Having a Testimony that Affirms the Gospel Message: The First Apostolic Healing - Acts 3:1-11

Introduction

Good morning turn with me in your Bibles to Acts 3, Acts chapter 3 we will be look at the first eleven verses this morning.

When your car needs fixing you don’t take it to a beautician, you take it to a mechanic. You don’t want just any mechanic to work on it, you want one who has been trained and is good at their trade. You want a mechanic that is honest and doesn’t overcharge. You may even go in and look at the wall in their store for certification of their ability and qualifications to work on your car.

The same is true of people looking at your Christian life. They want to know if you are really qualified to be giving them truths about God’s Word. What evidences does your life show that Jesus has really changed you? They are looking for faults in your testimony that would disqualify your testimony. Have you ever thought about why your testimony could end up ineffective for God?

I don’t know about you, but I want to be an effective Christian whose testimony glorifies God and lifts up Jesus Christ. As we read through our text I want to note four things about the apostles testimony that helped them be effective.

Acts 3:1–11 KJV 1900

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 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 of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

D. God desires his Gospel to be believed and gave the apostles miracles to affirm the Gospel’s trustworthiness.

P. We ought to trust the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and this historical record further validates the gospel message.

1. Go to prayer and worship services.

Acts 3:1 KJV 1900

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

Explain

Peter and John were together going up to the temple to pray. In chapter 2 of Acts, the apostles were meeting daily in the temple. The text just mentions one of these times Peter and John are heading to the temple to pray and preach.

Acts 2:42 “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

Acts 2:46 “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,”

The temple worship for Peter and John and that early Christian church was not a separate thing from their worship of Jesus Christ. They blended the two together.

There were meetings daily in the temple

There was groups of fellowship daily from house to house in smaller groups.

The temple would remain operational for worship until AD70 when Titus serving as general of the Roman Army destroyed it and burned the city with fire.

They were going up at the hour of prayer.

History records there were at least three designated ours of prayer a day at the temple. The Jewish hours of the day were started at 6 am.

The third, sixth, and ninth hour were the designated hours of prayer at the temple. Luke notes it was the ninth hour which is 3pm. It was the time of the evening sacrifice. More people came to the temple at the times of prayer, so there were hundreds if not thousands of people pouring into the temple around this time. For we find at the conclusion that 5,000 more men trust Jesus as their Savior. (Acts 4:4)

The temple events at the 9th hour a of prayer included the evening sacrifice for the nation of Israel. As an innocent lamb was killed morning and evening to remind the people of Israel that God would one day provide Himself a lamb. Many who came and worshipped at the temple that day had not realized that God had already provided the Lamb through his Son Jesus Christ. John the Baptist of the forerunner of the Lord himself declared of Jesus. John 1:29 “...Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Argue

Why were they going to the temple to pray? I thought they should pray privately in their closet? Matthew 6:6 “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

Corporate prayer and praying with other Christians is biblical and powerful.

Matthew 18:19 “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”

The church’s example or corporate prayer is greatly blessed of God in Acts 2.

Wouldn’t going to the temple seem to be pointing to a works based salvation?

The evening offering at the temple was being prepared to be offered.

However, the disciples were not going there to have their sins forgiven. Jesus paid for that already. Peter preached that it was through Jesus they could receive forgiveness of their sins in his Day of Pentecost message. Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Jesus at the last supper taught the disciples his blood shed allowed their sins to be forgiven. Matthew 26:28 “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

During the millennial kingdom the sacrificial system will be reinstituted to remind us of the horribleness of sin and the costly sacrifice of Christ. Isaiah 56:7 “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, And make them joyful in my house of prayer: Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; For mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.” (See also Jeremiah 33:18; Ezekiel 40-46)

Illustrate:

Wednesday prayer service starts at 4pm this week. It is a time to pray one for another.

Lady’s pray together

Men pray together we are united as one in our efforts to pray for each other, our missionaries and community.

We find that God’s word is true. 1 John 5:14–15 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

Apply

I encourage you Christian, consistently attend the church services at your local church. If you will be an effective witness, I believe commitment to God’s house is essential. The apostles at during this time were daily meeting in the temple to teach and preach Jesus Christ. (Acts 5:42) It was as they were going about being faithful that the wonderful opportunity to minister to this lame man happened.

Teaching and preaching of Christ should be a daily thing in Christian homes. It was when I was at home that I came to know Christ as my Savior through my Mom’s witness.

Be faithful to the church services of Lake Baptist. The community watches your testimony.

