Monday, September 19, 2016
While Peter
and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the
captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees. These
leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that
through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead. They
arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until
morning. But many of the people who heard their message
believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000. The next day the council of all the rulers
and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. Annas
the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other
relatives of the high priest. They brought in the two
disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said
to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today
because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed?
Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that
he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man
you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For
Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that
you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by
which we must be saved.” Acts 4:1-12(NLT)
Peter and John had spent the night in
jail after healing a crippled man at the temple. Luke writes that when Peter spoke he was filled
with the Holy Spirit. Jesus had
predicted it would be like that when he sent the apostles out to spread the
Good News:
When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right
time. Matthew 10:19(NLT)
Peter and John were released from
arrest, and they continued to follow where the Spirit led, preaching and teaching
about Jesus.
When anyone follows Christ there are
going to be opportunities to tell the Good News. Jesus also predicted that[ii],
and it is simply a matter of courage to speak up when the Spirit opens a
door. You don’t have to plan it; you
just need to be ready for it!
There have been times when I had
opportunity, and because of preoccupation with other, less important issues, I just
didn’t see it; I wasn’t listening for the Spirit’s call. Then, there were times I just didn’t want
to see the opportunity, because I lacked the courage to speak up. Like Peter, who, when Jesus was on trial,
stood outside with the crowd denying he even knew his Master.
But there have also been times when I
was listening and faithful to speak. Sometimes
I felt like I fumbled my way through, and sometimes it just felt natural and
right. But each time, without exception,
God blessed the opportunity.
Isn’t it odd, how God can do that?
Looking back on these opportunities
it occurs to me that I could not have prepared much for any of them. Mostly it just sneaks up on you. There have been some times when I did
prepare, sensing ahead of time that the day might bring an encounter.
But, prepared or not, when I was
faithful to take time with a person and speak a word of truth like Peter spoke
when he was on trial, God always seems to give the words to say. And because of that I’ve learned to relax
over the years about being a good witness. Russell simply has to be available; how good
it turns out is up to God.
And…by the way…an available
witness is a good witness!
For You Today
Well, did you get up this morning
thinking, today there will be an opportunity to be like Peter…I will run into
someone who just needs to hear the Good News?
I have to confess it wasn’t my first
thought either…but it might be so, for both of us. Trust in Christ, listen for the Spirit’s
urging, and don’t worry – He will give you the right words at the right time.
Go to VIDEO
NOTES
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