What is our attitude toward the Lord and the gospel? I would like to examine three churches as examples and mine out some lessons for us to grab hold of. The first church to examine is found in Acts 3 called the Jerusalem Church.

We find that the apostles are put into prison. The scene is played out just after Pentecost while the church is growing dramatically in number and in strength. Peter and John go to the temple and meet a lame man who is begging for a handout.

They have no money to give him but in verse six, they offer him healing “in the name of Jesus.” The man’s legs are miraculously healed and “he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”

The crowds saw this awesome miracle and were “filled with wonder and amazement.” Peter then launched into a powerful presentation of the gospel message. However, when the religious leaders heard what had happened, they arrested Peter and John and kept them in prison overnight.

The next day the apostles were brought before a tribunal for a hearing. The Jewish leaders asked, “By what power or by what name have ye done this?” Peter told them in verse ten it was “by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified” and that there was “none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” In spite of the known danger to themselves, they still shared the gospel. What about us? Do we share the gospel and there is no threat?