The Power & Authority of Jesus to Save

INTRO: Have you been present for a miraculous healing work of God? Personally seen someone blind from birth given complete restoration of their sight? (not on TBN) Experienced the healing of someone who had been a cripple for his or her entire life? (If this were happening in our day, with the advent of modern and instantaneous communication, we would all know about it.) - But such are the kinds of miracles that took place in Jesus’ public ministry on earth, and then continued through his chosen Apostles in the early days of the establishment of Christ’s Church. - The apostolic era was indeed unique.

Today we study the first Apostolic miracle in Acts... A particularly prominent example of 2:43, on one of their daily visits to the temple, 2:46.

Luke is demonstrating how the power and authority of Jesus continues to be at work through the Apostles by the presence of the Holy Spirit whom he has given them, and the context (of Peter preaching the gospel again) shows that the purpose of the miracle is gospel advancement.

So we’ll see in this miracle in Acts 3 the compassion and power of Christ at work through the Apostles. We should also ask the question, then, is this miracle meant to stand alone or is it a living illustration of the power and authority of Jesus to heal broken sinners, to save lost souls?

Acts 3:1–10 ESV

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Luke indicates that there were other miracles, but he chooses to narrate this one. Why?

1. This sets in motion events that carry all the way through 4:31. Miracles such as these explain the growing reputation of the Apostles. Peter will use the opportunity to preach Christ from the Torah, again calling people to repentance and turning to God through Jesus. While some respond in faith, it will also result in the beginning of rising opposition from the Jewish religious establishment. (They will be interrogated and incarcerated.)

2. As it was with Jesus’ miracles in the narrative of Luke’s Gospel, there is underlying theological parallel to be seen between physical and spiritual healing enabled by Jesus.

Outline: The Plight of a Man in Need, to whom Peter & John Respond with Compassion, and perform a Public Miracle by the Authority of Jesus, which leads to Praising God and Persuasive Evidence of Jesus’ Power to Save

The Plight of a Man in Need (vv. 1-2)

Time & Location: Hour of Prayer, Temple, Beautiful Gate

The 3pm hour of prayer. Jews had three daily prayer times, 9am, Noon, and 3pm (3rd hour, 6th hour, 9th hour)

The Temple - In the Jerusalem the temple was not only the highest point and a magnificent structure, but it remained the heart of Jewish faith and practice. The disciples attend here regularly at this point as a testimony to their fellow Jews that they devoutly honor the God of Israel. But they go also because that is where a great number of God-fearing people are gathered, a great location for gospel proclamation.

Our text also speaks of an entrance called the Beautiful Gate -

“It is more likely that although both the Nicanor and Beautiful gates were on the east side of the temple, the Nicanor Gate divided the court of Israel from the court of women, and the Beautiful Gate divided the court of women from the court of the Gentiles.” (Lexham Bible Dictionary)

What do the hour of prayer and at the temple and a main gate all add up to? Lots of witnesses and a big reaction.

His Situation: Infirmity and Alms

The infirmity that this man faced was that he was lame from birth (literally, from his mother’s womb). A background commentary on the NT explains that congenital infirmities (deformities or abnormalities from birth) were viewed as harder to cure than other kinds. So this would be understood as a particularly difficult case and an extra surprising and impressive miracle.

Similarly, details of the culture and times helpfully explain this about alms (which are gifts of money or goods given to the poor): “Begging alms at public places was common in antiquity, although other peoples did not stress charity as the Jewish people did. In Judaism only those who could not work made their living this way, but charity was highly regarded, and the lame or blind would not have to go hungry, especially if they were near the temple.” -Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Ac 3:2–3.

Peter & John Respond Compassionately (vv. 3-6a)

They demonstrate genuine concern.

They see him, they talk to him, they direct their attention and command his.

Greco-Roman culture at large would view being a cripple as a sign of weakness, and often resulted in them being the brunt of cheap jokes, of cruel humor. Although encouraged by God’s law to give alms and lend aid to those in society who could not help themselves, it is not unlikely many Jews thought such a deformity might be due to a particularly heinous sin committed by the individual (or in this case more likely his parents). (Jesus corrects this automatic assumption in John 9.)

They give him even more than he anticipates.

At the moment, Peter and John have no money to give. This is not to say that they wouldn’t have done so. It is to say that in this situation they were able to do more. By restoring this man to good health, Peter was in fact giving him a way to provide for himself in the future by the normal God-given means. He would now be able to experience the fulfillment God intends when he provides for our needs as we work, the way that God designed for us.

[I have a question for you. Will we work in the new heavens and new earth? Our culture has created this idea that our lives are aimed at reaching retirement from work. Rest is good, but God designed rest in the cycle of work. … All that to say, I don’t know for sure in what sense we’ll be working in heaven, but my guess is that we’ll at least be doing creative kinds of work, and I know for sure that if we do, it will bring us great joy in the presence of God!]

