John 16:12-13 (NIV) I (Jesus) have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. Jesus worked on His disciple’s attitudes and character. He turned them into people who had tremendous potential. They were like an electronic device with incredible capabilities but lacking a battery. The Holy Spirit was vital for giving them power.

Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Is this power to heal? Is this power to raise the dead? Is this power to cast out demons? Or, Is this the power to love? This is a difficult question. In some ways the answer to all these questions can be answered, “yes!” But in other ways the answer to the first ones are, “no!”

1 Cor 13:1-3 (NIV) If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. It takes God’s love empowering you to resist the temptation to USE the power for selfish reasons.

Acts 3:1-8 (NIV) One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.

Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

This was the manifestation of Jesus’ power flowing through Peter and healing a man. If this power had flowed through a prideful man, it would have brought them into resistance from God: James 4:6 (NIV) But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Jesus is working with you so you can be used in a mighty way for His glory and honor. Your relationship with Him is awesome and many other people will experience Him through you.

Acts 3:11-12 (NIV) While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? All those life classes and Jesus’ mighty work and training set Peter free from his pride, his rudeness, his abruptness, and his self-centeredness.

Peter is now talking to the killers who caused Jesus to be crucified: Acts 3:13 (NIV) The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over to be killed, and you disowned Him before Pilate, though he had decided to let Him go. What is the chance that if these people Peter was talking to killed Jesus, they might want to kill Peter too? How does he know he can make these acusations and not encite a riot? This is a changed Peter; he is willing to tell people the truth. He is willing to lay his life on the line for the truth.

Acts 3:14 (NIV) You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. This is offensive but true; these people have to know they killed their messiah. They have to face their major mistake, own up to it, repent of their horrible sin, and accept Jesus Who they thought was dead. It is important to accept the truth no matter how hard it is to hear. And, it is important to tell the truth no matter how hard it is to tell. Lives must be based on truth.

Acts 3:15 (NIV) You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. Peter could be saying this just to let these people see that they made a major mistake. But, because of his training with Jesus, he has learned to tell the truth to accomplish something important. It is true they killed their messiah; but, they don’t know God raised Him from the dead. They don’t know that believing in the resurrection will bring eternal life to them.

Rom 10:9 (NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you WILL be saved. Peter wasn’t trained to rub people’s face in the dirt; he was trained to stay on target. Peter could ask Jesus a question; and, if it would take Jesus off of the important issue, Jesus would go on talking as if the question wasn’t asked. These people MUST believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead.

Acts 3:16 (NIV) By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. What made Peter think they could hear that Jesus is alive and him act like they believed him? The convincing proof was the miracle of this man’s healing demonstrated that Jesus is alive. This miracle was Jesus continuing to do what He had been doing all along. He was just flowing through Peter.

Acts 3:17 (NIV) Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. Look at this! There is no wavering of faith. Peter didn’t feel any obligation to try to deal with sceptics. He knew for a fact that Jesus was alive. He just moved right into the fact that they acted in ignorance by killing their messiah. If there had been any wavering in Peter, he would have watered down the message. He would have spent some time trying to prove it with his presentation.

James 1:6-8 (NIV) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. Peter was trained and healed of any doubt; his presentation was based on the solidity of his commitment to the facts about Jesus, the living Christ. That is where Jesus wants to take you. He will help you know the facts (truths) where you resist anything to the contrary.

Acts 3:18 (NIV) But this is how God fulfilled what He had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer. Peter and Jesus’ love for the people was so intense that it helped them feel it as Peter spoke. Your love and your faith empowers the people you are talking with to be able to resist their body, the world’s lies, and the devil’s deceptions. Rom 10:17 (NIV) Consequently, FAITH comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Acts 3:19-20 (NIV) Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the Christ, Who has been appointed for you--even Jesus. Your greatest demonstration of love is to help a person repent, ask Jesus for forgiveness, ask Him for His power to resist their old way of life, and to put their trust in Him. You who know how to yield to God’s love will be a great example of how to resist through love.