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THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12
Acts 4:13

2 Corinthians5:17

 

“Therefore if any man be in Christ

he is a new creature…”

 

THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS
 
What are the marks of those who have been with Jesus? Is it piety? Is it religiosity? Is it theological mastery? These may characterize those who truly have been with Jesus but these are not necessarily the result of a person genuinely having been with Jesus.
 
Confidence seen: They were bold in their speech, speaking freely without hesitation and with conviction of the truth they had learned from Jesus their Master Teacher. The Apostles persevered to propagate the testimony of the Lord Jesus. Based on their academic qualifications and social standing, as assessed by the Jewish religious leaders, the Apostles were of no value. However, their lives were seen with a very different aura, a different lifestyle that could not be simply brushed away. The religious leaders wondered but recognised and perceived that “they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). From this account we can see that living a life testifying for Jesus Christ is not just by doing good works and living as morally upright citizens of the society. What convinced the leaders was the Apostles’ confidence in the truth of their salvation in Christ Jesus.
 
Conviction perceived: People can be easily connected to a tribe or culture or organization by their looks and way of life. The way they talk and behave also reflects the conviction of a people. The Apostles Peter and John were manifesting such because of the words that they spoke. They were focused on the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth and no nonsensical words were heard from them. The leaders marvelled how these unlearned people of the law and the writings became so knowledgeable. They wondered how these common men (who on the external seemed to be ignorant and vastly differed from the appearance of the scholars of the day) had exceeded their understanding of theology concerning the Messiah. The only conclusion they could arrive at was that they had been with Jesus Christ.
 
Do you have the total confidence and conviction in the person and work of Jesus Christ? Are you in the Lord Jesus Christ?
 
THOUGHT: Do people see me as one who “had been with Jesus”?

PRAYER: O Father, may I live my life in the Lord Jesus Christ.

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