When we last left Peter and John they had just healed a man and were preaching to a large group of people. They were preaching the resurrection through Jesus and this angered the Sadducees (the Sadducees don't believe in the resurrection of the body. So, they are sad you see.). So Peter and John were arrested and brought to trial the next day.
Peter and John were not given a fair trial by a jury of their peers. Rather, the same folks who condemned Jesus to death put them on trial. This was a grave situation for Peter and John.
As we read we find that God made everything work out and Peter and John went free because they had done no wrong. So, let's take a look at a few things we can learn from Acts Chapter 4.
I believe we can learn about: 1) God's sovereignty, 2) The Fear of God and 3) Prayer.
1) God is sovereign.
Peter and John were in a pickle. The men who killed Jesus were looking to silence them. These men killed an innocent Jesus and therefore would have no problem killing an innocent Peter and John. However, God didn't want this. God wanted Jesus to die. He didn't want Peter and John to die, or at least not yet. God willed both trials as He saw fit.
2) Fear God, not men.
Peter and John were in a pickle. Men were threatening to harm them and commanding them to be silent. This is how they responded in verse 19: "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God." They feared God more than men. God has really been pressing this with me, "Do I fear Him more than anything else?" Do you fear God?
3) Prayer.
When the Bible spotlights a prayer we should look at it. The prayer in this chapter is not a template for all prayer, rather just one template for prayer. Let's look at what we can learn from the believers' prayer in verses 24-30.
A) They prayed together.
B) They adored God first.
C) They prayed scripture.
D) They asked God for strength in their situation, not for God to remove the situation.
E) They asked God to show His greatness.
Take time to read Acts 4. Focus on the sovereignty of God, learn to fear God more than men and pray like the believers did today.
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