Empowered

God Chooses the Ordinary Through Which to Do Extraordinary Works! 

Life Lessons Devotional Series, Tuesday May 16, 2023

Scripture: Acts 4: 13 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. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “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. 17 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.” 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Life Lesson: The intimacy of our walk with Jesus will be reflected in our witness.  The closer you walk with Christ the more like Him you will become and the more like Him you become, the more astonishing will be your witness.

– Peter and John were both “unschooled, ordinary men”, yet the works that were wrought by their faith in Christ were anything but ordinary!

–  They walked in the power of Christ, they preached in the authority of Christ, they healed in the name of Jesus!  Their lives revolved around Christ, and His power encircled them! 

– They were unschooled and ordinary.  Praise God!  God had not chosen them become of their elitist position in society.  Jesus did not call them because they were popular, wealthy, good looking, or charismatic! 

– God chooses the ordinary through which to do extraordinary works!  1 Cor. 1: ²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. 

– It was the Sanhedrin who were intimidated, not Peter and John!  Psalm 112 tells us, ⁶ Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. ⁷ They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. ⁸ Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

– The same power that healed the man who had been lame since birth empowered and enabled God’s witnesses to stand resolute, fearless, and to speak with boldness!  It is our daily walk with Jesus that is the Source of our strength!  Amen!