creeping doubts about the original faith he had in Jesus. He says, “If You can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 

Jesus replied, “‘If you can’? Everything is possible for him who believes.” 

Then this man speaks the honest, but faith-filled words that I believe resonate with so many of us: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Read the full story in Mark 9:14-27.)

He was so wise to continue to come to Jesus even when he was plagued with doubt. His prayer was an honest, bold prayer. In essence, he was saying, “Jesus, I had initial faith in You. But the setback I experienced has caused me to doubt. I want to believe again that You can help me, but only You can rejuvenate my faith.” 

Jesus loves to pray for our faith to be rejuvenated! 

Knowing what Peter was about to encounter, Jesus told him, “I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:32). Peter did indeed deny Jesus. But even after that denial, Jesus fully restored him. It would have required incredible faith on Peter’s part to allow Jesus to do that (John 21:15-17). Peter’s humble acceptance of Christ’s restoration demonstrated Peter’s rejuvenated faith to trust in his Savior again. 

A good prayer for us may be: 

Jesus, even when I doubt, You are faithful. You pray for my faith to be strengthened so that I can come to You again and again. Jesus, I do believe You! Please rejuvenate my faith to drive out these nagging doubts.

Only Jesus is called “the Author and Perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), so only He can rejuvenate our faith. Let’s learn a lesson from this father and continue to come to Jesus—even with our nagging doubts—to have our faith rejuvenated. It’s this faith that moves the hand of God to do miracles on our behalf. 

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My Rebel Mind

March 21, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

…Peter took [Jesus] aside and began to rebuke Him (Mark 8:32). 

Can you imagine someone rebuking Jesus?! 

It’s even harder to comprehend when we realize that just three verses earlier Peter made such a bold declaration about Jesus more explicitly than anyone else ever had: “You are the Messiah!” 

This is similar to what happened when Jesus preached His first public sermon in Luke 4:16-30. Luke tells us that the people went from speaking well of Jesus to wanting to kill Him in just a matter of a couple of minutes.

Why? How could this happen so quickly?

In his Gospel, Matthew records Peter’s rebuke this way: “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to You!” (Matthew 16:22). This was Peter’s response to Jesus predicting His cruel mistreatment at the hands of the religious leaders, and His impending crucifixion. 

In the sermon in Luke 4, the people wanted their Messiah to only focus on the Jews and let the rest of the world burn. When Jesus said He was on-mission to save all people everywhere, they were furious with Him. They were angry because He wasn’t going to do things their way. “After all,” they probably thought, “our way is the most logical way.” 

You and I are also in danger of going from praising to rebuking in just a matter of minutes. It can happen so naturally. By naturally I mean that our sinful nature must not be allowed to get its own way.

After Peter rebuked Jesus, He told him, “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (Mark 8:33). Our mind of flesh is hostile to the mind controlled by the Holy Spirit.

There are things that may seem unpleasant or illogical to my natural mind, but I must not be controlled by that mind. I must listen to, and obey, what the Holy Spirit reveals to me. That means I must allow my mind to be transformed to “the concerns of God.” 

Our daily prayer must be like the prayer Jesus prayed just moments before His arrest: Father, not My will, but Your will be done. If I continue to do things my way, my natural mind will naturally rebuke Jesus, and I can go from praise to rebuke in a matter of moments. I don’t ever want to be guilty of rebuking Jesus, so I desire to “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). I hope you will join me in this prayer.

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Gut-Level Compassion

March 14, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

I think the best-known verse in the Bible may be, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). This truly is amazing love! 

But on several occasions, the Gospel writers talk about the compassion of Jesus. This is a different word altogether. The root Greek word is “bowels.” To feel this kind of compassion means to feel it in your gut—to ache with the same pain that is afflicting someone else. 

But compassion means more than feeling the pain, it also means going into action to alleviate the pain. True compassion aches and then acts. 

