Acts
4:5-22
New
International Version (NIV)
5 The next day the rulers,
the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest
was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high
priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John
brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did
you do this?”
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 man who was lame and are
being 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 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the
cornerstone.’[a]
12 Salvation is found in no
one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind 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. 14 But since they could see
the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they
could say. 15 So they ordered them to
withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do
with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have
performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing
from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no
longer to anyone in this name.”
18 Then they called them in
again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John
replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the
judges! 20 As for us, we cannot
help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats
they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the
people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was
miraculously healed was over forty years old.
This
is a continuation of the story regarding Peter and John and the healing of the
crippled man at the gate of the temple.
Many believed on that day and because of that, these two men were
arrested. They spent the night in jail
and now, this is the next day when they were brought before the leaders to see
what to do with them. I would say it was
much like a preliminary hearing to see if they could stand trial.
When
asked how they healed the man, Peter, was bold in his statement and they could
not refute his words or his actions.
Note that he spoke through the Holy Spirit not by his own means. He was not worried about what other people
thought or if he would remain in prison but he spoke with boldness towards the
ones that crucified Christ. This is
Peter, the one that denied Christ three times.
Yes, his boldness was not from him but the Holy Spirit. It is so amazing to see what God can do
through us when we allow Him to have His way and we get out of the way! Look who was standing beside Peter and John
throughout this hearing, the man that was healed. His life was changed when they spoke to him
and he was there to support them.
The
leaders could not refute anything they said and decided to let them go, with
one stipulation! They were not to talk
about Jesus anymore. Again, Peter was
bold and let them know they would continue speaking of Jesus. They were then given another warning and were
let go.
How
are we in our boldness in speaking for Christ?
We too are afforded the strength, boldness, and knowledge through the
Holy Spirit so we shy about our faith? Why
are we so quiet? Is it because we don’t
want to offend someone? Why are we silent? Is it because we don’t want to look like a
Jesus freak or sound to religious? Why
is it that we are so limited in our vocal testimony? If we are a true believer, have repented of
our sins, and have dedicated our lives to Christ, we have the Holy Spirit
within us but yet we don’t depend upon Him like we should. We may continue to depend on our own selves
rather than Him to guide us through. As
you seek Him today, pray for boldness to share with others what God has done
for you. Let others know about the
salvation that they can have through Jesus Christ! Do this through your actions and your words
so that others may know of the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Seeking
Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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