YOU TELL ME
ACTS 4:16-20 NKJV
16 saying, "What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name."
18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
I love these stories of the early church. The boldness of the apostles is inspiring.
In this story for today, the apostles are catching serious heat from the Jewish leaders. The Sadducees were particularly upset because the apostles were teaching and preaching that in Jesus, there was resurrection from the dead. The Sadducees did not believe in the spiritual realm or the resurrection.
But the Jewish leaders had a dilemma. A notable miracle had taken place in the man who was born lame. This man was now walking, and there was no way to deny it.
So, when you can't deny, you move to the next best strategy and threaten. They threatened Peter and John to no longer speak or teach in the name, the authority, of Jesus.
The apostles' answer was classic. Basically, you tell me if listening to you or listening to God is the right thing. And the phrase they used was right in the sight of God.
And then, they followed up with the answer signifying that theirs was a rhetorical question. They were going to speak in the name of Jesus. They were going to preach and teach and share what they had seen and heard. They were not going to stop.
Later their consistent proclaiming of Jesus would land them in further trouble with the Jewish leaders. But these once timid apostles were undaunted. Their courage in the face of severe physical adversity is an encouragement to us. And their dedication to the mission of Jesus is still having an impact today.
APPLICATION:
They asked a great question. What is right in the sight of God?
That question becomes a great filter for life. When it comes down to obeying God or obeying what man wants, this is the question we go back to.
There will always be voices that would quiet us from speaking about Jesus. But we need to do what is right in the sight of God. Jesus has done so much for us that we can't help but share what we have seen and heard.