“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13 NLT)

 

A short time after the miracle at Pentecost, Peter and John went to the temple in Jerusalem for an afternoon prayer service. They were approached by a man who had been a paraplegic since birth. The man was well-known to temple-goers because every day he was carried to the temple gate, where he begged for money.

Newly filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter and John opted for something much, much better. Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk” (Acts 3:6 NLT).

The man was instantly healed—and filled with joyous gratitude. “Walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with” Peter and John (Acts 3:8 NLT). People recognized him as the (formerly) lame beggar and gathered around, absolutely astounded by his healing.

Peter saw a faith-sharing opportunity and addressed the crowd. That’s right, the man who, only a short time earlier, had been too afraid to identify himself as Jesus’ disciple was now speaking boldly to the temple crowd. That’s the power of Jesus’ resurrection.

Peter pulled no punches in explaining where the power for the man’s healing had come from. Jesus—whom the people in the crowd had rejected and demanded be crucified—had been raised from the dead. Faith in Him is what caused the man to be healed.

Peter helped the people see that Jesus had fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah. He urged them to repent of their sins and receive God’s forgiveness. About two thousand of them did just that. (Compare the figure in Acts 2:41 with the one in Acts 4:4.)

The Jewish religious leaders quickly put an end to the preaching and arrested Peter and John. The next day, the two disciples were brought before “the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law” (Acts 4:5 NLT)—the same people who had overseen Jesus’ trials two months earlier.

“By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?” they asked. (verse 7 NLT). That’s a risky question to ask two men filled with the Holy Spirit.

“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.… There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (verses 10, 12 NLT).

Peter and John knew full well that the Jewish officials could have them killed. In fact, they had been hiding from these very men when Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection. But they had been empowered by the One who conquered death. So they spoke the truth boldly and left the consequences in the Lord’s hands.

The Lord doesn’t shield His followers from the repercussions of being bold for His sake. But He stays with us through the challenges, the discomfort, and the consequences. He gives strength, wisdom, and perspective. And He rewards our faithfulness in ways we can’t imagine.

 

Reflection question: What would boldness in sharing the Good News of Christ look like in your life?

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