Act 4:18 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. Act 4:19 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. Act 4:20 “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
The Sanhedrin was getting more frustrated after learning that the “man they had killed ” was gathering more followers in Jerusalem. Peter and John had healed a lame man in the power and authority of Jesus’ name. The Sanhedrin was looking for a way to silence them before they became too popular. So they came up with a formula of slowing them down by forbidding them not to teach about Jesus.
Peter and John did not accept the command by the Jewish leaders . They were categorical that they had an obligation of obeying God. They were prepared to defend their faith and implement to the latter whatever commands God had given them.
There will always be people who will not like it when we do good and act in Jesus’ name. If we will have to suffer, face rejection, be sidelined or even face persecution for speaking in Jesus name, then it will be a privilege. We will keep on unapologetically speaking about Jesus because he is a fact “which we have seen and heard with our own eyes and ears”. We must be prepared to defend our faith at all cost!
Further readings:
Jer 20:9
Mat 5:11-12
Acts 5:29
🙏 Blessed Day 🙏