It was destined to be an extraordinary day at the temple. Peter had just healed an adult man who was crippled from the time he was a child.* And now he and John were telling people about Jesus and his resurrection. The people assembled there were listening because of what they had seen.
Guards always get suspicious when a group of people are intently listening to one person speak, so they slipped closer to hear what was being said, and reported back to their captain. As you can guess, the captain of the guards did not like they were saying so he came over to have a little chat with them. They not only chatted, the guard took them and put them in prison for overnight.
“By what power are you doing these things?” they asked Peter and John the next day.
Peter looked them in the eye and said that it was by the power of Jesus Christ, who they had killed, but who had resurrected and now they were able to do this good deed in his name.
Uh, oh.
If these unschooled and untrained men were able to do this, then what else could they do? After all, these men had been with Jesus.
So they talked, and they talked some more, and came up with the only thing they could think of: “in order that it may not be spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to any man in this name.”
Peter and John said: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge.
For we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard.”
We, too, have walked with Jesus. Peter and John couldn’t quit telling about Jesus when they were told to as they were just getting started. We can’t quit now as the battle is not yet won for women’s equality. We, too, have been with Jesus. Saved by the blood of the lamb and a witness to what he had done through his Word, and to how he has spoken to us.
Will you join me as I speak up for equality for Christian women. We cannot stop speaking and telling others that Christian women can be elders, deacons, and pastors of churches, serving as God calls them.
Note to Readers: A new blog to read. Katie and Martin of the Lutheran Church of Australia is writing supporting women’s ordination, in their own denomination and around the world. She also has a story about me on her blog.
*Acts 3-4
