June 24, 2026

Acts 4:13-20 shows Peter and John standing before the religious leaders after healing a man in Jesus’ name. The leaders recognize their courage and realize they had been with Jesus. Though ordered to stop speaking about Him, Peter and John say they cannot help speaking about what they have seen and heard.

Devotional: Peter and John were not powerful men by the standards of their day. They did not have elite religious training. They did not hold official positions of influence. Yet when they stood before the council, their courage was obvious. The leaders could tell they had been with Jesus. That may be one of the most beautiful things that could ever be said about a person.

Their courage did not come from status. It came from relationship. They had walked with Jesus. They had seen His mercy. They had witnessed His death and resurrection. They had received the Holy Spirit. They were not defending a theory. They were bearing witness to a living Lord.

That matters for us because Christian witness is not about winning every argument. It is not about sounding impressive or having every answer ready. It begins with a life that has been touched by Jesus. We speak because we have received mercy. We serve because we have seen grace. We stand because Christ has raised us up.

The leaders tell Peter and John to stop speaking in Jesus’ name. That command would have been intimidating. These were the people with power. They could threaten, punish, and shame. But Peter and John answer with steady courage. They cannot stop speaking about what they have seen and heard.

There are still pressures that tell believers to keep quiet. Sometimes the pressure comes from culture. Sometimes it comes from family. Sometimes it comes from our own fear of sounding awkward or being misunderstood. But witness does not have to be loud to be faithful. Sometimes it is a quiet word of hope, a prayer offered gently, a testimony shared honestly, or a life that makes people wonder what has shaped us.

Acts 4 reminds us that time with Jesus changes people. Grace makes ordinary people brave. The Holy Spirit gives courage to speak, not with arrogance, but with truth and love. When Christ has become our hope, we cannot pretend He has made no difference.

Action: Think of one thing you have “seen and heard” from Jesus in your own life. Share it with someone this week in a simple, natural way.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the grace I have seen and heard in my own life. Forgive me for the times I have stayed quiet because I was afraid of being misunderstood. Help me spend time with You until Your love shapes my courage. Give me words that are humble, honest, and kind. Let my life bear witness to Your mercy, and let others see that I have been with You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Thought for the Day: A life shaped by Jesus becomes a witness to Jesus.

Peter and John were ordinary men, but the leaders could tell they had been with Jesus. Their courage did not come from power, training, or status. It came from the living Christ who had changed them. Acts 4 reminds us that faithful witness is not about being impressive. It is about speaking and living from what we have seen and heard of God’s grace. Time with Jesus still makes ordinary people brave.