“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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“Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.” (Acts 2:41 NLT)

Jesus’ followers experienced a profound change after His resurrection. Jesus had conquered sin and death forever. He had already won the war against humankind’s two greatest enemies. So His followers were emboldened to fight the battles against those who opposed Jesus’ work. They literally had nothing to fear any longer.

We can see the evidence of their newfound boldness in the events that took place during the celebration of Pentecost at the temple in Jerusalem about ten days after Jesus returned to Heaven.

Pentecost (which is also known as Shavuot) is a major Jewish festival. In the first century AD, people traveled from foreign lands to celebrate it at the Jerusalem temple, the center of Jewish worship.

Jesus’ followers were also in Jerusalem at the time. About 120 of them had continued to meet since Jesus’ departure. According to Acts 2:1–4, a roaring wind suddenly swept through their meeting place. Small flames appeared and rested on each of them. The Holy Spirit filled them, and they began to speak in languages they didn’t know.

A large crowd rushed in to investigate the commotion. Foreign visitors to the city were stunned to hear stories about the wonderful things God had done being spoken in their native languages by uneducated Galileans.

Peter seized the moment. The disciple who, just a short time earlier, had been too scared even to identify himself with Jesus, boldly stepped forward and explained that the people were witnessing the fulfillment of a prophecy God had made hundreds of years earlier, as recorded in Joel 2:28–32. God had promised to pour out His Spirit on all people, and now the Spirit had arrived.

Peter then launched into an impromptu sermon. He reminded people of the miracles Jesus had performed. He pointed to those miracles, as well as to Jesus’ death and resurrection, to show them that Jesus had carried out God’s plan of salvation. Peter quoted the prophetic words King David wrote about Jesus hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth. And then he identified Jesus as the long-promised Lord and Messiah. Peter urged the people to repent and be baptized so that they, too, would be filled with the Holy Spirit.

His words had a powerful impact. Acts 2:42 says that about three thousand people believed in Jesus that day. With one bold push, Peter and the others started the snowball rolling downhill. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they established the church and began to fulfill the Great Commission—to make disciples of all nations. The world would never be the same.

The same Holy Spirit who gave wisdom, strength, and boldness to Peter and the others fills everyone who believes in Jesus today. His power is always available to us. He equips us to step out of our comfort zone, to reach across the invisible lines that separate us from others, and to boldly share the Good News of Jesus.

Reflection question: What specifically can the Holy Spirit equip you to do?

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“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21 NLT)

I heard a story of a man who was trying to start his own religion, without much success. He went to a wise friend and said, “I’m trying to start my own religion, but no one is joining. What do you think I ought to do?”

His friend replied, “Why don’t you go get yourself crucified and rise again on the third day. I am sure you will have a lot of followers.”

Jesus’ followers were certainly energized and emboldened after His crucifixion and resurrection. But they had been prepared for their mission long before then.

For Jesus’ followers, His public ministry was a three-year training course. During their time together, Jesus gave them—and all who follow Him—a method for ministering to others. In Matthew 5 alone, He said,

• “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad!” (verses 11–12 NLT).
• “If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also” (verse 39 NLT).
• “If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too” (verse 40 NLT).
• “If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles” (verse 41 NLT).
• “Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (verse 44 NLT).

In other words, march to the beat of a different drummer. Boldly set yourself apart from the world, no matter what the cost. Let people see the difference the Lord has made in your life.

Jesus gave His followers a mission for ministering to others. Before He ascended to Heaven, He gave His followers marching orders: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20 NLT).

The news of Jesus’ life, teachings, sacrificial death, and triumphant resurrection—of the salvation and eternal life He made possible—is too good to keep to ourselves. He wants us to share it with others in ways that resonate with them. That’s our challenge—and our privilege.

Jesus gave His followers a model for ministering to others. He asks nothing of us that He didn’t do Himself. The apostle Peter emphasized the importance of following Jesus’ example in the passage above.

The apostle Paul wrote, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5–8 NLT). Humility is the key.

One of the last things Jesus did before He was arrested was wash His disciples’ feet. In the culture of the first century AD, this was a job reserved for the lowliest of servants. Jesus wanted His followers to know that when it comes to God’s work, we are servants. Pride and arrogance are obstacles that keep us from fulfilling His plan for us.

Jesus’ disciples learned these lessons well, although it doesn’t always appear that way in Scripture. Following Jesus’ example, they took His Good News to the ends of the earth.

We may not cover nearly as much distance as they did, but we, too, are equipped to share the Good News of Jesus with others. Jesus set the example for lovingly ministering to the people around us. He showed us what servanthood looks like.

Reflection question: What method for ministering to others will you focus on this week?

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