Today we see the disciples continuing in prayer, continuing together, continuing to stand on the Scriptures, continuing to recognise both God’s sovereignty and human responsibility behind events and continuing to acknowledge Jesus as God’s humble Messiah. Far from dampening their spirits, the hostility they faced fuelled their passion to continue in what they’d been called to (v 29). How often do we pray for protection first – against opposition, rather than for fearlessness?  

To continue in their mission and ministry, the new church community knew they needed more of God’s enabling: more courage to speak, more miracles to attest their words and more of the authority of Jesus’ name to be manifest. Asking for help is hard – perhaps pride gets in the way, or fear that our request will be rejected. But these believers didn’t hesitate and God’s answer was immediate and powerful. Of course he wanted them to have all they needed to continue in their commission: it was his plan and purpose they were partnering with, his glory and fame they sought to further! So, as soon as they asked, he poured out his Spirit afresh. Continuing to be filled, continuing to overflow – this constant rhythm of receiving God’s life and running over with the courageous expression of it is available to us today! 

Lord Jesus, teach us to pray with the humility and holy boldness of the apostles.

The response of ‘their own people’ (v 23) to Peter and John's report of the threats of the authorities is striking. They raised their voices to heaven in what one commentator calls an attitude of ‘holy protest’. The language of verses 24–26 contains echoes of the psalms of lament, especially in the question, ‘Why do the nations rage...?’ The disciples recognise that history is repeating itself: the nations had always resisted God’s will, but now not only Herod and Pontius Pilate, but ‘the people of Israel’ (v 27) were rejecting the Messiah Jesus! The question of why the long-promised coming of the reign of God so often seems delayed is not inconsistent with faith, nor is it restricted to the Old Testament, but it will often be found on the lips of suffering Christians.

However, the prayer of lament does not lead to paralysis in the light of the threats made by the authorities. In fact, it triggers further intercession in which the church requests great boldness to defy the authorities and ‘speak your word’ (v 29) in public! The assembly refuses to confine their faith in the risen Lord to the private sphere, locked away in sectarian gatherings where it will pose no threat to the political and religious authorities. The lesson is that the message of the resurrection cannot be confined and restricted in this way, because it contains the announcement of life for a world overshadowed by death! There are serious questions here for Christians in the modern Western world, where faith has been largely restricted to the personal and private spheres, leaving politics, economics and even moral values unchallenged by the good news of the risen Christ. At a time when injustice, poverty and violence stalk the earth, must we not plead for holy boldness to testify to the resurrected one in the public realm?

Reflect on that closing question and pray for the Spirit’s gift of holy boldness.