Title: Have you been with Jesus,
Portions taken for messages from Jerry Shirley and Kenneth Trent on Sermon Central.
Introduction: As we sit in the breeze way we are sometimes watching vehicles go by the church. One might pass being really clean another with mud all over it. We can say the one with mud all over it has been mudding. How can we tell because of the mud covering it, right?
Core: When we see the clean one we might think it had just been to the car wash or washed by the owner. Peter and John were doing God’s will, healing people, preaching the word and then they were called before the Sanhedrin. The one fact the leaders of Israel knew was that they had been with Jesus.
Body
I. Just as we can look at vehicles and normally tell they had been mudding
A. So too should the world be able to look at us and say they have been with Jesus. It should be TOO OBVIOUS TO MISS
1. “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.” Acts 4:13
2. It is just as true today as it was then, that the world should be able to tell when we have been with Jesus
3. When I first went to Florida in 2001 after resigning the church I had pastored for 7 ½ years I was walking up to enter the Walmart store.
4. An elderly African-American woman was sitting leaning against the building, as I walked up she flicked a cigarette into the parking lot and said you’re a preacher aren’t you.
5. I said well I was and she I shouldn’t be doing that.
6. I often wonder how she knew, I wasn’t dressed different, I didn’t have a sign on, how did she know I was apreacher? I guess she could tell I had been with Jesus.
B. Peter and John had been with Jesus for over 3 years.
1. He had been their master their teacher.
2. They saw Him perform miracles
3. He had rebuked them and they had learned from their mistakes
4. They had seen Him crucified
5. The two of them had raced to the grave when Mary told them it was empty.
6. He was alive they had seen Him on several occasion after He arose
7. Having been with Jesus they would never be the same.
8. They were forever changed.
C. Just like when we see vehicles as they pass and can tell in many cases where that vehicle may have been.
1. So it should be with us when people see us it should be TOO OBVIOUS TO MISS when we have been or are with Jesus.
2. Can this verse be said of you?
3. Do others take knowledge and marvel and know that you must have been with Jesus?
4. People say we become like those we are around
5. The longer a couple is together the more they develop the same habits.
6. The better they know each other
D. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says people should be able to see the glory of the Lord in us, 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
1. God’s Spirit should be felt when we are around others
2. The Holy Spirit should be felt the moment people walk into this church building.
3. If it isn’t then there is something wrong
4. Wrong with our lives and wrong in our church.
E. Every day you should spend time in study.
1. When you have confessed any sin you committed
2. You sit down to study
3. You should have that intimate fellowship with Him
4. You should be changed by the Holy Spirit into the glory of God and into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
II. THE DEEDS DONE BY PETER AND JOHN COULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED
A. Peter and John had just healed a 40+ year old man who had been lame from birth
1. The miracle was too obvious to deny
2. Their healing of the man was not for any:
a. Selfish benefit.
b. Political gain
c. Social gain
d. Monetary gain
3. It was done as a selfless service to others with no prospect for their own gain
4. This will call attention to the fact that our deeds are motivated by reasons far superior to our own personal benefit.
B. As we saw the fruit of the Spirit in a message not long ago walking with Jesus brings the fruit out in us. Galatians 5:22:23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
1. Your love should be seen, having been with Jesus: you will Love:
a. The people of the world, even though like the muddy vehicle they need to be cleaned up
b. You will Love the word of God and study it
c. You will love the Things of God and the church
d. What’s important to Him is important to you, you Love what He loves, His church, His people and His word.
