In a recent sermon message, I was speaking from the Book of acts chapter four about Jesus’ friends Peter and John who are arrested for preaching about his death and resurrection. They are interrogated by the Jewish authorities, and told not to speak about the subject again.

In our modern world despite the promise of free speech in western democracies people of differing faiths, ideologies, and practices no longer feel empowered to courageously defend what they believe. There is a fear of being cancelled.

This week saw billionaire Elon Musk acquire the Twitter platform in order to defend free speech, but who will be the final editor?

  • Will free speech prevail?

  • Will people with strong opposing ideologies have an equal voice?

  • Will Mr Musk be courageous and defend the voices of all, or will the voices of some be cancelled?

Time will tell.

In acts chapter 4 Peter and John speaking to their accusers refused to be cancelled saying this, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Let us choose to be courageous people and not live in the fearful shadows of cancel culture.