Acts 1-4 covers Jesus's final words to his followers, his ascension, the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost, the birth of the church, and the bold witness of Peter and James.
What stood out to me the most from these chapters was chapter 4, verses 7-12. Peter and John have just been arrested by the religious "police". The religious leaders are quickly losing control of Jerusalem. The city is packed with people from all around who have come for Pentecost. Thousands of people are converting to the teachings of Jesus (soon to be labeled Christianity). The religious rulers ask Peter and John how they had healed a crippled man the preceding day. Peter answered (my paraphrase), "Know this: He was healed by Jesus' name. The same Jesus that you crucified and God resurrected . . . salvation is found in no one else." The religious rulers are astonished at these "un-schooled, ordinary men" and the only sense they can make of the situation is that these men had been with Jesus.
Peter's words to the religious leaders seem to almost jump off the page at me. He speaks plainly and boldly at great risk to his life, and when he finishes his audiences first thought is--this guy must have been with Jesus because there is no way an un-educated, ordinary guy could speak that way.
I want the boldness and power that Peter exemplified. I wouldn't mind if my audience thought of me as un-educated and ordinary, if their next thought was, this guy must be one of Jesus' followers. Acts 4:29 records part of a prayer that the church was praying after Peter and John were released, "enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness." That is my prayer today.
No comments:
Post a Comment