November 9: Acting boldly for God

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

People dealing with the qualities of leadership sometimes ponder the following question: "Are leaders made, or are they born?" In times of military battles, ordinary people often rise to deeds of uncommon bravery. Similarly, believers in the Lord’s army may find themselves thrust into spiritual battles, times which demand boldness of heart and actions.

• Peter and John acted boldly in the face of open hostility (vv. 1-3). The persecution of which Jesus had warned (John 15:20- 21) began taking shape. Three different segments of Jewish religious life grumbled at first but then cast the two disciples in prison. The first group, the priests, exhibited religious intolerance in refusing to believe the One they crucified could be the Messiah. The captain of the temple, concerned with an orderly place of worship, represented the political animosity which eventually shook the Roman government. The Sadducees, known for their disbelief in a resurrection of any kind, bowed to their prejudiced theology.

The three groups laid aside their personal and group agendas as they confronted two men whom they considered to be spiritually and academically inferior to themselves. Unknown to them, God was using their opposition to the apostles to develop leaders for the coming spiritual revolution in the Roman empire.

• The apostles used the preliminary trial as an opportunity to preach boldly the uniqueness of Jesus (vv. 7, 12-13). When Annas, Caiaphas, and their crowd questioned Peter and John about the power through which they healed the lame man, Peter preached a sermon. The officials’ emphasis on "ye" indicates the contempt they felt toward the apostles. Peter systematically demolished their haughty attitude. He recounted that at the most strategic point in Israel’s history, the "rulers of Israel" had crucified God’s anointed Messiah. God canceled the effect of their evil intentions by resurrecting Jesus from the dead (v. 10).

Peter then drove home the most crucial point—that no other name existed under heaven by which we can be saved, the Name of Jesus. The boldness of Peter’s defense caused a stir among the officials. They grudgingly saw a possible explanation. Peter and John had been with Jesus. With the healed man before them, they conferred privately about the next step to be taken (v. 15).

• The two disciples defended their actions by invoking the simple principle, that they served under the mandate of a higher calling (vv. 18-21). Peter stated the principle which has sustained persecuted Christians through the centuries, namely, whenever obeying a human law causes believers to violate God’s law, they are conscience-bound to obey God.

The defense ended happily for the preachers. Fearing the people’s reaction if they punished the apostles, the officials released them. The trial of Stephen, however, resulted in his martyrdom (Acts. 7:59-60). To apply the "higher-calling principle" believers must be willing to bear the penalty given out to those who break a man-made law. Otherwise civil disobedience loses its witness.

• The most important quality for acting boldly for Christ lies with spirit-filled witnesses (vv. 23, 29-31). As soon as the disciples were released, they joined other believers (v. 23). The report soon became a praise meeting as they prayed for further boldness. They asked for signs (miracles that proved the power of Jesus) and wonders (supernatural events which provoked a sense of God’s majesty) to be done in the Name of Jesus. God answered with a miniature earthquake and a fresh anointing of the Spirit.