… or mine?
Chapters 3 and 4 (of Acts) show us the character of the apostles’ testimony; that is, that they were not engaged with their own reputations, but with Christ’s name. What marked the Christian unity was that His name was to be great instead of our name. Wherever you find a man, be he Christian or not, who has his own name before him, he is Babylonish; he is virtually a Babel-builder. But
what marks the apostles is Christ’s name- “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” Peter said he had neither gold nor silver, and he had no reputation, but Jesus of Nazareth had a name of renown. Peter boldly states in chapter 4 that there is none other “name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” That is what marked Peter and John in their testimony. Now, Satan was against that name. The injunction of the religious leaders in chapter 4 was not simply that they should not hold certain doctrines, but that they should not teach or preach in that name. But the divine intention is to maintain that name.
(J Taylor NS vol. 3 page 171. Suggested by an English subscriber)
Golden Nugget Number 314
Comment:
A few years ago, my wife and I were on vacation in Quebec City and took the boat over the St Lawrence. We got talking to a fellow Christian who told us how well his church was doing and what he was doing to improve it, then gave us his business card – it said ‘John Smith* – Professional Church Planter’. That made me think of his priorities
- Himself
- His church – whatever sect it was
- Jesus
If ‘me’ or ‘my church’ means more to me than Jesus, I think there is a problem.
* Not his real name
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