Courage and Fear (Acts 4:1-12)

Acts 4:1-12

¹The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. ² They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. ³ They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. ⁴ But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

⁵ The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. ⁶ Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. ⁷ They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! ⁹ If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, ¹⁰ then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. ¹¹ Jesus is

“ ‘the stone you builders rejected,

which has become the cornerstone.’

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” ^[1]

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What is striking in this passage is the courage of Peter.  What a contrast from the fears that led to his denial of Jesus!  Peter had been showing courage ever since Pentecost.  He had preached to crowds, and had healed in the temple courts.  But this event goes beyond that. Now he is standing before the same people who had condemned Jesus.   This is what he had feared when Jesus was on trial, that this would happen to him.

And now here he is, questioned by the high priest.  Peter answers with boldness, conviction and confidence.  He makes it very clear that everything he is doing is about Jesus, whom they had killed, but whom God raised from the dead.

What has changed for Peter?  The very clear answer in the book of Acts is the Holy Spirit.   Jesus poured out the Spirit on Pentecost and the Spirit has been empowering Peter to be a witness of the resurrection, and to act and speak beyond anything Peter would have thought possible on His own.

This is where our courage comes from as well, along with all the spiritual resources and equipping that we need to live the mission God as called us.  This passage is a powerful and simple reminder that I cannot be effective in living as His witness if I’m not being fed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

And that’s why for me daily time in the Word and prayer is so important.  The Word is the voice of the Spirit.  Time in prayer is time in the Spirit’s presence.  If I seek to be more bold and effective in living and sharing my faith, it begins not with trying harder, but with placing myself where the Spirit can work on me, shape me, and empower me.

So my prayer is for the Spirit to lead me and empower me, that I may go into this day, not in my own strength, but in the Spirit’s strength, and live this day as a representative of my King, His partner in His mission.

 

What is the Word leading you to pray about today?

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^[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Ac 4:1–12). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.