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What Shall We Do With These Men – Acts 4
What Shall We Do With These Men – Acts 4
On the way to the temple, Peter and John encountered a man who had been lame from birth. Through the power of the name of Jesus the man was given the ability to walk (3:6, 16). As they entered the temple with this man, he was ‘walking and leaping and praising God’ (well, wouldn’t you?). This commotion drew a crowd and Peter preached unto them the good news of the resurrection of Jesus.
While they were preaching the resurrection of Jesus, they were arrested by order of the Jewish rulers. These rulers were greatly annoyed at such preaching. They gathered together and placed in the middle of them both the apostles AND the man who was healed.
What shall we do with these men? Seeing the lame man NOW no longer lame, they had nothing to say in opposition to the apostles preaching (4:14).
There are none so blind as those who WILL not see. Their ears they had stopped and their eyes they had closed lest they believe.
That a notable miracle had been done through the apostles could not be denied! They acknowledged the miracle. The answer to their question stood there in plain sight. Jesus had done this.
They could have (should have) bowed their knee and confessed that Jesus it LORD and Christ. They should have been pricked in their hearts and asked the apostles what could now be done. They should have repented and been baptized in the name of Jesus. They should have become disciples.
To acknowledge there is a God and refuse to worship Him is foolishness. To acknowledge that Jesus is the resurrected Lord and Son of God and not worship Him is foolishness. To acknowledge that the New Testament is the revealed word of God and not obey it is foolishness.
"That a notable miracle has been done we cannot deny" - then acknowledge it and obey the one who did it. That is what they should do. Us too.
Hugh DeLong
