The Lame Message

What is lame?

The term lame means the inability to walk resulting from an injury or illness, that of course is the common adjective used to describe a person or an animal who is a paraplegic or even quadriplegic.

Another alternative version of the term lame is one that most young people use and that is an adjective describing something that is uninspiring or dull. Like Pr Fabian is so lame or uninspiring or dull. I pray and hope that this message might inspire you to know Jesus so I hope I am not lame in that area.

Joni Eareckson Tada

However, I would like to share to you the story of Joni Eareckson Tada, born 15 October 1949, at 17 years old, Joni Eareckson (before she was married) was at Che-sapeake Bay in Maryland, US with her family and misjudged the shallowness of the water and dove into the water. She fractured between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae and became a quadriplegic. She was paralyzed from the shoulders down.

She spent two years in rehabilitation where she experienced anger, depression, suicidal thoughts and doubted God. Imagine if you were in her position at such a young age. She will be turning 19 years old, the prime of any persons life, but for Joni she will have to spend the rest of her life in a wheel chair. Her dreams of whatever that might be is shattered.

However, in her time in recovery, she learnt to paint with a brush between her teeth. Through her new skill she began selling her artwork, she also writes this way as well and has written over forty books. One of her books is an autobiography sharing her experiences which became an international best selling book titled, “Joni: The unforgettable story of a young woman’s struggle against quadriplegia and depression.” This book was released in 1976, 10 years after the incident, 4 years after the book it became a film where she starred in it.

She will later found the organisation called Joni and Friends in 1979 helping Christians in the disability community throughout the world. Her influence would inspire many people who are disabled to not give up on faith but to embrace it and glorify God.

In her book she writes “He has chosen not to heal me, but to hold me. The more intense the pain, the closer His embrace.” (A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God's Sovereignty) in another book she writes “Sometimes God allows what he hates to accomplish what he loves.” (The God I Love).

Finally, another book she writes “Only God is capable of telling us what our rights and needs are. You have to surrender that right to Him.” (Joni: An Unforgettable Story)

What an amazing woman of God that through her disability she is able to find solace in the arms of Jesus. In her weakness she can find strength in God and make a difference to all.

What is holding you back?

Reminds me of what it says in:

2 Timothy 1:12 NKJV

12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

And so when we look at the suffering of Joni in what she went through, consider now as you introspect yourself, is there or are there any suffering that you experiencing that is limiting your ability to serve the Lord? Maybe for most not to the extent that Joni experienced, but what little bit of pain that you’re enduring that may perhaps limit your ability in serving or glorifying the Lord? In what way are you making the gospel message lame?

Because if a 19 year old quadriplegic girl can do great things for Jesus, if the Holy Spirit can work in her to marvelous things, then it would mean anyone of any age who has no physical limitations can do far greater and marvelous things for the Lord, and so, what lame thing that is holding you back for you to do that mighty thing for the Lord?

1 John 4:4

...because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Do we believe in that? We should believe that because it is from the very Scriptures we read.

The Lame Man

We’re going to look at the story of the lame man found in Acts 3. The story details the journey of Peter and John as they make their way to the temple to pray at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon (3PM), and they meet a man that is lame.

Acts 3:1–11 NLT

1 Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. 4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” 7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. 9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! 11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.

Prayer Warriors wanted!

Now the first part of this story we see the apostles make their way to the temple, why only two of them, where were the other 10? Where were the rest of the new Christians?

We’re not told where the other Christians were, maybe they went ahead of Peter and John or maybe they were coming later, however, the point is that these two apostles were heading to the temple to pray.

Now regarding prayer at 3pm, this is something that we need to remind ourselves daily. Because nothing can be done to glorify God if we are not prayer warriors. How many times do Jewish people pray according to Scripture?

Psalm 55:17 NLT

17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.

How often do we pray? How often do we submit ourselves to the Lord and offer our prayers and supplications to Him? If the apostles were prayer warriors, how much the more should we as God fearing Christians do likewise? We’re not in a competition here, but if we are serious about who we are as Christians, then we should be serious about prayer and in constant communication to the Father. Especially in these times we’re living in.

Why wasn’t he healed?

Now, Peter and John are met with a lame man since birth, we’re not told the name of this individual but the author of the book of Acts, Luke, is aware that this individual was lame since birth, either this was a general public knowledge or personal shared knowledge between the individual and Luke we’re not told. It is likely the Luke would have known the person and kept his name secret in fear of the Sanhedrin in claiming his life as a result of the miracle.

But another question arises regarding this lame man, the book of Acts tells us that this lame man was brought daily to the gate of the temple, remember that word ‘daily’, have you processed what my next question will be? Because if this lame man was brought daily to the gates of the temple, why didn’t he come in contact with Jesus who could have healed him? How many times did our Saviour go to the temple? Did Jesus ignore him?