Look at the compassion of Jesus—

  • He sees crowds of people “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” His compassionate response is to pray for His Father to send more shepherds to these sheep (Matthew 9:36-38). 
  • He sees people plagued by diseases—paralysis, deafness, blindness, even death—and He places His hands on them and brings complete healing (Matthew 14:14, 20:34; Mark 1:41, 9:22; Luke 7:11-15). 
  • He notices hungry people and He feeds them (Matthew 15:32; Mark 8:2). 
  • He encounters confused people and He teaches them the illuminating truth (Mark 6:34). 

(Check out the above Bible verses by clicking here.) 

This word isn’t just used for Jesus, but we see His compassionate heart behind the gut-level response of others. See the Christ-like compassion in…

  • …a crushing, insurmountable debt completely forgiven (Matthew 18:21-27). 
  • …a Samaritan caring for an injured Jew (Luke 10:30-35).
  • …a prodigal father fully forgiving and restoring his wayward son to himself (Luke 15:11-24). 

(Check out the above Bible verses by clicking here.)

This kind of compassion is costly. It cost Jesus time to be alone, it cost the king, the prodigal father, and the Samaritan money to forgive a debt, lose an inheritance, and pay medical bills. But Christ-like compassion knows there is no greater reward than aching and acting like Jesus. 

Christ-like compassion must be extended in faith. Like touching someone with unclean disease, or fasting to receive power to release a loved one shackled to a heavy burden, or embracing someone who hurt me, or canceling a debt owed to me, or helping someone who despises me. When we ache and act like this, we show the love of God in irrefutable ways. Our selfless, Christ-like compassion paints a vivid picture for a skeptical world to see and embrace the love of God that sent His Son to ransom us.

Let’s make it our prayer that we would ache with the needs of the people around us, and then to move in faith-filled, Christ-honoring, selfless action to alleviate that need. Then let us believe that our compassion will show others the love of a Savior. 

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Eloquent Silence

March 13, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

We’ve just looked at two back-to-back bold statements of Jesus. To the Sanhedrin, He said, “I am the I AM,”  and to Pontius Pilate, He said, “I am a king.” Christ’s third bold claim essentially amounts to, “And I don’t have to prove either of these to you; I don’t have to argue with you about it.” 

After He was arrested, there was a back-and-forth shuttling of Jesus from the Sanhedrin to Pilate, then from Pilate to King Herod, and then back to Pilate again. Pilate told the Sanhedrin, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.” But the Sanhedrin countered, “But He is stirring up trouble all the way from Galilee to here in Jerusalem!” (see Luke 22:67-23:11).

Pilate was looking for “an out”—a way he could safely discharge or punish Jesus that would keep both the Sanhedrin and his Roman superiors happy. So when Pilate heard that Jesus was from Galilee, he was more than happy to pass this “hot potato” to King Herod. When Jesus was hauled before Herod, we read that he was greatly pleased to see Jesus. 

Why was that? To answer that question, we need to understand who Herod was. His name is Herod Antipas, and he was the son of Herod the Great. Herod the Great was king when Jesus was born, and he was the one who attempted to kill Jesus. 

Herod Antipas was infamous for having seduced his sister-in-law Herodias, whom he married after divorcing his wife. Shortly after this, Herod arrested John the Baptist for calling out this marriage as sinful. Herodias especially was embarrassed by this and wanted John killed, but Herod feared the backlash from the people if he did this. Eventually Herodias got her way and Herod was forced to have John beheaded (Matthew 14:5; Mark 6:17-28).

When news about Jesus began to reach his ears, Herod thought that Jesus was John reincarnated and he wanted to see him (Luke 9:9). So now when Jesus is brought before him, Herod is looking for a magic trick—Jesus remains silent. Then the religious leaders resume their accusations against Jesus, and still He remains silent. Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus, and amazingly, He still doesn’t say a word. 

Jesus knew the Scriptures that make it clear that there is nothing to be gained by bantering with fools. For instance, Solomon wrote, 

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. … Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice. (Proverbs 26:4, 23:9). 

So here is the next bold claim from Jesus: {Eloquent silence.}

Even in the face of accusation, ridicule, and mocking, Jesus refused to engage in meaningless arguing with Herod or the Sanhedrin’s false witnesses. His silence was so eloquent that it got the attention of Governor Pilate:  

“Then Pilate asked [Jesus], ‘Don’t You hear the testimony they are bringing against You?’ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.” (Matthew 27:13-14) 

Let’s learn from Jesus: Sometimes the best thing to say is NO thing! 

