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Speaker: Jerry Cisar
Whether it is the Taliban outlawing conversion and evangelism, or the pluralism of our own society that allows you to believe in Jesus as long as you keep it private, both are modern warnings “to speak no longer to anyone in this name,” (Acts 4:17) for fear that it will spread. One threatens with beheading; the other with loss of status, job promotion, position, or simply the acceptance of others. How is the church called to respond to this? If we do respond, by what power do we negotiate that response? Is it political or economic?
Christ is engaged in a conflict in Acts 3–4, a conflict with the powers of darkness. He initiated this conflict when he healed the man lame from birth. His victory in this conflict becomes clear as the story continues. How does Christ call us to be engaged in this conflict? What are we to expect in this conflict?
Is the church merely responding to persecution from the outside as it passively attempts to mind its own business? Or, are the temple rulers responding to an assault from the outside? How we read it makes a big difference in what it means for us today. Join us as we examine Acts 4 and see the Kingdom of Christ advance on the city of Jerusalem.