Thought of the Day !!

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 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.
Acts 4:8-10 (NIV)

Peter and John have been brought before the Sanhedrin (or the ruling council of the Jews). Peter healed a poor beggar at the Temple and then began to teach the people that they were to repent and turn to Jesus, who was resurrected, for forgiveness of sins. This annoyed the Jewish rulers who felt threatened because of the great number of people listening to these fishermen from Galilee. So they were arrested.

Is this the same Peter that we've come to know and love in the Gospels? Well, yes...and no. Yes, he is the same biological being. But in every other aspect, NO. He's a totally different man. He is a post-resurrection, post-Pentecost Peter.

The pre-resurrection/Pentecost Peter stuck his foot in his mouth on many occasions. The Peter of the gospels might say anything at anytime. He had times of brilliance, like when he proclaimed that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. And he had times where he should have kept his mouth shut, like when he rebuked the one he had just called "Son of God".

He was one to lose his faith and be scared. The same man who claimed he'd never leave Jesus' side was the one who ran with all the rest when Jesus was taken away. He was afraid to speak the name of Jesus that night, but was not on the day that he himself was brought before the Sanhedrin. You see, this is a post-resurrection, post-Pentecost Peter. This is a man that has been filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by God.

The same Holy Spirit that empowered Peter can empower us. We may have fears of our own. We may fear our own persecution for acting spiritual and proclaiming the name of Jesus in a crowd. We may fear going into certain neighborhoods, even though that's where the poorest people live that need help. We may fear inviting certain people to church because they are different from the crowd that's there every Sunday morning.

But when we are willing to allow the Holy Spirit to empower us, that fear will go away. And it's then that great things can happen. Have a Spirit-filled day.

In the love of Christ,
greg