Acts 4:1-21 Obey God or Man

After healing a man who had been lame from birth, Peter and John boldly preached that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. The religious authorities responded by arresting them—but persecution could not stop the gospel. The number of believing men grew to approximately five thousand.

When Peter and John were brought before the council, the rulers could not deny that a remarkable miracle had occurred. Yet rather than surrendering to the truth, they attempted to silence it. They demanded to know by what power—or in whose name—the man had been healed.

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter answered plainly:

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” —Acts 4:12

In this lesson from Acts 4:1–21, we examine:

• The difference between biblical obedience and man-made legalism
• Jesus Christ as the rejected stone and chief cornerstone
• Why Spirit-filled meekness toward God produces boldness before men
• How religious pride can acknowledge God’s work while still resisting Him
• The danger of repeatedly rationalizing away the truth
• Why Peter and John refused to be silenced
• What it means to obey God rather than men

Peter, who once denied Jesus when confronted by a servant girl, now stood fearlessly before Israel’s most powerful religious authorities. This was not boldness motivated by pride or a desire to win an argument. It was the courage produced by complete surrender to God and an unwavering love for the truth.

“For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” —Acts 4:20