Ordinary Men

Acts 4:13 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.

They had just "lost" their Master, Teacher, and Friend.  Jesus was not walking with them anymore.  He was gone just as he had told them.  Something inside of them was different now that he was gone.

Jesus said to them in Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Indeed, they received the power.  They gathered in an upper room and a sound from heaven came roaring through and it filled the house where they were.  The world would never be the same.

The church that had 120 members went to 3,000.......and that was the first day!  They were inspired, determined, and full of the Holy Spirit.  They were ready to take on the world and share the gospel of their Savior.  Miracles, signs and wonders were taking place.  The sick were being healed of their diseases.  Evil spirits were being cast out.  But with the growing power from God came growing danger from the persecutors.  Before long the gospel had spread to Judea and Samaria....Saul is converted, Peter's chains fall off in prison, and on and on...

Back to Acts 4:13. There was nothing special about Peter and John.  Yes, they were 2 of the 3 that were closest to Jesus during his ministry on Earth, but nothing about them screamed excellence.  They were "ordinary men". They were not theologians.  They were not professors of religion.  They were men.  Men that had been selected and called by God to do extraordinary things.  When the people saw the miraculous take place right before their eyes, they were shocked.  They made note that the only way this could happen; the only way that a lame man could get up and walk had to be something to do with Jesus!!  They had to have been with him!  They had been with Jesus.  They had also been in an upper room.

You and I as Christians do not do what we do to receive glory from man.  We do it to honor God so that he can receive glory.  However, it should be our hearts desire to live our lives in such a way that people say "surely they have been with Jesus".  Make time today to get alone with Jesus and your life will be impacted in a powerful way.