Today’s reading is Acts 4.
Yesterday I encouraged you to be annoying. Today, I have to say something annoying. At least it is annoying to our culture. Like it or not, Christianity is exclusive. In our modern culture, we are encouraged to think every religion is as good as every other. I’m not sure why this appeals to anyone who actually has a religion. I understand why atheists try to convince us of this. It is only true that every religion is equal if there is no God. After all, if God really does exist, then the religion that gets the closest to portraying Him accurately, most accurately describes how to serve Him, and most accurately describes how to be in fellowship with Him is obviously the best religion. Christianity simply will not allow the every-religion-is-equal approach. The moment you bring that in to your Christianity, you have ceased practicing Christianity. Christianity makes a declaration. Jesus the Christ rose from the dead. Because He rose from the dead, He is King. Because He is King, there is salvation in no other name but His. Mohammed can’t save you. Joseph Smith can’t save you. The Pope can’t save you. Vishnu can’t save you. Augustus can’t save you. Wicca can’t save you. Mother Nature can’t save you. You can’t save you. I can’t save you. Only Jesus can save you. Turn to Him and don’t let go, no matter what.
Tomorrow’s reading is Acts 4.
A Word for Our Kids
Hey kids, can I share something I think is neat in today’s chapter? Are you aware the New Testament was not originally written in the English language? When Luke wrote Acts, he wrote it in Greek. That means what we are reading is a translation. As you have probably already figured out, many English words mean more than one thing. For instance, you know I mean something different when I say, “It sure is cool in here” than when I say, “That guy is so cool.” Both sentences use the word “cool,” but they mean different things. That happens in Greek too. Words can be used in multiple ways and therefore be translated by different English words. That happens in today’s chapter. In vs. 9, Peter talks about the lame man being “healed.” Then in vs. 12, he talks about people being “saved.” Guess what. In the Greek, both verses actually use the same word. For us today, “saved” has become a church word. It is packed with all kinds of religious meaning. But for the ancients, it was a word they used all the time to talk about recovering from sickness, being made whole or well, or especially if someone was dying, but then recovered or was delivered from a life-threatening situation. Anyway, Peter makes a play on words and demonstrates what every healing miracle was about. Certainly, Peter healed the man because he felt compassion for him, but the purpose of the healing was not simply to show compassion. Rather, it was to show that the power of salvation was in the name of Jesus. And that power is in no other name. Hang on to Jesus. Don’t let go of Him no matter what.
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