BIBLE LESSON

“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”

— Acts 4:29

After the authorities demanded that Peter and John quit preaching about Jesus, the two men reported to the church. Then everyone prayed. Luke did not report everything they might have prayed, but he did record the most important parts, which have become an example for Christians in similar situations. Luke wrote nothing about the disciples praying for God’s just retribution against the authorities. They may have done so, but when Stephen died as the first Christian martyr, he prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:60) Luke only noted: “consider their threats,” which seems sufficient.

They did pray for boldness to do what their Sovereign Lord and highest authority had commanded them to do. Jesus had commanded them to be witnesses about His teaching, His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead as the way of salvation, which meant disobeying some human authorities. Jesus had promised that no matter what happened, He would be with them spiritually forever and He would send the Holy Spirit to fill and empower them so they could go anywhere and testify truly about Him anyplace. The Lord honored their prayers and filled them once again with the Holy Spirit; then they spoke the word of God boldly. Stephen may have prayed with them that day, for he preached boldly about Jesus. Afterward, the authorities stoned Stephen to death. However, Saul witnessed Stephen’s death and later became the Apostle Paul.

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