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.
Command: Transition from the role of a fearful
apprentice to a confident ambassador.
Promise: Jesus promised the power of the holy
spirit to lead us.
Warning: A fear of man will hinder our ability
to communicate who God is.
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.