Jesus Shines in Our Hearts - Part 660

Jesus never fails. This is evident in the seventeenth chapter of Acts. Paul's witness was making inroads among the people. At one point, a great multitude believed and consorted with Paul. (Acts 17:4) However, as also recorded in the same chapter, the Jews who did not believe in the risen Jesus were filled with envy. So much so, that the Jews schemed to set the city in an uproar.

Not just once but the Jews conspired to turn the city upside down wherever Paul went preaching the good news gospel message. To accomplish this, the Jews would gather unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort into a company to set all the city in an uproar. In the first example from Acts, these lewd men even went so far as to assault households, including the household of Jason.

Still, attempts by the Jewish hierarchy to get Paul to cease preaching Jesus in the synagogues and marketplaces continually failed. Why? Because Jesus never fails. Paul knew that Jesus was in the driver's seat. He also knew that the same God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shines in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (II Corinthians 4:6) Who else but Jesus -- the King of kings and Lord of lords -- would appear glorious like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the morning sun, and as majestic as the stars in procession?

More importantly, who else would love you and I enough to shed His precious holy blood on a cross for our transgressions? Therefore, we need to repent of our ignorance in scriptural teachings.We need to come out from our spiritual enslavement. Instead, we need to fully trust in our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ for our counsel and edification. And be transformed -- as did those that initially assaulted the household of Jason -- "these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; whom Jason hath received and these do all contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king -- one Jesus."

This same King "hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead." Rest in His blessed assurance today. Stand in the offering plate.