Acts Chapter 3...
☆ Acts 3:1...
Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
In chapter 2 we find the early church "continuing steadfastly" in four areas:
□ the Apostle's doctrine,
□ in breaking of bread,
□ in fellowship and...
□ in prayer.
These 4 areas are as important today as it was then.
Here we have Peter and John going to a prayer meeting in the temple at the ninth hour.
When the church engages in prayer... things begin to happen.
☆ Acts 3:2...
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 of them that entered into the temple;
At the temple gate which is called Beautiful, they meet a lame man who is brought to this spot daily so he can ask alms of those entering the temple.
This guy had been lame from birth, is unable to work, and depends upon alms... that is, donations, charity, goodwill from people entering the temple.
He would have been well known by the people of the city.
☆ Acts 3:3...
Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
When he saw the two disciples going into the temple he asked for alms from them.
☆ Acts 3:4...
And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
Asking for alms day in and day out would have been a humiliating experience and I would imagine the lame man asking for charity would have had his eyes looking down.
Peter and John purposely made eye contact with the lame man and said to him... "Look at us!"
☆ Acts 3:5...
And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
This guy obeyed and looked at the disciples with great anticipation expecting to receive something from them.
I mean, why would someone say, "Look at me" and not give something.
The lame man was about to receive something way beyond his expectations.
And Peter said...
☆ Acts 3:6...
"Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I you:
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."
Have a careful read of what is said here...
"Money we don't have, but what we do have we give to you... In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth... rise up and walk!"
Peter tells the lame man that he has something better than silver or gold.
Money would only be a temporary fix.
Peter doesn't "pray" per se. He commands the lame man... "To get up... and walk... in the mighty name of Jesus of Nazareth."
Not just in the Name of Jesus... but in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Have a think and discussion about that.
And... is this the way to pray for someone in a prayer line for healing?
☆ Acts 3:7...
And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Peter takes him by the right hand and lifted him to his feet... and the miraculous happens.
Immediately the lame man's feet and ankle bones received strength.
The Greek for "received strength" is 'stereoo' meaning... to make solid, make firm, strengthen, make strong.
☆ Acts 3:8...
And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
This guy must have felt his feet and ankle bones being strengthened... he must have felt some sort of sensation in his feet. So what did he do? He stood up and he began to leap... and he began to walk...
Next, he goes into the temple with Peter and John and... he walks some more... he leaps some more and he praises God. The lame man knows that the miraculous just took place in his life and so He gives the praise to Whom the praise is due... the Lord God Almighty.
You can imagine his excitement... from child birth he's been unable to walk... and now?
A totally new lease in life.
☆ Acts 3:9...
And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
And all the people saw him walking, jumping, leaping and giving God all the glory. They too would have shared his excitement.
☆ Acts 3:10...
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.
All the people knew that this was the guy who daily sat asking for alms at the temple gate... and they were all filled with wonder (astonishment, surprise) and amazement (blended fear and wonderment) at what took place in this man's life.
☆ Acts 3:11...
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.
The healed lame man held onto Peter and John in Solomon's porch... and all the people ran together to where they were standing... and stood there greatly wondering...
They wanted to get a good look at this man who had had been totally healed... and share his excitement.
"Greatly wondering" in the Greek is 'ekthambos'... meaning... quite astonished, amazed, terrifying, dreadful, wonder or marvel greatly... they were utterly astounded.
In the modern vernacular... they were totally gobsmacked.
☆ Acts 3:12...
"And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, You men of Israel, why marvel you at this? or why look you so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?"
And here comes another great opportunity to witness... the power of the Holy Ghost once again speaking through Peter.
Peter redirects their thinking by saying... "Why do you marvel at this? Why are you looking at us as if our power or holiness made this man to walk?"
☆ Acts 3:13...
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Son Jesus; Whom you delivered up, and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
Peter goes on to say, "For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and of all our ancestors who has brought glory to His servant Jesus by doing this. I refer to the Jesus Whom you rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s determination to release him."
Remember, Pilate found no fault in Christ and would have released Him. To keep in the good books of the crowd... he gave in to their wishes. He succumbed to public pressure.
The Holy Spirit is not letting the people of Israel forget that it was they who put Jesus on the Cross... the very Jesus Who healed this lame man.
☆ Acts 3:14-15...
But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
He digs in the spurs further by saying... that they denied Jesus, the Holy One and the Just ... and would rather have a murderer (Barabas) to be set free.
That they killed the Prince of life, Whom God resurrected from the dead 3 days later...
And Peter adds that they were witnesses of that resurrection.
Take note how Peter has preached the simple Gospel (Christ crucified - Christ resurrected) to this crowd.
