We would have to forget much of what we know about Simon Peter to identify with the surprise felt by the religious leaders in this story. They "knew" Simon was an uneducated laborer with a temper. While they knew he had been a follower of Jesus, they had also had heard how he swore than he didn't know Jesus the night they had Him arrested. They probably expected Peter to have been back on the Sea of Galilee by that time, trying to keep a low profile from religious leaders and Roman soldiers and working to make up for the income he hadn't earned in the past few years.

Instead, he was still in Jerusalem, and the group that had been following Jesus even looked to this fisherman for leadership. He still seemed to have a temper, but there was a wisdom and a humility to his words that they didn't expect. They must have been astonished!

We know that Peter was a profoundly changed man. The cowering man who had felt threatened by the questions of a slave girl in the courtyard of the high priest's house just months before now stood without fear in front of rulers and accused them of doing wrong. It was not Peter's courage or confidence that had changed, but the presence of the Holy Spirit in him that made the difference. Peter did not rely on himself at this hearing, but instead obeyed God's direction so closely that God formed the right words in his mouth.

It was that kind of obedience that had led to Peter and John getting arrested. Peter certainly did not apply medical knowledge to the crippled man that now stood with them before the rulers—God had touched this lame man with miraculous power through the hands of Peter and John. The rulers might argue against everything that Peter said, but they could not argue with the upright posture of this man who the day before had been unable to stand. It was also that kind of obedience that had disrupted Jerusalem so profoundly, starting on Pentecost, when the message spread powerfully of salvation that came from the crucified Carpenter who was raised from the dead.

There's another profound change that deserves noting in this passage, and it is the new attitude Peter expressed at the end of the hearing. Before, Peter had often been brash and self-centered in what he would say. We have read how Peter told Elijah and Moses that it was good that he was there so he could build tents for them. We have read how Peter declared Jesus to be the Messiah, then coached Jesus on how to be a politically smart Messiah. What we see here, instead, is a Peter that set himself aside to listen to God: "we can't help telling the things which we saw and heard."

With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Peter finally put together in his life all the lessons he had learned while following Jesus. The result was that Peter became so much more than he could have ever hoped to become! We have the same teachings, along with writings from centuries of inspired teachers. We have the same Holy Spirit, along with strong and supportive Christian fellowships. We can be transformed, and we should expect that transformation will continue in us for as long as we are on this earth, for God is eager to remake us into more powerful and expressive vessels of Love. We owe God the opportunity to perform such miracles in us!