Monday, December 18, 2017
Acts 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
I JUST CAN'T HELP IT!
I seem to remember as a child being told by my teacher, quite often, to stop messing around in class. When asked by my parents why I didn't seem to listen to my teacher and stop messing around in class, I remember responding with an excuse something along the line of "I just can't help it." And to some degree that was the truth. I just couldn't stop myself from fidgeting around in my desk and playing with my pencils, etc. There was just something inside of me that led me to keep doing it. We can probably all relate, to some degree, with this excuse. We would probably all agree that my disobedience was not justified by my excuse.
But when it comes to proclaiming God's saving word despite opposition, this may be the best excuse ever. That was the case with Peter and John as they explained why they continued to proclaim Jesus Christ and His resurrection in Jerusalem even after they had been told to stop. They said: "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).
In the fourth chapter of Acts we find Peter and John before the Sanhedrin because they had healed a man in the name of Jesus. They are being told to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. Peter responds for the both of them as he says "we just can't help it." His response reminds us that because of the faith that the Holy Spirit works in our hearts, we all have the same excuse for speaking God's saving word, especially in times when it might not be popular.
Peter and John were filled to overflowing with the love of Christ to the point where "we just can't hold it back." So are we. Even if we wanted to, we cannot but speak the things that we have seen and heard. The love of Christ compels us to proclaim the Good News!
