The Covenant Fulfilled

The Hand of God

Acts 3:1–10 (NIV)

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

The gate beautiful was the gate between the court of Gentiles and the Courts of the Jews. Bronze gate adorned with gold plating.

Once again, the same motif and sign is given of God’s presence and power, the infirmed are made whole.

More than a physical healing is taking place. Take note that before we encounter the lame man, God reveals to those of us who have eyes to see that Peter and John have been made whole.

Ignorant to Repentant

Acts 3:11–20 (NIV)

While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

“Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.

Peter confronts those who stood in amazement and calls out the reason for their wondering. Why is it that we are surprised when God accomplishes the very things we not only know that He is capable of but that He promises that He will do? Worse yet, why is it that when we see the things that God says only He can accomplish do we credit those accomplishments to something or someone else?

Ignorance is not an excuse that will stand before the Lord, but even in our ignorance, the two most powerful words in Scripture meet us in our ignorance, But God. God does not condemn our ignorance but instead gives us truth and allows for our repentance.

The Covenant Fulfilled

Acts 3:21–26 (NIV)

Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’

“Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

The truth of Christ is not new. It was not new to the first century believer just as it is not new to us today. God has been telling a singular story since the beginning. The covenant, the law, the prophets, the gospels, the testimony of the believers, the multitude of denominations, and every one of our stories tell the same story just from a multitude of perspectives because that is the depth by which God loves and pursues us. In our ignorance, God has faithfully responded with an absurd bombardment of arrows that our hearts might be pierced. This is the love of God that when we stand before Him, we would be without excuse.