Daily Devotional Thursday 20th February 2020
by William Moody
Acts 4:1–12
Peter and John Before the Council
4:1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you 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 is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus1 is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.2 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men3 by which we must be saved.”
Footnotes
[1] 4:11
Greek This one
[2] 4:11Greek the head of the corner
[3] 4:12The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women (ESV)
Peter and John are now arrested as the authorities hate them teaching about Jesus (v1-3). The wonderful thing though was that many more came to faith in Jesus (v4). Even in difficult days for His people, God is at work.
The next day as Peter speaks to the Jewish leaders, he is filled with the Spirit (v8). This is where true power to be a witness for Christ is to be found.
Peter’s witnessing is Christ centred, speaking of His crucifixion and resurrection (v8-10). Peter’s witnessing does not pull back on the guilt of these leaders in having Jesus crucified (v10).
Peter also uses scripture to support what he says (v11). The frightening thing for these leaders; is that not only has Jesus has not gone away after they crucified Him; this Jesus is the capstone, the Lord over all. They have crucified the only One in whom salvation can be found (v12).
We need to pray to be filled with the Spirit in order to have the boldness and clarity in our witnessing for Christ as Peter had. Let’s remember Peter had his many weaknesses; this was the man who denied Jesus. If God can use Peter, He can use you also. Have you the courage to believe this?
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