“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.” – Acts 4:13
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In Acts 3, the story is told of when Peter and John came upon a lame man who had been ill from birth. Miraculously, they publicly healed the man in the powerful name of Jesus Christ at the temple’s “Beautiful Gate.” They were also powerfully and effectively preaching to a crowd about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Their ministry was gaining great momentum at this specific time as they were leading many to believe in Jesus.
The authorities decided to interrogate Peter and John. Their healing of the lame man and their proclamation of Jesus directly threatened the religious leaders’ authority. So they were brought before the Sanhedrin. The council interrogated these two uneducated Galileans, expecting them to be afraid and distance themselves from Christ.
Instead, the council was stunned by Peter and John’s precise, courageous, and bold response to the questions. They remained faithful and stood as powerful witnesses for Jesus Christ. The Sanhedrin then recognized Peter and John as those who “had been with Jesus” (4:13). Peter and John knew the Lord intimately, as they walked with Him, listened to His words, and watched Him.
Being with Jesus empowered Peter and John so that even in difficult moments they were able to be faithful public witnesses for Him. May it also be with us. As we boldly proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ in our world, may those around us realize that our strength and courage comes from being with Jesus daily. Let us be viewed in our world as “those who have been with Jesus.”
LET US PRAY…
Father, we praise You for loving us and for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to die for our sins so that we may be forgiven. Lord, thank You for the ability to be able to go straight to You at any time and for the privilege of being able to spend time in Your presence and in Your word. Father, strengthen us to set aside time every day to be with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.