2. You will have as the song say’s have “Joy unspeakable and full of glory, full of Glory”
3. You have peace in your life and with the Father in heaven
4. You have patience or longsuffering in your life
5. You show gentleness to those around you
6. You have goodness showing in your life to others
7. Your faith is seen by all
8. You show meekness
9. Temperance
10. Because these are the fruit of the Holy Spirit and when you’re with Jesus you show forth all these things
III. Our words and actions show we have been with Jesus just as.
A. THE WORDS SPOKEN BY PETER AND JOHN COULD NOT BE MISSED
1. There words were honest look at verse 6 of Acts 3 “6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”
2. He had no money to give the beggar so Peter gave what he had and that was bodily healing of the man
3. He showed Love and Compassion just as Christ had done to Him.
4. He saw the need of the beggar and met it but not with his own power and strength
B. He did it with the words that came from great faith
1. For he said “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”
2. He had been with Jesus and was given that authority
3. The authority to heal this man
4. Because having been with Jesus he had been given the power to accomplish God’s will
C. They did not do it for their own selfish glory but their words were spoken to exalt Christ
1. Being filled with the Holy Spirit
2. Their words were unequivocal, uncompromising and unapologetic. Just like our words should be.
3. As we see in verse 12 of Acts 3 “12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?”
4. Further in verse 16 of chapter 3we see “16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”
IV. When we’ve been with Jesus then
A. THE ATTITUDE MANIFESTED BY PETER AND JOHN WAS “DIFFERENT”
1. So too should our attitude be different.
2. In the time of Jesus and the apostles the religious leaders of Israel were given to:
a. Being proud
b. Haughty
c. Condescending
d. These were their attitudes toward others
3. The Pharisee’s prayer are an example, Luke 18 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
4. We see John 8:33 “33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?”
5. They told Jesus We are Abraham’s descendants
6. They thought that would save them, but that was far from the truth.
B. Peter and John had studied at the feet of Jesus for 3 ½ years
1. The greatest teacher in the History of the world
2. But their demeanor was one of humility (meekness)
3. One of Grace
4. And magnificent simplicity.
5. We would do well to follow their pattern
6. Live our lives after their example
7. When we do so
8. The world will note that “we have been with Jesus”
V. Notice what the Pharisees said about Peter and John in verse 13 “perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men”
A. They perceived in other words they drew a conclusion
1. Similar to when we see cars pass by
2. We see a muddy one and perceive that the driver has been mudding
3. Or a clean one has just been washed
4. Those are perceptions
B. They perceived them to be “unlearned and ignorant men”
1. Doesn’t mean they thought them to be stupid
2. Rather they meant they hadn’t been to one of the accredited schools of that day
3. They hadn’t received a formal education
4. But remember they had sat under the Greatest Teacher in the History of mankind, Jesus the Lord, but His school was not accredited by the religious leaders of that day.
C. There are many today with this same attitude
1. They want to say that a pastor isn’t properly educated if the School they attend isn’t accredited by a recognized accrediting agency
2. When we’ve been with Jesus and we have the Holy Spirit in us We have the proper education
3. Because we have power from the Holy Spirit
4. We’ve been with Jesus.
VI. We need to have the same boldness we need to have people say they’ve been with Jesus.
A. Notice what happened here in Acts verse 13b-20
1. Their loyalty to the cause of Christ is tested.
2. They ace the test
3. Could we?
4. Are we tested every day, every hour
5. To show if we will be loyal to Christ
6. Like the song “On to victory! On to victory!”
Cries our great Commander, “On!”
We’ll move at His command,
We’ll soon possess the land,
Through loyalty, loyalty,
Yes, loyalty to Christ.
7. Do what’s right
8. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted
B. Notice in verse 15 “15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,”
1. They conferred among themselves after they put them out
2. God had put the wheels in motion
3. 2 years had pasts since Christ was crucified
4. God had big plans to bring Glory right then and there
C. The best is still to come
1. They would be brought closer to Him
2. A Special called meeting
3. To confer what they would do
4. They didn’t want Peter and John to hear but the Holy Spirit heard and He recorded it through Dr. Luke.
D. Their biggest concern was not having the gospel spread any further 16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. 17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
1. They couldn’t refute the miracle
2. Satan doesn’t mind what has happened as long as it doesn’t spread any further
3. As long as it stays in here satan is fine with the fire burning
4. But he wants to douse it at the door
5. As we saw a few message back we are the salt of the earth
6. As long as we keep the salt in the shaker we are no real threat to him.
E. So the Sanhedrin decided to threaten and intimidate Peter and John
1. Sound familiar?
2. Our would want’s to threaten and intimidate us
3. Remove all signs of Christianity from the public view
4. Tell us don’t push your religion down my throat keep it at church
F. They wanted the gospel kept quiet
1. Peter and John refused
2. They had been with Jesus
3. They couldn’t contain themselves
4. They couldn’t be tolerant of sin
VII. Your Life should be like theirs and that of Christ
A. You should willing take a stand
1. Yet many folks will knuckle under the pressure
2. Many will get muddy and stay in sin
3. Many will not want to hurt someone’s feelings
4. Or not want to be made fun of
B. Peter and John refused to knuckle under
1. They stood firm in their faith
2. They stood firm in their witness
3. They stood firm for Christ
4. Because they had been with Jesus
Conclusion: People should feel the Lord in our church and in us if we have been with Jesus. The Apostles Peter and John were called before the Sanhedrin this one fact the Jewish leaders had determined, they had been with Jesus. We must show the world around us that we too have been with Jesus. What does being with Jesus mean, just reading the word or is it deeper than that? Peter and John had been doing the will of God and were called on the carpet by the leaders of Israel for their boldness. We need to have the same boldness we need to have people say they’ve been with Jesus. We have the power to be witnesses like Peter and John, we received that power at salvation. We need to show folks around us we have been with Jesus that is a powerful witness.
