Peter and John were arrested and put on trial for healing a man who had been lame from birth and preaching the gospel
to the crowd. This was the first persecution of Christians in the history of Christianity. During the trial, the two men were threatened by Jewish religious leaders who said: “Do not speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.” However, they did not yield to their threats, declaring, “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Later, upon their release, they returned to their church, reported this to their friends, and prayed together. (Acts 4:24-30) In this prayer, they asked God not for protection, but to let them preach God’s word boldly, even if they were threatened. They were passionately engaged in evangelism, not held captive by fear. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we overflow with the life and power of the resurrected Jesus. The filling of the Holy Spirit occurs when we bring our own lives and hearts under His control. In other words, we are filled with the Holy Spirit when we recognize His work and seek to follow Him. After the disciples prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. This was a manifestation of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the Word of God boldly. The Holy Spirit is the power that enables us to preach the gospel and serve God. Let us live filled with the Holy Spirit! By doing so, we can abound in the life of Jesus and be able to preach the word of God with boldness like Peter and John.
生まれつき足のきかない男を癒し、また群衆の前で福音を語った事により、ペテロとヨハネは捕らえられ、裁判にかけられた。これはキリスト教の歴史における初めてのクリスチャン迫害であった。裁判において、二人はユダヤ人宗教指導者達から、「今後、誰にもイエスの御名を語ってはならない」と脅しを受けたが、彼らはそれに屈せず、「私たちは、自分の見たこと、また聞いたことを、話さないわけにはいかない」と宣言した。その後、釈放された二人は教会に戻り、仲間達にこの事を報告した上で、共に祈りを捧げた。 (使徒4:24〜30)この祈りの中で、彼らは神に守りや助けではなく、脅かしを受けても大胆に神の言葉を語らせて下さいと願い求めた。彼らは恐れに囚われる事なく、情熱に溢れて福音宣教に邁進したが、これこそが聖霊に満たされた者達の姿である。聖霊に満たされる時、私達は復活のキリストの命と力に溢れるのだ。聖霊の満たしは、私達が自らの人生と人格を聖霊の支配下に置く時に起こる。つまり、私達が聖霊の働きを認識し、彼に従おうとする 時、私達は聖霊に満たされるのだ。弟子達が祈りを捧げた後、彼らが集まっていた場所が奮い動いた。これは聖霊の臨在と力がそこにあった事の現れであった。その後、一同は聖霊に満たされて、神の言葉を大胆に語り始めた。聖霊は、私達が福音を宣べ伝え、また神に仕えるための力なのである。私達は聖霊に満たされて生活しよう。それにより、私達はイエスの命に溢れ、またペテロやヨハネのように大胆に神の言葉を語り継げる事が出来るようになる。