Be faithful parents and grandparents to speak of Christ to your children and grand children. They need to see Christianity and how it transforms even the ordinary drudgery of work into acts of worship and praise to our Savior.

Peter and John were prayer partners. Do you have a prayer partner? With whom do you pray?

Men, I challenge you to be the older mentor to a younger man. Younger men that you be willing to be honest and pray together for the needs of our church.

Women, who are older take a younger woman under your care and pray and help them walk with Jesus.

Husbands, pray with your wives each day. The power of the early church was founded in their priority of pray and preaching the word.

Parents, pray daily with your children.

Pray for their salvation. (2 Peter 3:9; Mt 18:14)

Obedience to their parents in the Lord. (Eph. 6:1)

Their needs and concerns. (1 Peter 5:7)

Teach them to pray for others. (1 Tim. 2:1-2)

Secondly, be regular about times of prayer with that person. Acts 2:42 “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

Thirdly, be regular about having prayer time with God. When do you pray? Where do you pray.

1 Timothy 2:8 “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”

These men were busy leaders of a new church and they made time to pray.

Don’t let the busyness of life crowd out your time to pray.

Pray for others. Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

T. When Christians are faithful to meet for worship and pray together they are unified more and more with one mind about what God would have them do.

2. Give of what Christ gave you.

Acts 3:2–7 “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 of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.”

Explain

The lame begging man

The beggars condition: lame

He was daily carried by men to the temple gate called Beautiful to ask alms of the worshippers entering the temple.

This gate is believed to be the Temple’s East gate or the Nicanor gate. It was a most beautiful gate and covered with Corinthian brass described by the Jewish/Roman historian as more beautiful than even the silver and gold covered gates.

It is believed to be the Nicanor gate dividing the court Israel from the court of the woman and the Beautiful gate dividing the court of the women from the court of the Gentiles.

Likely this poor man was placed by the gate near the hours of prayer and evening sacrifice, Perhaps he was there all day, every day. However, we do know this was regular practice of sitting by the gate asking for money. Whatever the case he was strategically placed, so he could ask for money from those going in the temple.

He may have even been having to pay those that bore him to the temple.

His handicap of being lame on his feet prevented him from working as other men. He had been this way for over 40 years. Why? I would think it is safe to say as Jesus did of the man born blind, John 9:3 “Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

So we too are paupers coming to Christ for help.

The beggars concern: getting enough money to survive and have a meal for the day.

He was asking for the worshippers to give him money.

He was physically unable to work and was dependent on charitable goodwill from others.

Like those who may ask for money to help today, this man needed Christ’s healing both physically and spiritually.

The beggar’s cry for alms:

He cried for alms in Peter and John’s direction, but we don’t even find him making eye contact with them until Peter says look on us.

It is as if he has a very low view of himself and perhaps even embarrassment that he has to ask for money.

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The miracle

Miracle is a marvelous act or event that is used of God to affirm his message and messenger. It is found translated in our English Bibles primarily as sign or miracles

Money wasn’t something the apostles had. Peter said he didn’t have any silver and gold.

Proverbs 13:7 “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.”

The apostles were not making themselves rich through their apostolic office.

They may have just not been carrying money on them that day.

But the apostles had something far more valuable than money, they healed the lame man in the name of Jesus. Money was a temporal fix, they gave something that was lasting physical healing, but I believe also spiritual salvation to that man through Christ.

Miracles was a power they had received from Christ to affirm the message of the Gospel.

Peter’s actions

Peter looked straight at the man intently. (Acts 3:3)

Peter told the man to look on He and John. (Acts 3:4)

Peter tells him he’s broke, but what he has he’ll give him (Acts 3:6)

Peter commands the man to rise and walk (Acts 3:6b)

Peter takes the man by the hand and raises him up. (Acts 3:7)

He was healed completely and instantaneously.

This is the first of fourteen healing miracles recorded in the book of Acts and many more are told to have happened.

This is the first of three cripples that are miraculously healed in Acts. (Jerusalem Acts 3:1-11; Lydda Acts 9:33-34; Lystra Acts 14:8-10)

Signs of an apostle/or those that heard Him were done throughout the NT.

Acts 2:43 “And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.”

Acts 5:12 “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.”

Romans 15:18–19 “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 12:12 “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”

Hebrews 2:3–4 “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

Argue

What about signs and miracles today in the church?

Professor Edgar of NT Lit. and Exegesis at Capital Bible Seminary, MD says, “To argue that the New Testament gifts could occur today or that no verse rules out such a possibility is not enough; it must also be shown that the modern charismatic “gifts” are the same as in the New Testament.”

