Leadership Choice & Passion (Acts 14-21)
Our daily decisions change the outcome of future choices. In the movie Prince Caspian, Lucy asks Aslan something like, “Would they still be alive if I had come sooner?” She felt remorse over her previous choices and the loss during the battle to take the castle.
Aslan responds, “To know what would have happened, child? No, nobody is ever told that.
The believers faced ridicule and a choice following the amazing events in verses 1-13 with the Holy Spirit coming and the speaking native languages of all the nations. “Oh, they’re just drunk!” (Acts 2:13).
A common ordinary fisherman made a choice. He stood up to lead, defend, and teach. The other eleven stood with him and didn’t bicker over his leadership. Jesus had established Peter as a leader. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. (Mt. 16:18, NLT)
Peter stood up for the eleven, with the eleven, and supported by the eleven. He spoke out with a raised voice to all who would listen. He denied the sneers concerning drunkenness based upon the early hour of the day. Then he cited the prophesy of Joel 2:28-32 as evidence of what had taken place.
The first part of the reference in Joel, Peter believes to have taken place. God poured out his Spirit upon them, made the sons and daughters prophesy, the young men see visions, and the old dream dreams. Peter believed the Spirit was poured out on the male and female slaves too. He witnessed these things and felt them to be the fulfillment of God’s promises in Joel.
About the last part of the quote from Joel, The Bible Knowledge Commentary says “the implication is that the remainder would be fulfilled if Israel would repent.”
[1] Peter appears convinced that if the Jews would turn toward Jesus, these wonders in heaven would take place right then. The blood, fire, and cloud of smoke, the sun darkened, and the moon turning to blood all would happen before God’s great day. To Peter, the happenings of the morning meant this must be God’s great day. Surely the Jews would repent now, and God would do these other great things too.
I’ve been just as convinced by God’s movement that, “today must be the day,” and my day held nothing compared to this day of Peter’s. Experiencing God move creates an urgency in me to tell others before it’s too late. For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (vs. 21).
Today, I have a choice to expect God’s movement and be pumped about it telling others. I am not told what would’ve been if I had made better choices in the past, but today can be new as I stand with my fellow believers proclaiming the wonders of God to any who will listen. It’s not too late.
[1]John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985), 2:358.
