Meeting men at their Point of Rebellion

"If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole." -Acts 4:9-10 [KJV]

Peter and John were faithful preachers of the gospel. They were not afraid to meet men at their point of rebellion; they were preachers, not politicians. Peter could have said to the Sanhedrin court, "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers hath made this man whole." He would have been right, everyone there would have agreed, and all would have been well. However, Peter and John would have been wrong, because they knew their point of rebellion. 

They knew that those men refused to recognize Jesus Christ as God incarnate, as Messiah, and as Lord, and refused to admit their own guilt. Thank God for men like Peter and John who are not afraid to tell the truth and live with the results! We must not compromise the gospel in order to get along. We must contend, without being contentious, for the Truth where it is most attacked. And the Truth will be attacked in one of these three areas: (1) The work of the Father. (2) The work of the Son. (3) The work of the Holy Spirit. May God give us that same boldness that He gave the apostles.

-preacher John Chapman