Peter and John were warned by the religious leaders of their time not to speak or teach anymore in the name of Jesus. Yet their response showed they were subjecting themselves under a greater authority. Even in the face of danger and hostility, they were responsible to the message of the gospel they had seen and heard.
In our fast-paced society today, the dangers and hostility that can possibly derail us from responsible evangelism can come in the form of a concern for numbers; a concern for efficiency; a concern for personal safety and a concern to please ministry leaders. These concerns, though right in themselves but when misplaced or wrongly held on to, can lead us away from presenting the truth of the gospel as it is. And upon reflection, our appeal may actually be no different from a sales pitch.
Pray with us that we will continue to be faithful to the message of salvation, ‘presenting them (the youths) with the Person, Work and Teachings of Christ and discipling them into the Church.’ In addition to faithfulness, may the Lord give us wisdom as well as the boldness of the apostles Peter and John. Like them, may our sharing about the Lord spring from a personal encounter with Him, so that it is not a message we have dutifully memorised but a message we have internalised.
Ee han, a member of the Executive Leadership Team, sharing at the recent Teensportz Basketball competition.