We’ve been looking at Peter and John in Acts 3 and 4 and the marks of a true follower of Jesus, first, the courage to act and the courage to speak; second, the change that takes place in someone who has “been with Jesus.”
Yet if there is one bedrock mark of a follower of Christ, it would have to be obedience. When Peter and John were brought in for questioning by the rulers, elders, and teachers of the law, they were commanded not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. These commands were accompanied by threats of punishment, perhaps imprisonment, or even death.
But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” [Acts 4:19-20 NLT]
OBEDIENCE. It’s not an easy thing. In fact, there are times when obedience is just plain difficult, especially when obedience to God comes in direct conflict with obedience to man. Man’s punishments and rewards are immediate; God’s sometimes appears to be less so.
Jesus had commanded his follower to go into all nations, to make disciples of all men, to heal the sick, to baptize, to cast out demons, to tell all men what they had seen and heard from Him. To do so brought them in direct opposition to the rulers of the day that wished to silence and forever still any mention of the name or work of Jesus.
Peter and John chose obedience to the command of their Master over obedience to the command of the rulers. Eventually that obedience to Christ would lead them to imprisonment, banishment and even martyrdom. It would also lead them one other place, right into the arms of their Master who had gone before them to prepare many mansions in the presence of their Father God.
Without obedience we are just playing games.
