Christians, Yes! Jesus, No!

Read Acts 3-4 “And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18, NASB). Last week we discussed the danger of the church becoming politically correct to the point that the people fail to be Christian. Today, I want to discuss the attitude of the world toward Christians and Jesus. I want to say that the world wants Christians, but it does not want Jesus. The world’s attitude is Christians, Yes! Jesus, No! I want to open this discussion because I believe that people like Christians and see the need for Christians, but people say no when Christians speak and teach in the name of Jesus. Let me tell you how I became motivated to write about this subject. Just before Christmas I am in a store looking for Christmas cards. I want old fashioned traditional cards that quote a bible verse from the King James Version about the birth of Jesus. For example, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14, KJV). The card will say, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.” As I am looking at the small selection of boxes of cards I notice that there are two older women looking at the cards also. I hear one of them say, “They are trying to be sensitive to other people,” explaining why most of the cards use the term “Holiday Season” instead of Merry Christmas.” I’m sorry folks, but sometimes I butt into other people’s conversation and this is one of those occasions. I say to the women, “It’s really about being anti Jesus. It’s been going on since the beginning of the early Church. No one wants to talk about Jesus.” The women just look at me puzzled. Nothing else is said, and I find a box of cards and purchase it. Later, as I am thinking about the incident the Holy Spirit impresses upon me to write about this subject. For several years, Christians have been expressing their feelings that their religious liberties are being threatened by an anti Christian world. They bring up subjects such as abortion, prayer in public schools, the LBGT agenda, previously called the homosexual agenda. I do not believe that any one of these is the real issue. The real issue is Jesus; who Jesus is and His teachings. I believe this because there have been people in the church with these issues for a long time; even in the beginning days of the Christian church. People like Christians. They are nice people. They have great moral character. They are hard workers. They are compassionate and giving. People look to the churches to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and provide shelter for the poor. When troubles come everyone starts talking about praying. We even have a National Day of Prayer on the first Thursday in May each year. People gather at courthouses, mosques, synagogues, and temples to pray. Often these prayer gatherings include people from various religions, including Christians, Protestants and Catholics, Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews. These things are commendable as long as they do these things as good human beings and invoke the general name “God.” The problem comes when these things are done using the name Jesus. This is the case in our text today. Let us briefly examine what is taking place. In Acts 3 Peter and John are going to the temple to pray (v. 1). They encounter a man who is lame from his birth sitting at the gate asking for a donation. Peter tells the man that he has no money, but he will give the man what he has. He says, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk”’ (Acts 3:6, NIV). When the priests and the Sadducees see what is taking place they are disturbed because they are teaching the people about Jesus and the resurrection; and the Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection. The Sadducees meet together, and they decide to let Peter and John go free on the condition that they do not speak and teach in the authority and name of Jesus. Did you catch that? The Sadducees are not offended by the man being healed. They are offended because Peter and John heal in the authority and name of Jesus. So, why does the name Jesus offend them? Why does the name Jesus offend people today? The name Jesus is a declaration of war toward those who do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God. It is a spiritual war. Paul writes, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12, NASB). The religious leaders of the Jews do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God. They do not believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah sent from God to take away the sins of the world. These religious leaders consider themselves to be the spokespersons for God, and Jesus is challenges their authority and their teachings. Jesus makes some unique claims about Himself that the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees do not believe. First, Jesus claims that He alone is able to reconcile humanity to God. This claim is offensive to all people regardless of their religious affiliation. Jesus lives in a world in which people worship many gods. The Disciples of Christ worship God only. They will not even bow down to the Roman emperor who is regarded as god and ruler of the world. All religions claim some means for people to be reunited to God. For Christians, Jesus Christ is their only Savior and Lord. Jesus alone meets the demands of God by dying on a cross. God resurrects Jesus from the dead, and Jesus ascends to the Father to sit at the right hand of God. God gives only Jesus authority to forgive sins. Jesus alone knows the mind of God. He is the Word of God made flesh to dwell among human beings (John 1:1). He says, ‘“I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life”’ (John 8:12, NASB). The word Light means knowledge of God and life from and with God. The word darkness means ignorance of God and death and separation from God. Thus, Jesus has authority to make the mind and will of God known to humankind. Since this is true, the commands and teachings of Jesus have authority to teach us to live a lifestyle that pleases God. The world and its religions do not know the ways of God and offers no life with God. In the Bible God declares that He is God alone. He is creator and sustainer of the universe. Through His prophets God declares that all other gods come from the imagination of the minds of people who reject God (Rom. 1:18-34). They create gods with their hands (2 Kgs. 19:18; Isa. 37:19; Acts 19:26), but these gods are no god at all. The world says Christians, Yes! And Jesus, No! The world looks to Christians in times of hard times and struggles. However, the world does not want Christians to mention the name Jesus because His name makes us aware of our standing with God.