John and Peter get an ASBO
So they called them back in and told them that on no condition were they to speak or to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, "You yourselves judge which is right in God's sight - to obey you or to obey God. For we cannot stop speaking of what we ourselves have seen and heard." Acts 4 : 18 - 20 (GNB) |
Our passage this week is mid-way through the action, for the whole story check out Acts 4 : 1 - 22. Through the course of this passage John and Peter are summoned to the religious council many times and were even thrown into prison.
The pair were spreading the news about Jesus and the miracles that he had carried out. This was causing quite a stir in the community and as a result Jesus and his followers were starting to get a growing following.
This caught the eye of the religious leaders and the teachers of the Jewish law, and it was fair to say that they were not happy. Jesus's teaching was at odds with the traditions of the Jewish leaders and their law which gave them their status and influence. They knew that they would need to stop Jesus and the likes of Peter and John if they wanted to keep their positions.
However despite being told off repeatedly by the 'religious council' and given the early equivalent of an ASBO they carried on regardless. What's more the council was powerless to stop them as after all they had not done anything wrong, and the miracles they spoke of Jesus doing were witnessed by hundreds of people.
It would have been very easy for John, Peter and the other disciples to have allowed the bullying that they received stop them. However they choose to be stronger than that. What's more they chose to trust and rely on a God that was stronger too.
This week hopefully you won't be in a position like Peter and John. However you might come across some obstacle or resistance. When you do remember them and trust that God will give you the strength and ability to get through it. Have a great week.
This week's song is Sparrows by Jason Gray. |
Header image by: Phil Parker via Flickr