Does the Cat Got Your Tongue?

The other week in church, we were asked to turn to Acts 4 to read some verses. Now one of the things I do, is I scan the rest of the verses of the page we were on just to see what the rest of the story is talking about or to see if any verses jump off the page at me. Well, this time a verse jumped off the page and I haven’t stopped thinking about it.

The verse that I have been thinking about is this, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:20

I found this verse interesting. The story is about Peter and John. They had just finished preaching and performing miracles in Jerusalem. They were used in such a great way that the Bible estimates that about 5,000 men believed. God did a great work that day and He used these two men to do it.

The high priest and his buddies heard what had happened and they found Peter and John and asked what they had done and whose name they had done it in!

“And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” Acts 4:6-7

Peter stood up when he heard the questions and answered it in the form of a mini-message that had the Holy Spirit all over it!

‘Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.” Acts 4:8-12

The high priest and his men heard this message. It did not change their perception of Peter and John as they thought they were unlearned and ignorant men. It did make them marvel at the fact that they spoke with such boldness. Because the high priest was trying to get people to not talk about Jesus, he ended up threatening them. The interesting thing about these verses is that they knew that a miracle had been done, they just didn’t want other people to find out about it.

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” Acts 4:13-18

Peter and John heard this threat, but they were unfazed by it.

“But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:19-20

The point I want to come to after reading all these verses is that they couldn’t help but speak of the great things they had seen and heard in their service for and with Christ.

Hey Christian, why are you so quiet? Have you lost your voice? Does the cat got your tongue?

Has God not done something in your life in such a long time that you have nothing to praise God about? Have you forgot the joy you had when you first accepted Christ? Have you not realized everything that God has blessed you with?

The world’s message is growing stronger everyday! Part of the reason is because more and more Christians become quieter and quieter and don’t tell the story of Christ and His goodness to them.

No matter how loud the world gets, no matter how much the world threatens you, you shouldn’t be quiet, you shouldn’t shut up, you shouldn’t retreat! Let your voice be heard! Tell others about the saving grace of Jesus Christ! Tell others about God’s goodness in your life!

If you have lost your shout, ask God to give it back to you! Think about what God saved you from! Think about His goodness in your life!

You, as a Christian, have nothing to be quiet about! Go ahead and speak about what you have seen and heard in your own life!

Don’t let the cat get your tongue!

____________________________________________________________________________________________

If you want to support us and like shopping on Amazon, click this link!