Can people tell you're a Christian?
You may have seen it on social media, but a few months ago, an event where Cameron was leading worship was attacked by a group of religious radicals. Thankfully, the police came and allowed us to complete the program. But it reminded me that things could’ve ended very differently.
After the miracle and the powerful preaching in Acts chapter 3, Peter and John are arrested.
The religious leaders are irritated, not only because of the healing, but because Jesus is once again at the centre. The Name they thought they had silenced resounds through the streets of Jerusalem, again.
The next day, Peter and John must answer to the Sanhedrin: the same leaders who condemned Jesus...
When Peter stands before the Sanhedrin, he speaks with remarkable boldness. He makes it clear that the healing took place in the name of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord. What surprises the leaders most is that these men are “illiterate and simple.” Yet they recognise something—Peter and John have been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).
After their release, Peter and John neither complain nor withdraw. They seek out the congregation and pray together. Remarkably, they do not ask for safety, but for boldness. And once again, they are filled with the Spirit and speak the word of God with power.
Opposition is not a sign that God is absent. On the contrary, it is precisely under pressure that what lives within becomes visible. Their boldness does not stem from self-confidence, but from a connection with Jesus.
Perhaps you, too, experience tension when your faith becomes visible. The question is not whether pressure will arise, but where we seek our strength. Are we recognisable as people who have been with Jesus?
Is it evident from your words and attitude that you live with Jesus?
