The Secret of Peter´s boldness. “On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, ‘By what power or by what name did you do this?’ … ‘This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved'” (Acts 4:5-7, 11-12).
Sometimes being a disciple of Jesus feels like being a little child in a schoolyard facing the schools worst and biggest bullies. Where do we look for boldness in the midst of the world’s growing hostility to Jesus and his disciples? Peter’s boldness before the rulers of his people is not the exclusive property of the apostles. It can also be ours. Peter’s assurance not only comes from the Holy Spirit, God’s gift to every believer (Acts 4:8), but also from the prophetic promises of the OT.
Peter quotes one verse from Psalm 118 (v. 12: “The stone which the builder’s rejected has become the chief corner stone”) but his boldness is clearly inspired by the entire psalm. Remarkably, but not surprisingly, Psalm 118 is all about finding confidence in the LORD’s plan for the rejected Stone while being surrounded by very hostile people (see Psa 118:1, 10-12, 19, 21, 26, 28-29).
With God on our side, and the clear prophecies of Scripture, we need never cower or shut our mouths in spite of the threats of this world’s spiritual bullies!
“All nations surrounded me; In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off. They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off. They surrounded me like bees; They were extinguished as a fire of thorns; In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off. You pushed me violently so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation” (Psa 118:10-14).
Source: Секрет смелости Петра (ieshua.org)
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