Thursday, October 1, 2015

Taking A Stand For Jesus Christ



Now Peter and John went up together to The Temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man, lame from his mother’s womb, was carried whom they laid daily at The Gate of The Temple, which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered The Temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into The Temple, asked for alms. And fixing his (Peter’s) eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at Us.”  So he gave Them (Peter and John) his attention, expecting to receive something from Them (Peter and John).  Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do NOT have, but what I do have I give YOU: In The Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”  And he (Peter) took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  So he, leaping up, stood and walked, and entered The Temple with Them (Peter and John), walking, leaping, and Praising God (God Almighty).  And all the People saw him walking and Praising God (God Almighty).  Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at The Beautiful Gate of The Temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Now as They (Peter and John) spoke to the People, the Priests, the Captain of The Temple, and the Sadducees came upon Them (Peter and John), being greatly disturbed that They (Peter and John) taught the People and Preached in Jesus, The Resurrection from the dead.  And they laid hands on Them (Peter and John), and put Them (Peter and John) in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.  However, many of those who heard The Word, Believed; and the number of the Men, came to be about Five Thousand.  And it came to pass, on the next day, that their Rulers, Elders, and Scribes, as well as Annas, the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the High Priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.  And when they had set Them (Peter and John) in the midst, they asked, “By what Power or by what Name, have YOU done this?”  Then Peter, filled with The Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the People and Elders of Israel: If We (Peter and John) this day are judged for a Good Deed, done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to YOU all, and to all the People of Israel, that by The Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom YOU Crucified, whom God (God Almighty) Raised from the dead, by Him (Jesus Christ) this man stands here before YOU whole.  This is the ‘Stone which was rejected by YOU builders, which has become The Chief Cornerstone.’  Nor is there Salvation in any other, for there is NO other name, under Heaven, given among Men, by which We must be Saved!”

 

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that They (Peter and John) were uneducated and untrained Men, they marveled.  And they realized that They (Peter and John) had been with Jesus (Jesus Christ).  And seeing the man, who had been healed, standing with Them (Peter and John), they could say nothing against it.  But when they had commanded Them (Peter and John) to go aside out of the Council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these Men (Peter and John)?  For, indeed, that a notable Miracle has been done, through Them (Peter and John), is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.  But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten Them (Peter and John), that from now on They (Peter and John) speak to no man in this Name.”

So they called Them (Peter and John) and commanded Them (Peter and John), NOT to Speak at all nor Teach, in The Name of Jesus (Jesus Christ).  But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is Right in The Sight of God (God Almighty) to listen to YOU, more than to God (God Almighty), YOU judge.  For We (Peter and John) cannot, but speak the things which We (Peter and John) have seen and heard.”  So when they had further threatened Them (Peter and John), they let Them (Peter and John) go, finding no way of punishing Them (Peter and John), because of the People, since they all Glorified God (God Almighty) for what had been done.

And being let go, They (Peter and John) went to Their (Peter’s and John’s) own companions and reported all that the Chief Priests and Elders had said to Them (Peter and John).  So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God (God Almighty) with One Accord and said: “Lord, YOU are God, who made Heaven and Earth and the Sea, and All that is in them, who by The Mouth of Your Servant David have said: ‘Why did the Nations rage, and the People plot vain things?  The Kings of the Earth took their stand, and the Rulers were gathered together against The Lord (God Almighty) and against His Christ (Jesus Christ).’  “For Truly against Your Holy Servant Jesus (Jesus Christ), whom YOU (God Almighty) Anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the People of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your Hand and Your Purpose determined before to be done.  Now, Lord (God Almighty), look on their threats, and grant to Your Servants, that with all boldness they may speak Your Word, by stretching out Your Hand to heal, and that Signs and Wonders may be done, through The Name of Your Holy Servant Jesus (Jesus Christ).”  And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were All filled with The Holy Spirit, and they spoke The Word of God with boldness.

And through The Hands of The Apostles, many Signs and Wonders were done among the people.  And They (The Apostles) were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.  Yet none of the rest dared join Them (The Apostles), but the People esteemed Them (The Apostles) highly.  And Believers were increasingly added to The Lord (God Almighty), multitudes of both Men and Women.  Then the High Priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on The Apostles and put Them (The Apostles), in the common prison.  But at night, an Angel of The Lord (God Almighty) opened the prison doors and brought Them (The Apostles) out, and said, “Go, stand in The Temple and speak to the People, All The Words of this Life.”  And when They (The Apostles) heard that, They (The Apostles) entered The Temple early in the morning and taught. 

But the High Priest and those with him, came and called the Council together, with all the Elders of The Children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have Them (The Apostles) brought.  But when the officers came and did NOT find Them (The Apostles) in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”  Now when the High Priest, the Captain of The Temple, and the Chief Priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. 

So one came and told them, saying, “Look, the Men (The Apostles) whom YOU put in prison, are standing in The Temple and Teaching the People!”  Then the Captain went with the officers and brought Them (The Apostles) without violence, for they feared the People, lest they should be stoned.  And when they had brought Them (The Apostles), they set Them (The Apostles) before the Council.  And the High Priest asked Them (The Apostles), saying, “Did we NOT strictly command YOU, NOT to Teach in this Name?  And look, YOU (The Apostles) have filled Jerusalem with Your Doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s Blood on us!”  But Peter and the other Apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God (God Almighty), rather than Men.  The God of Our fathers (God Almighty), Raised up Jesus (Jesus Christ), whom YOU murdered, by hanging on a tree.  Him (Jesus Christ) God (God Almighty) has Exalted to His Right Hand, to be Prince and Savior, to give Repentance to Israel and Forgiveness of sins.  And We (The Apostles) are His (God Almighty’s) Witnesses to these things, and so also is The Holy Spirit, whom God (God Almighty) has given, to those who Obey Him.”

 

When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill Them (The Apostles).  Then one in the Council stood up, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a Teacher of The Law, held in respect by all the People, and commanded them to put The Apostles outside for a little while.  And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what YOU intend to do regarding these Men (The Apostles).  And now I say to YOU, keep away from these Men (The Apostles) and let Them (The Apostles) alone; for if this plan or this work is of Men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God (God Almighty), YOU cannot overthrow it, lest YOU even be found to fight against God (God Almighty).”  And they agreed with him, and when they had called for The Apostles and beaten Them (The Apostles), they commanded that They (The Apostles) should NOT speak in The Name of Jesus (Jesus Christ), and let Them (The Apostles) go.  So They (The Apostles) departed from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that They (The Apostles) were counted worthy to suffer shame, for His (Jesus Christ’s) Name.  And daily in The Temple, and in every house, They (The Apostles) did NOT cease Teaching and Preaching Jesus, as The Christ.

IF YOU were told, to STOP Teaching and Preaching The Gospel of Jesus Christ, would YOU STOP doing it? 

IF YOU were facing, time in jail or physical punishment, for Teaching and Preaching The Gospel of Jesus Christ, would YOU STOP doing it?

IF YOU were facing certain death, for Teaching and Preaching The Gospel of Jesus Christ, would YOU STOP doing it?

The Holy Bible Tells Us, This Day Will Come!  What Will Your Answer Be?

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