Page 2: We Cannot But Speak

Acts 4: 1-20

 

 

          What does it matter? You go through life and you encounter things every day that just don’t matter.  Should you wear this tie or that tie? Should you wear a tie at all? Should you wear heels or sneakers? Should you vote for this man or that woman?  Should you buy groceries today or tomorrow? Should you carry an umbrella? What’s for supper? You know what I mean.

          Life is an unending series of answers to questions that don’t matter. Daily, we make dozens of decisions, the outcome of which has little to no effect on our lives. We choose our clothing, our meals, our conversations, with no impact on our existence. Sometimes, we change jobs or make allegiances to significant others or we sign up for other long term commitments. These decisions do impact our lives. We recognize them because we are called to think about them, to deliberate upon their ramifications. Then we make our choice.

          There are other decisions in our lives. They sneak up on us in the middle of our day. They give no warning and they come with no tag reminding us of how important they are to us and to those we love. They just show up without notice and many times, it does not register with us that this thing, this event, this confrontation, is a game changer for us.

          The book of Acts is a whole series of stories about the life of the early church, and also about the men and women who were there, who participated in that movement. We call them the Apostles.  They were, for the most part, uneducated, common men. Luke tells us that in Chapter 4 of Acts. But these men had a message. They all had the same message. Even then, it was packaged in different styles for different audiences, but it was the same message. The apostles were bold. They did not mince words. They went right into the teeth of those who opposed them and they spoke their peace. If they paid any attention to the consequences of their actions, it’s pretty difficult to tell when one reads Luke’s account. These men had a story to tell. It was so important to them to tell the story that they would not be quieted.

        Throughout history, men and women have come along who had a story to tell. In a high school in Duncanville, Texas, a student stands up in class and challenges his World History teacher for not ever teaching and just handing out packets to study. He is kicked out of the class but his point ignites other students to demand more accountability.

          In the 1980’s, Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a leader of the opposition against apartheid in South Africa. When a political rally was cancelled by the authorities, Tutu declared that he would hold a church service instead. St. Georges Cathedral was filled to overflowing. During the service, hundreds of armed police entered the cathedral and lined the walls as a show of force, taking notes of what Tutu was saying. At one point, Tutu addressed them directly, saying: “You are powerful. You are very powerful, but you are not gods and I serve a God who cannot be mocked. So, since you’ve already lost…I invite you today to come and join the winning side.” The congregation erupted in dancing and singing. The police didn’t know what to do. It was only a matter of time until right prevailed.

         Peter and John speak to the people in Jerusalem outside the temple and five thousand people were converted. The next day, they are ordered before the high priests.  The priests want to know by what power and authority such healings were done, for it is they who hold the religious power in town. Sound familiar? Peter answered. It is by the name of Jesus that these miracles are done. Jesus, the cornerstone of salvation. The priests were stunned. Like the policemen at St, Georges, who were confronted with a church full of believers, here was the healed man standing beside them. What could they do? They told Peter and John to quit teaching. They might as well have told them to go jump in the lake for all the good it would do. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He had a story to tell.

         Peter’s response is the forerunner of Tutu and so many others throughout the history of the church. Peter tells the so-called religious leaders they can judge for themselves whether they should be listened to and obeyed.  He does not even try to stop them from judging. What he does do is stand up for Jesus. Peter tells them that where religious authority knocks heads with Godly authority, there is no contest. God wins. Peter has seen the resurrection. He has heard the testimonies and has one of his own. He will trust that over all man made authority. “…for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

         There is another application to this standing up in faith, and that is breaking the silence. Why do we put up with prejudice? Why do we let loudmouth people yell insults at coaches and umpires at ball games? Why do we stand by and listen to people berate and insult others? Politicians stood by and passed the buck and engineers stayed silent and a storm named Katrina nearly destroyed a great American city.  Leaders stood by and let tribal frictions go for so long that Rwanda suffered though genocide and millions died.

When it comes to standing for something important, silence is our enemy.

         Perhaps the greatest observation on today’s scripture is that the courage to speak up, to witness, does not come from us, but from our acknowledgment of the Holy Spirit that lives within us. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. We can be too.

         Ted Talks are one of the more popular forums on the internet. People are invited to come on for about five minutes to push their philosophy or agenda. Not too long ago, a twenty five year old schoolteacher names Clint Smith made an appearance. He was talking about speaking out for what you believe…and for not holding your voice when something important is going wrong. He wasn’t making a Christian appeal, but he might have been, as his words are of equal or greater value to a Christian. This was what he had to say:  “Who has to have a soapbox, when all you ever needed…was your voice.” 

          Faith…that’s all that Peter had…and look what that faith did. People will say it could have cost him his freedom…or his life, to say what he did. They’re right, but not in the way that they think. What Peter had to say gave him his freedom…and his life!