PRAYER OF CONSECRATION
Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Jesus, I belong to you.
I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.
Jesus, we belong to you.
Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
Acts 4:13–22 (NIV)
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
CONSIDER THIS
Don’t you love it when the Bible doesn’t mince words?
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
As a side note, sometimes people use texts like these with the agenda of being anti-academic. They put down things like seminary education and academic degrees in religion. You won’t get that from me. I have worked for a seminary the past twenty-something years. While scholars and academics are responsible for some of the most egregious heresies that have infected so many seminaries and decimated so many church leaders and as a result their churches, many others have done great scholarly work in the name of Jesus. To the latter we are forever indebted.
Notwithstanding, I still believe that above every classroom door in every seminary in the world should be posted these words:
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Matthew 11:25
To those we should add these:
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
The point here is not that Peter and John were unschooled and ordinary men. The point is that being ordinary and unschooled does not disqualify one for apostolic ministry—nor does being educated and extraordinary. At least three things stand out in this text. 1) It was their courage that garnered the attention of onlookers. 2) The onlookers were astonished. 3) The explanation was: Jesus.
Courage is winsome. Courage gets peoples attention. Courage is compelling. Courage, then and now, is desperately needed. Courage does not come from trying to be courageous. Courage comes from simple, unflinching obedience. Courage comes from confidence in God. Courage doesn’t mean doing something great or impressive. Although this was particularly impressive:
But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
Courage comes from being with Jesus. Isn’t that the real point here?
and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Jesus had a thing or two to say about courage. This comes to mind.
“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” Luke 12:11–12.
Isn’t that exactly what happened here? Courage is the cultivated ability to meet the need of the moment in the name of Jesus. The more time you spend with Jesus, the more courage will rise up within you to meet the demands of the day.
There’s another story playing out here. There always is. It is the antithesis of courage.
So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked.
It is the story of wicked men hiding in executive session. It’s the story of cowardice.
THE PRAYER OF TRANSFORMATION
Lord Jesus, I am your witness.
I receive your righteousness and release my sinfulness.
I receive your wholeness and release my brokenness.
I receive your fullness and release my emptiness.
I receive your peace and release my anxiety.
I receive your joy and release my despair.
I receive your healing and release my sickness.
I receive your love and release my selfishness.
I receive your courage and release my cowardice.
Come Holy Spirit transform my heart, mind, soul, and strength so that my consecration becomes your demonstration; that our lives become your sanctuary. For the glory of God our Father, amen.
THE QUESTION
Who comes to mind when you think of courageous people in the kingdom of Jesus? How do you see today’s story of the courage and cowardice playing out in our time? Journal out a response to this prompt: Do I tend to find myself on the side of reasonable compromise or unreasonable faith?
THE HYMN
I know we have sung it recently. But it cries out to be sung again today, “God of Grace and God of Glory.” It is hymn 45 in our Seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer’s Praise.
For the Awakening,
J. D. Walt
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4 Responses
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Courage is faith in action. Faith is obedience in action. Faith, obedience, and courage are intertwined. All are evident when God says to do because thoughts hit us with excuses for not wanting to. One thing I’ve experienced is when saying yes to God, it draws the attention of everyone around.
That’s why I say…
Saying 💪’ n Christ
Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
The strength to be courageous, faithful, and obedient comes from Christ. My flesh says don’t, my spirit says do. The rest is dependent on what I choose.
What I see playing out here is that not only the folks of the Sanhedrin noting that these ordinary, unschooled individuals had been with Christ, but that Jesus was LIVING THROUGH them. As to how does this scenario play out today? When those in positions of power within the Institutional church are confronted with the truth, even when spoken in love by unschooled and ordinary individuals, the speakers of said truth should expect some sort of push-back. Egos are at risk, the emperor does not like hearing the he’s not wearing any clothes.
The world today needs to see Christ-followers who are walking and being with the living Jesus, caught up in and led by His presence, and courageously speaking the truth in love and kindness.
Now’s the time to
Let Christ in you
Say and do
What He wants to
In and through you.
What I got out of today’s Wake -up-Call is what I call a WOW! moment. Two Psalms came to my mind. The Lord is my strength and shield, my heart trust in Him and he helps me. My heart leaps for Joy, and with my song I praise Him. Psalm 28:7
The second Psalm is 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. I thought today’s conclusion was profound,” The more time you spend with Jesus, the more courage will rise up within you, to meet the demands of the day. Thank you for the Daily Wake-Up-Call