In the Name of Jesus
Much has been said recently about what transpired at the National Day of Prayer Task Force event at Capitol Hill, and rightly so. I am frightened and troubled that the evangelical church in America finds Jesus’ name an item that is unimportant and easily discarded. It is lightly set aside to further political ends and achieve notariaty. Pragmatism has taken hold, and the fruit of it was clearly displayed on the National Day of Prayer Capitol Hill event. The compromise by the Christian leaders involved is deeply revealing of their priorities.
Indeed, why do the leaders of the church in America do what they do? Is their motive the furtherance of the Gospel? Is it to see souls coming to an experiental knowledge of the power of Jesus name? Apparently not. It is about social decency, common morality, and, as one person has said, “bringing back Mayberry.” That’s it. That is the sole purpose of the Gospel today: to make society happy and decent. The name of Jesus Christ has become simply an excuse for social activism and a panacea for societal ills.
Those who spoke out against the Christless NDP Task Force were labeled shrill and reactionary; extreme and harsh. But I think it’s time we as Christians ask our selves a simple question: is the name of Jesus worth it? Let’s look to the example of the apostles in the early church. Were they ashamed of Jesus name? No. They proclaimed it boldly because they knew it had power and they did not. Surely they could have made little of the name of Jesus for fear of offending their Jewish brethren, and built a following through political machinations and religious sensitivity. They did quite the opposite, however. They preached Christ crucified, and they rejoiced in the suffering they experienced for proclaiming the name of Jesus. They did so in a way that would be considered harsh, insensitive, and bigoted by today’s standards. To the apostles, though, Jesus was not means to anyone’s end– Jesus was the end.
Read the following passages and ask yourself how the evangelical leaders of the NDP Task Force–how the American church as a whole–would have addressed the religiously and culturally diverse assembly on the day of Pentecost. Ask yourself what motivated the apostles and what motivates the church today.
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:36-38
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.” So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
Acts 4:18-21
And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Acts 5:40-41
Much has been said recently about what transpired at the National Day of Prayer Task Force event at Capitol Hill, and rightly so. I am frightened and troubled that the evangelical church in America finds Jesus’ name an item that is unimportant and easily discarded. It is lightly set aside to further political ends and achieve notariaty. Pragmatism has taken hold, and the fruit of it was clearly displayed on the National Day of Prayer Capitol Hill event. The compromise by the Christian leaders involved is deeply revealing of their priorities.
Indeed, why do the leaders of the church in America do what they do? Is their motive the furtherance of the Gospel? Is it to see souls coming to an experiental knowledge of the power of Jesus name? Apparently not. It is about social decency, common morality, and, as one person has said, “bringing back Mayberry.” That’s it. That is the sole purpose of the Gospel today: to make society happy and decent. The name of Jesus Christ has become simply an excuse for social activism and a panacea for societal ills.
Those who spoke out against the Christless NDP Task Force were labeled shrill and reactionary; extreme and harsh. But I think it’s time we as Christians ask our selves a simple question: is the name of Jesus worth it? Let’s look to the example of the apostles in the early church. Were they ashamed of Jesus name? No. They proclaimed it boldly because they knew it had power and they did not. Surely they could have made little of the name of Jesus for fear of offending their Jewish brethren, and built a following through political machinations and religious sensitivity. They did quite the opposite, however. They preached Christ crucified, and they rejoiced in the suffering they experienced for proclaiming the name of Jesus. They did so in a way that would be considered harsh, insensitive, and bigoted by today’s standards. To the apostles, though, Jesus was not means to anyone’s end– Jesus was the end.
Read the following passages and ask yourself how the evangelical leaders of the NDP Task Force–how the American church as a whole–would have addressed the religiously and culturally diverse assembly on the day of Pentecost. Ask yourself what motivated the apostles and what motivates the church today.
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:36-38
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.” So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
Acts 4:18-21
And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Acts 5:40-41
