Speaking Boldly About Our Hope

Picture this: Jesus had lived, died, and risen again. Some of His closest friends—Peter and John—were telling everyone about this miracle they had witnessed. They even performed some astonishing miracles in Christ’s name, like healing a beggar who’d been crippled from birth.

Thousands of people believed Peter and John’s testimonies about Jesus, but many of the religious leaders did not. In fact, in their eyes, such messages and miracles were dangerous, so they had Peter and John arrested.

But after they had served their sentences, Peter and John went back to the other believers, doing what was natural to them—praying bold prayers and trusting in God. Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭31‬ ‭tells us that “...when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”

Peter and John were in the habit of gathering together with other ...