Opportunity to Respond!
Matinee idol Alexander Rostovzev was converted while playing the role of Jesus in a sacrilegious play entitled “Christ in a Tuxedo.” He was supposed to read two verses from the Sermon on the Mount, remove his gown, and cry out, “Give me my tuxedo and top hat!” But as he read the words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted,” he began to tremble. Instead of following the script, he kept reading from Matthew chapter five, ignoring the coughs, calls, and foot-stamping of his fellow actors. Finally, recalling a verse he had learned in his childhood, he cried, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom!” (Luke 23:42). Before the curtain could be lowered, Rostovzev had trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. (Source: Why Christians Sin, James Kirkland Johnston/ministry 127)
The response to the gospel is often strong. Some strongly reject the gospel and some strongly embrace the gospel! Consider how Governor Felix responded to the gospel sermon:
Felix trembled – 24:25
Felix gave such credence to Paul that he didn’t just swiftly dismiss him and his message. No! Felix heard the message and trembled!!
Felix wanted money – 24:26
Felix does not consider Paul a criminal who should be locked up. He is even willing to let him go if Paul were to bribe him.
Paul chooses not to buy his freedom that he might continue preaching to Felix…and he gets many opportunities!
Opportunity to be Constant!
At the age of five, Hannah made an insightful statement about her newfound faith. She told her mother, “I think Jesus has moved out of my heart.” With curiosity and concern, her mom asked where Hannah thought Christ had gone. She replied, “He has moved to my throat, because all I want to do is tell people about Jesus.” (Source: Mature Living, March, 2009/ministry 127)
The passage of time always reveals what direction we are headed towards. The time that passes reveals that Paul living consistently.
Two years have transpired. Acts 24:27a. Do you feel like it is getting too hard, for too long? Here is a place to study and find help! Paul has endured a stoning and left for dead, riotous mobs have chased him out of cities, unjust imprisonment, and a beating in the streets of Jerusalem that intended to kill him. Now he has been under arrest for two years and has yet to be charged with a punishable crime! Yet, Paul keeps telling others (including his oppressors) of Jesus! Remember your mission and your goal: the gospel and loving God with all your heart.
Another ruler, Festus, enters the picture. Acts 24:27b. Festus will now question Paul. The questions and accusations do not seem to stop! Do you ever feel like a punching bag with no end in sight? Isn’t it interesting that Paul continues to answer their questions and continues to preach to any Roman ruler who will listen? His mission and goal continues…even after 2 years!
Accusers (High priest & Chief Jews) look for a new accomplice. Acts 25:1-5. As time passes, the accusers continue to conspire behind the scenes! Even “spiritual people” can use their influence to lead selfishly or even wickedly. Before this post comes to a close, let’s look at:
3 wrong uses of leadership
1. Using Leaders to Build the Wrong Team
“Religious People” found Festus and tried to feel him out. They were trying to sway him to “their side.”
Do you remember “picking sides” to play a game on the school playground? Popular guys got picked first, athletic guys got picked next, and then those thought to not help their chances of winning were left for last choices. No one likes being left as the last choice!
Sometimes, we will choose “truth” as our last choice. Politicians tend to align themselves with popular opinion or with the greatest personal advantage (Felix and Festus are weighing those options in Acts 25). In fact, that is what the religious people in Acts 25:1-5 are counting on! However, the truth often contradicts popularity or personal gain. Eventually, we are all called upon to choose sides. When that time arrives for you, do you choose the side of greatest personal advantage or the side of truth?
2. Using Pressure to Force Telling a Lie
“Religious people” were so bent on wrongdoing (killing Paul) that they couldn’t see how wrong they were! They wanted another ruler to lie so they would have the opportunity to murder.
“In 1914, Ernest Shackleton and a team of explorers set out from England to do something that no one before had accomplished—cross Antarctica from one side to the other across the South Pole. Disaster struck when the team’s ship, Endurance, became entrapped in ice and eventually sank after her hull was crushed. Marooned on nearby Elephant Island, there seemed little hope for their survival.
In a desperate effort to get help, Shackleton and five others set out in a twenty-foot lifeboat across some of the most dangerous and storm-filled waters in the world. It was an eight-hundred-mile journey to South Georgia Island where help could be found. For fifteen days the men battled the treacherous seas and massive storms with waves of up to one hundred feet. Using only a compass and a sextant, Frank Worsley (who had captained the Endurance) navigated their course until they safely reached land and found help. Shackleton procured another ship and returned to rescue all of his men. He became a national hero in England for his courage and persistence.
All of us are making our way through a stormy world. Ever since the first sin in the Garden of Eden, mankind has struggled to make wise decisions about an uncertain future. The only way to ensure that we do not go astray is to have an objective source of truth that will guide us. Just as a compass can guide sailors through dark and uncharted waters, God’s Word can guide us through uncertain and difficult circumstances. We must simply trust it—over our feelings, over our own wisdom, and over contrary advice others may give us. Because the Bible is inspired by God, it is without error, and we can always trust it.” (Source: Endurance, Alfred Lansing/Ministry127.com)
3. Using Influence to do Wrong
“Religious People” believed they had enough power and clout that they attempted to lead a civic ruler to do wrong with them. It has often been said that leadership is influence. All of us are capable of leading others to righteousness or to corruption. All of us, whether we realize it or not, are leaders. To whom or to what are you leading others?
Consider two examples in the Bible of those led astray: Daniel and Abraham. The Old Testament prophet Daniel served in Babylon as one of three presidents under King Darius (Daniel 6). The other two presidents were envious of the favor the king bestowed on Daniel and they conspired to influence the king with his own pride and vanity. They tricked him into making an irreversible law that would doom Daniel into spending a night with the lions. Abraham lied to King Abimelech when he claimed Sarah (his wife) was actually his sister (Genesis 20) because he feared they would kill him to take Sarah for themselves. Evidently, Sarah was a beautiful woman! The King then took Sarah into his home, but God intervened and kept him from touching her.
Influencing leaders to do wrong can have significant consequences! This warning ought to be heeded by each of us as we encourage leaders in the way we want them to go…AND this ought to be heeded by each leader hearing the strong urging of those around them. We must be careful we clearly choose truth and not personal desire…that we stand on the Word of God and not the impressions of man!
We must return to hearing the Word and trembling at the lack of truth lived out in our lives!