Saturday 15 Apr 2023

April 15: Acts 4:13-21

Key Verse: Acts 4:19
But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!

Devotion:
This is one of those contentious issues where things get taken out of context all the time and people start arguing with one another! You will get people in the church hierarchy calling for people to fall in line and obey the rules and you will get the eager rebellious folk storing up feelings within the church. What it should always come down to is “listen to God!”

The Sanhedrin were gathered together to stop Peter and John from causing crowds to gather and preaching and doing things in the name of Jesus Christ. Why, because they were too used to being in charge of the church and they did not want to let the people get control of things instead of them. They believed they were listening to God because of the law laid down by Moses so many years ago. They had changed a few things along the way to fit in with they lives, but they largely were following the scriptures.

The issue came when they would have to admit to Jesus being the Messiah. In their minds they had not seen enough proof He was the Messiah. Peter and John healed people who stood before them, but they did not want to believe this was because of Jesus; that would put the control of the church into Jesus’ hands and into the hands of the disciples in people’s eyes.

This still goes on today. Someone stands up and does something in the name of Christ and church leaders play it down or reject it because it did not come from someone who has trained for many years to be a priest or other leader. Whatever happens in the life of the church needs to be grounded in Christ’s teachings and following Christ’s ways – that is just one reason why God sent Jesus down, to teach us what is righteous.

Points to Ponder:
Do you stick to the religious rules?

Will you try listening closer to Jesus?