The Crusade At Solomon's Colonnade Series

THE CRUSADE AT SOLOMON’S COLONNADE

Acts 3:11-15

A gospel crusade is a concentrated effort to evangelize a city or region. Prior to the preaching the groundwork is laid, a large venue is rented, whole communities are invited, musicians and counselors are lined up, and churches are asked to pray. When the big day arrives, a high-profile evangelist preaches a public message or a series of messages on salvation and gives an invitation to respond. (https://www.gotquestions.org/gospel-crusade.html)

The most well-known crusades in our lifetime were those that we hosted by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Millions of people attended Billy Graham Crusades and countless souls came to faith in Christ as a result.

Our selected text chronicles what could be described as a “crusade”. As a result of the miraculous healing of a lame beggar at the Beautiful Gate a large crowd ran to Solomon’s Colonnade filled with “wonder and amazement”. When they arrived, Peter confronted them with the Gospel and in the end approximately 2,000 men came to faith in Christ.

Acts 4:4 many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

- I would like to examine this passage of scripture and preach on “The Crusade At Solomon’s Colonnade”. Let’s begin by considering:

THE OCCASION OF THIS CRUSADE

In the previous verses, Peter & John encountered a man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple complex who had been born lame. He was hoping to receive some charity from them but they had no “silver or gold”. However, they had something far better; they had access to the very Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Peter looked at this man and 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." Verse 8 says that “he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God.” This man immediately became a witness of the amazing power of Jesus Christ. All who saw him knew that a miracle had occurred. (v9 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.)

- This leads us to:

THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS CRUSADE

v9 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.

Everyone knew who this man was; He was a perennial fixture at the Beautiful Gate. Every day as the worshippers entered the Temple they saw his face and they heard his voice as he begged for alms. After he received his healing, the change in this man’s life was undeniable. God was going to use this man to teach an important lesson to the people who had been responsible for the death of Christ just a few weeks earlier.

- In the following passage, Peter confronts the crowd of amazed witnesses. He declares that it was Jesus of Nazareth who was responsible for the transformation that had taken place right before their eyes. Notice:

THE MESSAGE DELIVERED AT THIS CRUSADE

Anytime a true Gospel preacher has an audience, he will preach if given half a chance. After the miraculous healing of the lame man, Peter certainly had an audience, and he shared the Gospel with them. (v11 “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.”)

The man who had been healed held on to Peter and John and the witnesses of this miracle came running to Solomon’s portico filled with wonder and amazement. Peter took this opportunity to tell the crowd who Jesus is and what He has done. He also boldly pointed out the fact that they (the Jews) had the opportunity to receive Him, but they rejected Him; even to the point of crucifying Him. However, he went on to explain that they were not without hope, if they would repent and believe in Jesus as Messiah and surrender to Him as Lord they could be saved. What Jesus had done for the lame man physically, He would do for them spiritually if they would believe in Him.

The same is true for many people today, like the Jews they have had ample opportunity to receive Christ as Savior. They have heard the message and they have seen the evidence, yet they have made the decision to reject Him. Because of God’s mercy and grace, the opportunity for salvation remains. If they will seize the opportunity that is before them, they can be saved and receive a transformation that is even more amazing that what was experienced by the lame man.