Opening Verse
"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." (Acts 4:13, KJV)
The Message
Peter and John stood in front of the most educated, most respected religious leaders of their day. These were men with titles, positions, and years of formal training. Peter and John had none of that. They were fishermen. They worked with their hands, they smelled like the sea, and they had never sat under the great teachers of the law. By the world's measure, they had no business speaking in that room.
And yet they spoke with boldness, and the whole council marveled. The leaders could not explain it by any credential, so they landed on the only explanation that made sense: these men had been with Jesus.
That is the message for every man today. What made Peter and John powerful was not where they came from or what they had earned. It was who they had been with.
God chooses the rough around the edges
If you have ever felt like you were too rough, too ordinary, or too unqualified for God to use, you are in good company. That is exactly the kind of man God loves to use.
"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29, KJV)
God does this on purpose. When He works through a man nobody expected, nobody can give the credit to the man. All the glory goes to God. Your rough edges are not a reason He passes you by. They are the very place His power shows up the clearest.
Look at how Jesus called these men in the first place. He did not hand them a test or ask for their résumé. He gave them an invitation.
"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19, KJV)
Notice who does the making. "I will make you." Jesus did not wait for them to become something before He called them. He called them so that He could make them into something.
Titles and fame are man made
The world runs on titles. It wants to know your position, your platform, your following, and the letters behind your name. None of that is evil in itself, and there is nothing wrong with learning, working hard in school, or earning a degree. But none of it is what makes a man useful to God, and none of it is what lets a man know Jesus.
"Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 9:23-24, KJV)
Fame is a title men give to each other, and men can take it away just as fast. The only thing worth boasting in is that we know the Lord. Jesus turned the whole system of titles upside down.
"But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." (Matthew 23:11-12, KJV)
In the kingdom of God, the way up is down. Greatness is measured by service, not status. And when we chase the approval of people, we lose sight of the One we are supposed to be serving.
"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10, KJV)
You do not need fancy papers to know Jesus
Some men believe they have to master every book, finish every study, or understand every big word before they can really know God. But Jesus said the Father has made Himself known in a way that the simple can receive.
"At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." (Matthew 11:25, KJV)
Knowing Jesus does not come by a diploma. It comes by relationship. It comes by sitting with Him. When Martha was busy and worried about many things, her sister chose something better.
"And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:39-42, KJV)
One thing is needful. Not a title. Not a following. Not a stack of certificates. Time at His feet.
Time with Jesus shows on you
Here is the beautiful part of Acts 4:13. Nobody had to announce that Peter and John had been with Jesus. People could see it. Time with Him leaves a mark.
When Moses came down from the mountain after being with God, his face was shining, and he did not even know it.
"And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him." (Exodus 34:29, KJV)
That is what happens when a man spends time in the presence of God. It shows in how he talks, how he treats his wife, how he raises his children, how he handles pressure, and how he carries himself at work. He may not even notice it, but the people around him will.
"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 Corinthians 3:18, KJV)
We become like the One we spend time with. That is why Jesus told us to stay close.
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:4-5, KJV)
Without Him we can do nothing, no matter what title we hold. With Him, a fisherman can stand before a council and speak with boldness.
Teach our children what really matters
Our kids are growing up in a world that tells them fame is everything. They see people chasing followers, views, and status, and they start to believe that is what makes a person matter. We have to teach them the truth. Fame is a man made title. What matters is knowing Jesus.
"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7, KJV)
Notice that it starts with "in thine heart." We cannot pass on what we do not have. Our children learn the most from what they see us do. If they see us spending time with Jesus, they will learn that He is worth our time. If they see us chasing titles and approval, they will learn to chase the same.
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6, KJV)
Encourage your children to learn, study, and work hard. But teach them that their worth does not come from a platform or a position. It comes from being a child of God, and their power comes from being with Jesus.
What This Means
God is not looking for the most polished man in the room. He is looking for a man who has been with Jesus. Peter and John had no titles, no degrees, and no fame, and they turned the world upside down because they had spent time with the Lord. Your rough edges do not disqualify you. God chooses ordinary men on purpose so that He gets the glory. Titles, fame, and fancy papers are man made, and they cannot give you what only time with Jesus can. So sit at His feet. Abide in Him. Let His presence change you until people can see it on you. And teach your children that what matters most is not who the world says they are, but whose they are and who they spend their time with.
Think About This
- Have I ever believed I was too rough, too ordinary, or too unqualified for God to use me?
- Where am I leaning on a title, a position, or the approval of people instead of on Jesus?
- If someone watched my life this week, would they take knowledge that I had been with Jesus?
- How much time am I actually spending at the feet of Jesus, compared to the time I spend on everything else?
- What are my children learning from me about fame, status, and what really matters?
- What one change can I make this week to spend more time with the Lord?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You that You do not wait for us to be polished before You call us. Thank You for choosing ordinary men, rough around the edges, and making us into something for Your glory. Forgive us for the times we have chased titles, approval, and the praise of men instead of chasing You. Forgive us for believing we had to earn our way into Your presence. Lord, we want to be men who have been with Jesus. Draw us to sit at Your feet. Help us abide in You every day, in the morning, in the car, at work, and in our homes. Let Your presence change us from glory to glory until the people around us can see it. Give us the boldness Peter and John had, not from our own strength, but from time spent with You. Help us teach our children that fame and titles are man made, and that their worth is found in You. Let our homes be places where Your Word is talked about when we sit down, when we walk, when we lie down, and when we rise up. We give You all the glory for anything You do through us. In Jesus' name, amen.
Closing Verse
"Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6, KJV)
