Who closed your mouth?
I have been thinking about Peter quite alot recently. His mouth was closed by no other than a servant girl - someone of no authority whatsoever! With a heart full of fear Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. At Pentecost we hear that with a heart full to the brinm of the Holy Spirit Peter was compelled to go out and talk about Jesus - his witness was so powerful that 3,000 people became Christians that day.
But would his new resolve last? What if he was brought in front of the authorities - would Peter be silenced once again? Well he didn't have to wait too long before he would find out. In Chapter 3 of Acts we read that Peter full of the Holy Spirit is used by God to heal a lame man and he was dragged in front of the Sanhedrin - the workplace of no other than Annas and Caiphas - the very men who with Judas plotted Jesus' death. If he was going to have his mouth closed it would be now!
Instead of being silenced he told them that they were responsible for Jesus' death - and then with John declared the all time truth:
There is salvation in no one else! Under all heaven there is no other name for men to call upon to save them'
The religious court did not know what to them - but warned them never to speak of Jesus in public again.
Peter and John replied:
"You decide whether God wants us to obey you rather than him!"
"We can not stop telling people about the wondrous things we saw Jesus do and heard him stay"
If we want revival - we need to bend down on our knees and get to the point where we can not stop telling people about the wonderous things we have seen Jesus do and say!
Who has closed your mouth?
But would his new resolve last? What if he was brought in front of the authorities - would Peter be silenced once again? Well he didn't have to wait too long before he would find out. In Chapter 3 of Acts we read that Peter full of the Holy Spirit is used by God to heal a lame man and he was dragged in front of the Sanhedrin - the workplace of no other than Annas and Caiphas - the very men who with Judas plotted Jesus' death. If he was going to have his mouth closed it would be now!
Instead of being silenced he told them that they were responsible for Jesus' death - and then with John declared the all time truth:
There is salvation in no one else! Under all heaven there is no other name for men to call upon to save them'
The religious court did not know what to them - but warned them never to speak of Jesus in public again.
Peter and John replied:
"You decide whether God wants us to obey you rather than him!"
"We can not stop telling people about the wondrous things we saw Jesus do and heard him stay"
If we want revival - we need to bend down on our knees and get to the point where we can not stop telling people about the wonderous things we have seen Jesus do and say!
Who has closed your mouth?
Comments
That's the difference between saving faith in Christ and professing faith in Christ.
Peter - Saving faith.
Judas - Professing faith.
Both of them sat with Christ.
Both of them walked with Christ.
Both of them were taught by Christ.
Both of them witnessed the miracles performed by Christ.
Both of them denied Christ.
One of them comitted suicide in his sins.
One of them went on to repent and become a great preacher and martyr for Christ.
"If we want revival - we need to bend down on our knees and get to the point where we can not stop telling people about the wonderous things we have seen Jesus do and say!"
Preach it Neil!
Good post brother.