PREPARING TO BE HEARD

Acts 4:1-4

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 and 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, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

The leaders of the Jewish community had a pretty significant problem on their hands. Peter and John continued to talk to the people, they couldn't keep them quiet, and the people were beginning to listen, so they put them in jail until the next day.

Witnessing is like that. It seems as if we're making no progress. Our words are falling on deaf ears. We have nothing but opposition, disagreement, and argumentative people. To make matters worse, we're put in jail, even if only figuratively -- in the present day it might be a new policy at work prohibiting religious discussions.

Whatever the circumstances, it can feel like you are making no progress at sharing the message. The encouragement for me is in Verse 4, "but many who heard the message believed". Despite the fact that Peter and John were now in jail -- many who had heard believed.

In our story, the people's hearts were prepared to hear by witnessing the healing of a man crippled since birth, someone they had all seen or known about. It wasn't as if these people had never heard about Jesus, His claims, or the claims of His followers. The difference was the circumstance -- before their eyes the cripple was healed -- the example or demonstration of Jesus power.

What is the example or power that is evident in your life? Think carefully about that. If you are having a problem with getting people to listen to you about Jesus, then it could be He is not evident in your life? You are the witness, is your life convincing?

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