1. INTRODUCTION. A PERSONS CONDUCT, CHARACTER, AND SPEECH CAN OFTEN TIMES TELL US A LOT ABOUT A PERSON WITHOUT HAVING AN IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN TELL IF A PERSON IS FOOLISH BY THE WAY THAT THEY CARRY THEMSELVES, AND BY THE THINGS THAT PROTRUDE FROM THEIR LIPS. YOU CAN TELL IF A PERSON HAS A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM, A DRUG ADDICTION, OR A DRINKING PROBLEM IF YOU LISTEN TO THEM AND YOU KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR. YES MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, A PERSONS CONDUCT, CHARACTER, AND SPEECH, SPEAKS VOLUMES THAT GOES BEYOND THE SURFACE OF WHAT WE SEE OF THEM ON THE OUTSIDE. WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CHRISTIANITY, OUR CONDUCT, CHARACTER, AND SPEECH SHOULD REFLECT THAT WE AS BELIEVERS SPEND TIME WITH JESUS. IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS TO THE WORLD THAT WE KNOW JESUS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT HE KNOWS US. WHEN PEOPLE INTERACT WITH US, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO PERCEIVE THAT WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE THAT GOES BEYOND THE SURFACE OF WHAT THEY SEE OF US FROM THE OUTSIDE! AS A CHILD OF GOD, AND A FOLLOWER OF JESUS, OUR LIVES MUST BE DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. SO, I NEED TO ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS, DOES YOUR LIFE RADIATE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS? AND CAN PEOPLE TELL THAT WE HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS?
2. THE TEXT. IN CHAPTER THREE, PETER AND JOHN HAD HEALED THE LAME MAN WHO WAS SITTING AT THE GATE OF THE TEMPLE BEGGING FOR ALMS.
a) LEADING UP TO OUR SCRIPTURE, THEY ARE ENGAGED IN A CONVERSATION WITH A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE CONFRONTED BY THE PRIESTS, THE CAPTAIN OF THE TEMPLE, AND THE SADDUCEES.
b) THE THREE JUST MENTIONED GROUPS ARE VEXED BECAUSE THEY PREACHED THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD, WHICH THE SADDUCEES DID NOT BELIEVE IN.
c) PETER AND JOHN ARE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY TO BE EXAMINED ON THE NEXT DAY BY ANOTHER GROUP OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHO INQUIRED BY WHOSE AUTHORITY WERE THEY DOING WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
d) PETER WHO WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST SPOKE WITH BOLDNESS THAT IT WAS BY THE NAME OF JESUS, WHOM THEY CRUCIFIED; BUT WAS RAISED BY THE POWER OF GOD.
e) IT WAS THEN THAT THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS TOOK NOTICE AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT PETER AND JOHN WERE UNLEARNED, MEANING THAT THEY WERE NOT EDUCATED IN MATTERS OF THE LAW, AND WHO HAD NO FORMAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.
f) AND THAT THEY WERE IGNORANT, MEANING THAT THEY WERE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO PUBLIC SPEAKING AND THEY HAD NOT BEEN TRAINED IN THE TEACHING OF THE RABBI’S.
g) ONE THING THAT ASTONISHED THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WAS THE BOLDNESS THAT THEY SPOKE WITH CONCERNING JESUS.
h) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ONE WAY TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH BEING WITH JESUS IS THE BOLDNESS THAT WE SPEAK, WITH PIN POINT ACCURACY OF JESUS!
3. OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS MUST BE OBVIOUS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS IS SEEN BY OTHERS!
a) WE MUST BE BOLD IN OUR FAITH ABOUT JESUS BECAUSE SO MANY IN THE WORLD NEED TO SEE HIM IN US.
b) A VAST MAJORITY IN THE WORLD ARE WALKING IN DARKNESS, AND WE MUST BE THE LIGHT THAT LEADS THEM OUT OF THEIR DARKNESS AND INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT.
c) TO BE BOLD IN JESUS, IS NOT TO BE ARROGANT, BUT CONFIDENT.
d) WHEN WE ARE CONFIDENT IN JESUS AND IN OUR FAITH, WE CAN SPEAK IN CONFIDENCE ABOUT JESUS.
e) NEVER GET TO THE POINT THAT YOU ARE ASHAMED OR EMBARRASSED TO TALK ABOUT JESUS! PAUL SAYS IN ROM. 1:16, “ FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.”
f) WHEN WE ARE BOLD IN CHRIST WE WILL NOT HESITATE TO LET OUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE THE WORLD, THAT GOD MIGHT BE GLORIFIED!
g) THE QUESTION THAT I WANT TO PUT FORTH TO EVERYONE UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE IS, “DOES YOUR CONDUCT, CHARACTER, AND SPEECH REFLECT YOUR SPIRITUAL BOLDNESS, AND THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS?”
h) BECAUSE IF IT DOESN’T IT IS INDICATIVE THAT YOU ARE MISSING THE MARK AND FALLING SHORT, AND THEREBY YOU NEED TO REASSESS YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE MASTER.
