In Acts chapters 2-4, we find the Apostles Peter and John in Jerusalem, healing people and preaching the Gospel. The Jewish religious leaders—the same group who had only recently called for Jesus’ death—were now confronting Christ’s disciples for following in His footsteps. What most surprised the religious leaders was how boldly these apostles preached and proclaimed their message! After all, Peter and John were just ordinary, “common men.” Until only a few years ago, they had spent their days fishing on the Sea of Galilee. How was it that they were drawing large crowds of people (crowds these religious leaders could only dream of)? From where had they gotten their authority? What had given them such boldness? Something had changed in Peter and John—but what?
Later in the New Testament, we have the letters the Apostle Paul wrote to the people of the Corinthian church. Even though Paul suffered from a certain ailment, he did not use that suffering as an excuse to quit preaching the Gospel. Instead, Paul used his pain, along with Old Testament Scripture, as the inspiration for one of his best-known encouragements: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31; 2 Corinthians 10:17; cf. Jeremiah 9:24). Paul had learned a remarkable truth: we can be at our weakest according to the world, and yet we can know that we are at our strongest according to the Word. But from where had he gotten his authority? What had given him such boldness? Something had changed in Paul—but what?
What changed for Peter, John, and Paul was not anything of their own doing. They did not suddenly get rich, famous, or well-connected. They did not just “try harder” or “do more” for the sake of personal accomplishment and to keep busy. What made all the difference in their lives was not a change in their rank or reputations, but a change in their relationships.
Peter, John, and Paul had all been with Jesus.
The assurance that comes from being with Jesus and spending time in His Word is nothing like worldly arrogance. The boldness that comes from being a child of God in no way resembles the sinful idea of being “the best” or having bragging rights. No, Christ-like confidence is a lot less like conceit and a lot more like the gentle humility of Jesus (Philippians 2:3-5). After all, we cannot save ourselves, and we cannot add to our salvation. That work has already been accomplished by God’s grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9.) As followers of Christ, we are not called to strive after our own greatness; we are called to spend time with Jesus.
Whether we feel tempted to boast in our own accomplishments or to shrink back in our own weaknesses, let us continually preach to ourselves the words of Isaiah 41:10:
“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
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