使徒言行録4:1-14 Acts 4:1-14,

Jesus’ disciples Peter and John were preaching to the people in the temple of Jerusalem about Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Then the captain in charge of the temple guard came along with the priests and Sadducees, seized Peter and John, and put them in prison. The Sadducees probably thought that if people believed in Jesus’ resurrection, they would lose their power to argue that there is no resurrection of the dead. In fact, many people believed in Jesus after hearing Peter’s and John’s sermons. So, to prevent more people from believing, they must have captured Peter and John and put them in prison.

The next day, a meeting was held to interrogate Peter and John. This meeting was not just a private gathering, but a meeting called the council, which in modern Japan would be both the Diet and the Supreme Court. Many people who opposed Jesus were present at the meeting. They sat around Peter and John and made them stand in the middle of the room and questioned them harshly: “By what power or by what name did you do this?” By “this” they meant the miracle of healing a man who had been lame from birth. Peter and John were not praised but severely criticised, even though they had performed the wonderful miracle of healing a man who had been lame from birth. The atmosphere was very dangerous for Peter and John. Like Jesus, Peter and John could have been sentenced to death.

So how did Peter and John respond? Did they give in to the power of those who opposed Jesus, give vague answers and try to defend themselves? No, he did not. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and testified powerfully and boldly to Jesus’ authority. Peter had previously told that he did not know Jesus up to three times when Jesus was being interrogated in the high priest’s house. The reason why Peter, who had been such a weak man, was able to give a fearless and dignified testimony before the Jewish authorities was because he was empowered by the Holy Spirit and by Jesus in heaven.

Peter said, “By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.” Peter then explained Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection by the words of the Old Testament, “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.” Finally, Peter gave a powerful testimony that Jesus is the unique salvation. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Peter was so filled with Jesus’ love and grace that he could not help but testify about Jesus.

His confession that salvation is only in Jesus was made in the midst of fighting against his sins and undergoing persecution. Let us pray that when we too are persecuted, we will act with the conviction that salvation is only in Jesus.