April 25, 2010
Morning Service

Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Vs. 1: The event described by Luke in chapter 3 shows Peter and John going to the temple for a formal prayer time. It was the ninth hour of the day, about 3:00 p.m. Devout Jews observed three special times of prayer at the temple—at 9:00 a.m., at noon, and at 3:00 p.m. The special feature of the first and last prayer time was the offering of the morning and evening sacrifices (Exodus 29:38-42; Numbers 28:1-8). You might recall Daniel speaking of the "evening oblation", that being the evening time of prayer and sacrifice. The Jewish historian Josephus gives an example of how important these daily sacrifices were for the Jews. They continued to be offered even food was scarce when the Romans besieged the city during the Jewish War of A.D. 66-70 (Antiquities 14:65).

Vs. 2-10: In Acts 2 we have the arrival of the Day of Pentecost and the fulfillment of the coming of the Holy Spirit. People are confused at what was going on and Peter then gives his famous sermon to explain what they were witnessing. Then after his sermon in Vs. 43 are these prophetic words...43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. And here in Ch. 3 we have the account of one of the first recorded wonders or miracles carried out by two of the apostles, Peter and John. This man had been lame from his mother's womb and if we look ahead to Ch. 4, Vs. 22 we find out this man is over forty years old. My guess would be after 40 yrs of being lame from birth (especially in the day this takes place) a person would pretty much have no hope of being able to walk, wouldn't you say? Among Jews of the time, almsgiving was considered an act that gained a person religious merit. Giving to the poor was emphasized in Jewish writings and in line with this custom Jews coming to the temple would help the poor with a coin or two. Beggars who were unable to survive without the kindness of the fortunate would place themselves strategically near the gates of the temple to receive some of these alms. Here this man not only had to beg for alms but also had to rely on someone to carry him to where he could beg. We've all been in situations we thought were hopeless or at least to our feeble minds they were. Usually dire health concerns are the first thing we think of when we think of being without hope. But overwhelming financial problems and many of life’s other pitfalls can leave a person feeling without hope. So as Peter and John approach the gate this particular beggar asks them for money and Peter responds with Vs. 6. Peter didn't mean that he had no money to offer but instead he made reference to not giving this man two of the most valuable things they could relate to at that time, silver and gold. What Peter had to offer this man was something of much greater value and that was God's healing. To me, we can look deeper, what Peter actually offered was something even more valuable...the knowledge that through Jesus Christ this healing is delivered. Just imagine the faith Peter had to tell this man to rise up and walk. Two things were exercised here…authority…In Jesus Name…and faith…rise up and walk. Jesus speaking to his disciples right after the last supper…

John 14: 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. Paul writes in the faith chapter…Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. The lame man entered the temple walking and leaping and praising God! Joyous for the first time in forty years to be able to walk this man leaps (can’t you just see him skipping along with his hands lifted high) and being mindful enough to realize where his gift came from he praises God. And the people were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened.

Acts 3:11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

Why do you think the lame man was holding on to Peter and John? Was it because the healing wasn't complete and he was shaky or maybe it was hard for him to believe he could actually stand on his own? Well since he has already been leaping and praising God for his healing I suspect he just didn't want Peter and John to get away! These men had just given this man something he had never had....hope. Can you imagine what this man felt to have the power of God stream through his body and strengthen those feet and ankles? Forty plus years he had to rely on someone to carry him wherever he went without the hope of himself being mobile and independent. And now he can stand, walk and even leap. And being overjoyed he grabbed onto the only tangible thing he could…the men that had been the conveyance of his healing. And as is human nature people a crowd quickly gathers to assess what has just taken place. Peter, like any good man of God, sees an opportunity to preach and seizes the moment. The first thing he does is to squelch the attention being given them and give credit where credit is due. He brings it home to the Jews by referring to God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He wanted them to understand where this man’s healing came from…God’s servant Jesus. Peter ascertains that he and John are only witnesses and faith in God’s servant Jesus whom the Jews killed and God raised from the dead is what healed this man. Then in vs. 17 Peter begins to back off of his harsh accusations and says he realizes that the Jews and their leaders acted out of ignorance. Ignorance is the condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed and one definition even says the willful neglect or refusal to acquire knowledge. Isaiah 52:13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. The suffering of God’s servant Jesus is foretold in Isaiah 53. After seeing the miracle of healing performed on the lame man and hearing Peter expound upon them about how they and their leaders had killed the Christ from whom this healing came. Peter then offers the people a way of forgiveness, he offers them hope by telling them to repent and be converted that their sins might be blotted out. Romans 3: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: The command is that all have sinned, last count I had all takes in everyone. That doesn’t mean the wealthy are exempt, or the poor, neither the rulers nor those under rule. It doesn’t exempt those born of a certain decent or race, nor does it distinguish between young or old…it’s all. In order to have hope…

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

I Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.