Did life get interesting for Peter and John? Oh yes, it most definitely did! Now that the lame man is walking, leaping and praising God, they have the attention of a lot of people. An audience has developed, so what does someone called to preach the gospel begin to do? Why preach, of course.

Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd, “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – the God of all of our ancestors – who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. You killed the author of life, but God raise him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact! – Acts 3:12-15

You choose to reject him, we choose to serve him.
You chose to kill him, God chose to raise him.
You demanded his death, he died so that you could have life.

Peter and John were speaking of the resurrection of the dead, one of the Sadducees least favorite topics, so here they come along with the priests and captain of the Temple guard to arrest them. But they cannot undo the power that was unleashed when Peter said, “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah” (3:19-20). After Peter’s first sermon, 3000 were saved. Now after his second sermon, the number of believers has increased to 5000 – and this was not even counting the women and children who came to faith in Jesus (4:1-4).

The next day Peter and John find themselves before the council of ALL the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law in Jerusalem. All the “big-wigs” are there – Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?” – Acts 4:5-7

I wonder if Peter and John immediately pictured Jesus – their companion, friend and master. I wonder if they remembered his words to them:
“And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before the rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.” – Luke 12:11-12

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 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. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,

“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4:8-11

Wow! Go Peter! A boldness came over Peter and the leaders did not know how to respond. Peter was saying that the only way they were ever going to receive salvation was by Jesus, whom they had rejected and crucified. But Peter didn’t stop there. He made sure to add again that this man, whom they had crucified, God had raised from the dead – choose to believe it or not, Jesus is alive!

But what can the insulted leadership do? A man whom they all recognize as the lame beggar who has been sitting at the gate for more than 40 years begging is now walking and a crowd is outside the door praising God. In order to prevent a riot, they end the conversation with a threat, to which Peter responds: “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” – Acts 4:19-20

The same Peter who had denied Jesus out of fear was now proclaiming his allegiance to Jesus regardless of the consequences. He goes back to the believers to join them in their praise to God and then stops to ask God to give all of them this same boldness and infilling of the Holy Spirit – the same things we can ask for today. Let’s pray this together with confidence that God can respond in the same way for us.

“And now, O Lord hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. – Acts 4:29-31