Preschool
Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21
- Have You Been with Jesus?
Memory Verses
Primary
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21
Junior
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21
Background Scripture: Acts 4
Lesson Scripture: Acts 4:1–20
Introduction
Though we are identified by our traits, first impressions are often formed from our physical features. As we become more acquainted, the qualities of our personality overshadow first impressions and make a deeper impression. But the impressions that override all others will be those that identify our spirituality. Qualities such as purity, love, honesty, unselfishness, humility, forgiveness, nonresistance, and spiritual devotion will be our most identifiable traits, and they are not inherited from our parents. They are a result of being with Jesus.
Key Verse
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men (2 Cor. 3:2).
Lesson Scripture
Acts 4:1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,
6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
13 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.
14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
Studying the Lesson
The miracle of healing which we studied in the last lesson attracted much attention. This provided an opportunity to preach the gospel message to thousands of worshippers who had gathered at the temple. About five thousand people were believers by this time. Such a response caused a major upheaval in Jerusalem.
Temple authorities and Sadducees could not ignore such a significant development and came to investigate the commotion. Sadducees were the dominant Jewish sect of that day, and from their ranks came the ruling priests and a large part of the council. Because they taught there was no afterlife of the soul, they were dismayed by the apostles teaching the resurrection of Jesus. Now there were thousands of new Christians who believed in Jesus’s resurrection and that they could receive eternal life in Him.
The apostles were brought before the council to be examined. Peter had an open door to testify convincingly about the power of Jesus to the same Jewish leaders who had directed Jesus’s torture and crucifixion. The temple rulers could not take their eyes off the apostles. They were transfixed by their boldness, their courage and confidence, and how they were so convinced of their message. The rulers could see that Peter and John had no formal training in Scripture at the rabbinical schools of the day. They were amazed and recognized that there was no other explanation for the transformation of the apostles than that they had been with Jesus.
The council took the only expedient step available to them. To stop the influence of the apostles’ message, they commanded the apostles to stop preaching. But praise God, the fire lit by the resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was unquenchable.
Practical Truths for Today
After Moses met God on Mount Sinai, the glory of God shone from his face in such brightness that he wore a veil, which he removed when he entered the tabernacle to speak with God. The glory of God shining from his face was the result of being in the presence of God.
When we have been with Jesus, the effects are undeniable, the evidence unmistakable, and the experience life-changing. Our walk and talk change. A self-defensive attitude is replaced with an approachable, teachable spirit. Love of the world is replaced with a desire to learn more about God’s ways. The pride of life disappears, and a humble, unassuming manner takes its place. “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:24). “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2).
We should be concerned when one claims to be walking with Jesus but his manner of life does not testify of humility. In areas such as worldly entertainment and fashion, the use of technology, and the pursuit of wealth and luxury, actions speak louder than words about the condition of the heart. Those who are walking with the Lord will not leave their brethren with questions about their sincerity.
How had Peter and John acquired the qualities that convinced the Jewish rulers that they had been with Jesus? They lived their lives with Him. They spent much time communing with Him. They had absorbed His teaching and had watched Him work miracles. When Jesus was with them, they asked Him many questions; now they understood and believed His answers. Most importantly, they now had the Holy Spirit living within their hearts.
Before Peter was converted, he was troubled by fear and uncertainty. His encounter with Jesus that led to his conversion changed him into a bold and fearless preacher. He was inspired, and his message was convincing because it was spoken with the fervor of the Holy Spirit.
We can try to become more like Jesus by putting effort and emphasis on our dress, actions, and attitudes, but it will soon become evident that these are self-efforts. Rather, to be like Jesus we must have a close relationship with Him. Though it is different than developing a human friendship, there are these similarities: you trust your friend completely, are loyal to each other even in adversity, and are totally honest with each other. Best friends know they can depend on each other, no matter what life may bring.
Zacchaeus sought to see Jesus and did not let anyone stand in his way. Coming into Jesus’s presence, he realized his sinfulness, resolved to change his life, and took Jesus into his house. To be close to Jesus, we must take Him into the spiritual “house” of our heart. We commune with Him by reading and meditating upon His Word. We spend every day walking with Him and holding His hand. We completely trust Him for direction instead of plotting our own course through life. We abandon our self-life with its earthly dreams, desires, and ambitions.
The Bible, speaking to Christians, says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). May our lives continuously bring greater glory to God as we are transformed into the image of Jesus.
Questions
- In proving conversion or consecration experiences, how much emphasis should we place on an immediate change versus a time of learning and growing?
- As followers of Jesus, our life will convict men of sin. How should we respond to disapproval?
- Is the saying, “He’s too heavenly-minded to be of any earthly good,” ever valid?
- What are the signs that our aspiration of being like Christ is unrealistic?
- What is the practical meaning or application of 2 Corinthians 3:18?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).