Spending Time with Jesus
2020 has been a weird year, and we find ourselves stuck inside our homes a lot more. Remember back when we thought that we could just wait this thing out? We thought that if we just chilled out for a couple of weeks this would all go away and we could continue like normal. That has not happened, and it seems like it is not going away anytime real soon. The has left many of us with a lot of extra time on our hands.
What should we do with that time? Obviously some of us are busy with the work we are able to do at home, getting on zoom meetings, or doing online school. Maybe you are using the time left after all of that to learn a new hobby, read some books, adopt a new puppy, build some puzzles, catch up on Netflix shows, or finally buy that new video game you have had your eye on. I have done all of those things, and I do not think there is anything wrong with that. I think we need to pause, though, and ask ourselves: what do I want to get out of all of this time? How do I want this season to influence my relationship with God?
One of my favorite stories in Scripture is in Acts 3 and 4. In Acts 3 there is a story about the apostles, specifically Peter and John. They have been preaching, baptizing people left and right, and Holy Spirit is with them. They are walking one day and a man who cannot walk asks them for money. Peter and John do not have any money, but they say, “Look at us, we may not have money, but we have something else to give you. In the name of Jesus, get up and walk!” The man does! It is an incredible story.
Naturally this caused quite the commotion and a crowd is formed. The man who was formally unable to walk is leading around and praising God, and people want to see what is going on. Peter is filled with Holy Spirit and preaches an amazing sermon.
The religious leaders do not like this, so they have them arrested and put them on trial. In Acts 4 they ask Peter and John lots of questions like, “How are you doing this? Who has given you authority to do these things?” Peter is again filled with Holy Spirit and preaches another awesome sermon to his accusers. After listening to Peter, the religious leaders respond like this:
“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.”
I think this passage is so cool. Peter and John are doing all of these incredible things, but what the council realizes is that these two men are ordinary people. Just like you and me. They notice that Peter and John have not even had any training or education. What they recognize about them is not that they have some special training on the Scriptures, or that they went to some special school and had a special degree, or that they held an important position. What they recognized is they were ordinary guys and the only think remarkable about them is that they had spent time with Jesus.
It was not the miracles or the amazing sermons that were remarkable. It was just that they had spent time with Jesus. There is something about simply spending time with Jesus and being in a relationship with him that can transform us in the eyes of others. Simply spending time with Jesus is something that any ordinary person can do, even a couple of fishermen from Galilee.
So, if we are going to be stuck at home there is nothing wrong with getting caught up on our shows and picking up a new hobby, but I hope that when we start to return to our offices, our schools, and even our church buildings, people will recognize that we are people who have spent a lot of time with Jesus.