We are Witnesses: We Must Obey God
Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead – whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 5:29-32)
This is another of numerous stories that illustrate that the resurrection is the most important event in redemption history – the centerpiece of our faith. Early in their ministry, the Apostles are as bold as brass, as brave as a lion before anyone and everyone. In Acts 5 we meet them facing the Jewish Supreme Court (then called the Sanhedrin). After a cold night in jail, severely threatened by these powerful elders, you would expect the ‘fishermen’ to cower down and retreat in silence. But not for these after seeing the risen Lord. They spoke out in defiance of the Sanhedrin’s strict orders right there in court, insisting: “We must obey God rather than human beings!” They elaborate their case by talking about the resurrection, and that they are witnesses.
In his final commissioning, Jesus Christ instructed his disciples to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. They and we are sent out to be witnesses of this resurrection principally; and witnesses of all that Jesus did and taught. In our common life, witnesses are very important. In criminal law, a witness is someone who has relevant information about a crime; and research has shown that the performance of witnesses, in deposition and during trial, is the single most important factor in case outcomes. This also comes from the Law given by God through Moses, where witnesses are crucial: “On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death” (Deut 17:6-7). Because of this seriousness, the 9th commandment warns against giving false testimony, as this can be dangerous and lethal.
As they faced early opposition, the Apostles experienced the transforming power of witnessing, and particularly witnessing to the resurrection; human authorities could not stand against their powerful message to stop it. Subsequently, the gospel message has faced many forms of opposition and persecution up to the present age, but none has been able to extinguish it, and none will. It is godly to be a good citizen, respecting the established authorities – but not at the expense of the higher command. Even when it may be physically dangerous or inconvenient, obeying God is the better choice.
In this skeptical and hostile world, the call to action for all believers remains this: to be witnesses of the resurrection and of all that Jesus did and taught, reaching the ends of the world with this life-transforming message. As a result, God honours and defends this work and performs wonders by bringing more and more to salvation. Christ is risen indeed: Hallelujah!