Acts #3

Acts of the Apostles

Thank you guys, and thank you Kristi & Eloise for that wonderful music, but before we continue in our studies of the book of Acts tonight, please if you would:

“Join me in a word of prayer.”

So far in our study in the book of Acts we’ve discussed Jesus’ ascension back to Heaven, the choosing of Mathias to replace Judas,in chapter 1, and the coming of the “Holy Spirit, the miracle of the apostle’s speaking in tongues, and the apostle Peter’s first sermon to Israel explaining what was behind the actions of the Holy Spirit in chapter 2. Tonight we’re going to talk about the 2nd miracle performed by the apostles when Peter and John healed a lame man that was 40 years old and had been lame from birth as the were going up to the temple. Also we will discuss the apostle’s explanation of this miracle to the Jewish crowd that witnessed it and the explanation they gave to the Jewish religious leaders about the healing.

We’re going to try something a little new tonight. Instead of reading the passage through and then coming back ,and just explaining the whole passage we’re going to read the passage and come back and take it verse by verse. And we’ll just see how it goes.

(Read chapter 3)

The New King James Version Chapter 3

3 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.”

2. Acts 3:1-6 – Peter in the Temple

a. “the hour of prayer” - acc. the law, sacrifices, and prayer schedules

b. Catholics call it Divine Office, or Liturgy of the Hours - Ps 55:17, Ps 119:164, Da 6:10

c. The same hour Christ died after three hours of darkness – Matt 27:45-46

d. “asked an alms” – which Jesus instructed them to give to the poor – Luke 12:33

e. “silver and gold have I none” – you’ll never hear Ben, Ken, Creflo, or Frank say this

3. Acts 3:7-12 – The Lame Healed

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. 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?

a. “immediately” – this was a man born lame, not suffering from a strained ancle

b. “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” – Note the “Christ” in this name - John 20:31

c. This was done in public, a complete immediate healing, with obvious results to all

d. More than this, it fulfilled prophecy – Isaiah 35:1-8, Matt 11:2-5

e. Israel w/o Christ was lame and could not enter in, but Peter was daily in the temple

f. “all the people saw him walking… and they knew” = a problem for modern healing

g. This miracle could not be denied – Acts 4:16, the first recorded healing

h. “why marvel? … as though by our own… holiness” – it wasn’t super-spirituality

4. Acts 3:13-16 – Through Faith in His Name

a. Peter’s explanation is all about “who Jesus is”, his name, his authority, his power

b. “glorified his Son Jesus”, “the Holy One and the Just”, “the Prince of life”

c. At the same time, he condemns Israel for “delivering”, “denying”, “desiring a murderer” instead, and “killing the Prince of life” (this is not good news of Gal 6:14)

d. Before Israel can receive forgiveness, they must know they are guilty of his name.

e. What healed him? The name/power/position of the Holy One, the Prince of Life (John 17:3-4)… through faith by the man in the name of Jesus Christ.

f. Jesus also said, “thy faith hath made thee whole” - Mk 5:34, Mk 10:52, Mt 9:28-29

g. Every sickness and disease was healed b/c the kingdom was preached – Mt 9:35

h. Not one of these faith healings did people have faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross, which should cause great concern in pursuing the Pentecostal pattern

i. Can God heal? Yes, but will he heal? We have a better hope than healing now.

j. We have a hope that makes not ashamed by the sufficient and complete standing we have in grace through the finished work of Christ – Rom 5:1-5