Astonishment
The religious authorities were confounded. They were astonished at the strength of Peter and John’s confidence. Even they could not help but recognise that Christ’s life had rubbed off on theirs – it reminded them of the encounters that they had had with Jesus! With the healed man standing there as silent witness to Jesus’ authority, there was nothing they could do but lamely tell them not to speak of Jesus again. But Peter and John continued to lay down the challenge: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than listen to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard!” (4.19).
Adulation
On their release, Peter and John rejoined their Christian friends and reported all that had happened. It resulted in prayer together that rattled the windows (literally). Their Spirit-inspired prayer exalted God as sovereign over both his enemies and his people. And when their hearts and voices were tuned to glorify God’s sovereignty, they could not help but ask that he would continue to work in and through them. Notice what they prayed for:
1. Boldness to continue the speaking of God’s word
2. Jesus to continue to confirm that word through his miraculous works.
And they went on, filled with the Holy Spirit, continuing to speak the word of God with boldness (4.31).
1 comment:
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