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In the military, we are taught from the beginning to respect authority and obey orders. In basic training, the trainee who stepped out of line even once was made an example of for everyone else to see. Nobody wanted to be in that position. Then there are the middle-of-the-roaders who just want to fit in and go unnoticed. They do their job and meet the minimum standards, but they never really amount to much. Finally, there are military members who are exceptional, who go above and beyond what is expected and have superior performance. They are rewarded and elevated as an example for everyone else. Into which category do you fit? We find the same three types of people in the Bible. Ananias & Sapphira were a couple of apparent supporters of the work of the church in Jerusalem. According to Acts 5, they sold a piece of property and brought the proceeds to the Apostles to give to the poor. They claimed to have given it all, but in reality they kept back some of the money for themselves. Peter, guided by the Holy Spirit, knew they had |
lied. For their sin, Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead. Verse 11 tells us that great fear came upon the whole church and everyone else who heard about it. What an example! It teaches us that we cannot fool God. Let us not practice lying or deception. Let us be honest and sincere in our words and deeds. We also have examples of superior performers in the Bible. Of course the most superior was Jesus, who lived a perfect and sinless life. His whole life was the model of what we ought to strive to be. He was honest, loving, and merciful, but at the same time, he did not tolerate sin, as evidenced by his cleansing of the temple (Mark 11:15-19). Finally Jesus was lifted up on the cross for all the world to see. He had prophesied, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself" (John 12:32). What an example he left for us! Finally, there are those who wish to go un- noticed in the Bible. Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews, and he sought Jesus out in the night |
so no one would know he was a secret believer. Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man and prominent member of the Jewish Council, was a secret believer. He and Nicodemus took the body of Jesus and buried it (John 19:38-42). Both of them wanted to be part of the Lord's kingdom, but they were afraid of persecution from the Jewish brethren. Perhaps they met the "minimum standards" of faith and righteousness, but they were held back by their own fears. Each of us probably fits into one of these three examples. Every person you know sees you based on your behavior and words. Is your life an example of sin, like Ananias & Sapphira? Do you try to hide your faith, like Nicodemus and Joseph? Or are you living in humble submission to God's will, proudly waving the banner of faith in the Lord? Jesus is the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:1-2). Let us follow his example in all things. |