Tuesday 7th February - Acts 3

Today’s chapter is Acts 3

Tom writes:

I used to think this passage was about Peter’s courage. It made me want to be more courageous. That’s like focusing on Usain Bolt’s shoes. Don’t get me wrong; Peter’s courage was top notch. But it wasn’t Peter’s courage (nor his power, nor his godliness) that made the beggar walk. It wasn’t his courage that increased the number of male believers to 5000 (4:4). If Peter had anything to do with it at all it was his total obsession with Jesus that enabled him to see the victory. Incredibly, Peter references Jesus at least 16 times in this short chapter. And - this is important - it isn’t Jesus’ compassion that Peter focuses on; it is his exaltation. Peter doesn’t say “because Jesus is very kind I knew he wanted me to show mercy to this cripple”. Instead he talks about how Jesus has been raised from the dead and is now exalted as King. Peter pins the moment - the request of the beggar - into Jesus’ story.

Peter interprets his interaction through the lens of what God has done in Jesus and therefore what Jesus must now be doing in history. It alerts me once again to how small on my horizon are the cross, the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus. For Peter they changed everything. I mean everything. When Peter met a person he saw them as someone living between the Ascension and return of Jesus. He saw them as one of all the peoples on earth who could be blessed now that the Servant has been raised up. He saw them as one on whom the exalted Jesus might send times of refreshing if they would repent and turn to God. Peter sees himself simply as a witness to the coronation of The King; the king who now rules from afar, but whose bounty can be enjoyed if you will only give him your heart.  I want to see myself that way. I want the implications of the Ascension to dominate my day. I want to look at people differently; to push a whole now pot of possibilities their way. Ones that are only now available because of the Exaltation of My Lord. Spirit, please come and make Jesus even greater in my mind.

Question for reflection

What difference does Jesus’ ascension make to how you view the world?