In Acts 4:13, Luke writes, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and preceived that they were uneducated common men, they were astonished, and recognized that they had been with Jesus (ESV).” When we examine this verse we need to notice three things.
First, The counsel saw the boldness of Peter and John. The disciples did not shrink back from the moment.
The Spirit came upon them and they possessed a boldness to speak and preach the gospel no matter the situation. We have that same Spirit, and should speak with that same boldness. We, however, have a tendency to shrink back from similar situations. When we have the opportunity to boldly speak about the gospel of Christ to our friends, family members, neighbors, or coworkers we frequently cave to the cultural pressures and do not speak the truth in love. We give in to the temptation to try and make the gospel easier to receive. Maybe we do not tell the whole truth. We do not tell people that if they want to be a follower of Christ it will cost them everything. We could learn from the boldness of Peter and John.
Second, the counsel saw that Peter and John were uneducated, common men and were astonished. Luke makes it clear that the apostles had no special training or abilities. They were just like people in today’s world. They had their own biases and issues. Yet the Spirit came upon them and God used them to impact the world in a mighty way. These common, uneducated men literally changed the course of history. This reality should encourage all of us as we engage the culture around us. God does not need educated people who possess special abilities. He wants to use you right where you are. Just as God used ordinary, common men to change the world, he can use you to change the world around you.
Third, the verse says that the counsel recognized that they had been with Jesus. When people look at your life, do they see that you have been with Jesus? When people listen to you talk, do they realize you have been with Jesus? When people see you in your place of employment, do they realize you have been with Jesus? When people make business deals with you, do they realize that you have been with Jesus? Our relationship with Christ should filter into every area of our lives. No matter what we do, or where we go, people should know that we are different. They should know that we have been with Jesus.