A Faithful Witness

Peter’s brother was Andrew.  James’ brother was John.  I’m not sure how the twelve were paired up when Jesus sent them out two by two, but it is obvious that the brothers did not go out in pairs after the day of Pentecost.  Over and over again, we find Peter and John travelling from place to place, sharing the good news.

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon. (Acts 3:1 NIV)

On this day, Peter and John encountered a man who could not walk.  He had been that way from birth and was begging for money so he could live.  Peter and John did not have money, but they did have the power to heal the man…and they did.  He began, as the song says, “walking and leaping and praising God!”  It’s a great story.  You really ought to read Acts chapter 3.  When you read it, though, notice that they did not stop there.  They used the opportunity to tell everyone about the power of God found in Christ Jesus.  When they did, people responded.  Some of them liked what they had to say.  Others did not.

The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. (Acts 4:1-4 NIV)

Peter and John spend the night in jail because of their faith.  But they didn’t back down.  Their faithfulness to Jesus, his life, and his message got them in “trouble.”  It also grew God’s church from 3,000 men to 5,000 men plus women and children!  After their night in jail, the religious leaders tried to reason with them to get them to stop.

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, "Which is right in God's eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."(Acts 4:18-20 NIV)

How about you?  Do you speak the truth in love, even when it will get you “in trouble?”  Do you share the life and message of Jesus with people?  Are you a faithful witness?