Look alike

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


You ever see those things online where it shows pets and their owners that look alike? It’s sort of funny but kinda creepy as well. Makes me glad I don’t have any pets.

For those who know my family, what I’m about to say will come as no surprise. I look just like my dad. I mean just like him. I think our noses are shaped slightly differently and I’m a bit shorter than he is. Other than that, we look just alike (well, except for the tattoos). We have a lot of similar mannerisms. And we’re both really stubborn. I might be a clone, come to think of it. Hmm…

I read this passage in Acts this morning and was moved. First and foremost, this is Peter we’re talking about. The dude who denied Jesus in the moment of truth, cursed even while he was denying Him. Not once but three times. Imagine Peter’s shame after all that smack talking about dying with Jesus if need be. The love of Jesus certainly transformed Peter and saved him from the shame. It’s a testament to the forgiving power of His love, this story.

In this story in Acts, Peter and John were taken before the council of high priests and leaders. See, Peter and John had the audacity to heal a crippled dude in the name of Jesus. Then, to add insult to injury, Peter had preached to the crowd about Jesus. I was reading through this and thought man, God was speaking through Peter cause Peter had suddenly grown a pair. You have to understand how dangerous this was, to preach Jesus uncensored like this. Peter didn’t pull any punches either. He told it like it was. Read Acts chapters three and four to see what I’m talking about.

So, Peter and John have pissed off the wrong people. Again I am dumbfounded but not surprised how the name of Jesus makes people so uncomfortable. Especially religious people. Anyway, they got locked up and taken before the council the next day. Here’s where it gets good. The Holy Spirit jumps up all over Peter and Peter preaches it! I mean, he brings it!! There was no watering down going on here. He spoke clean, hard truth.

Look at it. Acts 4:12, “There is salvation in no one else. God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Boom! In your face! How ya like me now?!

Then, the most telling verse to me, the one that jumped off the page when I read it. Verse thirteen, especially the end of it, hit me right between the eyes. “They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”

I read that verse and heard the voice of Jesus in my heart, “Do they recognize you, Scott? Can they tell you’ve been with Me?” It took my breath away. See, I can’t deny who my earthly father is, even if I wanted to. We look too much alike. The question I must face today is: Do others recognize Jesus in me, do they recognize that I’ve been with Jesus?

If we’ve been with Jesus, our lives should look different, right? We should look like our Father, right? So, now I ask you.

Who do you look like?

Do others recognize that you’ve been with Jesus?