They Had Been With Jesus

by Judith Gillis

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 NIV

Here they were, Peter and John, ordinary men filled with the Holy Ghost, telling the learned religious establishment of the day that not only was Jesus risen from the dead, but a man crippled from birth had just been miraculously healed by the power of His Name. As if that were not enough, Peter tops off their defense by telling these Pharisees and Sadducees that Jesus is the Messiah and Savior of the whole wide world, including them. Bold words indeed, considering that the men to whom they were speaking had the power to stone them to death or turn them over to the Romans to be crucified as disturbers of the peace.

Bold words, bold deeds, bold men empowered by the Holy Spirit who knew their lives had been changed and gloriously transformed by the Spirit of the risen Christ. These were ordinary people, nobodies really, in the sight of the world, but they had been with Jesus and their Spirit-filled words and actions turned the world upside down. 

In our politically correct, anything goes, feel good philosophy of modern life, this same Holy Spirit will embolden us to go speak good news to a lost world. Our message is the same one preached by Peter and John and believers all over the world. Jesus is risen, Jesus loves them, and He wants to give them a life worth living. All it takes is ordinary folks living ordinary lives, who have been with Jesus. 

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