ACTS: Bold Witnesses, No Matter Who Opposes!

And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” (Acts 4:5-7)

As we studied in the previous lesson, Peter and John were arrested by the religious leaders.  Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.  (Acts 4:1-3; see ACTS: God is Very Patient and Forgiving; It's Never too Late to Repent) 

These same religious leaders knew about Jesus from the beginning of his earthly ministry three years prior, when John was baptizing to prepare the way for Christ's coming. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,... (Luke 3:1-3; see THE GOSPEL: John & John Teach the Truth)

Now these same religious leaders, who had Christ Jesus crucified are playing dumb just a few days later.  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’[Psalm 118:22] Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8-12)

Jesus promised the disciples, and all of us who would believe since, that ...when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. (John 15:26-28; see THE GOSPEL: World's Hatred to be Expected, but Don't Stumble)  Not only will we be witnesses, but we should be "bold" witnesses.  Bold meaning to be confident, courageous and brave.  This is as true in today's society as it was for the apostles and disciples during biblical times.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.  But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 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. 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.” (Acts 5:13-17)

So 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 to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.  For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. (Acts 4:18-22)

How sad the ones God sent Jesus to are the very ones who reject Him and continuously try to cover up the miracles that He did and that were done by others, through their faith in Him.  Yet again, we can relate today.  Most people don't want to hear anything about God, Christ Jesus or the Holy Spirit, but they want the blessings that only He can provide.  Salvation is a package deal!  We have to accept and believe the Word of God, we can't pick and choose what we will believe and what we won't. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.  We have to ...confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

The religious leaders did not convert nor did they want to admit the truth publicly, that the miracles performed had to have been by the power of God, through faith in Christ Jesus, but they had to let the apostles go.  And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ [Psalm 2:1-2] (Acts 4:23-26)

“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together  to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:27-31)

This same power is still available today to ALL of us who believe! But we have got to be bold witnesses, that speak God's word, no matter what.  We must ...be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (I Timothy 4:12)  The apostles actions backed up their word, the Word of God spoken through them through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Christ Jesus.  We have that same access to that same power.  As the Jews admitted about Christ, "But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?" (John 7:16) Let the same be said about us, that we also speak boldly, and that those who oppose, they say nothing to us, or at the least can say nothing against us!