In the chaos, strength and peace . . . Peter, our example.

Listen along here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/beb9da4c/in-the-chaos-s...

There is some uncertainty in the air right now. For instance, I had to run out and get a couple things at Hobby Lobby on Saturday, only to encounter a raucous crowd of anti-Trump protesters on the main road. 'Thought they were only near the capitol,'I sighed, as a Harley-riding man raced by me blaring an expletive-laced rap song, also about Trump. Really disturbing, it was. I got away from the mayhem as soon as I could, but stopped by the grocery store. Saw my sister1 managing the self-checkout line, looking like she had just been accosted. 'Hey, are you okay?' I asked and hugged her. 'Yes, but someone just had a fit on me...you know, everyone's just so, so - tense!'she said.

She hit it right on the head! Tensions are running high. Iran... Israel... where is this leading? Protesting Americans... and well, our own personal struggles, trials and heartaches; so of course, my friend had it right--we are tense.

Made me think of the start of this great poem, "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs . . .2 then I would say, maybe you have learned something from Peter--specifically, something from his powerful sermon.

Poised to move ahead and finish our look at the crazy important, impactful second chapter of Acts, I just could not. Think of it--Peter had not written an outline for his remarks, had not rehearsed or edited out unnecessary tangents, yet his words not only tell us how to find new life in God through Jesus Christ, but they also show us how to live strong every day.

Come on now, step a little closer. Take a few minutes and read Peter's entire sermon: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts 2.14-41&versi....

Of the thousands of people gathered in Jerusalem, buzzing about what they had seen and heard as the Holy Spirit made his presence known, Luke says of the crowds, "All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another,

"What does this mean?"3

Peter took the microphone and answered the first of two galvanizing questions, quoting from his memory words from the prophet Joel, spoken some 800 years before.4 'Friends, what you are witnessing and experiencing is what Joel was talking about - when the Spirit was poured out!'

*Note to self: Peter, simple fisherman from Galilee had memorized Scripture

And then empowered by the Spirit, Peter succinctly, passionately told the crowd that Jesus, the one they had just crucified, was the same one David wrote about in Psalm 16, again reciting from memory. Peter goes on to explain that though David died and was buried [you can visit his tomb this very day], he/David 'foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.'5 Again, David wrote this psalm more than 500 years before the time of Christ!

The crowd, having heard, having witnessed, having seen and felt the presence of the Holy Spirit of God, 'were cut to the heart,' Luke says, and asked the second question:

"Brothers, what shall we do?"6

And then Peter, answers them straight up:

stop messing around and come to Christ!

(Okay that is the CD translation)

With a few more words, Peter says, repent of your sins; in obedience to Christ, be baptized, and you too will experience the Holy Spirit. And guess what? This is for your children too! And then he emphasizes, 'Save yourselves from this evil culture!'7 How we need this instruction for ourselves!

And now, may I have your attention, please? You and I must take a page out of Peter's book, as we can learn from him how to stand strong in tough times, and have peace too. What did he do? We saw from how he quoted from the Old Testament prophet Joel, that he knew what was taking place AND he was able to think rightly about it because He memorized Scripture, filling his mind with truth. In addition, Peter met regularly with like-minded believers. He no doubt remembered that Jesus said, where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.8

I cannot overstate the importance of the practice of both of these things--knowing the Scriptures and meeting together with other believers if we are to keep our heads on straight AND thrive, no matter what is happening around us. Peter was no dumb fisherman, he had a keen mind, and used it; so must we.

And well, I always keep this in mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc2sNY5HMV8

Christine - PastorWoman.net

Acts, no.8

1 - my sweet sister in Christ

2 - first line of Rudyard Kipling's poem "If"  

3 - Acts 2.12

4 - Acts 2.17-21

5 - Acts 2.31-32

6 - Acts 2.37

7 - Acts 2.40b

8 - Matthew 18.20