April 20, 2026 | Be Connected
Church Growth Despite Persecution
Scripture: Acts 4:1-4(NIV)
1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
Devotional
The religious leaders at the founding of Christianity were consistent: if you delivered a message they didn’t like you would get arrested, usually at night. The arrest of John and Peter was in many ways like the arrest of Jesus. They had been speaking to the people in the temple. They spoke of the Kingdom of God. The religious leaders sent out the temple guard to arrest them. At night.
But there the paths diverge. Jesus was mocked, beaten, given a sham trial and the crowd (incited by the religious leaders) demanded His crucifixion. John and Peter were put in jail but not otherwise mistreated. There was no mob to rile up against them. The times had changed and the winds shifted. Instead of a crowd demanding the crucifixion of John and Peter, the number of believers had grown. Acts 4:4 lists the number as five thousand men, the same as the miracle of feeding the multitude in Mark 6:44. The total number of people was far greater.
Although it was not yet known as Christianity, belief in the resurrection was growing. People heard the message and they believed. Despite the disapproval of the authorities and despite the arrest of leaders like Peter and John, the number of believers and followers grew. The message of Christ’s resurrection has resiliency because it is truth. In today’s world the message is under attack in Africa, even though there are many places where the ground is fertile. The message continues to grow even in Europe, where many had turned their backs on their faith. It is even growing in China where the authorities arrest those who don’t preach the “approved” message.
We don’t face the persecution of Peter and John and our brethren around the world. Considering that, what have you done to spread the word of Jesus?
