"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 St. Peter and St. 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 whose 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 the Temple courts 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 through 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)
Upon being healed of his infirmity he is then 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, through the power of the
name of Jesus.
There in the Temple courts a crowd had gathered who were drawn by this healing
done through 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 through 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
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 years of Rabbinical training and education,
yet it cannot 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, was moved by the Holy Spirit, immediately invokes the name of Jesus
and explains to the Sanhedrin that what has been done was through 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 Sanhedrin 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 Sanhedrin members see the courage of the Apostles, they are
speechless unable to answer the inditing words set forth before them.
Here, before the Sanhedrin were two ordinary men, who, unlike themselves did not attend the Rabbinical schools of the day yet thru them a great miracle had been performed. 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)
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 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 by 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 Sanhedrin.
Being With Jesus
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" , which
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
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Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma
If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything
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