A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Chris Musgrove of Future Now)
Scripture for the Day – November 11, 2019
Acts 1:7-8 says, “And Jesus said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”
We recently looked at Acts 4:13-17 which says, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled and they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, ‘What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.'”
What made these untrained, uneducated men, become confident, passionate ministers of the gospel?
Acts 2:1-4 says, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
In Matthew 26:69-70, Peter denies that he even knows Jesus when questioned by a young girl. But after he receives the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, he preaches the first gospel message to thousands.
Acts 2:14 says, “But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, ‘Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.’”
The results of Peter’s Spirit-empowered preaching are seen in verse 41 which says, “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” Peter went from backing down from a young girl, to preaching the gospel to thousands. This was because of the empowering that Jesus had promised them they would receive after He departed.
I believe that empowering was the reason why the Jewish leaders recognized Peter and John as having been with Jesus. It was the anointing of God on their lives as a result of the Holy Spirit baptism.
Empowered to be a witness!!!
