A GREAT QUESTION
ACTS 4:19 NKJ
ACTS 4:19 NKJ
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.
OBSERVATION:
The healing of the man born lame had stirred up the city of Jerusalem. The people were amazed and were believing the words about a resurrected Jesus in great numbers. The religious leaders were perplexed and angry.
Everyone knew something miraculous had happened. The name of Jesus was being magnified, and the leaders were losing control. This group of uneducated men and women were turning the city upside down.
So, the religious leaders did what people losing power often do, they threatened the two disciples. They commanded them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
Even so, Peter and John had a question for these leaders. It really was a rhetorical question. Should we listen to you or to God? Actually, they asked what was right in the sight of God. But they had already answered this question in their hearts. When Peter and John got back to the growing group of believers, they had a time of prayer. They were not asking to be protected or for a change in the religious leadership of Jerusalem. They asked for boldness, courage to speak God's word, and for signs and wonders to take place in Jesus' name. They had answered that question.
APPLICATION:
This is a great question we can ask ourselves. What is right in the sight of God?
The best place to see the answer is to study what God has already revealed in His word. Once we are clear on that, we have an answer.
There is another part of that question that we also need to settle. Are we going to listen to and obey God or listen to and obey what other people want? Remember, some things have not changed. There are still those who would rather we don't express what we believe about Jesus and His kingdom. Because our biblical beliefs contradict what they believe and practice, they call us bigoted and hateful.
But we'll keep loving them and proclaiming what God has said in His word. Jesus is alive and the only name under heaven given among men by which we must be staved (Acts 4:12). And that's right in the sight of God.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, grant us boldness to proclaim those things that are right in Your sight. We obey You, not men.