Changed Lives
The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. - (Acts 4:13)
In the book of Acts, we find some amazing stories of genuine, obedient followers of Jesus Christ, real, live Christians. These were people who knew what it was to walk and talk with Jesus—people who, before they even spoke a single word, had that certain something about them, people who, because of their godly lifestyles, had in effect earned the right to preach the gospel because there was evidence in their lives. And it was said of them that they had been with Jesus.
Now that was not meant as a compliment, by the way. The statement wasn’t even made by Christians. It was made by the authorities who had observed these Christ-followers.
This reminds us that God can use ordinary people. I bring this up because I think sometimes we put the apostles on pedestals. We see them as one-dimensional characters. Yet the events of Acts took place over a 30-year period of time, so not every day had miracles. Not every day had visions. Not every day had supernatural phenomenon. The first-century believers just went about their business from day to day.
Every day as Christians, we are out and about, doing our thing. Are people able to tell that we have been with Jesus? Is there evidence to confirm it? Or, as has it been said, if you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? It doesn’t matter how many Bibles you own or how may Christian bumper stickers you have on your car. The evidence I am talking about are results in your life—a change of character.
This is what we see in the lives of the first-century Christians. They walked with God, and it showed in the way they lived.
Summary sentence: A Christian is a follower of Christ. Are you a Christian?
Tags: changed-lives, Christians
Copyright © 2012 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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You can receive, Seal of God by Chad Williams, as our thank-you for your financial support of Harvest Ministriesthis month.
“I had no idea that in the crowd that night was a soldier, a Navy Seal who was dealing with an emptiness in his heart and the knowledge that something was wrong on the inside. And it is amazing to see how God’s Word resonates; the Lord got a hold of this soldier that very evening and turned his life around.” --Greg Laurie
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