If you’ve spent any time reading the stories shared in the Bible, you see that the early Christians had a major impact on the world around them and truly left a legacy. The question I want to explore is, what kind of impact are we having on the world?

Yes, there are many “called by His name” that are being used by God to change hearts and change lives, but too many are bashing those He came to redeem. Bashing people because of the color of their skin, their race, beliefs and yes…sexual orientation. Bashing people for their political views or affiliations; Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, etc. Basically, bashing a world that doesn’t line up with a distorted “Christian view”. It doesn’t take much courage to label people; to categorize them based on the way they look, talk, if they drink, use profanity or what kind of music they listen to. Somewhere along history’s timeline, since Jesus set the narrative, we’ve made Christianity more about mass producing a church-going-whitewashed-perfect-holier-than-thou-we-are-better-than-the-non-believer tribe instead of meeting the brokenness of humanity right where it’s at.

Is any of this awe inspiring?

Remember the woman caught in adultery? or the women at the well?

To be a follower of Jesus Christ is to love God and others. He said it Himself, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” I don’t know about you, but I do this very imperfectly!

It’s tough to live out this high calling, to love ALL people while holding contempt for so many of them…isn’t it. If we truly want to wave the banner of Jesus Christ to a lost and hurting world, we need to drop the attitude… and man up with some good old courage and boldness (of course speaking the truth in love). Actions bring life to words and we need to inspire a bit more! Instead of dictating to the world how they should live, why don’t we start by showing them how to live by living it out and demonstrating it in our own lives. The problem is that many of us don’t live out the lives we impose on others and we just don’t inspire — at all! Don’t believe me? …ask your kids how amped up they are about the whole Jesus thing.

Ok, where am I going with this?

In the books of Acts we read about a version of Christianity that was — awe inspiring! It was so awe inspiring that people from all different backgrounds would pause, take notice and pay attention. The story kicks off in the 4th chapter of Acts, which took place about 2 months after Jesus was crucified.

On their way to the temple to pray, Peter and John crossed paths with a beggar who had been lame from birth. As they pass by, this man asks them for some money and gets something unexpected. Peter and John did not have any money to give the man, so instead they heal him! Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” That is just awesome!

Of course this causes quite a commotion and as a crowd gathers, Peter decides to preach about Jesus…in the temple! The preaching amps up, the crowd gets louder and louder and then, the temple authorities show up to disperse the crowd. After recent events, the “church elite” wanted to put a lid on the “Jesus narrative” by arresting them and throwing them in jail. Keep in mind that Peter and John were arrested by the same gang that arrested Jesus.

The next day the “church elite” brings in the big guns of the Sanhedrin to confront rabble rousers. They brought Peter and John before the kangaroo court and basically say to them, “what is up with you guys and why can’t you just leave this Jesus thing alone?!” Keep in mind that Peter and John were in front of the same gang that had Jesus crucified.

So Peter and Paul started bashing them and eventually back down, right?

Nope…Peter starts preaching about Jesus! In fact, he gets up in their grill and says, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.” In front of this group who can determine their fate, Peter ends his narrative with something extremely offensive to them, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Wow…talk about courage…talk about boldness!

Look, Peter and John have seen their friend and teacher; arrested without fault, beaten to a pulp, die on a cross, buried in a tomb…and a few days later met up with him on a beach for some breakfast. Think about this for a minute…if you walked with a man that went through what Jesus did you would do stuff like they did too. Peter and John may have had their doubts before Jesus went to the cross, but seeing a dead man rise kind of had an impact on them. All doubt was replaced with belief!

When the members of the Sanhedrin saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. Acts 4 goes on to say; so they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. So Peter and Paul started bashing them and eventually back down, right?

Nope…Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to Him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Again, wow…talk about courage…talk about boldness!

After further threats they let Peter and John go. Wow, not sure about you but seeing that display of courage and boldness…sign me up!

So stop with the judge, jury and executioner attitude and start inspiring people the way Peter and John did. Jesus didn’t call us to bash humanity, He told us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything He [Jesus] has commanded. Folks, be more like Jesus and remember…the truth of the gospel will always find a way when the time is right!

Sure you’re going to meet opposition like Peter and John did, but stand your ground. Rest assured that as you step into what God is calling you into, you will face intimidation. There will be those who will speak down to you in an effort to make you feel small, but to inspire a generation, you cannot shrink back in such times. If you do, you are playing into the devil’s hands because he wants to stop God’s plans coming to pass; but shrinking back will only cause you to lose your effectiveness. Armor up and move out onto the battlefield!

The people of early church had a confidence, a boldness that was firmly grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Because they believed that Jesus rose from the dead…they were fearless! When you find yourself tracking in this direction, something awesome happens in you…you become more self-less, more compassionate and more generous. You inspire!

May you have the confidence in the risen Savior! May you get close to Jesus, be grounded in His word, refuse to shrink back….and give the world something to turn their heads and say wow…I want to be a part of this!