They Had Been With Jesus

In Acts we read of how the church was formed and about the many souls that were added there unto daily. In Chapter 2 we can read about the day of Pentocost and marvel at how their speach was turned into a universal language, so to say. But we aren't the only ones who marvel at this. These things were very new and unusual to the Jews. Some of the things that were taking place in the early church days really disturbed the preists and government of Isreal. They watched Peter and the other apostles very closely. Obviousely, the Jewish rulers, (priests, Sadducees, and the captain of the temple) had had enough when the lame man was healed upon Peter's command of "In the Name of Jesus christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." The Bible tells us that they were, " grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead." Instead of celebrating with the lame man for his new found freedome to walk, run, and move as he pleased, they arested the apostles and put them in prison.

The next morning they were brought before the high preists, rulers, elders, and scribes. They asked the men, "By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?" After Peter gave his answer (Acts 4:8-12) they "perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."

When I read that last line I stopped to think about what it really meant. It was so evident that these men were unlearned and ignorant, and very clear that these men were not the ones doing the talking, but Jesus. That is amazing! This is a very good picture of how Christ should shine through us every day. We shouldn't waste our time trying to make ourselves more elequent in speech and graceful in our wittnessing. I have done this very thing. I have tried to find ways that will make my writing sound better and more interesting by using adjatives in creative ways and going about a differant aproach to tell the story. Instead I should be spending time with Jesus, for that is how God will be able to talk through me. If I am sensative to the Holy Spirit then He will give me the words to write and say with no help from me. After all, every time I try to do something on my own I am always going to fail. Only the things done through Christ will make a differance in this life.

My desire, and the desire of every Christian, should be to have a testemony like Peter and the other apostles. When others hear us speak, sing, or read our writings, they should be able to say, "and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."