.jpeg)
Several years ago, my younger brother told a story from the pulpit that I've never forgotten. Wanting to use it for this article, I sent him a text asking for permission to use it and asking if I had the story straight. I actually thought the story was just one used for application purposes... but no... this actually transpired between my brother and a friend. My brother's friend told him that every time he and his wife got into an argument, his wife got historical. And my brother said, "You mean hysterical?". His friend answered, "No! She gets historical! She brings up everything I've ever done wrong since we've been married!" It was funny when he told the story, but I had to look at myself and wonder if I had ever been hysterically historical. It did teach me to try to restrain myself.
So historically speaking, I love it. I love history. I love antiques. I love the stories behind the antiques. We have traveled to our nation's capital on a couple of occasions. During those trips, we've seen where our country got it's beginnings... where people fought and died for our freedoms. And as I've told you before, we've been to Israel and Jordan. We've seen the locations of the beginnings of our faith and freedoms in Christ.
Lately, it seems to me that a lot of people are turning away from faith in God. And that's disturbing to me. What do people do who have no faith? I don't get it.
So let's look at history. How do you know about William the Conqueror, William Wallace, Mary, Queen of Scots, Henry the Eighth, George Washington and so many other historical figures? We don't have photographs of these people. There certainly aren't any videos of what happened in history during these times. Did you know that even though we do have pictures and video records of what happened during the Holocaust -- there are those who deny it ever happened?
So how do we know about historical people in the past? Someone wrote it down. It's as simple as that... and that's what we have in the New Testament... history. Christianity exists because of what happened to the historical Jesus. Luke is the author of the historical accounts of Jesus and the beginnings of the church in the books of Luke and Acts. He addresses both New Testament books to "most excellent Theophilus". Theophilus is said to have been an official in the Roman empire. Read Luke 1:1-4 and Acts 1. It's like he was writing: "Here's what happened Theo." That's the way it's written... this happened and then that happened. I call it "Eye Witness News".
John notes his testimonial regarding the crucifixion of Jesus in John 19:35:
"The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth and he testifies so that you also may believe."
Then at the end of John's book, he writes:
"Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." John 20:30-31.
There are those who would argue the validity of the New Testament. Well... there are several secular historians of the time who validate the existence of Jesus and Christians. The most famous Roman historian, Cornelius Tacitus, tells that the Great Fire during Nero's reign was incorrectly blamed on Christians. Then you are probably also aware of the writings of Flavius Josephus. He wrote:
"And there arose about this time Jesus, a wise man, if indeed we should call him a man; for He was a doer of marvelous deeds, a teacher of men who receive the truth with pleasure. He won over many Jews and also some Greeks. This man was the Messiah. And when Pilate had condemned Him to the cross at the instigation of our own leaders, those who had loved Him from the first did not cease. For He appeared to them on the third day alive again, as the holy prophets had predicted and said many other wonderful things about him. And even now the race of Christians, so named after him, has not yet died out." (Antiquities, 18, 3.3)
Wow! How about that!! Of all the historical happenings and writings of the past, none of them contradict the New Testament.
And I have to remind you of something that happened after the day of Pentecost. In Acts, chapter 3, starting in verse 1, we read about Peter and John as they were entering the temple courts. They encountered a lame man whom Peter healed in the name of Jesus. After the miracle, Peter began preaching about our Lord and gave them a history lesson. The high priest ordered that Peter and John be put in jail. The next day, they were brought before the high priest and elders. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter gave them an earful! (Acts 4:5-14) They noted that the lame man was healed through the name of Jesus Christ--the man they crucified but was raised to life by the power of God. They received a holy tongue lashing! The Sanhedrin court then met away from the apostles and discussed what they should do with these men. They couldn't deny the miracle of the lame man. So they ordered that they not speak or teach in the name of Jesus again. But Peter and John told them, "Which is right in God's eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:19-20) After further threats not to speak of Jesus, they let them go.
Then later, reading beginning with Acts 5:12, the apostles were healing sicknesses of all sorts at Soloman's Colonnade--which was inside the palace gates. The high priest and all the Sadducees were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in a public jail with a guard at the gate. During the night, an angel opened the jail doors and brought them out. The angel instructed them to go back to the temple courts and tell about a new life in Jesus. When the high priest arrived, they called together the full assembly of the elders and sent officers to get the apostles. When the officers got to the jail, they found gate locked and the guard still at the door, but the apostles weren't there. The officers went back and reported that they were missing. Then someone came in and reported that they were in the temple courts teaching! The captain with his guards went out and brought the apostles in to appear before the Sanhedrin.
"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." Once again Peter and the apostles answered that they must obey God rather than men. They went on to further place blame where blame was due. Needless to say, the high priest and the court were furious and wanted to put the apostles to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel who was a teacher of the law stood up and ordered that the apostles be put outside for a little while. He addressed the court and reminded them of two different men who rose up with a great number of followers -- but after both men were killed, the followers fell away and were scattered. He suggested that the apostles be left alone -- because if the Christian movement was of human origin, it would fail -- but if it was from God, they would only find themselves fighting against God. BAM! And here we are today. Not wise to try to fight against the Lord Almighty!
All scripture is inspired -- or God breathed. (II Timothy 3:14-17). No fairy tales here. Just the facts.
Please get out your bible and read the book of Acts. It reads like a novel to me. Search out the truth for yourself and use your knowledge of historical facts to teach and inspire others...leading them to a powerful faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You'll be hysterically historical for Him. And that's a good thing.
Love till next time,
Lanna
For your consideration: Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-2, Acts chapters 3-5. John 19:35 & 20:30-31; II Timothy 3:14-17
