In Acts 4, the leaders and elders of the religious council threatened Peter and John to stop preaching about Jesus after they had witnessed the disciples heal a crippled beggar. In front of the entire council, Peter and John remain unfazed. They boldly declared that their purpose was to tell everyone about all that they had seen and heard and that they were not going to stop. Our purpose will be tested. The call of God is exciting and inspiring – He has called us to be His witnesses and share the gospel! Like Peter and John, we should expect to face opposition and testing. You might be going through a period of testing and opposition because of your decision to pursue God’s purposes for your life. Take heart; you’re not alone! We must hold fast to what God has called us to. Decide that it is better to obey God than to fear man. Pray and ask God for boldness and strength – just like Peter and John – to stand against opposition and not give up ground. God is standing with you in such moments and will give you the courage to stay the course. People are watching and your response in such situations will set an example of someone standing strong in God’s purposes. All things will work out for good! Romans 8:28 says that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Because of the conviction that Peter and John had, the council released them and they continued preaching about Jesus. God is on our side! If He begins a good work in you, He will see it to completion!
Reflect:
1. Identify instances where you’ve faced opposition because of your decision to pursue God’s purpose for you. Did you give in to the pressure? How can you stand strong when you face pressure again?
2. What has God called you to in this season? (to serve as a Small Group Leader) List down some practical ways to remain faithful to that calling.
Prayer: Dear God, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life. I know that You work all things out for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. Even though I may not fully understand the challenges that I go through, help me to remain strong and faithful to Your calling. I choose to trust in You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Acts 4:1-20
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
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.”
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.