Peter pointed Christians to this example of Jesus when he wrote—

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” 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. (1 Peter 2:21-23)

Jesus called us to let our good deeds shine brightly to bring glory to God. Fools will ridicule and mock and accuse us, just as the religious crowd did to Jesus. Let’s not let our bantering with fools put out the light of our testimony. 

When I was a little kid in Sunday School, we used to sing a song called This Little Light Of Mine. We would hold up our pointer finger like a candle as we sang. But holding up our pointer finger across our lips is also a way to let our light shine too. Your silence in the face of foolish ridicule will speak so eloquently!

Let’s learn this lesson from Jesus. Instead of bantering with fools, entrust yourself to the perfect Judge who is perfectly keeping track of every word. He is the One who can add eloquence to your silence as you shine brightly for Him. 

If you’ve missed any of the other messages in our series of Bold Claims, you can find them all by clicking here. 

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Messy And Meaningful Ministry

March 8, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Here are some resources I mention in this video: 

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Parables 101

March 1, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

The disciples of Jesus heard His story and asked Him to explain to them what the parable meant. He said, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?” (Luke 8:9; Mark 4:13). 

The parable in question was the one we refer to as the parable of the sower. According to Christ’s own words, this is the most basic and understandable of all of His parables. If this was a college class, this would be Parables 101. 

The kingdom of heaven is so otherworldly, infinite, and utterly beyond a succinct description that even Jesus asked out loud, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?” (Mark 4:30). Then time and time again, Jesus continued to reveal His kingdom with the phrase, “The kingdom of God is like….” 

Before we move on to Parables 201 or Parables 301, let’s make sure we know this most basic parable intimately. According to Jesus, this parable is the key to unlocking the meaning of all of His other parables. Approach this one again as you ask the Holy Spirit to reveal something new to your heart. 

For instance, as I read through this parable again this week I was captivated by those whom Jesus said had shallow roots. It reminded me that I need to temper my teaching with gentleness. If I’m too aggressive or too theologically deep, I may do damage these tender plants. On the other hand, if I’m too timid, I may leave these plants vulnerable to the ravages of disease or the scorching of the sun. Here again, I must rely on the Holy Spirit’s help. The message may be the same, but perhaps my delivery needs to be more appropriate to my audience. 

Let me leave you with this challenge: When was the last time you saw something for the first time in this simplest of parables? If it’s been a while, it may be time for a quick refresher in Parables 101, then you will have the key to go deeper into the other parables. Try it and let me know how it works for you. 

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The Touch Of Jesus

February 21, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

“…He reached out His hand and touched the man…” (Mark 1:41). 

Jesus touched a leper. 

We have to be careful not to rush past this or make too light of this action. Those with leprosy were completely shut out of their old way of life—removed from their homes, from their places of work, and ostracized from their family and friends. Wherever they went, they lived with the shame of having to publicly cry out in a loud voice, “Unclean! Unclean!” so that everyone had a chance to scatter and not become contaminated by getting too close to them. 

But this leper asked Jesus for healing. Jesus touched the untouchable man and healing immediately appeared! Leprosy was gone, and the man was restored to his former life, to his family, to his friends! 

Look at the power of the touch of Jesus:

  • He touches the hand of a woman, and her fever immediately leaves (Matthew 8:15; Mark 1:31)
  • A woman with an incurable bleeding disorder touches Jesus, and immediately receives relief (Matthew 9:20–22; Mark 5:25–34; Luke 8:43–48)
  • Blind eyes are opened (Matthew 9:29–30, 20:34; Mark 8:22–25)
  • All manner of diseases are instantly cured (Matthew 14:35–36; Mark 3:10; 6:55–56; Luke 6:17–19)
  • Fear is banished (Matthew 17:7)
  • A mute tongue is loosed (Mark 7:33–35)
  • Children are blessed (Mark 10:13; Luke 18:15)
  • A dead man is raised back to life (Luke 7:13–15)
  • A severed ear is reattached and restored (Luke 22:50–51)

(Check out all of these verses by clicking here.)

