SATURDAY January 14, 2023
Glorifying God
So when they [Jewish leaders] had further threatened them [Peter and John], they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
Acts 4:21-22
Peter and John apparently did not get the message the first time, so the Jewish rulers and elders pressed their point and threatened them again. They knew they could not do anything to Peter and John because first the healed man could speak for himself being forty years old, and second, the people glorified God for the miracle of this man’s healing. The Jewish leaders were afraid of the people. If Peter and John were harmed now, a massive riot would be on their hands. They would wait for a better time.
The leaders of Israel were corrupt, evil men. It is evil men who wait as they plot murder: The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming (Psalm 37:12-13). These leaders acted no differently when Jesus was among them. They wanted Him dead. Listen to their conversation:
Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death (John 11:47-48, 53).
The chief priests and Pharisees came against Christ to murder Him, and the elders of Israel would not hesitate to do the same to Peter and John. Imagine, in their priestly garments, they made a pretense of being the people’s spiritual leaders, but behind their outer garments, murder was in their hearts. They were not right before God.
What about your heart? Do you exhibit an outer godliness before people, but in your heart there is harbored sin were others cannot see it? God sees your corrupt heart. Stop your pretense, and repent before God judges you. There is a day coming when you will stand before Him.
However corrupt our hearts, and however wicked our past lives, there is hope for us in the Gospel.
~J.C. Ryle~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
