Cornerstone Curriculum, Official Certification Edition

416 / CORNERSTONE CURRICULUM STUDENT WORKBOOK

time of sharing your faith for the purpose of persuading others to follow your view outmoded, outdated, and simply wrong? The example of the Apostles is instructive for all men and women called to represent the interests and reputation of our risen Lord before others. In the face of horrible opposition and the threat of severe bodily harm if they continued to share the good news of Christ and his Kingdom, the Apostles remained unmoved. Peter and the Apostles are clear in the face of intimidation and threat: “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” “We must obey God, rather than men.” The Great Commission of our Lord, while given to the excited company of witnesses who heard the risen Lord’s command to go into all the world and preach the Good News, is a generational command. Until the appearing of our Lord, every Christian generation goes forth into its own Jerusalems, Judeas, and Samarias with the Gospel of the Kingdom. All of us are responsible to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Nothing can detract us or intimidate us, for the very same Jesus of Nazareth crucified in Jerusalem so many centuries ago has been exalted. “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” Exalted at the right hand of God as Leader and Savior, now repentance and forgiveness is preached to the entire world. To this, both the Apostles and the Holy Spirit testify. What is the ground of our ministry? Why can we remain unmoved in the face of severe persecution and rejection? Why must we go, even if no one responds? Our God has exalted the Messiah to be Lord and Savior, and in obedience to his command, members of the Church have been going for centuries. Many have died, many have suffered, and many have been persecuted. But not one has been defeated. “God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior . . .”(.) This great Commander will guide us until we die. Until then, we must obey God, rather than men.

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