I See Jesus In You

     Earlier this week, I was told that I would be speaking in our Christian school chapel service. I immediately began thinking about what to preach. I spent time in prayer later that evening and asked God to direct me to what He would want for me to preach. Later that evening, I went to my bedroom and began working on my sermon. Before I began studying, I went online and noticed that Pastor Chappell posted another video in his "Growing Points" web series (these have been a blessing to me). What captured my attention was the title of the video - "Keeping It Real." He spoke briefly on how important it is for us to be REAL and Genuine Christians. I then also read the article, but my mind could not get away from the truth from God's Word.

Acts 4:13 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

     If there is anything this world needs most today, they need to be able to see true, genuine, and real Christianity. The world does not need a cheap imitation of itself. It needs to see the power of Christ flowing from a Christian. It needs to see what Christ can do for a person. It needs to see in a Christian what is lacking in their own life. The question I asked myself and the question I ask you, "Can the world look at me and say, 'I See Jesus in You'?" 

     For these religious people in Acts 4 to say of Peter and John that they had been with Jesus, there must have been some outward demonstration in their lives of what Jesus did in His life. They must have practiced in their lives what Jesus practiced in His. What are these actions Peter and John took that caused others to make this statement about them? These actions must be placed in our lives if we want the lost world to say to us "I See Jesus in YOU."

1. They fervently brought people to Christ (Acts 2:31, 4:4)

2. They possessed a filling of the Holy Spirit of God (Acts 1:8, 4:8, Ephesians 5:18) - A lost person can preach a message, a lost person can give in an offering, a lost person can work a bus route, a lost person can clean a church, a lost person can say Amen, a lost person can teach a Sunday school class, a lost person can share the Gospel; however a lost person can never be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. May God help us Christians tap into the source of power and strength to live the Christian life and make a difference

3. They reached out and helped other people (Acts 3:1-11, 4:9, 

Galatians 6:20) - they did this with no thought of what they could get in return

4. They proclaimed Christ and not themselves (Acts 4:10-12, 

Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:8)

5. They were bold for their Saviour (Acts 4:13)

    a. Bold to proclaim God's Word (Acts 4:31)

    b. Bold to have an outward testimony of Christ (Philippians 1:20)

    c. Bold to pray (Hebrews 10:19)

6. They did not use their weaknesses or faults as excuses on why they could not be used of God (Acts 4:13, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, 

Amos 7:14-15) - where God calls, God enables

     May God help us all implement these truths in His Word to our lives so we can hear people say about us, "I See Jesus In You."