courage

Good morning and happy weekend,
Today we see how Peter and John's hearing with the counsel turns out. I love that in addition to the amazing healing itself the counsel is amazed because Peter and John are "uneducated and ordinary men." How great is it that God can not only use our gifts in amazing ways, but even turn the fact that our gifts are ordinary into something special. Truly we should never be discouraged because of our limitations since God can turn even those limitations to his purposes. In the same way it's interesting that the people are amazed at the healing not just because of the healing but because the man was more than 40 years old when he was healed. It's never too late for a new start.

Finally, I am always inspired by Peter and John's response to the counsel letting them go. I think I would be so relieved to be let out of jail that I would just say "yes sir" and get out as fast as I could. Instead Peter and John forthrightly declare, "Whether it is right for us in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard." By the Spirit's power these ordinary people show powerful gifts and amazing courage.
May God help us to do likewise,
Sam


Acts 4:13-22

13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. 14When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.
15So they ordered them to leave the council while they discussed the matter with one another. 16They said, “What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them; we cannot deny it. 17But to keep it from spreading further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; 20for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21After threatening them again, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, for all of them praised God for what had happened. 22For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.