We are studying the book of Acts on Sundays.  Peter and John had healed a lame man--in the name of Jesus.  They were arrested and were thrown in jail for the night.  (The Romans had given legal power to the Jews to police themselves.   They were the same group that had told Pilot to crucify Jesus.  They wanted to stop Peter and John from preaching that Jesus was risen and that He still had the power to heal people.)  The next morning, John and Peter were brought before the high priest, his sons, and all of his relatives--as well as the rulers, elders, and scribes.   A ruling body.

Peter and John were placed in the middle of this group to answer this question, "In whose name was this done?"  That is, "Who did you call on to receive power to do this?"  Acts 4:7  (They could be severely punished for saying that it was Jesus.)   

So Peter, an uneducated fisherman speaks to this group of powerful educated men and tells them that he healed the man in the name of Jesus.  He furthermore tells them that they were the ones who killed Jesus.  The Messiah!!  Peter condemns the ruling powers--the Jewish high priest and all his flunkies.

Peter speaks with authority and when he is finished accusing them, the Jews are uncertain as to what they should do.  But it was not because of Peter's eloquence.

That morning, when Peter and John stood before this ruling body, someone came to stand beside them.  It was the man who had been healed.  A man that had been crippled from birth.  An unimportant person the day before, but today a witness who was willing to risk his life to testify in court.  "And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it."  Even an unimportant man who has been crippled since birth has a place in the plans of God. 

The lame man didn't say a word.  He just stood there--a testimony to the power of Jesus.  Sometimes we just need to stand up and be counted.