4. PEOPLE WILL KNOW THAT WE SPEND TIME WITH JESUS BY THE WAY WE…
a) SPEND TIME IN THE STUDY OF HIS WORD, THEN APPLYING HIS WORD TO OUR LIVES.
b) SPEND TIME IN FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM IN PRAYER.
c) ARE WILLING TO FORGIVE THOSE WHO USE, ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND SEEK TO DEGRADE, AND DEMORALIZE US.
d) SEEK THE SALVATION OF THE LOST.
e) REJOICE IN TIMES OF DIFFICULTY AND SORROW.
f) SEEK TO RECONCILE BLACK SLIDING BELIEVERS TO THE LORD.
g) SPEAK KIND TO THOSE WHO ARE UNKIND TO US!
h) LOVE THOSE IN SPITE OF THEIR EVIL AND HATEFUL ACTIONS TOWARDS US.
i) WE WORSHIP AND SERVE HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
j) WHEN THEY BEHOLD THE POWER, PEACE, AND THE GRACE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES.
k) SPEND TIME IN REGULAR CHURCH SERVICE, HOWEVER, FOR SOME, THAT’S NO GUARANTEE.
l) THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST OF INDICATORS.
m) SO THE QUESTION IS, “CAN PEOPLE TELL THAT WE HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS?”
5. BUT, IT TAKES MORE THAN…
a) TALKING ABOUT PRAYER, WE MUST PRAY!
b) TALKING ABOUT THE BIBLE, WE MUST LIVE IT!
c) SINGING GOSPEL SONGS, WE MUST KNOW THE ONE THAT WE ARE SINGING ABOUT!
d) THAN HAVING A CASUAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HIM, WE MUST KNOW HIM INTIMATELY!
e) THAN BEING IN CHURCH, THE CHURCH MUST BE IN US!
f) HEARING THE WORD, WE MUST BE DOERS OF THE WORD!
g) OUR POSITIONS, JESUS IS INTERESTED IN OUR DISPOSITION!
h) SHOUTING, BUT LIVING WHAT WE SHOUT ABOUT!
i) RECITING SCRIPTURE, BUT BELIEVING IN THAT WHICH WE RECITE!
6. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION IF OTHERS ARE GOING TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE SPENT TIME WITH JESUS, WE MUST…
a) ONE, WE MUST SET THE EXAMPLE. 1 TIM. 4:12, “BUT BE THOU AN EXAMPLE OF THE BELIEVERS, IN WORD, IN CONVERSATION, IN CHARITY, IN SPIRIT, IN FAITH, IN PURITY.” WHILE THIS IS DIRECTED AT THE PREACHER, IT APPLIES TO ALL OF US!
b) TWO, BE BOLD IN OUR REPRESENTATION OF JESUS REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OR CONSEQUENCES. 1 THESS. 2:2, “BUT EVEN AFTER THAT WE HAD SUFFERED BEFORE, AND WERE SHAMEFULLY ENTREATED, AS YE KNOW, AT PHILIPPI, WE WERE BOLD IN OUR GOD TO SPEAK UNTO YOU THE GOSPEL OF GOD WITH MUCH CONTENTION.”
c) THREE, WE MUST EXERCISE FAITH AND NOT FEAR. PETER AND JOHN WERE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH BOLDNESS BECAUSE THEY TRUSTED IN GOD. AND WHEN WE TRUST BOLDLY IN GOD, FEAR WILL FLEE LIKE A REFUGEE FROM JUSTICE.
d) LIKE PETER AND JOHN, NOW IS THE TIME TO…
• BE A WITNESS FOR HIM
• PRAISE HIM NO MATTER WHAT YOU MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH
• LIFT UP THE DROWN TRODDEN
• BE A FRIEND TO THE FRIENDLESS
• LOVE THE UNLOVABLE
• GET EXCITED, DELIGHTED, AND IGNITED, ABOUT JESUS
• TELL THE WORLD THAT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND
• LIVE A LIFE THAT HONORS GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
• TELL BEGGARS WHERE THEY CAN FIND BREAD
• TELL THOSE WHO THIRST WHERE THEY CAN FIND LIVING WATER
• TELL THE CONFUSED WHERE THEY CAN FIND COMFORT
• TELL THE DEPRESSED AND DISAPPOINTED WHERE THEY CAN FIND DELIVERANCE
• TELL SINNERS WHERE THEY CAN FIND SALVATION
