‘They Had Been With Jesus’

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

How had the disciples ‘been with Jesus?’  Remember how they had encountered Him at the beginning.  John had declared, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God…’ and they did.  They had followed Jesus to see where He was staying and they continued to follow Him for the next several years.  When He spoke, they listened.  When He did miracles, they saw them.  When He was compassionate, kind, loving and merciful, they watched and learned.  He taught them to pray, to preach, to evangelize, to minister, and to imitate Him in everything He did.  He wrought in them faith, hope and love.  Everything that they would ever do and all that they would ever be would be the result of the fact that ‘they had been with Jesus.’  It is even so with us.  All that we will ever do, and all that we will ever be, that will matter for eternity, will be the result of the fact that we ‘have been with Jesus.’  Our native intelligence, our education, our personality, our personal accomplishments are all of less consequence than the fact that we ‘have been with Jesus.’  We draw near to Christ, to this purpose, that what we are and do will matter for eternity.  Christ is worthy that we should draw near to Him simply for His Own Sake.  As we do, He takes us up and uses us for His Glory to accomplish the purpose for which He has created us.

Our Good and Wise Savior,
we rejoice that You have drawn us near to You.
We praise You that You teach us,
 every day, new ways to imitate You.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning