Musings about Ordinary People Having Boldness in Christ

Reflections

When looking at the fourth chapter of Acts, we witness the religious leaders questioning Peter and John about a miracle that they performed. To the surprise of the leaders, they learn that Peter and John are simple fishermen without an education. How is it possible that these two men were able to speak so eloquently about matters of God?

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13 (WEB)

It is often our temptation to leave matters of religion, theology, and evangelism to the experts, but Peter and John show us that this is not the way that it should be. In both Acts 2 and Acts 10, ordinary people have been gifted the power of the Holy Spirit, and when he is with us, there is no limit to what we might be capable of!

Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
Acts 2:3-4 (WEB)

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.
Acts 10:44-45 (WEB)

These two passages in the book of Acts show that first the Holy Spirit came with significant power onto a group of ordinary Jewish believers, and then later onto a group of ordinary Gentile, or non-Jewish, believers. As Peter says in Acts 2:38-39, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given as soon as a person decides to follow Jesus. Even better, this gift doesn’t simply stop with the group of people that Peter was talking to, but was also for their children and for anyone else far-off that decides to follow Jesus! What good news! If this is the case, we should expect to be able to do great things with God’s assistance.

Acts 2:38-39 - A Bible Memory Verse — **Read:** Acts 2:38-39 – A Bible Memory Verse with Reflection Questions

This is not to say that our lives will be easy or that our words won’t have consequences to our earthly bodies, but the Holy Spirit will use it all for good and will help us endure the bad. Jesus was crucified for giving words of life. In Acts 4, Peter and John were arrested for teaching about Jesus, but then released without consequence. Unfortunately, in Acts 5 there is a completely different outcome. Peter and John are once again arrested for teaching about Jesus, but this time they are flogged before being allowed to leave. Instead of being discouraged and disheartened, Peter and the other apostles leave the jail cell rejoicing!

They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus’ name. Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ.
Acts 5:40-42 (WEB)

If this doesn’t make you squirm, watch the flogging of Jesus in the Passion of the Christ movie, and see if it doesn’t make you feel sick to your stomach. How is it possible to have joy after suffering such misery? Why did they continue to pursue their mission of sharing the gospel message? There is only one answer: the Holy Spirit gave them the strength and courage to do so.

It is my prayer that God will give me the courage to share the gospel message and the strength to find joy in the consequences.

Reflection Questions

Have you ever witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit either in your life or the life of someone else?
If so, what did this feel or look like? What emotion did it give you?
Have you ever had to suffer for something that you felt called by God to do? Describe the experience and your emotions.
How do you feel about the idea of joyfully suffering for something that God might ask you to do?