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Peter Cartwright was one of those courageous preachers. One Sunday, President Andrew Jackson visited the church. Somebody alerted Pastor Cartwright and asked him not to say anything out of line. When he stood to preach, he said, “I understand Andrew Jackson is here. Somebody asked me to guard my remarks. Well, Andrew Jackson will go to hell if he doesn’t repent.” People were shocked, but later, as the President shook hands with the preacher he said, “Sir, if I had a regiment of men like you, I could whip the world.” God’s people often need courage to speak the truth in love. Before Jesus returned to heaven, he charged his apostles to carry this message to the whole world: “There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent and trust in Him.” As the apostles preached this message in Jerusalem (Acts 5), the jealous religious leaders were furious. They told them to stop preaching about Jesus. When they didn’t stop, they arrested them and put them in jail. But that night, an angel opened the gates of the jail, brought them out, and told them, “Go stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.” When the perplexed leaders later confronted the men for ignoring their orders, Peter said, “We must obey God rather than men!” Jesus wants us to bravely but lovingly share the truth about Him, and to practice what we preach.
