More the Story: What we can do!

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God, and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. ~ Acts 3:1-10


Christianity isn't meant simply to be believed; its meant to be lived, shared, eaten, spoken, and enacted in the presence of other people. ~ Rachel Held Evans



Peter had plenty of times where he messed up. Forgetting to believe. Questioning Jesus' actions.

Denying he knew Jesus.

John believed his own press: Let me sit at your right hand, Jesus. In other words: let others see how important I am, Jesus!

Both of them had a long way to go. And after Jesus died, they had plenty to be scared about.

They could have just packed it in. Could have just decided: "You know, I do believe Jesus was great and wonderful, but that was then. 

They could have given into despair at the ways they had failed Jesus.

But instead something else happened.

Instead they felt the Spirit move them to go out and be the hands and feet of the living Christ in the world.

They did things - enacted  things - they never thought possible.

They did those things with the help and support of their community of believers.

With their fellow apostles.

Imagine what we can do!


Prayer: Blessed One, you have given us each other. Set us free to enact your Kingdom here and now! Amen

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