The entire controversy exists because the miraculous gifts of the New Testament age did cease and did not occur for almost 1,900 years of church history and certainly have not continued in an unbroken line (Thomas R. Edgar, “The Cessation of the Sign Gifts,” Bibliotheca Sacra 145 (1988): 372.)

The healings were instantaneous, complete, and obvious to all. Thomas R. Edgar, “The Cessation of the Sign Gifts,” Bibliotheca Sacra 145 (1988): 376.

Illustrate

Apply

While we don’t believe in the continuing gifts of apostle, tongues, prophecies, and healings today, God has given each of us a gift to use for his glory.

Romans 12:5–6 “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us...”

Ephesians 4:7 “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 12:7, 11“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal...But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”

When we use our spiritual gift it bears witness to the power of the Gospel and it’s change in our lives.

Do good for others:

Matthew 5:16 reminds us. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Titus 3:8 “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”

Paul further reminds us that the use of spiritual gifts in our local church is to help encourage and edify our fellow church members grow spiritually mature and subsequently also numerical church growth.

Ephesians 4:15 “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

3. Glorify God’s Son Jesus for His working.

Acts 3:8–9 “And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God:”

Explain

The lame man leaped up and stood. The healing was complete. This was a clear act of God through the apostle Peter to affirm the Gospel message he would preach shortly.

Notice the lame man:

Walking - presently walking about.

Leaping - He is forty plus and jumping around without therapy.

Praising God - this man recognizes that God used Peter to do this miracle.

He was praising God

He was being seen praising God.

Notice the crowd

The crowd all saw him - thousands knew this man as the lame beggar who is always at the gate beautiful.

They no doubt heard him too as he was praising God and leaping with joy and excitement. Can you imagine being that lame man and all of sudden you can walk and jump around the place. He was likely yelling out. Praise the LORD! Look what he did for me!!!! I am walking and I’m not just walking look at this as he leaped through the air. Oh the joy that came from being healed in Jesus name.

Argue

Well we don’t see physical healing like this really anymore. God can still heal.

However, we see God heal people spiritually as they trust Christ as Savior and are given new life in Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Illustrate

Apply

Do you have the life changing salvation of Christ? Have you received it? It is available to everybody.

That just makes me want to leap and jump around praising God. We have a gracious and good God.

But also I learn a lesson from this healed cripple. Don’t be ashamed to be vocal in your praise of God. Sometime I am like oh somebody might hear me. I should be probably be a little quieter. Psalm 40:3 “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.”

Proclaim joyfully what God has done for you!

T. What I find interesting is the apostle Peter’s miracle through Christ’s name visibly moves the audience and they run to Peter, John and the lame man who is grasping on Peter and John with gratitude, and they are granted more opportunities to share Christ.

4. Christians are granted more opportunity to share Christ.

Acts 3:10–11 “And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.”

Explain

The Bible state the people recognized him as the lame man that was by the gate Beautiful. No doubt many of them had passed this man many times and perhaps had given him money over the years. Remember this man is above forty. (Acts 4:22)

They were flabbergasted at this outstanding miracle. The word wonder literally translated would be outstanding.

Amazed: The people couldn’t believe their eyes. They were so astonished.

Peter didn’t have a healing service and charge money for a magic show. He quicly pointed people to Jesus and His power. Acts 3:12 “And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?”

When the multitude ran to Peter he preached and pointed them to forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Acts 3:26 “Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”

Argue

Proverbs 18:16 “A man’s gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men.”

Illustrate: Faithful in little things because little things make big things.

Apply

When you are faithful to give of what God has given and gifted you with God will entrust you with more opportunities to give the Gospel and be a blessing in His name.

Luke 19:17 “And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.”

Conclusion

My friend people are looking and watching your Christianity. Does it bear the fruits of true conversion or is it just a head knowledge. Christian, really, how effective is your testimony for Christ. Peter and John had a testimony of going regularly for prayer and worship.

They were giving of what God gave them in Christ.

They pointed all the glory to God and not themselves.

God granted them further opportunity to bear witness of his name.

My Christian friend, you and I are here to glorify God and bear witness of the Jesus’ Gospel to transform not only our lives to holy living but the lives of whom we share it with. Let us be faithful to reach one and keep one this year.

Maybe you need to trust Christ this morning I invitve you to turn from your sin and self-trust in your goodness to rely only on Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for you. His blood has paid for your sins. Will you believe and receive it?