‘To Hearken To You More Than To God’

But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

Acts 4:19

We who bear the message of Christ always encounter those who would rather have us be silent.  Under certain circumstances, these opponents of Christ will attempt to enforce their will by intimidation or even by law.  The Apostles faced the religious authorities of their day.  Those opponents of Christ wanted Peter and John to be silent.  Therefore, they threatened them, hoping to effectively shut them up.  Peter and John refused to allow the authorities to put them in fear.  Their answer is clear and firm, ‘But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.’ The choice for them was to obey Christ, and fulfill the Great Commission which He had given them, or to submit to the will of these oppressors.  They declared their logic to their opponents.  So, also do we declare that we, as the spiritual inheritors of the message of Jesus Christ, will either obey His will or be silent in the face of opposition.  The choice is clear and our course of action is clear as well.  We will listen to Christ and act accordingly.  Christ is our message.  His Person and Work are what we have to declare as far and as wide as we have opportunity.  Opponents will seek to silence us by whatever means that they can devise. We are resolved to make Christ known.

Our Strong and Righteous God,
we rejoice that You give us strength,
which we could never have of ourselves.
We praise You that You enable us to make Christ known,
even in the face of opposition.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning