“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
What a great testimony to the transforming power of Jesus! The disciples weren’t special in the eyes of the world. Ordinary fishermen, given an ordinary amount of religious education as children. Such men shouldn’t have turned the world upside! Such men shouldn’t have been able to work miracles, preach sermons, or lead thousands to faith in Jesus Christ.
But they’d been with Jesus and everyone could see that! They’d heard His teaching. They understood His character. Most importantly, they believed and had been filled with His Holy Spirit. Therefore, they were visibly different and changing the world. Is that true of you?
We enjoy many of the same opportunities as Peter and John. We have the teachings of Jesus readily available to us (most of us probably have multiple copies of the Bible in our homes and phones). We can see Him in action and understand His message and character. We believe and are filled with the very same Holy Spirit. We lack nothing spiritually. So, do people recognize that you have been with Jesus?
If not, start by spending more time with Him! Make being with Jesus your highest priority and see what follows that. Commit to read His Word each day. Spend more time in prayer each day. Meditate on His Word and what it says to change about your life as you obey it. Work in the Holy Spirit to become more like Jesus – pursue holiness and reject anything that distracts from it. Devote yourself to truly following Christ. Astonish people when they see that you’ve been with Jesus!
#FOLLOWJESUS
NOTE: While Pastor Brian is on sabbatical, we offer this devotional which was originally published on June 7, 2021.