Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Opening Scripture

“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” Luke 12:11-12

Opening Prayer

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for rest and the promise of a new day. I praise You for Your loving kindness, Your thoughtful provision, and Your comforting presence. Help my hope and security be in You today, not in what I do, or what I have, or what others think. May Your Spirit guide me in the way I should go. Help me to appreciate Your blessings and see You at work around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Acts 4:1-22

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.

The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.

“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

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.” After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

Reflection  

It seems the crowds in Jerusalem were generally sympathetic toward these followers of Jesus. According to Acts 2:47, the Church was “enjoying the favor of all the people.” That certainly appears to be the case because thousands of new converts were putting their faith in Jesus and joining their ranks. “The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved,” but the Jewish leaders had a different reaction.

The Sadducean aristocracy viewed this spiritual “uprising” as a threat to the status quo, of which they were in charge. Abruptly interrupting the “revival” that had broken out in the temple courts, the religious leaders commanded the temple guard to “seize” Peter and John “while they were speaking to the people” and put them in jail overnight.

The next morning, the apostles were brought before Israel’s “supreme court” – the Sanhedrin – to give an account of themselves. That collection of seventy Jewish rulers, priests, and elders, overseen by the high priest, no doubt expected these “unschooled, ordinary men” to be frightened and intimidated by the setting. Rather than asking for mercy or offering a defense, the disciples provided a sermon.

In fulfillment of our Opening Scripture, Peter was empowered by the Holy Spirit to give an impassioned explanation regarding the what, how, and why of events. The motive, power, and authority for their preaching and healing are exclusively the work of the One and Only resurrected Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

The Gospel is clearly proclaimed: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

Annas, the high priest, and his family’s control of the Sanhedrin in first-century Jerusalem remind a person of the Borgia’s control of the papacy in Rome in the fifteenth century. Both families established powerful religious dynasties by leveraging nepotism, political alliances, and financial corruption to control their respective faiths. The adherents of Judaism and Catholicism were the worse for it.

In fact, while there was a great deal of pomp and circumstance, ritual and splendor, wealth and authority in both situations, there was little if any righteousness, humility, or devotion to God to be found. Protect the system and do as you please!

The Sanhedrin of the first century was controlled by the Sadducees, and the Sadducees represented a “conservative” viewpoint. The first five books of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch) were the sum of their sacred writings. Angels, demons, and immortality were completely rejected. Who needs an “after life” when you have plenty of wealth and power now? As such, making peace with the Romans and protecting their position was all that mattered.

That explains why the disciples’ message was so disturbing. They were “proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.” Not simply claiming that Jesus was resurrected, but that Jesus’ followers would be resurrected. That kind of apocalyptic Messianic talk is what started revolutions, and these men were already attracting large crowds at the temple. This had to be stopped immediately!

The thing is, when the Spirit of God is absent, you can’t fake it. When the Spirit of God is present, you can’t stop Him. As the wise Gamaliel will declare on Thursday at the next arrest, “If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

There are countless examples of bad leadership in every type of organization across the ages and around the world. Sadly, there are countless examples of bad leadership among God’s people across the ages and around the world. Long before Annas was high priest or Rodrigo Borgia was pope, the LORD declared, “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!”

It is imperative that those entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing God’s people do so with humility, integrity, spiritual maturity, and devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also imperative that God’s people follow godly leadership with humility, integrity, spiritual maturity, and devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is power in the name of Jesus! Power to heal bodies, save souls, and change lives. How is Jesus making a difference in your life?

Ask God to help you boldly testify to what you have seen and heard.

This week’s collective prayer: Father, strengthen my calling to The Great Commission. Amen.

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!