"But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus." Acts 17:5–7 When the Apostle Paul came to town, it was never a quiet event. The powerful preaching of the Gospel not only saw many converts, but it also stirred up serious opposition. The world did not ignore Paul. Even his enemies declared that he “turned the world upside down.” Yet today, many churches and many Christians are having very little impact on their communities at all. In large measure, that is because we have lost the fire and commitment that drove the early church. Noted historian Thomas C. Reeves, who for many years was a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, wrote: “Christianity in modern America is, in large part, innocuous. It tends to be easy, upbeat, convenient, and compatible. It does not require self-sacrifice, discipline, humility, an otherworldly outlook, a zeal for souls, a fear as well as love of God.” God did not save us solely so that we could go to Heaven. He calls and commands us to have an impact here on Earth as well. When we trade the shame of the cross of Christ for the plaudits and acceptance of men, we have forfeited the power to shake the world. Far better to be despised and even persecuted than to live a life without making a difference for God.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Jun 2013 19:04:57 +0000
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