Toppling the Self: Erecting Jesus

 What if? What if Peter and the apostles took the credit for things God did? Not only would we be praising Peter today, but God who died for us, would have been just a footnote in history. However, Peter saw to it that he didn't get the credit for miracles!

Acts 3:12 "And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?"

Peter healed the lame man at the gate called Beautiful.  He never said "I command you to walk!" or "I can help you!" Here's what happened:

Acts 3: 6 "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."

Peter diminished his own place in the healing miracle. He confessed his poverty (no silver of gold), thus implying his lack of stature, but he still had something to give the poor crippled man. Peter had his faith! If with his faith he could move mountains, he surely could have faith enough to heal the lame. Peter took no credit for the miracle that was about to happen. He said "in the name of Jesus". Credit was given where credit was due. This act by Peter exonerated his previous betrayal of Jesus, but in the meantime something happened to Peter. He got the Holy Ghost!

As Peter was filled with the Spirit of God, the spirit went into the container intended for the spirit. No, it wasn't the stomach for fine wine, but the soul for fine pine. I know, you're thinking "Pine!" The intent is not to confuse, but when people "pine" they have a strong desire for someone not presently there! The pining Peter had was for righteousness, and the Holy Ghost came to him and filled his soul!

When the Holy Spirit came into Peter (and the others) it was because they were of one accord. For the really dense, this means that Christians got along with each other. The common accord was unity in Jesus. Within Jesus there should not be dissension, arguing, jealousy, in-fighting and the like. Preparing oneself for the reception of the Holy Ghost must happen. God doesn't come unto those who are doing evil. His Spirit is for those who want to be filled!

When a container is filled with something, it must first be one of two things: 1) Either it's already empty, or 2) if not empty, it must be emptied. Before the Holy Spirit comes in the temple must be cleansed. The evil lurking therein must be purged. I submit that the Holy Spirit evicted the evil within Peter before he came in!

Matthew 9:17 "Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved."

The old bottle was broken when Peter became a Christian. Christ's blood covered Peter's sin (denying Jesus thrice). When that happened the bottle was made new and was ready for new wine (The Holy Ghost).  It would appear that those made safe in Christ are indeed visited by the Holy Ghost, but on a subsequent occasion the filling takes place. Regeneration (making safe) discards the dangerous "old bottle" and then the "new bottle" is a cleansed container for the filling of the new wine!

Peter's denials were Peter still appeasing his idol. He was protecting his own self from being toppled by the zealot Jews who would kill him. In denying Jesus, Peter kept his idol erect. He served both God and self. That's the "other god" who makes God jealous! Peter was born-again. However, as all humans do, Peter protected what was important to him: himself. We all do that! Jesus understands because he suffered extreme temptation for forty days. He empathized with Peter.

Then Jesus said to Peter and his disciples: "That's enough!" Then he sent himself back, in spiritual terms, to comfort Peter and the rest. Jesus' is in heaven, but his Spirit must have a tabernacle. It's in the church and we are the church. As such, the Holy Spirit kicked evil out and came unto the believers who were in one accord, and filled them!

After the filling, Peter's idol was toppled! The filling of the Holy Ghost evicted the Old Peter and the New Peter came on strong for Jesus. Peter no longer denied Jesus, but denied having any power himself! The focus was off Peter and on Jesus! I call this Christ Esteem. It's how Christians are to envision their own role in life! The Old Peter would have said "I made you walk again!" That's self-esteem. The New Peter said "It was Jesus who made you walk again!" As the lame man walked again,  Peter loved Jesus again!

For a more comprehensive commentary on self vs. Christ esteem see Self Esteem vs. Christ Esteem.