Words are Necessary

Acts 4:5-12

"I don't feel comfortable talking about God - I just show I'm a Christian by my love." Now, "They'll know we are Christians by our love" is a nice thought; it's a nice song; it's based on a good quotation from John's Gospel. But in John's Gospel it's assumed that the loving people are already identified as possible disciples of Jesus Christ. Their love is the proof that what they say is true; without the words, people will simply identify you as loving, not as Christian.
Our passage today is the continuation of a story where Peter and John heal a lame man. The crowd's first reaction is "Wow, how amazing, look at these guys who healed someone!" If Peter and John had witnessed only by their actions, they would have left the day as heroes. Instead, they decide to open their mouths and speak - they share the good news of Jesus Christ with the gathered crowd. This gets them in trouble with the powers-that-be.
I fear that the mainline church has become much too timid in this area. Fear-mongers, hate-mongers, fire-and-brimstone preachers - they are quite happy to claim the name of Jesus as they carry out their work. But how many churches today are willing to associate Jesus with the good work that they do? In the name of avoiding being offensive, we have too often stopped using the name of Jesus, the chief Cornerstone - and stumbling block. Jesus has always caused offense to some; it can't be avoided if we are to truly follow Christ.
Happily, there are exceptions. Sojourners is a group of both "evangelical" and "mainline" Christians who pursue social justice under Jesus' banner. Here in Mount Pleasant, a chapter of "Love INC" - Love In the Name of Christ - is starting up, providing accountable social services through local churches. It can be done.
St. Francis said "Preach the gospel at all times and, when necessary, use words." He did most of his work in central Italy, in a Christian Empire. Most of the people he met knew the Gospel - and St. Francis used a lot of words. We live in a world where many people know a caricature of the Gospel but few know actual Good News. Preach the gospel at all times, through your work and through your words!

Miscellaneous meanderings:
Is there a difference between people taking offense at Jesus and people taking offense at us? For example: I would not preach as Peter does in verse 12, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved." I believe this is true in one sense: I think salvation is possible because of Jesus' action. But I don't think that all Muslims are going to hell, or that there is nothing salvific in Buddhism. Jesus Christ can work in many ways and places. You don't need to know the name of a road in order to travel on it.
Ideas like sin, grace, and dependence on God are central to the Gospel, and they are offensive to some. Exclusion is antithetical to the Gospel, but is primarily what folk today will hear from verse 12. When I preach an inclusive Gospel, inviting dialogue with non-Christians, am I authentically translating the New Testament into today's culture? Or am I being wishy-washy?