The Book of Acts: Discipleship in Action Pt. 14 Beautiful Gate, Christ's Power, Praising God!

In our last post, we read about Peter and John being stopped on the way into the Temple. A man born crippled was sitting and begging because that was all that he could do. 

Peter fastened his eyes on the lame man and healed him in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. 

We also noted how the lame man was like a sinner. He was born with that condition, just as we are born sinners. He was helpless to change his condition just as a sinner cannot stop sinning. He was without hope just as a sinner is. Nothing would change for the "certain man" unless God intervened, and the same is true of sinners.

We can praise God because the gospel tells us that God did intervene in the time, space and matter continuum. God intervened in order to bring salvation to all who will believe on Christ. 

Today, we will see how the life of this "certain man" was radically changed by God. 

The Lame Man Was healed!

Acts 3:6-8  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: 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) And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 

We must try to put ourselves in the shoes of the "certain man." He was born lame and never walked, never worked, and was always dependent upon others to help him. 

This man did not need to be told twice to look on the apostles. He had a clear expectation that he would receive something from them. Therefore, he paid attention as Peter spoke. 

We too, must come to God paying attention to His word and bringing our supplications to Him in prayer having expectant hearts. The "certain man" seemed to be exercising faith as he turned and listened to Peter. 

Imagine his utter shock and amazement when he felt the power of God bring strength to his bones and muscles. It would be like a person born blind having surgery and being able to see things for the first time. 

Peter commanded the "certain man" to rise up and walk as he lifted him up from his mat. He acted by faith believing what Peter said and his faith was rewarded. 

Pray to Jehovah with expectancy.

Psalm 5:3  My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

David spent much time in prayer to Jehovah. He made his needs and requests known unto the LORD early in the morning and David spent the day looking up with anticipation that God would answer him.

The "certain man" no doubt, had prayed many times in his life for God to heal his body. Surely his parents and siblings also prayed for his healing, just as you or I would pray fervently today for one of our children experiencing similar affliction. 

Thus, he looks to Peter with expectation of receiving something beneficial from the apostle. 

The "certain man" leaped up. The word translated "leaped up" is only used once in the New Testament and it refers to repeated jumping or leaping. 

For his entire life, the "certain man" could only watch other people walk, run, jog and do work. Suddenly he had strength and vigor in his feet and he responded with joyous leaping, something brand new for him.

Then, he stood up firmly upon his newly healed feet and gave God the glory. The word "praising" literally means singing praises to God because He is worthy. 

Being healed would enable the "certain man" to work for a living, so that he would not need to beg any more. Indeed, he would be able to help others who were in need and learn what Christ means when He said "it is more blessed to give than to receive"(Acts 20:35).  

The Apostles were conduits of blessing.

1 Peter 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

A miraculous cure was a most powerful example of God's grace and it highlighted the glory of God through the Words, Works and Person of Jesus Christ.

Christ, by sending the Holy Spirit, gave many great and precious gifts of ministry for the apostles. Peter was an instrument of God, a conduit of Divine blessing that would bring healing to a man who desperately needed it. 

God's Word heals souls and bodies. 

Psalm 107:20  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Several times Jesus spoke and healed someone from a distance. (See Mark 7:24-30; Luke 7:1-10; John 4:46-54). Like this "certain man", the people Jesus healed were not able to physically come to Him. They never physically touched Jesus or saw Him with their own eyes. Thus, Jesus Christ used Peter to heal him. 

Mark 3:14,15  And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15) And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

Apostolic ministry involved many kinds of healing, casting out of demons and raising people from the dead. It was a continuation of the kingdom ministry that Jesus began with His disciples. He gave them power to do mighty works as signs to the Jewish people that they might believe. 

Mark 16:19-20  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20)  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. 

Mark tells us that as the apostles went forth preaching the gospel, Christ confirmed the Word with signs. This is woven throughout the book of Acts and the lame man healed by Peter is the very first example. 

The name Jesus Christ is above all others. 

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Peter was acting on behalf of his Lord and King, Jesus Christ. He made sure to let the lame man know that his healing was of God and that God is to receive all glory for it. The lame man loudly declared what God had done and gave all glory to Him. 

Testimony of faith in God for all to hear.

Acts 3:9-10  And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10) And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. 

The impact of the lame man's healing was as great as the signs that were evident when the Spirit of God came at Pentecost. All the people at the Temple saw the man who was lame from birth walking about and praising God continuously. 

There was no doubt that it was the same man who was born with a severe birth defect in his feet. All the people knew that he was the same man who begged every day at the gate called Beautiful. 

They were all filled with wonder and amazement because of the miracle. The word "wonder" means something  happened that was so dramatic you would be unable to move or look away. It means being affected by sudden, great wonder. 

The word "amazement" means to have the normal order of things disrupted.  It is like throwing the mind out of its normal state.

Thoughts to Ponder...

First, when we pray we must do so expecting that God will hear us and answer our prayer. Prayers made without hope that God will do something according to His perfect will, is prayer without faith. He will answer our prayers although He may not answer our prayers the way we think they should be answered. 

Second, when we open the Bible to read or when we attend church to hear the Word preached, we must have expectant hearts. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Why bother to read and study His word if we think that nothing will change?

Third, like the "certain man" in this account, we should respond with worship and praise to God when He is at work in our lives. Even when we do not notice Him at work for He is always seeking to transform us into Christ’s image. Sometimes God does something dramatic and other times more incrementally, but He is always working in our hearts. Our duty is to submit to Christ. 

Those who are born again should have a testimony of God's grace like the lame man, so that all the people will be filled with wonder and amazement because God did something for us that we could not do for ourselves. 

He brought salvation to us and regenerated our hearts by repentant faith in Christ. He granted us eternal life and gave us a new heart so that we can walk in newness of life in Christ. 

Are we anticipating that God will do that which is beneficial for us when we pray and read His word?

Are we actively praising and worshiping God for all that He does for us?

Do we have a testimony of God's grace that others can see and marvel at?

May the Lord help us understand what it means to be born again and walking in newness of life. May the mighty Spirit of God help us magnify Jesus Christ in our lives by our thoughts, words and deeds.

Bob