Death's Whisper. Eternity's Roar

Acts 4:19–20 “But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, make your own judgment; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.””

PRAY

Peter and John was told not to preach th name of Jesus. Their faith, however, compelled them to speak the name of the one who saved them and taught them. They had to tell others about Jesus.

Where does your loyality lie? With the world or with Jesus? Are you willing to put Him above everything else?

Acts 7:59–60 “They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.”

Even facing death because of his preaching, Stephen kept his eyes on Jesus. He was about to be stoned to death, which means everyone would stand around him and through rocks at him until he died. The pain, agony, humiliation… Yet He never waivered. He focused on the Lord.

Like Stephen, we need to respond to our eninmies with forgivness rather than anger. Our view should be different than others.

Keep your eyes on Jesus and not your troubles.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Paul is saying that although we will fade and die, Spirit inside of usrenews daily.

The pain of this world will ony be for a short time. In Heaven, there is no pain, crying, etc.

He echosJesus in saying forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.

Remember that even your struggles have a purpose.

Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

This is a great way to look at life and death.

Dying allows us to be with Jesus. Living allows us to live for Him.

This passage should bring a whole new way of seeing things.

Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

Faith gives us strength and victory over evil. Our victory comes from the blood of Jesus.

Because of Jesus, we can share our testimonies is far more powerful!

Even in the face of death, the apostles never stopped sharing their story and the Truth. We shouldn’t either!

Look at the bigger picture.

1 Peter 4:13–14 “but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you.”

We defintely do not look of life like this.

When you suffer for His name, rejoice because you shared in the sufferings He took for you.

Our time on Earth will come and go. We will die. But what's more imporant, your life or His purpose?

INVITATION