A Lame Excuse To Preach The Gospel

"Many wonders and signs were done by the apostles" (Acts 1:43).

1. THE MIRACLE (vv. 1-11)

It was money for which the lame man was begging; it was healing which he received.

"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" (v. 6).

It is said that Thomas Aquinas visited the pope when large sums of money were being counted. The pope boasted, "We need no longer say with Peter, ‘Silver and gold have I none’!" Aquinas replied, "Neither can you say with Peter, ‘Rise up and walk’."

That story remind of the words of Jesus to the church at Laodicea: "Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17).

The Laodiceans were materially prosperous yet spiritually poor. Peter was materially poor yet spiritually prosperous.

This miracle of physical healing can be seen as an illustration of spiritual healing. The lame man serves as an excellent picture of the helplessness and hopelessness of the sinner whose only hope is trusting in the name of Jesus.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

"AND HE TOOK HIM BY THE RIGHT HAND, AND LIFTED HIM UP: AND IMMEDIATELY HIS FEET AND ANKLE BONES RECEIVED STRENGTH" (v. 7).

Peter did what he could do—"he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up"—then God did what Peter could not do—"immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength."

We must do what we can do; then God will do what we cannot do.

2. THE MESSAGE (vv. 12-26)

Almost as amazing as the healing of the lame man is the transformation in Peter. The same man who two months earlier had denied Jesus was now standing before some of the same crowd proclaiming Him.

Peter makes five statements about Jesus:

(1) He is exalted (v. 13);

(2) this is the same One who was delivered up by the people (v. 13);

(3) He was falsely accused (vv. 13-14);

(4) He was killed (v. 15);

(5) God raised Him from the dead (v. 15).

The resurrection was something like an ordination of Christ, when He was confirmed on earth for who He really is. Christ was "declared to be the Son of God with power . . . by the resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:4).

"REPENT YE THEREFORE, AND BE CONVERTED, THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE BLOTTED OUT" (v. 19).

Peter’s message was a message of REPENTANCE.

The gospel in always good news. But for that good new to be relevant we must present the bad news of people’s sin and warn them of its consequences.

"I, even, I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins" (Isa. 43:25).