While with Jesus, they’re excited. The disciples believe and they are ready for the Kingdom of God to come. But then Jesus is captured. He’s subjected to a farce of a trial and we find the disciples running for their lives. We find them in hiding. But then a short time later these same men are standing up to the very same Jewish leaders to condemn Jesus to death and are out publicly proclaiming the good news about Jesus.
In the weeks following the death and resurrections of Jesus, the transformation in the lives of the disciples is so significant and earth shattering that it brings up various strange questions and odd statements from those around them early in the book of Acts. They were accused of being drunk in the morning, people questioned if they were the same “unlearned” men from Galilee that had been with Jesus. The point? The disciples were almost unrecognizable. Why? Because they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
I wonder how many of you like me need to make room for the Spirit to do the work that only He can do. Make room in your heart for Him. Make room in your mind for Him. Make room in your day for Him. Say “no” to something else so that you have space for Him. He is waiting for each of us to surrender to Him. To hear His prompts to lay hands on someone else and pray for them. To speak a bold word of truth. To listen to the truth of His word instead of the lies of the enemy who desperately wants a seat at the table. To step out in faith to follow Him instead of following the ways of the culture and world around us.