Thought for May 15

 History:

  • 1718: James Puckle patents first machine gun
  • 1817: First mental health hospital  opens--Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason. How big would the hospital need to be today to contain those who meet this definition?
  • 1862: Department of Agriculture created
  • 1869: Susan B Anthony and Cady Stanton found National Woman Suffrage Association
  • 1897: First LGBT rights organization formed in Berlin
  • 1918: Walter Johnson pitches 18-inning game and wins 1-0
  • 1928: Mickey Mouse makes his first film appearance--"Plane Crazy"
  • 1930: Ellen Church is first female stewardess--United flight from San Francisco to Cheyenne
  • 1940: First McDonald's opens
  • 1941: Joe DiMaggio begins 56-game hitting streak
  • 1944: 14,000 Hungarian Jews taken to Auschwitz
  • 1957: Billy Graham launches crusade before 18,000 at Madison Square Garden
  • 1972: Assassination attempt on George Wallace
  • 2008: California becomes second State to legalize same-sex marriage
  • 2020: Germany in recession due to Covid
  • Born: L Frank Baum, Pierre Curie, James Mason, Eddy Arnold, Ken Venturi, Trini Lopez, Madeleine Albright, KT Oslin, George Brett, Dan Patrick, Emmitt Smith, Andy Murray
  • Died: Emily Dickinson, Edward Flanagan [Boys' Town], Francis Schaeffer, June Carter Cash, Jerry Falwell, Garo Yepremian
Thought:
Loking at Acts 5:17-19 this morning. Ananias and Sapphira have died in the Temple. The apostles were performing many signs and wonders and multitudes of men and women were being saved every day. Now look at what happens when the power of God is moving, people are healed, people are saved, BUT the priests were jealous. We see this today within the church and without. A ministry is successful, people are being ministered to, people are being saved--BUT someone is jealous. Pride takes over. Here the priests put the apostles in jail. Today, perhaps the attack is verbal--rumor, gossip, government interference, failure of the institutional church to understand or support. 

Notice what happens when the priests try to stop the apostles from sharing the Good News--an angel opens the prison and lets them out. When the Bible says the gates of hell cannot prevail against the Gospel--here is the picture. And look at what the angel says--go, speak the whole Gospel, it is life. Sound familiar. When we were saved, we were freed--now the assignment--go, speak the whole Truth, the Gospel is life. 

Now look at what happens--The guards found the prison locked but empty--just like the tomb. The priests was perplexed. A Christian life and witness perplexes the world--it does not understand. But notice--the apostles had not run, they did not hide, they were in the Temple teaching. Even the priests say that the apostles had filled Jerusalem with their teaching [5:28] Wouldn't it be great if the authorities, the liberal media, reported that we had filled Nashville with the teachings of Jesus.

After intervention by Gamaliel, the apostles are flogged and told to stop teaching. And then we read the apostle's response--rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer for His name. The reaction to opposition, jail, beatings, threats--I rejoice that I have been deemed worthy to suffer. Maybe you are suffering today--pain, depression, rejection, loss---could it be that your suffering or mine is intended as an opportunity for us to demonstrate the love, grace, mercy, power of Jesus. Our pastor's sermon yesterday was from 1 Peter 5:10-11. A reminder that suffering is temporary--for a little while compared to eternity; a promise that the God of all comfort knows about our suffering and that His grace is sufficient; a reminder that suffering builds endurance and that God is working in our suffering to strengthen and perfect us. Finally, a challenge to worship through suffering--praising God's eternal dominion and like the Model prayer, may His kingdom come. 

Lord, we are free--help us be about Your assignment today and if You deem us worthy, may we suffer for Your name, in Your name. To You alone be dominion, power and glory forever.
Blessings
Larry
                                                                                                                                                                       

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