He Who Must Not Be Named

What would happen if the government suddenly told us that we could no longer visit YouTube on the Internet because it had videos that made the U.S. look bad? We would probably call it an attack on our freedoms and most people would still use YouTube regardless. What if they said we were no longer aloud to talk in public about a certain celebrity because that celebrity was talking negative about the U.S.? We would probably respond that we have freedom of speech and people would talk even more about that celebrity and what he or she had to say.

We like to think that nothing like this could ever happen in the U.S., but it hasn’t been that long since freedoms were infringed upon certain people in our country. Freedoms have been taken away from others because of their supposed communist views during the McCarthyism era of the mid-20th Century, because of the color of their skin during the 19th and 20th Centuries, because of their race during the Native American relocations of the 18th and 19th Centuries and the Japanese internment camps during WWII, and we have even seen travel bans issued this year because of a certain religious view.

The church often shares how the Bible teaches that we are to obey the laws of our country, but we rarely hear of what we should do in the face of an unjust law.

Now as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, because they were provoked that they were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead, using Jesus as the example. So they seized them and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 

saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign, evident to all who live in Jerusalem, has been done through them, and we cannot deny it! However, so this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.” 

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” [Acts 4:1-3, 16, 17, 19, and 20, HCSB]

[Note: we watched a video where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. explains why he disobeyed the demand that he not march. He shared that when there is an unjust law that you cannot obey, you must be willing to pay the price for breaking that law.]

Peter and John were faced with a similar situation to that of Martin Luther King, Jr. The religious government of their time arrested them and ordered them to stop talking about Jesus. Their simply response was, “We are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” They saw the order as something that was unjust and felt compelled to disobey that order. Many followers of Jesus disobey their country every time that they gather together to sing songs of worship to God. Some of these at the very threat of death if they are caught.

Peter and John then went back to the church and told them that they had been ordered not to talk about He who must not be named.

When they heard this, they all raised their voices to God and said, “Master, You are the One who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.  

And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that Your slaves may speak Your message with complete boldness, while You stretch out Your hand for healing, signs, and wonders to be performed through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message with boldness. [Acts 4:24, 29-31, HCSB]

The people knew that to disobey this order could result in arrest, beatings, and possibly even death. The first thing they did was pray for boldness. They didn’t need to ask “What Would Jesus Do.” They knew that Jesus would not back down in the face of an unjust law. They knew that Jesus had commanded them to go and tell others about Him. They knew that they must continue to tell others about Jesus. What they didn’t know was whether or not they could do it. So they prayed for boldness.

Are we bold enough to speak to others about what we have seen and heard? Are we brave enough to tell others that Jesus is the answer to all of their problems? If not, then we should follow the example of the early church and pray for boldness.

The early church recognized that God was a higher authority than the government. They referred to themselves as God’s slaves. They were telling God that they understood that they must obey God. They must follow Him as their boss. But they needed His strength to do so.

Have you ever felt that God was urging you to tell someone in your family or a friend about Jesus, but you just couldn’t bring yourself to tell them? We need to first pray and ask God to give us the boldness, the strength, the ability to talk to others about Jesus, while God stretches out His hand for healings, signs, and wonders to be performed.

We have prayed for boldness. We have prayed for strength. We have prayed for the right words. Now, who is willing to take a stand and talk about Jesus today? Who will stand and share about what you have seen and heard? This will be a great time for you to put into practice what God has called each of us to do in front of others that love you and support you. Lean on the boldness of God and let Him speak through you today.

[We enjoyed a time of sharing testimonies about God during our service. Feel free to leave a reply with your own testimony about God's goodness.]