Last Sunday morning I asked, “Why did Peter and John and the church (Acts 4:23-31) keep on speaking “the word of God boldly” (v. 31) after the apostles were threatened by the Council?” (v. 29) The answer I gave is a mighty one— LOVE! Peter and John loved the Lord Jesus and could not help but speak of Him because He loved them. Peter wrote in his first epistle, “Above all, keep loving one anther earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Why did he write that? How did he know? I think it’s because Christ lovingly restored him after his grievous sin of denying his Lord (John 21:15-19). And so it was with John, too. In his gospel he wrote these words of Jesus: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love...” (John 15:9-10)
The Lord Jesus loved Peter and John and they loved Him. Therefore, they spoke of the One they loved, even when they were persecuted.
May it so with us, that Christ’s love for us and our love for Him will move us to pray for and witness to lost people. Let us speak of the One we love.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
PRAISE, PRAYER, PERSEVERANCE
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Dear Pastor Carey ! I can always depend on your preaching to point me to the love of God in Christ Jesus through the GOSPEL <>< Why do I love Jesus so deeply ? He is the One who died for my sins on the cross and who recued me from the wrath of God ! I ponder what happened at Calvary ! I will get to see Jesus face to face one day it is my privelege to tell others of my desperate love for Him without being ashamed of the Gospel ! No One died for me except Christ Jesus !
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