“But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000.”
Acts 4:4 (NLT)
This verse is the fruit of what God just did in Acts 3. A lame man outside the temple becomes a leaping man inside the temple, praising God. That miracle grabs everybody’s attention, and it gives Peter an unmistakable moment to preach the good news. I can’t help but think we need testimony again. Tell what God has done, and then let the ministers explain what God is doing and invite others into it.
Peter does that. He tells them how the healing happened, how the Old Testament points to Jesus, and what it means for them personally. Over and over, he offers them a chance to turn back, follow God, and receive blessing. The presence of the Lord comes like a cooling breeze, the way Adam knew God’s presence in the garden.
But at the beginning of Acts 4, the priests, the temple guard, and the Sadducees are disturbed. They are bothered that Peter and John are teaching resurrection through Jesus. They see the opportunity as a problem, so they arrest them and put them in jail. That’s a reminder to me: when God is moving, some hearts will open, and some hearts will resist.
Yet many who heard the message believed, and the number of men who believed is now 5,000. The power of God on display becomes an opportunity for the gospel to spread. So today I’m asking myself: will I be offended, annoyed, and disturbed by the instruction of the Lord, or will I receive the message, repent, abide in his presence, and go tell others? I know what choice I’m making today. What about you?