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 For
the second time the apostles had been imprisoned and given
strict orders not to do further teaching in the name of Jesus
(Acts 5:28). Now, after their third arrest and facing almost
sure prospects of death, the highly regarded Gamaliel intervenes
in their behalf, resulting in their release with a beating and a
warning to “speak no more in the name of Jesus”. The
remarkable response of these dedicated men Is seen in the last
two verses of Acts 5. Not only did they rejoice in being
considered worthy to suffer for His name, but “every day, in
the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching
and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” (NASV)
That
“they kept right on” speaks volumes in regard to the faith
and character of these Godly men — and it shows us why
Jerusalem (v.28) and the whole Roman empire (Col. 1:23) had come
to be filled with the gospel message in a relatively short time.
And neither was such dedication limited to just these apostles.
In Acts 2 we read of how other saints also kept right on “in
the apostles” teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of
bread and the prayers.” (v.42) Later, when scattered abroad
because of the great persecution against the church, they still
kept right on “preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). In
persecution, in poverty; in prison, in palaces; in public, in
private; in season and out, let it ever be said to their credit,
they kept right on teaching the gospel. Without benefit of
newspaper, radio or television; without auto or airplane; even
without comfortable meeting places in good locations, they kept
right on! For a time
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many of the young churches were without
elders and “full-time” preachers, but you know what? They
just kept right on! Sure, they had their “church” problems.
They had squabbles, false teachers, divisions, weak and sinful
brethren to be reckoned with. So they reckoned; no doubt some
quit. But the faithful just kept right on anyway.
The
pressing need of our day is for saints like that — men and
women of such faith and character as to keep right on serving
God without having to be begged and pampered; men and women
concerned enough about lost souls to keep right on trying to
help save them. Our need is for the abiding sense of urgency
that motivated our first century brethren — the kind that made
Paul say, “I press on”. Without it, we’re not likely to
fill even the local church with the teaching of Christ, much
less our neighborhoods and cities. What a tragedy that so many
who profess allegiance to such an urgent cause would do so
little to advance it — or would give up at the slightest
obstacle or discouragement! — and this in the midst of the
most favorable circumstances possible. Oh we of little faith!
Just think of the amazing results possible if every
member in every local church would begin and just keep on
doing all he knows to do for the Lord (as per 1 Cor. 15:58)!
Why, we may just keep on having good results, like in the first
century. Why not resolve to put away our intermittent and
sputtering efforts of the past, realizing what we could do
— and then, just keep right on doing it? Dan S. Shipley
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