Have You Been with Jesus?
James Merritt
Acts 4:13
INTRODUCTION
1. That subtle sentence is an exclamation of Easter. It had been almost two months since the crucifixion of Jesus, two months since Mary's little Lamb, God's dear Son, had been executed by the Roman soldiers.
2. In the eyes of many, Jesus was no more than a momentary blimp on the screen of time; just another religious fanatic who had come and gone. Pilate washed his hands of him. The Pharisees were glad to get rid of him. The people no longer cared because he was not the political Messiah they were hoping for.
3. Yet, when Peter and John came to town, it did not take long ''to realize they had been with Jesus.'' When you got around these men you could smell the aroma of Jesus; you could see the radiance of Jesus; you could feel the presence of Jesus; you could hear the voice of Jesus.
4. That is only true because of Easter. Because of Easter you can be with Jesus. Before you came to church this morning, you should have been with Jesus. Because of Easter we are with Jesus right now, for Jesus said, ''For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.'' (Matt. 18:20) What are the marks of someone who has been with Jesus?
I. Compassion
1. Ostensibly the reason why these men were in trouble to begin with was because they had healed a man who had been lame for over forty years. ''And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, 'By what power or by what name have you done this?''' (v.7) Now the ''this'' they were referring to was the healing of the man that had taken place in chapter 3.
2. There was a man who had been lame from birth who had been carried to the temple ever since he was a child, so that he might beg for money. ''And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;'' (3:2) Now no one paid much atten ...
James Merritt
Acts 4:13
INTRODUCTION
1. That subtle sentence is an exclamation of Easter. It had been almost two months since the crucifixion of Jesus, two months since Mary's little Lamb, God's dear Son, had been executed by the Roman soldiers.
2. In the eyes of many, Jesus was no more than a momentary blimp on the screen of time; just another religious fanatic who had come and gone. Pilate washed his hands of him. The Pharisees were glad to get rid of him. The people no longer cared because he was not the political Messiah they were hoping for.
3. Yet, when Peter and John came to town, it did not take long ''to realize they had been with Jesus.'' When you got around these men you could smell the aroma of Jesus; you could see the radiance of Jesus; you could feel the presence of Jesus; you could hear the voice of Jesus.
4. That is only true because of Easter. Because of Easter you can be with Jesus. Before you came to church this morning, you should have been with Jesus. Because of Easter we are with Jesus right now, for Jesus said, ''For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.'' (Matt. 18:20) What are the marks of someone who has been with Jesus?
I. Compassion
1. Ostensibly the reason why these men were in trouble to begin with was because they had healed a man who had been lame for over forty years. ''And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, 'By what power or by what name have you done this?''' (v.7) Now the ''this'' they were referring to was the healing of the man that had taken place in chapter 3.
2. There was a man who had been lame from birth who had been carried to the temple ever since he was a child, so that he might beg for money. ''And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;'' (3:2) Now no one paid much atten ...
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