There is a power in touching someone that goes beyond words or any other actions. When we’ve first touched Jesus ourselves, our loving touch to someone in need is an anointed touch.

I am reminded of the words of the old song—

Oh to be His hand extended
Reaching out to the oppressed
Let me touch Him
Let me touch Jesus
So that others will know
And be blessed

My touch alone has very little lasting value. But when I’ve touched Jesus first, my touch carries His power and His love to the one whom I touch. Let us keep touching Jesus so that we can keep touching the untouchables around us and bringing to them the healing and deliverance and blessing that only Jesus can give.

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Is My Boldness Clearly Visible?

February 20, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Some people are either afraid to say what they really think, or else they aren’t entirely confident in what they believe. As a result, they tend to take an indirect approach to communicate what they want someone else to hear. 

Some try to imply what they’re really trying to say: “Do you get what I’m saying? Can you read between the lines?” Others hope the other person will infer the right meaning. But bold claims are something completely different—there’s no implying, no hoping the other person will infer the right thing, but just a clear statement. Like Caiaphas’ statement that we looked at last week: “Jesus must die so that the rest of us can keep our cushy positions.” 

You can always tell if the message got through by how the recipients respond. Usually the stronger the reaction, the more clearly the message was received! 

Remember that I talked about the clout that Annas still held, even though he wasn’t officially the high priest anymore? We see it right after the arrest of Jesus. Instead of taking Him directly to the Sanhedrin, He was first taken to Annas. There Jesus was questioned about His followers and His teaching, and He simply replied, “Everything I taught is public knowledge. I’ve boldly and clearly proclaimed Who I am” (John 18:12-14, 19-24). 

All throughout His public ministry, Jesus did make it clear who He was. There are so many places we could read about this in the Gospels, but let me just show you three examples from the Gospel of Luke:

    1. He forgives sins and heals a paralytic to prove that He has the power of God to forgive—Luke 5:20-25 
    2. Demons recognize Him and submit to His power—Luke 8:28-35 
    3. His disciples recognize that Jesus is the Son of God—Luke 9:18-22

(Check out all of the above references by clicking here.) 

Finally, Jesus was asked directly by the Sanhedrin and He made His bold claim that He was indeed the Son of God (Luke 22:66-71). Remember I said earlier that you can tell how clearly the message got through by the response of the people? Well, check out this response—

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered. (Matthew 26:65-66)

What about you and me? Do we have to imply that we believe Jesus is the Son of God? Do we have to hope the other person will infer that we are His disciples? Or can it be said that our verbal and lifestyle testimony is a bold claim of what we believe and Whose we are? 

The Book of Acts records the response of the Sanhedrin to the first Christians, and it appears to be identical to their response when they heard Jesus say, “I am the Son of God.” For instance: 

  • After Peter and John healed a lame man, the Sanhedrin could see “that these men had been with Jesus” but they ordered them not to talk about Jesus anymore. These men said they could not obey that directive (Acts 4:13-14). 
  • When they were called back in for a second appearance, Luke tells us the Sanhedrin “were furious and wanted to put them to death.” But they persisted in boldly proclaiming Jesus to everyone (Acts 5:30-39). 
  • Then there was an early church leader named Stephen. His bold preaching brought him before the Sanhedrin as well, who ended up stoning him to death (Acts 6:8-10, 15; 7:55-56).

(Check out all of the above references by clicking here.)

So let me repeat the question: Can it be said that our verbal and lifestyle testimony is a bold claim of what we believe and Whose we are? Or do we simply speak empty words? 

Jesus made His bold claim and He backed it up. What about us? Do we make the bold claim that we will stand for Jesus even if that means we will be ridiculed, persecuted, or killed? Is our bold claim backed up by a lifestyle of complete trust in our Savior? These are questions every Christian should ask and allow the Holy Spirit to help them answer honestly. 

If you’ve missed any of the messages in our series called Bold Claims, you can find them all by clicking here. 

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