Live Free with Josh Howerton - Chosen // Acts 3-4

Episode Date: November 11, 2024

There was nothing special about Jesus’ disciples, but He still chose them to play a critical role in the most amazing story in history. After Jesus returned to heaven, two of the disciples, Peter and John, healed a paralytic and shared the good news of Jesus with the crowd. Even though the Pharisees were upset at the disciples, they couldn’t deny what they had seen. They recognized Peter and John had been with Jesus. Would people recognize that in you?   For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

Thanks for tuning in to today's Daily Drive with Lake Point Church, a daily dose of God's Word for your morning drive. When the word, not the world, becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. For that reason, our prayer is that God will speak to you through today's devotional. For more digital content to feed your faith, visit lakepoint.comit. Church slash daily drive. And now let's dive in to today's devotional. Hey, welcome to the Daily Drive on this Monday. Hope you had a great weekend. And today we always pause in our nation to honor and express gratitude to all of our veterans, men and women who just selflessly serve our country.

And if that's you, please know that there is much love and respect coming at you from the listeners of the Daily Drive. Thank you for what you do and for what you've done. And also a big thank you to all the amazing families of those courageous men and women. Speaking of courageous men and women, we are walking through the book of Acts, where we've witnessed the Holy Spirit blow into people's lives, and they are now moving through their days with a humble confidence, sharing the good news, meeting people's needs, giving themselves away and keeping Jesus as the hub of their life. We're just hitting some highlights along the way, and today we find a very cool story in chapter three. Peter and John are two of the original disciples of Jesus. They were kind of in his inner circle, along with John's brother James. They're also leaders in this exciting new thing called the church.

And sometimes we forget that when Jesus first called these guys to follow him, they were most likely young guys, probably 17, 18, 19 years of age. So they were up for a little passion, a little adventure. They'd definitely been intrigued and impressed with Jesus for a while. Never had they heard anyone say the kind of things he said. Never had they heard anyone teach like that. He was nothing like the pious religious leaders they had grown up listening. to, those guys made following God sound, well, boring. But Jesus made it sound like an adventure

of faith and passion and purpose. He even said things like, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees, you will never really get to know God. So I would bet that when Peter and the guys heard things like that, he probably thought, you know what, that's the feeling I've always had too. There's got to be more than just keeping a bunch of man-made rules. God has to be closer than that. Life has to be more than this. Now, I know that I would never, ever be chosen to follow a rabbi. I've been picked over all my life. I know the reality of who I am.

I'm an unschooled blue-collar fisherman. But I'm telling you, if I ever got the chance to hang out with a guy like that, I'd do it. We don't know exactly how much prior exposure they had to Jesus, but it was enough to pique their curiosity, enough to stir desire, enough to stir some hope in them, enough to make them dream, enough to make them lay down their nets and follow him. You know, I love that series called The Chosen. I like the acting.

I like the storylines. I love the character development. But what I like most about it is the title. These young guys were most likely passed over by every rabbi looking for followers. They weren't exactly lottery picks. But Jesus chose them. When I am chosen, it means somebody wants me. I'm desired.

I'm loved. to belong. I'm no longer, I'm no longer isolated or disconnect it. Regardless of my past and my imperfections, somebody wants me. I mean, when you're chosen, it makes you feel like a contributor, doesn't it? Like a player. When you get picked, it makes you feel like you bring a certain uniqueness to the team. You begin to think, they really want what I can bring. They actually think that I could add some value here. They must believe I could actually make this team, this company, this ministry, this family better. They want me. They chose me.

Look at what it says about you and me in 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 9, but you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night and day difference he made for you, from nothing to something from rejected to accept it. Did you notice who wrote that? Yeah, a former fisherman named Peter, wrote that.

that, a guy who was chosen, a guy who moved from boredom to becoming a player in ways he never dreamed he would, all because this great leader named Jesus saw potential in him, chose him, and instilled in him that he had something meaningful to contribute. Every one of the disciples knew that they had been chosen by Jesus. They just had no way of knowing the immensity of that choice. They had no idea of the adventures they would go on. They never imagined the mouth dropping, all-inspiring things they would see and hear and write about and speak about, they had no idea the countless lives that their lives would touch. They had no idea the pandemonium they would cause.

They just knew they were chosen. They just knew they were wanted. Jesus said, follow me. And so they did. I don't believe when they left their nets that day to follow Jesus. They ever imagined what would unfold three years later. One afternoon, you can read all about it in Acts chapter 3. Peter and John are heading up to the temple for the 3 o'clock prayer time.

Tons of people did this every day. And on their way in, this beggar, who had been crippled since birth, asked them for some cash. They had been learning to look deeper at people. I mean, hanging out with Jesus, we'll do that to you. And they saw that what he really needed was some hope and it touched from God. So Peter looks straight at the guy and says, we're a little short on cash, but we'll give you what we got. in the name of Jesus the Messiah from Nazareth.