The Christian doesn’t ignore compassion ministry. In fact, the Christian engages in compassion ministry precisely because he/she knows that such love arises from the One who has come and still lives to meet our greatest need. Not only this, but our genuine concern for others results in us going the extra mile to help people, if possible, get back on their own two feet to be able to fulfill their human design as they are enabled by God.

So too for this man that Peter and John help with the greater need of healing his physical infirmity, there is still yet an even greater need. And they know the one who offers a cure for the eternal sickness of indwelling sin. How well do they know? They themselves have been healed, received the cure, been restored to God through Jesus. This too they will address, not to this man only but to all who gather because of this man’s healing.

A Public Miracle by the Authority of Jesus (vv. 6b-8)

First, Peter does try to invoke spirits for help (which most ancient miracle workers would have done) nor does he even pray. Jesus gave his Apostles unique power to perform miracles.

Which is what “in the name of Jesus Christ” means.

In the Name of Jesus Christ

By the personhood that his name represents… in other words, by the authority of God himself, which Jesus has from the Father. How did Jesus begin the great commission with which we are so familiar?

Matthew 28:18 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

When he commands them to go therefore and make more disciples, they are acting under his authority to carry out his will as his representatives.

Peter here is able to simply command the man to be healed, but not by his own power and authority, but by that of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This miracle parallels Jesus’ own miracle in Luke 5:17-26 (when Jesus heals a paralytic who is lowered by friends into the house through the roof), and another by Paul which we believe Luke intentionally parallels as well (Acts 14:8-11, God heals a paralytic through Paul, and then Paul and Barnabas must direct attention away from them and toward God).

One difference is, in the Luke passage we see that Jesus has authority from himself to not only heal but also to forgive sin. The other major difference here is that Peter aims to be abundantly clear that he deserves no credit for this power and authority, but only the Lord Jesus:

(Bc of the miracle, people gather around them at Solomon’s portico in the temple)

Acts 3:12 ESV

And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?

Peter will continue to be even more explicit about whom they should be crediting with this miracle:

Acts 3:16 ESV

And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

Peter will reinforce this same thing before the religious leaders in 4:10. Acts 4:10

Acts 4:10 ESV

let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.

Jesus is the source of this miracle, and because his power and authority is one and the same as the power and authority of God…

The Miracle - Instantaneous and Complete

Notice some of the details in vv. 7&8! ***

In the context of this public miracle Peter performs by the power and authority of Jesus, we observe that…

The Response = Praising God

The only reasonable response to true miracles is to praise God, who alone could accomplish such things.

This man’s reaction employs a rather rare term for leaping (Gk hallomai), which echoes language of the Septuagint (OT translated into Greek) from Isaiah 35:6a

Isaiah 35:6 (ESV)

then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.

In Isaiah, this arrives in the context of the messianic age. For Luke, then, such things are evidence that the Christ has indeed come and accomplished far better than we could have even hoped for or dreamed. Not only that, but he now carries out his work on earth by the presence of his people.

That leads us to a second thing the miracle is intended to accomplish, beyond a result of this single individual praising God. Yes, it is for the purpose of compassion to this particular man, but it is not this only. More broadly, and more fundamentally, it is…

Persuasive Evidence of Christ’s Power to Save (vv. 9-10)

People see him recognize him, the man they have seen year of year seeking alms from them in this very city and on the steps of this very temple, now perfectly and completely healed, praising God.

They are naturally filled with wonder and amazement, and this will draw a crowd to Peter and John. There really should be no doubt Luke intends to not only show how this miracle carries forward the narrative of all that happens next, but that this healing power and authority from Christ parallels the even greater miracle... that Christ can spiritually forgive and restore sinners to God.

The religious leaders will ask, when they arrest them and question them: Acts 4:7

Acts 4:7 ESV

And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”

Look at how Peter will answer them. See Acts 4:8-12.

Where does this power and authority of Jesus to heal and to save leave us today?

Conclusion: The Power of Jesus Is at Work

Have you experienced a miraculous work of God through faith in Jesus Christ?

To make a people for himself

If a now absent Jesus can heal like this, doesn’t he have power (from his risen and reigning position) to forgive sin and restore to God those who come humbly to him?

Would you be free? Come to Jesus and keep coming to Jesus.

Through his people for the praise of his glory

We keep praying, we keep pursuing Christ, we keep proclaiming him. (Col. 1:28-29)

PRAY

[song]

Communion: We are reminded of our gratitude for grace, we are reminded of our commission to make disciples by proclaiming Christ, and we are reminded to pursue holiness in Christ.