Those in worldly authority often use fear to protect their power and to control others. The authorities threatened Peter and the apostles with dire punishments if they continued their witness to the Risen Jesus. But they had lost their fear - the Spirit had taken care of that! Their response was that it was far better to obey God than humans - advice we should follow today.

One of the reasons we find that so difficult is that we do not understand heavenly things and we do not know God as personally as we ought. John portrays Jesus as the one who has come from above to teach us the ways of God and to reveal to us a God we have never really known. Not only that, Jesus gives eternal life to those who are willing to believe in him - that is, put on his mind and heart - and he gives the Spirit 'without measure.' This is quite a promise - one that we really need to believe and to ask for. Jesus has promised us so much - more than we can imagine - and we have settled for so little! In this Easter season, let us take the promises of Jesus to heart and ask to be taught the heavenly things that he has brought for us. But above all, let us ask for a huge portion of that Spirit that the Lord offers.