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About Jesus Steve Sweetman Sovereign Lord Peter and John had just performed their first miracle since receiving the Holy Spirit. The news of a crippled man’s healing spread quickly throughout the city. How excited they were, when all of a sudden they were seized and thrown in jail. What a shock it was to their system. Being put in jail for a crime was one thing, but healing a man, that’s no crime.The Jewish leaders threatened them and warned them not to speak in Jesus’ name again. This was to be the end of things for Peter and John’s new found ministry. Upon their release from jail Peter and John went back to their friends. On the one hand their legs might have felt a little shaky from the threats on their lives, yet on the other hand they had a new found boldness. "You said what to the chief priest", their friends asked? "You asked them whether you should obey God rather than them". (Acts 4:19) "What kind of trouble are you guys getting us in", they exclaimed to Peter and John. Suddenly they felt a terrific urge to pray and so "they raised their voices together...Sovereign Lord… stretch forth your hand to heal and to perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus". (Acts 4:23-30) What a prayer. These men knew that the answer to this prayer would come at a real cost, yet they prayed it anyway. Obeying God rather than man meant living their lives in the Spirit rather than giving in to the wishes of the chief priests. I have always loved these words in this verse, "Sovereign Lord". He is Sovereign. He can do what He wants, when He wants. He can override anything that gets in His way. I often pray, "O Sovereign Lord, choose to work amongst us. Look beyond our weaknesses and inability's, and choose to stretch out your hand". Still I wonder if when we pray such a prayer that we may not understand the cost. It may be a different cost than the one Peter had, but still a cost. Lord Jesus, help us in this matter. Help us to be like these men who knew the cost of moving in great signs and wonders.
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