Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from Acts 4: 5 The next day a meeting was called in Jerusalem. The rulers, religious leaders, religion scholars, 6 Annas the Chief Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander - everybody who was anybody was there. 7 They stood Peter and John in the middle of the room and grilled them: "Who put you in charge here? What business do you have doing this?" 8 With that, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, let loose: "Rulers and leaders of the people, 9 if we have been brought to trial today for helping a sick man, put under investigation regarding this healing, 10 I'll be completely frank with you - we have nothing to hide. By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the One you killed on a cross, the One God raised from the dead, by means of his name this man stands before you healthy and whole. 11 Jesus is 'the stone you masons threw out, which is now the cornerstone.' 12 Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one." (The Message)
The name and power of Jesus can get us into trouble. The power of the Holy Spirit empowers us to do what is right and good before God. This does not always sit right with humans. Such was the case with Peter and John. They shared what they had and that was the power to heal. They healed a man born crippled. This was met with joy by the man and those who knew and loved the man, but the religious leaders frowned upon their having done this. Did this stop the two from continuing with their message and mission about God and God's power to heal and restore? No. What's happened with the Church? What's happened with us?
PRAYER: May it be so with us, loving God, as we seek to be Your people today and all days. May the Church follow our example in awakening again to doing the things that are right and good for all people. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