I mean, the word that was on the street was this man Jesus could heal people, to restore them to full life, wouldn’t those that carried the lame man have taken him to Jesus like the paralytic on the bed? The man was lame so he had some ability to be mobile, he could have dragged his way to meet Jesus?

In the book Acts of the Apostles, written by a well known author, she shares her insight on the condition of this lame man. She writes:

Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6—At the Temple Gate

This unfortunate man had long desired to see Jesus, that he might be healed; but he was almost helpless, and was far removed from the scene of the great Physician’s labors. His pleadings at last induced some friends to bear him to the gate of the temple, p 58 but upon arriving there, he found that the One upon whom his hopes were centered, had been put to a cruel death.

His disappointment excited the sympathy of those who knew for how long he had eagerly hoped to be healed by Jesus, and daily they brought him to the temple, in order that passers-by might be induced by pity to give him a trifle to relieve his wants.

There were many people who needed healing from Jesus when He was on this earth, but my thoughts on why Jesus didn’t heal this mean was that He wasn’t going to do all the work when He was here, he left some for the apostles so that they too can join in the joy of blessing others with the gift of the Holy Spirit and His work. This same joy is something that we can take part in if we’re willing to let His Spirit lead.

Give me your money!

So in verse 3 we find the lame man asking alms from Peter and John, Peter’s response to the lame man was:

Acts 3:6 NLT

6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

Let me ask you something, when you leave your home, do you take money with you? For me, I usually take my phone because nowadays you can make payment with your phone and you also have your drivers license on your phone as well. Before when phones were capable of doing all this, I used to have a wallet as big as my hand, had everything in it, vouchers, license, debit cards, membership cards, receipts, photos, more cards and paper, coins and of course cash.

I kept it all in my back pocket as men do, and when I would sit down I was like the leaning tower of Pisa.

And so Peter and John left home without any money, knowing full well the would encounter beggars on the way, they only had the name of the Lord Jesus, which tells me one thing, they left home with one intention on their mind, they left home only to give that name to others, to pay and free them in the name of Jesus.

You see, that should tell you something about ourselves, when we serve the Lord, nothing else should distract or deter us, when we leave home each day we should leave home with Jesus and impart that blessing to others. Do you agree with me?

Miracles do happen!

Now, when I think about miracles, I usually thought that the recipient needed to have faith in order to be healed right, like think to all the miracles that have been made in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. Didn’t Jesus say to the father of the demon possessed son?

Mark 9:23 NKJV

23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

And what was the father’s response?

Mark 9:24 NKJV

24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

So we have Peter, telling this lame man that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth to get up and walk? This man who had thought he lost all hope in being healed by Jesus is met with His disciples and the power of Jesus’ name is what brings this man to stand for maybe the first time in his life.

Power in Jesus’ name

My friends, there is power and salvation in the name of Jesus, do you agree? Do you believe it? In the name of Jesus, He can make the blind to see, the unclean to be clean and the sick to be healed, do you believe that? Do you believe it with all your heart?

So what is holding you back if that’s the case? Earlier I shared a story of Joni and what she went through, but she found power in the name of Jesus, it didn’t get her the ability to walk but it gave her voice to spread all across the world. If then you think that Jesus’ name has power, then how is that power being expressed in all you do for His glory?

As Christians there is a duty for us to express the gospel message to all because we believe in that good news of His death, resurrection and return, to do otherwise is to make the gospel message lame, to limit the power of Jesus and the gospel message.

If we are a church, a community of believers, then the power of His name should have made a huge impact in this community if we believe that His name has power.

What is holding you back? If two men can make a person walk in Jesus’ name then imagine what Waitara church can do in this community? If a quadriplegic can change thousands of lives, imagine what you can do who has full use of your arms and legs?

Don’t tell me that your life isn’t as interesting like those people, well if you thought like that then why on Earth did the Lord ever pick you to be saved? Jesus gave His life for you not because you’re interesting but because He loves you! That’s power enough already there, you don’t need a special story that will bring people to tears you just need His name and that alone has the power to move mountains.

Don’t allow yourself to be fooled to thinking you’re not important, you are important, you matter to Him and if His name can give the lame man to walk, His name can give power to make that lame gospel message do wonders to your community.

Conclusion

Acts 4:10–12 NLT

10 Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. 11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ 12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

So allow me to ask the question I asked earlier, is there or are there any suffering that you experiencing that is limiting your ability to serve the Lord? Maybe for most not to the extent that Joni experienced, but what little bit of pain that you’re enduring that may perhaps limit your ability in serving or glorifying the Lord? In what way are you making the gospel message lame?

Or will you rise up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth?