Miracle of Shortcomings

Acts 3 is one of those renown Bible stories, Peter and John heal a lame man.

What caught my eye was Peter; what a change in this man! Peter was the disciple who cut off Malchus' ear, sunk in the Sea of Galilee,& denied Jesus 3 times as Jesus said would happen. Peter is someone that has easily been left open to criticism. You've got to admit, we read about Peter and see how big of a knuckle head he was. However, in all sincerity, we've done all those, and far worse..

Mark Batterson makes such a radical point in his book "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day."

“Peter gets a bum rap. Peter is the disciple who denied Christ three times, but he was the only one who got close enough to Jesus to get caught. Peter is the disciple who impulsively cut off Malchus’ ear when the lynch mob came to arrest Jesus, but he was the only one who came to Jesus’ defense. And he is the disciple who sinks in the Sea of Galilee, but he was also the only disciple who walked on water.”

Character building. The Lord used Peter's shortcomings to prepare him for what was to come... Peter's heart was being molded into that of a radical leader, a revolutionary for the sake of Jesus Christ.

In Acts 3 we see this leader rising up to take captive the Power of the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus Christ. Needless to say, the explosion of faith, wisdom, and leadership seen in Acts 3 by Peter is supernatural.

"Act 3:12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
Act 3:13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.
Act 3:14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
Act 3:15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
Act 3:16 And his name--by faith in his name--has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
Act 3:17 "And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
Act 3:18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.
Act 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out..."

This really hits home, so often we say "the Lord uses our past and our testimony for His Glory," but its easy to say that and forget it 2 seconds later. Some nights are spent plagued with guilt, shame, remorse, or sorrow for the things of the past. I understand that, I've been there- trust.
But check out Peter, a man who struggled with every fleshly ailment that we do.. (AND its recorded in the Bible!) the Lord TRULY used it for HIS Glory.

If Peter hadn't sunk in the Sea of Galilee, would he have had the faith to tell a man, "In the name of Jesus Christ, RISE UP and WALK"... I think not.

If Peter hadn't cut of Malchus' ear, would he have truly understood that Jesus HAD to die? And thus teach of the significance of His murder? ..He may have but chances are it would not have been as passionate as we see here in Acts 3.

If Peter hadn't denied Jesus those three times, would he have been able to stand for him in such a bold way in this passage? ...doubtful.

Don't let your past mistakes or past life deny you of God's redeeming GRACE through Salvation.
Lastly, if Peter wasn't such a knucklehead, would we have as much hope in the transformation that the filling of the Holy Spirit brings?

I know I wouldn't.

Created over 2 years ago