May 3 Divine Service

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Acts 4:12

Where are we in the Bible? 

In Acts 4, the boldness of the early Christian community becomes unmistakably clear. After healing a lame man and preaching about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Peter and John are arrested by the religious authorities, including members of the Sadducees, who are disturbed by their teaching (4:1-4). The next day they are brought before the ruling council (4:5-7).

Rather than retreat in fear, Peter speaks with remarkable courage, declaring that the lame man was healed by the power of Jesus Christ, whom the leaders had crucified but whom God raised from the dead. He boldly proclaims that salvation is found in Christ

alone (4:8-12). Peter, standing before hostile officials and “filled with the Holy Spirit,” fulfills Jesus’ earlier reassuring promises in Luke 12:11-12 and 21:12-15. Peter is a changed man because of (1) Christ’s resurrection, (2) his encounters with the Risen Lord, and (3) the effects of the gift of the Holy Spirit that assure him of Christ’s presence in his heart and ministry.

The council is astonished because Peter and John are ordinary, uneducated men, yet they speak with confidence and authority. Unable to deny the miracle, the leaders command them to stop speaking in Jesus’ name (4:13-18). However, Peter and John respond that they must obey God rather than human authorities (4:19-22). After their release, they return to the congregation, which prays not for safety but for greater boldness. God answers by filling them with the Holy Spirit, and they continue to speak the word of God with courage (4:23-31).

Summary

Together, Acts 4 shows that true Christian boldness - grounded in the resurrection and salvation of Jesus Christ - empowers believers to remain faithful to God’s mission even in the face of opposition. Because the resurrection is true and Christ alone saves - His name bearing full authority and saving power - believers are called to boldly profess the gospel in both word and deed, even in a pluralistic world. Boldness in prayer enables us to stand firm amid opposition, trusting in Christ as the only way to God and devoting ourselves fully to Him.

Foundational readings:

Scripture Acts 4

Catechism 3.4.5, 3.4.9.9

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