...they had been with Jesus

Have you ever seen the power of God transform a life? Now I am not speaking of His miraculous power healing a sickness, (though I do believe He still heals today!). But I am speaking of seeing Him transform someone from a meek, mild individual to a bold and effective witness for His glory. It does happen and it still excites and blesses those who know and love HIM and confounds those who don't.

Our treasure today is found in Acts (big surprise there) where Peter and John have just recently come from the upper room and their new found power is pulsating through their veins. They are experiencing and enjoying this wondrous boldness that the Spirit has brought them. In fact, this boldness and power had gotten them in trouble with the religious crowd. They were headed into the temple for prayer and encountered a crippled man about 40 years of age. He usually spent his time near the gate where worshippers came through heading to and from the temple as that is where he found a productive place to beg, receive funds and help because of his situation.

One fateful day, Peter and John passed by and he saw them and called out to them. Now, normally if he could get someone to stop and notice him, listen to him and hopefully talk with him, he might receive a little cash to help him along the way. But this day was going to be different. Today, he was going to get far more than he could ever imagine. When he called out, he could not fathom how these two rather normal looking worshippers would be used to change his life forever. I will give you Peter's response....

And Peter directed his gaze 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 and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
Acts 3:4-8

Wouldn't you like to have been there? To have seen this incredible miracle take place? Watch the cripple rise up, walk and go leaping and shouting into the temple praises to our God??? Man, what a sight that must have been. Now there have been a few times where I myself have felt this way as well. Just overwhelmed by His incredible grace, it does make us want to jump and praise HIM....now doesn't it?

While this is a rather notable miracle, I challenge you to look a little deeper into this whole passage and series of events it triggered. I believe there is an even greater miracle that has taken place. One that is still taking place today.... can you see it???? We have to go a little further into the text to see it but here we go....

IN Acts 4:13-14.... Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 

As a result of the miracle the religious "authorities" and I use that term loosely....came to them to confront them regarding their teaching the people....What right did they have to teach the people, to cause such a stir in the temple complex? Just who did these "nobodies" think they were. Well, Peter and John, both now filled with the promised Spirit (John 14, Acts 1) spoke rather boldly and powerfully the words of the living God. So much so that the response of these leaders is astonishment.

Now remember Peters former testimony.....denial and sleeking away into the darkness.....John, what little we read of him is him just living in obscurity after the death and burial of his Lord....BUT NOW....since the coming of the Holy Spirit.....Acts 4 says their testimony was one of boldness....This created quite a stir in the minds and hearts of the religious crowd. There was no "human" explanation for their boldness. Look at the passage above...."they perceived that they were uneducated, common men....." Education can give you courage or boldness, but they were NOT educated men. Your position or prominence can give you courage......but here again they were just "NORMAL."

The religious leaders were astonished at this disparity. There was no real justifiable, human reason for their boldness and shall we say power that had been and was being demonstrated. A truly notable miracle had taken place. The weak, fearful, uncertain, confused, struggling disciples had been transformed. Bold and powerful was now their testimony. How could this be? What is their secret?

It too is hidden in plain sight for all of us to see and consider..... "And they recognized that they had been with Jesus." WOW, there it is, the secret of their boldness and power. The secret of their miraculous power. They had simply, been with Jesus!

Yes, my beloved, that is the secret, hidden in plain sight. Spending time with Jesus is our source of hope, strength and courage. He takes the weak, fearful, struggling and confused and infuses them with HIMSELF to make life transforming instruments of HIS power. John 15 clarifies this by saying HE is the vine and we are the branches, without Him we can do nothing! SO TRUE... 1 Cor. 1 teaches that HE chooses the weak to shame the strong. GOD uses us in all our weakness to accomplish HIS wonderful purposes. HE is our source of strength & wisdom. All we need to do....is spend time with Jesus. Time in prayer, time in His word, time in HIS work, time in HIS worship.....spend time, lots of time with HIM...

So now here is the million dollar question, can the lost around you tell that you have been with Jesus? Is there evidence of His presence filling your life as it was Peter and John? Whatever is hindering good, quality time with Him, remove it, change it, quit it, do what ever it necessary to prioritize HIM! May the world around us be able to tell.......we have been with Jesus!

You'll be glad you did!
Blessings
Bruce