담대한 믿음(BOLD FAITH)

💙 담대한 믿음

 ✝  사도행전 4:8 - 4:13 

“ 다른 이로써는 구원을 받을 수 없나니 “
(사도행전 4:12)

제 2차 세계 대전 중 프렘 프라단(1924–1998)은 그의 비행기가 피격된 후 낙하산을 타고 내려오면서 다리를 다쳤습니다. 그 결과 그는 평생 다리를 절면서 걸었습니다. 언젠가 그는 이런 말을 했습니다. “저는 다리를 접니다. 그런데도 하나님께서 [저를] 히말라야산맥에서 복음을 전하라고 부르신 것이 이상하지 않습니까?” 

그는 네팔에서 설교도 했습니다. 그러나 반대도 없지 않아서, 수감자들이 극한 상황에 이르는 “죽음의 감옥”에 갇히기도 했습니다. 프렘은 15 년의 기간 동안 열 네 곳의 감옥에서 10년을 보냈습니다. 그러나 그의 담대한 증언으로 교도관과 수감자들이 예수님의 말씀을 동족에게 전하는 등, 그리스도를 위해 변화된 많은 삶의 열매를 맺었습니다.

베드로 사도는 예수님을 믿는 믿음 때문에, 그리고 하나님께 쓰임 받아 “못 걷는 사람”(사도행전 4:9)을 고친 것 때문에 강한 반대에 부딪혔습니다. 그러나 그는 그것을 그리스도를 담대하게 증거하는 기회로 삼았습니다 (8-13절).

오늘날 우리도 베드로처럼 강한 반대에 부딪힐 수 있습니다(3절). 하지만 우리에게는 우리의 죄값으로 죽으시고 용서의 능력을 보여주시기 위해 죽은 자 가운데서 살아나셨으며(10절) 우리를 “구원할 수 있는”(12절) 그분에 대한 이야기를 꼭 들어야 할 가족과 직장 동료, 학교 친구, 그리고 우리가 아는 다른 사람들이 있습니다. 예수님에게 있는 구원의 좋은 소식을 그들이 들을 수 있도록 기도하는 마음으로 담대하게 선포할 수 있기를 바랍니다

오늘 어떻게 담대하게 예수님을 증거하시겠습니까? 
주님에 대해 사람들에게 말하지 못하는 이유는 무엇입니까? 
담대히 증거하기 위해 어떻게 더 잘 준비할 수 있을까요?

<하나님 아버지, 저를 위해 하신 일에 감사드립니다. 저의 믿음을 다른 사람들에게 예수님 이름으로 담대하게 전할 수 있도록 도와주소서.>

8. 이에 베드로가 성령이 충만하여 이르되 백성의 관리들과 장로들아 9. 만일 병자에게 행한 착한 일에 대하여 이 사람이 어떻게 구원을 받았느냐고 오늘 우리에게 질문한다면 10. 너희와 모든 이스라엘 백성들은 알라 너희가 십자가에 못 박고 하나님이 죽은 자 가운데서 살리신 나사렛 예수 그리스도의 이름으로 이 사람이 건강하게 되어 너희 앞에 섰느니라 11. 이 예수는 너희 건축자들의 버린 돌로서 집 모퉁이의 머릿돌이 되었느니라 12. 다른 이로써는 구원을 받을 수 없나니 천하 사람 중에 구원을 받을 만한 다른 이름을 우리에게 주신 일이 없음이라 하였더라 13. ○그들이 베드로와 요한이 담대하게 말함을 보고 그들을 본래 학문 없는 범인으로 알았다가 이상히 여기며 또 전에 예수와 함께 있던 줄도 알고

💙 BOLD FAITH

✝  Acts 4:8 - 4:13 

“Salvation is found in no one else.”
(ACTS 4:12)

After Prem Pradhan’s (1924–1998) plane was shot down during World War II, he was wounded while parachuting to safety.
As a result, he walked with a limp for the rest of his life. He once noted, “I have a lame leg. Isn’t it strange of God  that He called [me] to preach the gospel in the Himalaya Mountains?” 

And preach in Nepal he did—but not without opposition that included imprisonment in “dungeons of death” where prisoners faced extreme  conditions. In a span of fifteen years, Prem spent ten years in fourteen different prisons. His bold witness, however, bore the fruit of changed lives for Christ that included guards and prisoners who took the message of Jesus to their own people.

The apostle Peter faced opposition due to his faith in Jesus and for being used by God to heal a “man who was  lame” (ACTS 4:9). But he used the opportunity to boldly speak for Christ (VV. 8–13).

Today, like Peter, we too may face opposition (V. 3), yet we have family members, co-workers, fellow students, and others we know who desperately need to hear about the One in whom “salvation is  found” (V. 12), who died as payment for our sins and was raised from the dead as proof of His power to forgive (V. 10). May they hear as we prayerfully and boldly proclaim this good news of salvation found in Jesus.  ARTHUR JACKSON

How will you boldly share Jesus today?What keeps you from telling others about Him?How can you be better  prepared to do so?
Father, thank You for what You’ve done for me.
Help me, in Jesus’ name, to boldly share my faith with others.

8. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9. If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was  healed, 10. then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you  crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11. He is "`the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' 12. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be  saved." 13. When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.