  
|
| About Us | Short Sermons About Him! | About His Word! |
| Topical Studies | Songs of the Church - MP3 | Bible Studies |
| Devotionals | Thoughts on The Life of Christ | Daily Humor |
|
About-Him.Com Devotional 03-07-2015 Http://About-Him.Com The Rulers Noted That Peter and John Had Been With Jesus We read in Acts 3 where Peter and John were on their way to the temple to pray. A beggar requested alms and Peter replied that we don’t have any silver or gold, but we’ve got something much more valuable. They invoked the eternal name of Jesus and commanded the lame man to rise up and walk. The man began to walk and then to leap and praise God as he went along with Peter and John to the temple, still praising and magnifying God when they entered the temple. Many of the people who had crucified Jesus were at the temple that day going through their dead religious rituals. When they saw the commotion, they began to wonder and asked what it was all about. They probably noted that they had seen Peter around and remembered how he cursed and swore as he denied knowing Jesus. He now seemed to be a different person and they were correct in their assumption. He was a new person. He had been baptized with the Spirit of the One whom he had previously denied (Ac. 2:4). He was a new person in Christ Jesus (2 Co. 5:17; Ga. 6:15). This gave the apostle Peter an opportunity to preach. He let them know the man had been healed by the God of their fathers who had glorified His Son Jesus by raising Him from the dead, and that the man had been healed by the power of His name. He reminded them how that they had preferred Barabbas over Jesus when Pilate would have released Him and yet God was giving them a chance to repent and to be partakers of his Holy Spirit. Doesn’t that speak volumes about the grace of God? Those who had killed His Son were being allowed to enter into the new covenant. If we ever think that God won’t extend His grace to us, in any circumstance, think again. Acts 3:26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. Which brings us back to our text: Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. While Peter and John were preaching to the gathered people, the Sadducees became incensed because they were preaching that Jesus had been resurrected from the dead. That always gets the devil stirred up. Preach the resurrection and the name of Jesus and you’ll feel the reaction every time. However, before they quit preaching 5000 new believers were added to the church. Peter, full of the Holy Ghost (Ac. 4:8), got another opportunity to preach and this time it was to the Sanhedrin court. The rulers asked by what power or what name they had performed the healing of the lame man (Ac. 4:7). If they had been smart, they would have chosen a different opener. This is what Peter preached: Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. After this sermon the educated rulers took notice that Peter and John had been with Jesus. Which begs the question. When people see and hear me, are they seeing and hearing Jesus? Is there anything about me that people associate with Jesus? I trust that it is so. Just as the words of Peter and John demonstrated that they had been with Jesus, our words today have the same effect. The old computer term GIGO (garbage in garbage out) is applicable here. Romans 12:1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. The word conformed simply means to take the shape of something, just like water being poured into a bottle. Our minds are constantly being bombarded with things of this world that are contrary to God’s word. 1 John 2:16 gives us a good definition of the world as being: The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life which are not of God, but rather of the world. If we are not diligent, we will find ourselves gradually conforming to these things we once rejected. I doubt that I’m alone but I find that my mind needs a constant renewal. My prayer today is, “Lord let the thoughts of my mind and the words that come from my mouth glorify and exalt you in every situation. And better yet, may I show that I’ve been with Jesus without even opening my mouth.” Song: My God, My King and My Redeemer We should remember that bearing a heartfelt testimony is only a beginning. We need to bear testimony, we need to mean it, and most importantly we need consistently to live it. We need to both declare and live our testimonies. - David A. Bednar Our Expository Studies Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@About-Him.Com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe to About-Him Devotional Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries
The purpose of About-Him.Com is to glorify the Lord Jesus
Christ whom we preach as the Almighty God manifest in the flesh.
It is our desire that everything presented on these pages increases your
faith in our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
|