Ep 385 – Acts 4:13-22

When God’s people are faithful to share the gospel as He has called them to do, it will always cause a reaction. It won’t always be a good one, but rarely is the gospel met with indifference. People either love it or hate it, receive or reject it. But they seldom simply ignore it. In the case of Peter and John, their preaching of the good news regarding Jesus was accepted by many. There were thousands who had come to faith in Christ as a result of their preaching. But there were others who found what they had to say not only unbelievable, but unacceptable. The Jewish religious leaders were having a case of déjà vu all over again. They had been through this same scenario before, with Jesus Himself. Now they were having to experience the frustration of a new rash of so-called “missionaries” for the Way. And they weren’t happy about it. Acts 4:13-22 continues Luke’s record of the interrogation of Peter and John by the Jewish council or Sanhedrin. What they had seen and heard regarding these two men and all that had happened since Pentecost, had left them at a loss for words. They couldn’t explain what had taken place. They couldn’t just write off the events of the last few days as just a flash in the pan. Lives were being changed. People were becoming ardent followers of Jesus – once again. And all the Sanhedrin could do was threaten Peter and John. Beyond that, they were helpless in the face of what God was doing in their midst.