Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts - 7

Acts 3:1-10

Introduction

Every goal that is ever achieved begins with a dream.

Through a combination of hard work, determination, and what author Angela Duckworth calls “grit,” men and women accomplish whatever it takes to achieve their dream.

2020 introduced us to many things, one of them being a new meme that was shared over social media…”How it started v. How it’s going.”

They showed a combination of two pictures of early on in their life and now, chronicling the accomplishment of a lifetime.

Picture 1/2 - Phil Martin Jr. who navigated life on the autism spectrum to accomplish his dream job of being a conductor for Amtrak.

Picture 3/4 - Vonn, a young entrepreneur who started with one customer and built his business to thousands of customers.

In Acts 3, there is a man who undergoes an incredible transformation within 10 short verses.

But his “how it started v. How it’s going” was not due at all to his determination or grit.

No, his transformation is all an act of grace from the Lord Jesus.

The NT Church has started with a bang.

3,000 new believers are settling into their new reality as Christians.

When Acts 2 described the church, it used a seemingly throwaway line in Acts 2:43 - “And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.”

Turns out, that isn’t a throwaway line.

Acts 3 records a specific example of those wonders and signs done through the apostles.

Acts 3:1-10 - Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 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.

3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.

6 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!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.

8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 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.

There is much packed into these short verses.

Let’s walk through it together.

The Apostle Peter and the Apostle John, two of Jesus’ inner circle and leaders of the NT Church, are headed to the temple to pray.

The Jews had 3 main times of prayer scheduled each day.

There was the early morning sacrifice/prayer time, the evening sacrifice and prayer at 3pm, and sunset.

This is the evening sacrifice/prayer time they are going to.

They have not severed ties yet with their Jewish roots and practices.

They aren’t offering a sacrifice for their sins…Jesus is the ultimate, final sacrifice for their sins.

But there is no reason to stop the habit of regularly scheduled prayer.

They will eventually abandon this practice of going to the temple once persecution begins to come at them specifically from the Jews.

On their way into the temple they run across this man.

We don’t know his name or much about him, except that Acts 4:22 tells us he is over 40 years old.

But Luke the doctor gives us some details about his health and offers the diagnosis.

He has a congenital defect.

He’s been lame from birth.

So this wasn’t an accident at work or some disease later in life.

He was born without the ability to walk.

His life is hard.

He faces challenges we can only imagine.

There is no social program for him.

No special home.

No medical equipment to help him.

But he has good friends.

They carry him everyday to the temple to beg.

This is smart.

If you have to beg, the best people to ask for money are religious people.

They place him at the Beautiful Gate, which is known today as the Nicanor Gate, on the East side of the temple that led directly into the court for the Jews.

Every Jew going into the temple to pray or offer a sacrifice has to pass right by him.

This still happens today.

If you go to a developing country and walk around pagan temples, the beggars are all gathered at the entrances.

When people have a need, they call churches.

Why?

Because if you want some financial help, ask the people whose God has told them to give to the needy.

They have a particular interest in helping.

For forty years, this man has sat by this gate.

For forty years, these people have given him enough money to live for another day.

For forty years, he has had his hand out.

This is how it started.

But this is not how it is going to end!

Peter and John stop to engage this man.

There is an emphasis on eye contact in the story.

Did you notice that?

v. 4 - And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” Directed his gaze means ‘to look intently.’

Peter initiates a stare down and calls the man to compete.

Why?

Because this man probably hasn’t had anyone look directly at him for a long time.

That is the unwritten rule when you see a beggar, isn’t it?

Don’t make eye contact.

For forty years, this man has been ignored.

And he has learned to look elsewhere.

Where is he looking?

Maybe he is looking down in shame.

He is a poor beggar.

He’s been treated like he is less than human.

Maybe he figured out it was best not to make eye contact too.

Or maybe he is looking anywhere and everywhere.

He is at the perfect spot to beg.

Thousands of people have to walk right by him every single day.

They are all possible donors.

He is looking to them for help, for hope.

But neither of those are good places to look, are they?

When you have a need, looking down in shame does not help you.

Feeling sorry for yourself gets you nowhere.

Look up! Look to the Lord.

And looking at people, looking at money…they can’t offer you true help and healing.

You need more than money can give.

You need more than people can give.

When you are helpless and hopeless, only the Lord can do anything about it.

v. 5, the man responds and fixes his attention on them.

He locks eyes with them…expecting to get some money from them.

That is a reasonable response.

Someone has acknowledged him…that means they are going to give him some money.

But then Peter speaks and crashes all his hopes to the ground…v.

6 - But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold…” Well, that’s disappointing.

If you can’t help, why engage?

Why bother me?

But Peter continues…but what I do have I give to you.