LESSON THREE

PETER AND JOHN HEAL A LAME MAN

ACTS 3:1-16

KEY VERSE: “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have I give to thee: In the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6).

In our previous lesson, we saw that “all who believed were together, and had all things in common” (2:44). Also, the lesson told us that they “sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need” (v.45). Finally, they “continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house…ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising GOD and having favor with all people. And THE LORD added to the church daily those who were being saved” (vv.46-47).

It was at this point in our lesson that we fast forwarded past the scene that takes place in our text for this study, Acts 3:1-16. In this study, we find “a certain man” who had been carried “daily” to the temple and left “at the gate which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple” (v.2). This lame man had an ‘encounter’ with Peter and John, who were on their way “to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour” (v.1). During this ‘encounter,’ the lame man did not get what he expected, money, from Peter and John. For Peter told him, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you” (v.6). Then Peter took the lame man by the hand and commanded him to get up and walk, “IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH” (v.7).

When the healing was complete, the man “leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them (Peter and John)—walking, leaping, and PRAISING GOD” (v.8).

After the people in the temple recognized that “it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; …they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him” (v.10). As Peter saw that they were “greatly amazed,” he responded with a sermon in Solomon’s Porch on THE POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST (vv.11-16), whom they denied and crucified, and “WHOM GOD RAISED FROM THE DEAD.”

LOOK ON/AT/TO US (Acts 3:1-4)

In keeping in line with Acts 2:46, Peter and John are going about their “daily” worship to the temple, when they have an ‘encounter’ with “a certain man lame from his mother’s womb” (v.2). From the scripture we can surmise that this daily routine of being brought to the temple and left to beg for alms (gifts for the poor) is how this “certain man” provided for himself. There is no indication as to whether or not the man had a family or who brought him there, as other unanswered questions about the man. But, as in most of JESUS’ parables, I believe, “a certain man” was used to make those issues unimportant in regards to the ‘situation.’

I don’t know whether the apostles had seen the man before at the gate or what made this particular man stand out from the rest of the beggars who assembled “daily” at the gate. But, for whatever reason, this day when the man asked for alms from Peter and John, they took the time to respond to him. However, while the response, “Look on/at/to us” (v.4) is one of great expectation, it proves not to be what was expected.

One would probably reflect back to our previous study when we proposed that the apostles “remembered” THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS on the giving of alms, “sell what you have and give alms” (Luke 12”33). In light of this, we can understand why the apostles would stop to respond. This is what they were taught as part of their MISSION, “to give alms.” Surely, if no one else could be depended on for alms, the apostles (the Church) could be depended on for support.

We established in our previous study that this is the ‘primary MISSION’ of the Church, to take care of the poor. For when we ‘minister’ unto the “least of these,” we ‘minister’ unto GOD HIMSELF. Truly, this has to be the motivation for them to interrupt their entrance into the temple, “to give alms” as they were taught. Peter has to be saying to this man, “If you can’t depend on anyone else, you can depend on us.” This must be the reasoning behind Peter’s request to “Look on/at/to us.”

And even today, in keeping with our ‘acknowledgement’ of Malachi 3:10, “To bring all of the tithes into the storehouse, so that there will be food in MY HOUSE,” we too should be saying to “the poor” or anyone who has a need, “Look on/at/to us” (the Church). If the federal, state, or local government does not lift one finger to help the poor, according to the Scriptures, the Church should be standing tall, to let its light shine as a ‘beacon,’ to “Look on/at/to us,” even when all else fails.

THE HOLY SPIRIT (THE VOICE OF GOD) AT WORK (vv.5-8)

As we leave Peter and John voicing words of great expectation, “Look on/at/to us,” the scene now shifts to the “certain man’s” response in verse 5, “so he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.” This has to be the greatest feeling in the world for a beggar, who is probably used to people passing him by all day long, day-by-day. To have someone actually stop and tell you to give them your attention, surely they have something for you or they would have kept walking.

However, I believe, the next statement from Peter had to, if you will, throw him for a loop, since his request was for alms (gifts). Yet, Peter says, “Silver and gold I do not have…” The man was probably thinking at this point, “then why did you even bother to stop and speak to me?” That was the purpose of begging, “to get alms (gifts).” What good is it to stop and tell a beggar that one does not have any money? This, I speculate, was the man’s immediate reaction before he could ‘hear’ the rest of the statement, “but what I do have I give you: IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, rise up and walk” (v.6).

I cannot imagine what was going through this man’s mind. He had never walked in his life. While he had watched others “walk” all around him, he himself did not even know the physical mechanics of ‘standing,’ much less ‘walking.’ However, here was this apostle standing before him telling him to stand up and walk. He was looking for money, as usual; this is not what he expected.

Yet, the Scripture continues, “And he (Peter) took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength” (v.7).

What an “AWESOME” display of “THE HOLY SPIRIT (THE VOICE OF GOD)” IN ACTION. For this has to be what JESUS meant when HE said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in ME, the work that I do he will do also, and GREATER WORKS THAN THESE HE WILL DO…” (John 14:12). We know from Mark 2:1-2, that JESUS healed a paralytic who had been brought to HIM by the man’s four friends. But this man came expecting a healing because he knew who JESUS was, THE SON OF GOD. However, JESUS healed this man based on the “FAITH” of his friends (Mark 2:5). In addition, it is not mentioned how long this paralytic had been in his condition.

Whether this was the “same works” or “greater works,” Peter was able to take this man’s hand and help him to his feet to walk. “So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and PRAISING GOD” (v.8). What a glorious and wonderful sight to behold, much less experience, I propose. Here was a man used to being in his “lame” condition all of his life. A man who has accepted begging as a way of life. A man whom, as B. B. King once sang “has been down so long, getting up didn’t even cross his mind.” Here is this man not just standing, not just walking, but “walking, leaping, and PRAISING GOD.” This is THE HOLY SPIRIT (THE VOICE OF GOD) AT WORK!

THE (AWE)SOMENESS OF GOD (vv.9-11)

The response of the people who were in the temple when the ‘newly healed’ man entered “waling and PRAISING GOD,” was the same as the apostles experience on the Day of Pentecost (2:12), “They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him” (v.10). They knew that this was the same man that they were used to seeing sitting and begging everyday for money. This was the same man that, I propose, most of them had just gotten so used to seeing there, that they probably began to ignore him. Yet, here he was “walking, leaping, and PRAISING GOD” in the temple along with them. He is not at the Beautiful Gate begging, but IN GOD’S TEMPLE REJOICING.

I don’t blame the man for not letting go of Peter and John, because this new experience was probably overwhelming for him, and maybe if he let them go, he would go back to the way he was. Whatever the reason, the Scripture says, “he held on to Peter and John” (v.11a). As I said, this is understandable, but “all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed” (v.11b).

There is always a feeling of “awe,” or, we are impressed with reverential fear, when we are in the presence of THE WORKS of an “AWESOME GOD,” ONE EHO INSPIRES ‘AWE.’ The contrast in response to the “awesomeness of GOD” then, is the same contrast that exists today. Some react as the healed man with the acceptance and PRAISE, while the other; react as the people did with “wonder and amazement.”

THE POWER OF “FAITH” IN THE NAME (vv.12-16)

I believe that the contrast in response to the healing that took place was because of the fact that the lame man understood how the healing came about, since he was there, but the people were not there, so they did not understand.

This is why Peter had to explain to them that which they, either did not understand, or else, misunderstood. The people were probably “amazed” because they were looking at the apostles themselves. But, I believe, the man saw THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (THE VOICE OF GOD) operating through them, and thus, did not see them. That is the reason Peter asked them, “Why do you marvel at this? Or why do you look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? (v.12). Peter did not want the people to confuse THE AWESOME POWER OF GOD with the feeble, weak power of man. Peter had to explain to them whose WORKS had been displayed in their presence.

In verses 13 through 15, Peter preached a sermonette, or a mini sermon, to let the people know exactly what had taken place in their very presence. Peter told the truth of the matter that, “The GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the GOD of our fathers, glorified HIS SERVANT JESUS” (v.13a). He emphasized that this was the same JESUS that they “delivered up and denied in the presence Pilate, when he was determined to let HIM go.” This was the same JESUS, “THE HOLY ONE AND THE JUST,” that they “denied” and instead, “asked for a murderer to be granted” to them (v.14). This was the same JESUS, “HE PRINCE OF LIFE,” WHOM GOD raised from the dead,” of which they (the apostles) were witnesses (v.15). This is the foundation or the beginning of what they did not understand, thus their “amazement.”

The most important part of their “amazement” was their lack of understanding and knowledge that, “…HIS NAME (THE NAME OF JESUS), through “FAITH” IN HIS NAME, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, ‘THE FAITH’ which comes through HIM (JESUS) has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” (v.16). Thus, this man was not healed as was commanded, simply, “IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH,” but instead, “through ‘FAITH’ IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. And “FAITH” is simply, if you will, “BELIEVING.”

I KNOW THAT Paul instructed in his letter to the Roman Church, “So then ‘FAITH’ comes by hearing and hearing by THE WORD OF GOD “ (Roman 10:17). But there has to be more to it than that, because the people in the temple had been ‘hearing’ THE WORD OF GOD, yet they were “amazed” when the man ‘demonstrated’ his “FAITH,” by “BELIEVING” and accepting his healing. That, I believe, is why Paul further instructs us, in his letter to the Hebrews, on what is necessary to make the preaching of the Gospel profitable. “For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as unto them: but THE WORD preached did not profit them, not being mixed with “FAITH” (BELIEVING) in them that heard it” (Hebrews 4:2).

While THE POWER is IN THE NAME OF JESUS, “FAITH” IN THE NAME OF JESUS ACTIVATES THE POWER!

THINK ABOUT IT!!!!

Spiritually Yours.

Rev. Chris Lowe, Sr. DD