Fearful Apprentice to Bold Ambassador

  1. Message: In Acts 3 Peter and John were walking to the temple for prayer when they saw the same paralyzed man they had seen begging for years. AS I was reading this I was thinking about the sudden transformation in Peter, from the Peter we saw just a few chapters ago. Peter and the other disciples had been following Jesus throughout his ministry and really had not done any of the miracles themselves. They watched Jesus, were instructed to do certain things and were scolded a lot.  Peter had gone though his denial of Jesus just before he was crucified and now just a short time later, he had seen the resurrected Jesus, been given some instructions, warned of his sufferings to come and filled with the holy spirit. Now he was a completely different man -bold and unapologetic. What was different? Before the crucifixion and for a short time after, Peter was fearful of man. He had the expectation that Jesus would overthrow the government to reign as king and when he saw that Jesus was not doing that, and then what the people did to him he was terrified for his own life. After Jesus was resurrected and after Peter was filled with the holy spirit he was no longer afraid of man. In fact he was out there boldly reminding crowds of people what they did to Jesus and putting it in their faces that Jesus was untouchable. Peter was no longer afraid because he finally really knew who Jesus was. His awe of God was bigger than his fear of man.
  2. Command: Transition from the role of a fearful apprentice to a confident ambassador.
  3. Promise: Jesus promised the power of the holy spirit to lead us.
  4. Warning: A fear of man will hinder our ability to communicate who God is.
  5. Application: As I relate this to my own life I think about things in my life that seem to be controlled by others. I also think about the people in my life that don’t know God and have rejected him entirely. I want a boldness like Peter had to go out and face the very ones whom he once feared and provoke them to salvation. Peter knew Jesus before all of this, much like I believe I know Jesus now, but something drastic changed in Peter when he really knew Jesus to the point that he finally understood what Jesus had been doing and trying to show them. Holy Spirit, please show me the things I can’t see and don’t understand so that I can really know Jesus. Not just by what a read or study, but in a way that makes me bold enough to provoke people to salvation.

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