Truth or Trend

While reading the Book of Acts, I have been startled by how often the church confronted adversity, and how the church responded to the challenges to its existence. The challenges came from several quarters, were redundant and on some occasions, led to martyrdom. The church would have rather died than deny the Message.

Those who lived the story of the first few chapters of Acts were convinced about the truth of the Message. In an era when our culture is influenced by polls and trends, when we are sometimes swayed by market research and product testing, it seems outrageous the way our forefathers responded to threats against the Message and their lives. In comparison with today’s conventional wisdom, the 120 gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost endured much opposition, but never complained or retaliated.

The 120 were more convinced of the truth than trends. Consider –

• After spending time in a holding cell with an array of felons, and being threatened in a court of Jewish law, "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ." (5:41-42)
• Stephen, suffering at the hands of the teeth-gnashing, stone-throwing crowd, prayed, "‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep." (7:59-60)
• The tenth chapter tells of a groundbreaking event, the admission of Gentiles into the Faith. Peter, with some fear and reluctance, was recounting the Message when the Holy Spirit began confirming the truth. As a Gentile, I am delighted that Peter, and others, didn’t wait for the results of market research and trends in acceptance. Peter’s opposition was from good church people, not Herod or Saul.
• The eleventh chapter documents how the Message was propelled into distant places because of opposition. "Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord." (11:19-21)

I wonder what market researchers and trend followers would do in similar circumstances.

I believe we can, and should, learn by observing how the church responded to trials and troubles. As troubles, reverses, delays and oppositions occur, too often we ask, "What are we doing wrong?" Maybe nothing! Herod was an insecure, political operative who wielded a sword to establish a civic consensus and enhance his own power. Because Herod needed something about which he could rally his constituency, James was killed. The response of the church, "Kick out Herod! Get rid of that bum! He cannot even prove his citizenship! We have our rights, our Judeo-Christian heritage to defend!" NO! The church prayed and miracles began happening! We are in the church because others were faithful to broadcasting truth, not following trends.

The question deserving consideration is, "Are we motivated by truth or trends?" Trends are always changing. A trend that is true in one locale is irrelevant and unknown in another. In contrast, the truth, the Message, is always true everywhere. If we are opposed, if delay is our lot, or if we cannot see an exit out of the dark, dank and dismal holding cell in which we find ourselves, expect a miracle. It has been the way God works since the beginning!