The class of 7th graders was getting out of control. The noise of everyone talking at the same time was getting loud. The teacher then walked into the room and broke through the noisy din with one word: “Silence!” She then followed it up with another word: “Quiet!” And then she said: “Hush up!” She was able to get control and the lesson for the day began. This scenario happens on a daily basis in our schools and is necessary for any education to take place.
In the New Testament the early disciples were told to go into all the world and preach the good news of Jesus Christ. They filled the cities with the gospel speaking publically and in every venue where people would listen. The Jewish and Roman authorities soon began to oppose the preaching of the good news about Jesus. The Jews arrested the apostles and told them to keep silent in Acts 4:18:“And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” Later on in Acts 5:28-29 they once again were told to be silent: "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!" But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.”
We know that the good news of the gospel and the teachings of Jesus continued to be spread throughout the whole world no matter what restrictions were put in place. We are hearing similar restrictions in our world today. The authorities of our secular society, the voices of political correctness, and the drumbeat of religious pluralism wants us to be silent and keep our religious beliefs to ourselves. We are called narrow minded for believing and proclaiming that Jesus is the only way to heaven (John 14:6). We are called “haters” for simply teaching the Bible.
Be silent, keep quiet, and hush up is something that we as believers simply cannot do. As the scriptures say: “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
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