Fear fell upon them all.
Acts 19:17-18, And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.
We are told in our culture that we should have “no fear” and because most of us have never really been in a situation wherein real fear is provoked, like surprising a live Grizzly bear on a morning walk through the forest, we easily go along with this idea. Scripture speaks of real wisdom: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Most people have the image of Christ in their minds as the mild mannered Anglo-Saxon long blond haired man with his hands peacefully together, eyes toward the heavens. Scripture tells us that he is the Lion of Judah, the incarnation of the living God who created all that is, who spoke light into existence. Our view of Jesus needs to include him responding to the misuse of the temple: “And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.” He is not only the Lamb of God, he is King of King and Lord of Lords with all authority under heaven and earth! And we see the wrath of God towards sin in what Christ endured as he went to the cross.
We can scarcely comprehend your power, O Lord; we thank you that it is through grace by faith we may humbly receive Christ and put an end to your wrath against sin once and for all!
ESV Lectionary
We are told in our culture that we should have “no fear” and because most of us have never really been in a situation wherein real fear is provoked, like surprising a live Grizzly bear on a morning walk through the forest, we easily go along with this idea. Scripture speaks of real wisdom: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Most people have the image of Christ in their minds as the mild mannered Anglo-Saxon long blond haired man with his hands peacefully together, eyes toward the heavens. Scripture tells us that he is the Lion of Judah, the incarnation of the living God who created all that is, who spoke light into existence. Our view of Jesus needs to include him responding to the misuse of the temple: “And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.” He is not only the Lamb of God, he is King of King and Lord of Lords with all authority under heaven and earth! And we see the wrath of God towards sin in what Christ endured as he went to the cross.
We can scarcely comprehend your power, O Lord; we thank you that it is through grace by faith we may humbly receive Christ and put an end to your wrath against sin once and for all!
ESV Lectionary
posted by BenLaws at 8:40 AM
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