Stand Strong and Don’t Back Down

“And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”  Acts 4:18-20

When Jesus was crucified, the self-righteous religious leaders thought that all this “Jesus talk” would be ended, but they found out that it was just getting started.  Peter and John, two of Jesus’ disciples became very bold in preaching the gospel to the people of Israel.  They were uneducated fishermen, but their preaching was articulate, concise, and of such a profound nature that many were incredulous at their ability to speak so boldly and clearly.  However, the religious leaders had to put stop to their movement; they were attracting too much attention from the common folks, the folks who were under the rule of these same religious leaders.  Thus, they had Peter and John arrested and then called them before their council.

When questioned, Peter, who had been influenced by three plus years of the teachings of Jesus, answered them boldly and with eloquence, not sheepishly stammering and stuttering as the men of the Sanhedrin likely expected.  Even as much as they hated Jesus, they had to concede that these two men had certainly benefited from their association with Jesus.  Before Peter and John had been arrested, they had, by God’s power, healed a crippled man, who now stood before the council, healthy and whole.  The rulers were left in a quandary.  They were just given an articulate and clear reason for the healing of the crippled man as he stood before them, and Peter and John had given all the credit to the Lord.  However, these rulers couldn’t let themselves believe that it was Jesus who had made this healing possible.  I suppose these religious leaders were looking like “deer caught in the headlights” in a “no win” situation.  If they didn’t do anything to Peter and John, then that would look like they were in agreement with Jesus’ disciples.  However, if their punishment was too harsh, then that might backfire against the rulers and cause this new doctrine to spread even more rapidly and further across Jerusalem.  This called for a private discussion.

The religious leaders were caught “between a rock and a hard place”.  They could not deny the miracle, but they also couldn’t afford to ignore the teaching of Peter and John.  Many of the common people were receiving Christ as Lord and Savior.  If this kept going, then these haughty men were liable to lose their power and their prestigious positions.  When it comes down to it, all of life is about a power struggle, that between good and evil, God and Satan, heaven and hell.  Nothing has changed since the beginning of time concerning this struggle.  As the rulers discussed among themselves how to proceed, Peter and John were waiting outside, and I have all ideas they were praying.  They knew that God would see them through this situation.  They also knew that whatever the results were of their trial, that God would get the glory.

Peter and John were brought back into the council chamber.  The ruling was issued:  do not speak or teach in the name of Jesus at all.  Just for a moment, picture Peter as a modern day teenager who had been told to stop skateboarding.  He would say, “No way, dude”.  Of course, Peter was not a teenager, but I can imagine he had the same determination to continue preaching in the name of Jesus as a teenage boy has in skateboarding.  Peter and John appealed to the love and obedience that the religious rulers claimed to have for the God of Israel, in effect, asking them to judge whether obeying man or obeying God was the right thing to do in the sight of God, the most righteous Judge.  They were exposing the hypocrisy of these leaders, not to embarrass or humiliate them, but to allow them to see themselves as they were: lost sinners in need of a Savior.

The council could not comprehend the magnitude, loyalty, and depth of the love that the disciples had for the Master.  Peter, John, and the other disciples and followers of Christ were completely committed and dedicated to following the leading of the Holy Spirit.  They, like the words written years ago by an African preacher who was killed for preaching Christ, were determined not to “give up, shut up, or…let up” for the cause of Christ.  So what about those of us who name the name of Christ?  Can we be bold in this day of being accused of racism, hatred, and narrow-mindedness for speaking the truth?  It’s the truth that sets people free (John 8:32).