"they took note that these men had been with Jesus:" Acts:4:13
In the Third chapter of the Book of Acts it is record by St. Luke the Evangelist that the Apostles Peter and John , as they were about to enter into the Temple at Jerusalem, healed a lame man who sat begging at the beautiful gate for many years, but as the two Apostles are about to enter temple court they encounter a man who's ankle condition has prevented him from walking for a number of years.
Kept Out
Not only did his condition prevent him from walking properly it had prevented him from engaging in the worship at the Temple , for the infirm or the sick were not permitted within, so here he sat at the Beautiful gate begging from those who would enter.
Being kept out , this man established this entrance as his customary begging location and it is here that he encounters the Lord Jesus Christ thru the lives of St.Peter and St.John as they are about to enter for the time of prayer.
"One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them" Acts:3:1-5
The lame man turns his eyes toward the Apostles in the hopes of receiving a gift money. This man would ask for alums but he would receive something more value than can be humanly estimated.
"Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk" (6-8)
Restored
Upon being healed of his infirmity he is able to enter into the worship of the Temple and is seen by others as he praises God for the healing and restoration that he has received, thru the power of the name of Jesus.
There in the Temple courts a crowd had gathered who were drawn by this healing done thru the Apostles in the name of Jesus .The crowd knew that this was the very man who begged at the gate and now here he was with the Apostles and worshiping God.
"He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him." (8-10)
The Gospel Preached
The evidence of the Holy Spirit working in the Apostles life and the demonstration of the power of God thru the beggars healing gave them credibility and opportunity to speak to those assembled about Jesus Christ and proclaim the Gospel message.
"While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see."(11-16)
Reaction of Religion
So powerful was the occurrence that it came to the attention of the religious establishment who than moved to take the two Apostles into custody.
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand."Acts:4:1-4
Upon questioning the Apostles, it is discovered that they are "unlearned men" , not those who, have been thru the years of Rabbinical training and education, yet it can not be denied that something extraordinary had occurred. (5-6)
The two Apostles are brought before the High Priest and the assembled elders and the teachers of the Law to be questioned by the members of the Sanhedrin and are asked how they brought about the healing of the beggar. (5-7)
St. Peter, moved by the Holy Spirit, immediately invokes the name of Jesus and explains to the Sanhedrin that what has been done was thru the name and power of Jesus , which has healed and restored the beggar and freed him to enter the Temple courts and worship God. (8-12)
The elders of the Sanhidrid are than indited by the Apostles words as St.Peter and St. John boldly confronts them with their rejection of Jesus and their complicity in his arrest, trail , crucifixion and death.
"then
know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the
dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone".(10-11)
Ordinary Men
After the bold proclamation of the two Apostles the Sanhidrid members see the courage of the Apostles , they are speechless unable to answer the inditing words set forth before them.
Here before the Sanhidrid were two ordinary men , who , unlike themselves did not attend the Rabbinical schools of the day yet thru them a great miracle had been preformed. It was irrefutable the evidence of the healed beggar stood before them.
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say." (13-14)
Had Been With Jesus
Then a midst of their astonishment and all the proceedings the real reason for it all comes to the forefront when it is noted that the two Apostles "had been with Jesus" .
If the the two Apostles had not been with Jesus, or better understood, that Jesus is with them, they could not have raised up the lame beggar and restored him to the Worship in the Temple courts.
What Jesus had done was to take ordinary, unlearned men and transformed them into ministers of restoration healing the divide between God and humanity.
With Jesus
What about Christians today, can those around us look upon our lives and determine that we have been with Jesus? The healing of the lame beggar was the evidence of the Apostles association with Jesus, there he stood healed and restored before them. He was the evidence that "they had been with Jesus."
The religions leaders of the day did many good works, but they were accomplished thru the energies of the flesh. They could not do as the Apostles had done.
Can those around us see the evidence that we have "been with Jesus" ? Can people look at our lives and take note that we have "been with Jesus" ?
Do our lives produce the fruit or evidence which bares evidence of our association with Jesus? St. Paul wrote of this evidence in our lives in his Epistle to the Galatians Christians calling it the "Fruit of the Spirit" , in the fifth chapter the twenty second verse.
The "Fruit of the Spirit" should stand forth in our lives as evidence , which proclaims to all around us that we have " been with Jesus" as the healed beggar stood as evidence of healing and restoration to worship with St.Peter and St. John that day before the Sanhidrid.
Being With Jesus
How do we today experience being " with Jesus", or again, Jesus being with us? For us we engage with our Lord Jesus thru prayer, Bible study, hearing the Word of God preached , worship and fellowship and other spiritual disciplines which focus our minds upon the person of Jesus Christ.
As we spend our time being taught about Jesus our lives are transformed and our minds are renewed. Eph:4:20-21
This means that who we associate with shapes our being, that is who we are. when we have "been with Jesus" it is reflected in our daily living. This is what the ancient Church called "Deification" , that means, growing in the "image and likeness of Christ" or putting on Christ or in Christ-likeness.
When spend our time focused upon our Lord Jesus Christ than our lives become bold proclamation of his abiding presence with us, so that all around us the world can take note of each and all of us that we have "been with Jesus".
Benediction: May our lives be so filled with the undeniable evidence, as bold proclamation , to all whom we encounter that we have "been with Jesus" , today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen
The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
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Washington, Pa. 15301 www.gcfountainoflife.org
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