ON FIRE 23 / EVERY OPPORTUNITY
BIBLE READING
Acts 4: 1-4
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
REFLECTION
In Acts 3, we saw how Peter and John in the course of their ordinary routine, were going to a prayer meeting in the temple and they came across this beggar who had been paralysed from birth. For over 40 years he’d never walked, and he asked Peter and John for money.
This man doesn’t get what he expects – but he gets so much more - he gets completely and totally healed.
Here in Acts 4 it’s later in the same day. This healing has created a bit of a stir in the temple because everyone knew this man. He’d been there every day, everyone had passed him begging on their way to prayer, and now he’s jumping around the temple courts doing ‘strictly come dancing’, praising God and shouting about being healed. So as the crowd gather, Peter and John use the opportunity to tell them about Jesus. Incredibly, hundreds of men respond to the proclamation and demonstration of the Gospel and the church grows to around 5000.
These two men will take any and every opportunity that comes their way to talk about Jesus. Not religion, not church - but Jesus. Who He is, what He has done, how we can be saved.
I pray that I would have the same holy boldness to use the ample opportunities that come my way every day to share Jesus. That I would have the courage to open my mouth, pray for the sick, challenge the religious status quo, bring God's healing power into every situation.
Ask God for one opportunity today to tell someone about Him. It doesn't have to be awkward or forced. In fact, what I've found is that most people are more open to hearing about Jesus than Christians are open to sharing Him.
