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 (Read all of Acts 4)
King James Version
The boldness seen was the kind of boldness that only a well educated public
speaker would exhibit. The Jewish rulers experienced and readily
recognized that Peter and John had not studied in any of their known
institutions of higher education of that day. They marveled at the
speaking ability of these men. In their minds, these men, having just
participated in the healing of the lame man at the Gate called Beautiful should
not be able to publicly communicate so clearly. But one striking
admission was made, "they took note that they had been with
Jesus." No greater education can ever be had than to be personally
taught by the one and only King of the Universe. Peter and John had the
opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus and look into his mouth as he taught on
the Mount of Olives; the Mount of Transfiguration; the tomb of Lazarus; the
raising of the young girl from the dead; to hear His High Priestly prayer in
John 17; and watch him dismantle every objection of the Scribes and Pharisees;
cleanse the Temple with the eternal words, "my house shall be called a
house of prayer," even to watch through sleepy eyes, the agonizing prayers
of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene, (a pre-crucifixion crucifixion of
self). They watched, listened and learned what suffering for the sake of
obedience looked like as the Master endured great contradiction of sinners, yet
He went to a cruel cross for the very ones that crucified Him, and they heard
Him pray from the cross, Father forgive them. Finally they received the
Holy Ghost, who is called a teacher, and the Jewish leaders dared to say that
these men were unlearned and ignorant. Far from it! They had
obtained the best education available unrivaled in that time or this.
You, Christian, true believer, know ye not that Jesus is still teaching us
through His Holy Spirit? Know ye not, that nothing has changed, and that
He is the same yesterday, today and forever? Many are being robbed by a
thief called humanism, forming God into a concept crafted by a humanistic
religion of dead works; no wonder not many mighty works are seen today.
We are being bought off by our arch enemy, the same one who offer Jesus, all
the kingdoms of the world and the power of those kingdoms if Jesus would only
bow down and worship him. Listen closely and you'll hear this very same
devilish offer repeated over and over again through the mouths of some of your
favorite "so called" Christian teachers. They might or might
not be Christians, but many teach a mixture of secular humanistic Christianity
(if there be such a thing), which is not Christian but as Paul called it,
another gospel.
Pray Church, pray that God will shake us once more, and wake us out of our
lethargy to serve and live as He prescribes; so that note will be taken of us
that we had been with Jesus.
In HIm,
bro. leroy
When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matthew 16:13-16 (Read all of Matthew 16)
King James Version
Jesus' ministry was initially to His own
people. His message was the good news of the Kingdom of God. His delivery was the same, straight forward Truth, without compromise. He
never said I'm sorry, or I think I may have mis-spoken. He never took
back any of His words. He was the God man, just as much God as He was
man, tempted in all points yet without sin. The accuracy of His message
was an absolute necessity, He could not afford any misunderstanding of His
truth especially among His closest followers. The questions He asked in
today's scripture was epic: "whom do men say that I the Son of Man
am?" The answer was a direct and accurate response to a specific
question: "Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and
others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets." While, there may have
still existed a question in some of the disciples minds about exactly who Jesus
was, this particular response was not one of confusion, but a direct reply to
what was asked; they told Him what men were saying about Him. His next
question however, was the apparent real point of the entire discussion, and the
correct answer was of utmost importance: "but whom say ye that I
am?" Peter in his response, confirmed: (1) who Jesus was; (2)
Peter's position of leadership among the disciples; and (3) the apparent right
to deliver the very first public message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Acts
2: "thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." The
scripture goes on to account that Jesus called Peter blessed because his
response indicated that the Father God and not men had directly revealed the
identity of Jesus the Messiah to Peter; and to the world hitherto.
It is by Divine revelation that a man or woman will ever know who Jesus Christ
is. The land overflows with imitators who repeat what someone has said
about Jesus only because it's always been that way. No good church going
person will publicly refute the truth that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of
God. It's a verbally convenient confession for many, sometimes hiding the
real heart condition of the confessor. This is why Paul wrote that it's
not the hearers of the law that shall be justified by God but the doers.
Jesus said a certain type are known by their fruits. Lest I give the
appearance of high mindedness, please know that my heart is to cause a true
authentication of identity in the Body of Christ. A heart examination
even in the physical is highly recommended. Spiritually, it is more than
highly recommended because of the eternal consequences. Don't depend on
your earthly great grandmothers religion, or your grandmother, or the religion
of your mother or father. Every born again believer must start their born
again life from a position of revelation received from the Father, causing conviction
of sin, repentance from dead works, and conversion, or
spiritual birth.
I believe just about everyone has heard the words to the old classic
song:
Give
me that old time religion, give me that old time religion, give me that old
time religion, it's good enough for me.
It
goes on to say, it was good enough for my mother . . . it was good enough
for my father . . . it's good enough for me.
But I say to you today,
The old time religion is not good enough if that religion starts with the wrong
revelation.
Ask God for
help to search your heart and determine once and for all where you stand with
Him so you can have total peace in Him.
Since this thought started with two questions let's end with two questions to ask
ourselves:
(1) Do I live in truth?
(2) Does Truth live in me?
(Galatians 2:20)
In HIm,
bro. leroy