Together in Christ: 'Prayer and Spirit Empowered Witness' — Acts 4:29-31

The early disciples were facing a grave test of religious and political persecution, including the threat of death from the group responsible for crucifying Jesus — the priests, including Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas, previously a high priest, and also Alexander, the captain of the Temple guard, the Sadducees, rulers, elders, teachers of religious law, and the Jewish ruling council. ^[1] I believe that Luke lists all of these officials aligned against Jesus' followers to impress on us just how much the established power was against the early Jesus movement in Jerusalem. Peter and John were undeterred in their proclamation of Jesus. ^[2] They concluded their message to the leaders with these emphatic words:

"Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard." ^[3]

When these two apostles returned to other believers after being released from jail and threatened, the gathered group of disciples prayed fervently. ^[4] Their prayer did not focus on the threats or danger the early Jesus movement faced but instead referred to a psalm about God's dominion over earthly powers and threats ^[5] and ended with our verses for today. They didn't ask God to stop the opposition but prayed for boldness and power in the face of the threats. As these early believers joined their hearts in this bold prayer, God answered them with His presence and power! They experienced God's mighty power as they prayed. Their bold witness moving forward and their unity in the face of persecution and threat further demonstrated God's strength working in them. ^[6] Their boldness before, during, and after their gathered prayer time became an inspirational model for believers over the ages. The question for us in our relationship with each other as brothers and sisters is this: Do we gather together and pray this kind of prayer in the face of persecution, opposition, and threats against us?