They Had Been With Jesus

 
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled.  And they realized that they had been with Jesus."
Acts 4:13

Peter and John were on trial before the rulers, elders, and scribes after they had healed the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the temple.  Peter presented their defense, which really wasn't a defense, because all he did was boldly proclaim Jesus.  The leaders were amazed at the two apostles because they answered with clarity and confidence though they were untrained and not highly educated.  The only answer the religious leaders had for these two fishermen who spoke with such authority was that they had been with Jesus.

How excellent that what struck the leaders about Peter and John was not their great looks or powerful statures.  The council was not in awe of their great oratory skills, degrees, titles, or intellect.  They simply recognized that these guys had been with Jesus!

I pray this might be the same testimony of our church.  That we will be a people set apart from the ways of this world.  That the love and unity known here will be the evidence that we are a people who love and hang out with Jesus Christ!