Today’s Community Scripture – 5/26/2025

On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“ ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.’ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

– Reflection:

When was the last time you did something “boldly”? I know the last thing I did that was considered bold was create this devotional site and share my thoughts about my faith and the relationship I have with God. Another bold thing I can share is being a dad and a husband. I have honored those little ones throughout their lives, helping them become adults and just being there for them. Being a husband and sharing my life with my wife, and becoming more one each and every day, allows us to share our lives together. Those are two of the best jobs I could have and want to keep. Just like the Holy Spirit empowered and inspired the early church with the conviction to walk in righteousness, honoring God with each and every step. It is tempting to be timid in our faith and bold in non-essentials. We easily see the boldness of sports fans, commentary on popular culture, and bold living through adventure and travel (which I love!). But what does it mean to speak and live boldly through our faith? Twice in this passage, and even more times in the surrounding text, we are told of the boldness in word and action by the apostles. I appreciate how scripture shows us the importance of word and deed together. It instructs us to hold the powerful accountable, to speak truth into the systems of the day, and to take action in caring for the oppressed and working toward justice.

– Where do we go from here?

How might your faith, your trust in our risen Lord, who preaches welcome to the outcast, good news to the poor, healing for the sick, and comfort for the broken-hearted, move you to boldness of speech and action? Whatever that answer is for you, may you be guided and sustained by the Holy Spirit. In our passage for today, we encounter Peter and John after they had been detained, questioned, threatened, and released by the religious leaders of the day. The hope of the religious leaders was that Peter and John would be silenced after threats and imprisonment. Instead, Peter and John were emboldened by the Holy Spirit, gathered with friends in prayer, and spoke out and acted even more boldly. The threats of the powerful are no match for the boldness of the Holy Spirit.

– Our Prayer for Today

Father, our hearts break for all that is happening in the world around us, as well as for all that is taking place within us. Sometimes, we may be tempted to turn away, tune out, and live quietly to ourselves. Open our hearts so that we may receive the boldness of your Spirit to live and speak for our brothers and sisters in need, witnessing to the promise and hope of your coming kingdom. Amen.