Scripture Reading : Acts 4:1-31
Theme : How to Face Persecution
- Be ready to submit to authority. When Peter and John were arrested, they did not put up a struggle. This was a changed Peter, unlike the same Peter who drew his sword and struck off the ear of a man who came to arrest Jesus (John 18:10). Genuine believers should be ready to submit to authority, even if it was imprisonment.
- Be ready to submit to the Spirit. When they were questioned, Peter was “filled with the Holy Spirit” as he answered the Jewish leaders. At this point in time, the New Testament was not completed yet, so the Holy Spirit guided Peter’s speech, in fulfilment of Luke 12:11-12.
- Be ready to give glory to God. Peter did not boast in his own ability to heal the lame, but gave the glory to God instead. Again, this was a changed Peter, unlike the one who denied Christ three times after His arrest.
- Be ready to share the Gospel. Peter seized the opportunity to preach the Gospel to those who were present. Peter would later write in 1 Peter 3:15 “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect”, and Peter exemplified this instruction in Acts 4.
- Be ready to obey at all costs. Christians are called to submit to authority, as long as it does not violate the Word of God. However, when the Jewish leaders charged and threatened the Apostles to not share the Gospel, they chose to obey God instead, even if it meant persecution.
Praying the Scripture
- It is God’s will for Christians to submit to authorities (Rom. 13:1-7), as long as it does not violate the Word of God. Let us pray that we will be submissive to the authorities (e.g. the government). Pray also that when the authorities want us to disobey God’s Word, we will be bold to choose to obey God’s Word at all costs.
- When Peter spoke, the New Testament was not completed yet. Today, to be filled with the Spirit means to be filled with the Word of God. Believers now are to be filled with the Word of God (Eph. 5:18; Col. 3:16), which is the only source of truth and guidance for our righteous living (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Pray that we will be diligent to study the Word of God, so that the Holy Spirit can use it to guide us in our lives.
- Peter preached the Gospel to the Jewish leaders when they questioned him. Pray that we will seize every opportunity to give glory to God and share the Gospel with people around us, including our superiors.
经文：使徒行传4:1-31
主题：如何面对逼迫
- 预备顺服掌权者。彼得和约翰被拿时，他们并没有反抗。这时的彼得已经不再是以前那位拿刀砍来捉耶稣的了（约18:10）。即便要坐牢，属实信徒也当预备顺服掌权者。
- 预备顺服圣灵。当二人受盘问，彼得答复犹太领袖时“被圣灵充满”。那时候，新约还未完成，因此圣灵引导了彼得的口，从而应验了路加福音12:11-12的话。
- 预备归荣耀于神。彼得没有为自己能医治瘸腿的能力夸口，而是将荣耀归于神。这再次显明了一个转变了的彼得；他已不是那位基督被拿后三次不认主的人。
- 预备传福音。彼得抓紧机会向在场的人传福音。他之后在彼得前书3:15写道：“只要心里尊主基督为圣。有人问你们心中盼望的缘由，就要常做准备，以温柔、敬畏的心回答各人。”彼得在这里便做了榜样。
- 预备顺服，无论代价。只要基督徒不违背神的道，他们都当顺服掌权者。可是，当犹太领袖吩咐并恐吓使徒，禁止他们传福音的时候，他们则选择听从神的话，即便这意味着他们可能会受到逼迫。
用经文祷告
- 神的旨意是要信徒在不违背神之道的同时顺服当下有权柄的（罗13:1-7）。让我们祷告我们会顺服当下有权柄的（如政府），也祈求当这些掌权者要我们违背神的道时，我们能有胆量，不惜代价选择顺服神的话。
- 当彼得开口的时候，新约还未完成。今日，被圣灵充满之意就是把基督的道理丰丰富富地存在心里（弗5:18；西3:16）。信徒当如此，因为那是唯一的真理，是我们过正直生活的引导（提后3:16-17）。祈求我们能殷勤学习神的道，叫圣灵能使用它在生活中引导我们。
- 彼得受到犹太领袖的盘问时向他们传福音。祈求我们能把握每一个机会将荣耀归于神，并向周遭的人传福音，包括我们的上司。