☆ Acts 3:16...
And His name through faith in His name has made this man strong, whom you see and know: yes, the faith which is by Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Furthermore, he says... "Jesus’ Name has healed this man... and you know how lame he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name... faith given us from God... has caused this perfect healing."
There is power in the Name of Jesus! That power is available to us today.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Remember what Jesus said...
☆ John 14:12...
"Truly, truly, I say unto you, he that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
All to the glory of God!
☆ Acts 3:17...
And now, brethren, I wot (know, understand) that through ignorance you did it, as did also your rulers.
Peter blames the ignorance of the people and the rulers as the cause for putting Jesus to death.
☆ Acts 3:18...
But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He has so fulfilled.
He then goes on to say, "But God was fulfilling the prophecies in the Old Testament that the Messiah must suffer all these things."
Christ's death was at the heart of God's Redemption plan for mankind.
Christ Jesus was the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.
☆ 1 Peter 1:18-20...
"Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you."
☆ Acts 3:19..
Repent you therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
"Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out!" Peter tells them.
"Repent"... means... Now that you are convinced that this was the Messiah, let your minds be changed (180°), and your hearts become contrite for the sins you have committed.
Turn your life around.
"Converted"... means... to "turn to God" and is the duty of every sinner. The crimes of which Peter exhorted them to repent were those pertaining to the death of the Lord Jesus, as well as all the past sins of their lives. They were to turn from the course of wickedness in which they and the nation had been so long walking in order that their sins may be forgiven.
Sin cannot be pardoned before man repents of it.
"... when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."
The word rendered "refreshing," means properly "breathing," or "refreshment," after being exhausted from labour, running, etc.
It therefore denotes "any kind of refreshment, such as rest, or deliverance from evils of any kind."
It is used nowhere else in the New Testament, except that the verb is used in ☆ 2 Timothy 1:16...
Where the Apostle Paul says, "Onesiphorus... oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. He administered comfort to me in my trials."
We know ourselves that when we spend time in the presence of the Lord... we are refreshed.
What did Isaiah say?
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength."
☆ Acts 3:20..
"And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you..."
The LORD will send Jesus the Messiah back to Israel again.
This I believe is speaking of Christ's second coming which will take place in two phases.
Phase 1... Jesus comes and raptures His Church to Heaven before the Great Tribulation.
Phase 2... Jesus comes to save His nation Israel from the war mongering nations who want to destroy her just as the Great Tribulation closes.
☆ Acts 3:21...
"Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began."
Jesus must remain in heaven until the restoration of all things...
That is... of the accomplishment of all promises and prophecies concerning the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles, and the conversion of the Jews, and so the gathering in all the elect of God.
And... concerning all the glorious things spoken of the church of Christ in the latter day... as prophesied by God's holy prophets from ancient times.
☆ Acts 3:22...
"For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall you hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you."
Moses, said long ago to the Jewish fathers, the Israelites, that, "The Lord God will raise up a Prophet from among you, Who will resemble me! Listen carefully to everything He tells you."
That Prophet being Jesus Christ.
And God the Father echoes Moses' words about listening to "everything He tells you..."
☆ Matthew 17:5...
"While he (Peter) yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear you Him."
Peter later says why.
☆ John 6:68...
"Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to Whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life."
☆ Acts 3:23...
"And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."
And this will surely happen... if anyone will not listen to Him shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.
There's a big ouch factor here for the unbelieving Jew... and unbelieving Gentile.
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?
☆ Acts 3:24...
Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
Samuel and every prophet since have all spoken about what is going on today.
☆ Acts 3:25...
You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in your seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Peter's further tells them... that they are the children of the Prophets (that means they should have known what the Prophets had said) and they are the children of the covenant that God made with their fathers... a covenant which said that through their seed all the people of the earth will be blessed.
The Gentiles have much to thank the Jews for... who gave us Christ...
Who blessed us with all spiritual blessings, with peace, pardon, righteousness, redemption, salvation and eternal life.
Why then is there so much animosity towards the Jew?
I mean, they have blessed us so much.
The fly in the ointment here is Satan... he's the one responsible for so much on going anti-Jewish feeling.
He hates God, he hates Christ, he hates the Jews and he hates the Christian...
☆ Acts 3:26...
Unto you first... God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to
you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
Peter goes on to explain that...
"As you are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant, the first offers of salvation belong to you, and so God made them to you.
The great mission of Jesus Christ is directed first to you, that you may be saved from your sins. God designs to bless you, but it is by turning each of you away from his iniquities.
The salvation promised in the covenant is a salvation from SIN, not from the Romans... and no man can have his sin blotted out who does not turn away (repent) from it."
Selah!