Acts 4:13-22
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. [1]
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Today’s passage led me to think about and pray about persecution against Christians in the world today.
Look at Peter’s courage in today’s passage. Not only does he intend to keep witnessing about Jesus, in violation of a directive from the Sanhedrin, he tells them to their face that he intends to do so. And as verse 21 indicates, Peter carried the day as the Sanhedrin decided they had no choice but to let him go.
Such is not always the case in the world. There are Christians in various parts of the world today facing persecution daily. I would encourage you to go to http://www.persecution.org/ to read about persecution currently taking place against Christians around the world. Those who are facing such threats need our prayers, as do their persecutors.
What always amazes me, in reading the stories about Christians witnessing in the face of persecution, who essentially say with their lives what Peter said in verse 20: “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
Our world here in Napa is so much different. Yes, it is true that here are certain times and places when you can get in trouble for speaking the name of Jesus. But for most of the time on most of our lives, we have considerable freedom to witness. And, of course, the way we live our lives, our ethical and moral behavior, the love that we share, is a most powerful witness at all times.
So my prayer today is one of thanks for the freedom that I do have to witness for Jesus. But I am also praying for those around the world who do not have that freedom, and live under the threat of social, economic and physical persecution because they “cannot help speaking about what {they) have seen and heard.”
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Ac 4:13–22). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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