Get up and walk. What? And the guy gets up and walks. He begins to dance. He begins to run around praising God for the very first steps he had ever taken. And when the people saw this guy that they recognized as the crippled homeless guy who begs every day by the gate, they see him now up and running around. Pandemonium breaks out.

Huge crowds gather around to hear from Peter and John. And in the moment, Peter begins to preach this passion-filled, history-filled, truth-filled, grace-filled, hope-filled message out on the front porch of the temple. And it creates quite a stir. In fact, just like on the day of Pentecost, thousands of people become followers of Jesus that day. Well, the religious leaders, the same ones who handed Jesus over to be executed, they pushed their way through the crowd, and they have Peter and John arrested and thrown in jail overnight. Well, the next day they run them through an interrogation process, and they ask them point blank, By what power or what name did you do this? Then it says that Peter filled with God's spirit, ask them,

Are you seriously charging us with showing kindness to a lame man? And then he gets really bold and tells him straight up that this Jesus, whom you crucified, but God raised from the dead, he's the only reason that this lame beggar was healed. Then he tells him that salvation is found in no one else, for their own. is no other name under heaven that has been given to people that can save them from their sin. Check out their response in Acts chapter 4, verse 13. When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

I think that's one of the coolest passages in Scripture. They took note that these men had been with Jesus. No other explanation for this kind of passion. no other explanation for this kind of confidence, no other explanation for this kind of courage, no other explanation for this kind of power. The only reason this much purpose was surging through these guys' veins was that Jesus had said, follow me.

And they did. Verse 18, so they called the apostles back and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, do you think that God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling him about every, we've seen and heard. We're sorry, but sirs, you don't understand. Three years ago, we were fixed on our nets. We were bored out of our mind. Not so much bored with our job, but just bored with life.

We knew there had to be so much more than mere religion that you know and teach. Our lives, much like yours, were as empty as our fishing nets. But then, Jesus walked by our boat and said, follow me. And everything changed. We can't shut up about the things we've seen him do. We can't stop talking about the things we've heard him say. He alone has the words of life. He alone holds the keys to deep satisfaction. He alone breathes life and the empty people like us. He alone can forgive someone like me, and you guys, for that matter. He is the one who, if you let him, will take you places you'd never dreamed you go. He'll lead you on adventures that you never saw yourself taken. You see, following him is an absolute rush. Following him is our life. I wish you really knew him too,

but we're sorry. We just can't shut up about him. It says the council threatened them further, but had to let them go because they couldn't figure out a way to keep a riot from breaking out among the crowds because of people knew they had witnessed the greatness of God in their midst. As I was rereading this story, I got thinking, I wonder what these two young guys said to each other as they were walking out the door after their interrogation with the Sanhedron.

I don't know, maybe it went like this, John, dude, Can you believe what just happened? I know, Pete, when that guy asks us for cash, and we both sense the Holy Spirit was saying, and was, go ahead, go ahead, you have the power in you, heal the guy. Man, was that scary or what? And I know all the people around heard you tell that guy to get up in the name of Jesus because your voice carries big time, Peter, it just does.

And what did that guy just laid there? Do you know how stupid we would have looked? And Peter says, yeah, but he didn't, did he? And they're exchanging high fives and chest bumps. This is simply unbelievable. This is awesome. Did you see all those people give their lives to follow Jesus? Yeah, we're catching people, just like he said we would.

Did you ever think in a million years that the two of us would get to do something like this with our life? I was speaking to a group of students at a college a while back, and this just kind of popped out of my mouth. I was talking about listening to the Holy Spirit and following him, and I said this, you know what? Following Jesus isn't always easy, but it's never coming. complicated. I mean, it's really not. You just simply walk by faith. You act justly, love mercy, walk calmly with God. You love God. You love other people. You do that. And your life will be anything but boring. You know, I think back to all the times I refuse to follow. I mean, really follow Jesus. And I wonder what I've missed. I have few regrets in life, but all of them,

all of them center around not saying yes to the leadership of God. All of them center around ignoring the promptings of the Holy Spirit. All of them center around, not having the courage to actually walk by faith. And the reason I feel that way is because I have experienced the thrill of following him. I have said yes, many, many times. And I have followed him enough to know that when you follow,

really follow, he really will take you places you never could imagine going. You'll go down past you never even knew existed. Your life will intersect with people who will change your life. I'm telling you from my own experience, following Jesus. Really following Jesus is anything but boring. So follow him the day. Really listen to him and really follow. Notice who he puts in your path. Give a smile. Give a word. Give a touch. Walk through this day

like you know the best news ever and share it with somebody. And I'll see you back here tomorrow. Hope you have a great day. Thanks for tuning in today. For more biblical teaching and worship, join us for our church online live weekend services on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information about all the digital ministries of Lake Point, visit lakepoint.church slash daily drive. Also, if this podcast was helpful to you, would you be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast to help get the word out.