Death Wish?

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. [Acts 5.41]

Wouldn't it be great if this verse just didn't exist?

Let's look at a common attitude prevalent in the disciples in today's OYCB reading...

Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact! [Acts 3.12-15]

Peter here, "called a spade, a spade." His boldness was far from what we saw after Jesus was arrested when he denied Jesus.

Then, after being arrested himself, Peter again blurted out some pretty harsh words:

They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ [Acts 4.7-11] 

It's almost as if Peter and John were trying to get killed! 

But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” [Acts 4.19-20]

Yet, in the midst of this apparent "death wish," we see the following said of Peter:

As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. [Acts 5.15]

We have no record of Jesus' shadow ever healing anyone ...and yet, here is Peter walking down the road with his shadow healing people almost as if he was doing "greater things" than even Jesus!

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12]

At some point, Peter (in particular) lost all fear of man  His only focus was to carry on the word and works of Jesus. No doubt, Jesus' words, "Take up your cross and follow Me," resonated in Peter's mind and he was resolved to do just that. Peter had come a long way in a short time from being the guy who blatantly denied knowing Jesus to this fearless Jesus-follower! Peter was changed.

So, what was it exactly that changed Peter? Shouldn't we be 'dying' to know for ourselves?

The change in Peter is well-documented in the second chapter of Acts!

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. [Acts 2.1-4]

It was after this event that Peter "found his voice." From this point forward, Peter no longer cowered in fear, but proceeded to "live Jesus" in word and works without apology and without hesitation. He was truly changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Living was no longer Peter's goal, but he was transformed that Jesus Christ might be modeled in ALL His fulness through Peter's life - even embracing death rather than avoiding it. Thus, our subject passage above and here again:

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. [Acts 5.41]

Obviously, this message won't "preach" in most churches today. And, for this reason, the Holy Spirit is only seen as an option rather than a necessity. People are more interested in sermons and teachings that support their carnal desire to live better lives and so they consequently will not tolerate sermons inviting them to their own cross! 

The reason the days of the miraculous "passed away" (as many suppose) is because the human lust for life transcended the call of the cross. Jesus never lost sight if His Cross. Peter, once actually filled with the Holy Spirit, took up his own cross ("death wish" as it would seem) and in short time was walking in "greater works" than Jesus (the whole "shadow thing"). And, just like they did for Jesus, those "works" got Peter arrested and beaten... the suffering began!

What then are we looking for today? If it's not a cross, we have obviously lost our way (the Way, Jesus). 

Our only solution is to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit because only then will we walk in the boldness of Peter - the boldness of Christ - to fearlessly and unapologetically take the word and works of God to all we encounter.

Father, pour Your Holy Spirit afresh upon us as we separate ourselves from the lust for life (and all its busyness) that seduces us away from You only to rape us and produce carnal offspring. May our lives be transformed by the power of Your Spirit into graphic mirror images of Jesus Christ in word and works - including embracing our own crosses. So be it!