The Essential Question (Part 2): The Church Begins to GrowSample

The Offense of Christianity

Prepare: Spend some time thanking God for the things you know are true about him.

Read: Acts 4:1-22

Reflect: Here we go again. The religious leaders were opposing the apostles just as they had done with Jesus. But the source of their irritation, at least to begin with, was not personal: it was theological. The Sadducees didn't believe in life after death. That's why "proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead" (4:2) was like waving a red flag at a bull. But behind this theological concern was a darker motive, the raw desire for power and control (4:7). As the rulers, elders, and teachers of the law piled on with the Sadducees the next day (4:5), we have a sense of what's coming, and it doesn't look good for Peter and John.

Why is it that through the ages some people have been so irritated by those who follow Jesus? Perhaps Peter put his finger on the answer with his bold assertion in verse 12: there's only one way to find salvation -- faith in Jesus. That truth has been called the offense of Christianity, and it still rankles modern, pluralistic minds. People are willing to accept a bland "Christian universalism." But the exclusive claims of the gospel make otherwise tolerant blood boil.

The question we must ask is, how do we know it's true that Jesus is the only way to God? The answer has several parts. First, there are Jesus' own words: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Second, the miracles of Jesus, and as we begin to see in Acts, those of his followers (Acts 4:14), are confirmation of the truth. Third, the resurrection of Jesus, a fact attested to by many eyewitnesses, is a powerful validation (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Fourth, there is the evidence of changed lives (Acts 4:13). Fifth, there is the death-defying courage and conviction of Jesus' followers (4:8-12, 19-20). Ultimately, however, the most convincing proof is the unvarnished testimony of Christians through the centuries, people who have been willing to share their experience of Jesus with others no matter what the cost.

Even so, there's no excuse for Christians to be arrogant or intentionally offensive. We must always speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). When we don't, even the good news becomes nothing more than an irritating background noise (1 Corinthians 13:1).

Apply: Think of a non-Christian friend and try to verbalize how you'd explain to them that salvation is found in no one else besides Jesus.