Today's Daily Lesson comes from Acts chapter 5 verses 12 through 14a:
12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women.
I don't know if I've ever noticed the Bible saying there were many who didn't dare to join the early church.
Perhaps if I had noticed it earlier on, I would have read it as a judgment. But after a long while of pastoring, I know there are lots of people watching the church, paying attention to its witness, drawing often quiet inspiration from its stands.
But, for whatever reason, they just won't or maybe even can't dare to join in. Maybe it's not safe to do so. Maybe it would destroy their family. Maybe they would lose their job at the seminary or with the denomination. Maybe they think they would lose the next election. Maybe they are afraid of being found out.
I don't know.
Nobody knows.
But what I do know is that the Bible tells us there were secret followers of Jesus like Nicodemus, and Joseph or Arimethea, and I am sure there are secret followers of the Way now.
Friends, they are watching. Perhaps they can't reveal themselves. But they are paying attention. And in desperately dark places where they can't dare to show their light, they need ours.
The world needs our light . . .
NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year. Tomorrow's Lesson will come from Acts chapters 11 and 12.
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