Another Miracle

Another Miracle

Acts 3:1-11

Jeff Hughes – February 23, 2003

Calvary Chapel Aggieland

I. Introduction

a. Today, we are going to look at the life of a man that was radically changed by the power of God. We will look at his faith and his reaction to Jesus.

b. This was a man that was paralyzed. He had never known what it was to walk. What he had known was a life of dependence on others and suffering. There were no work programs for handicapped people in the ancient Middle East. The government didn’t send him a check every month. The paralyzed man also carried the cultural stigma that went along with his condition, which was a heavy burden to carry.

c. This man’s day consisted of being carried to a place daily to beg for money so that he could help in some tangible way with his upkeep. This was a man that lived by faith. Faith of the goodness of God to move on others hearts to help him.

d. Before this day, that help had always come in the form of copper or silver coins, but if someone was really generous to him, he might get gold ones.

e. That would all change this day. His life was going to change forever. God did move on someone’s heart to help him, but what he received that day was far more valuable than gold.

f. Pretty exciting story, to say the least. Our story comes out of Acts chapter 3, verses 1 through 11.

g. But first, let’s pause for a moment of prayer, and let’s ask the Lord to come and bless our study in His Word today.

II. PRAYER

III. Illustration

a. Some years ago the Canadian Medical Association reported the strange case of Jack Traynor. Jack was an Englishman who fought in the trenches of World War I. Twice he was shot: one bullet severed the nerves and tendons in his right arm; the other put a hole in his skull. Jack was alive, but his arm was useless and his brain was damaged. He couldn’t walk, and he had constant epileptic seizures. His right arm hung paralyzed. Doctors stopped treating him and predicted his death in a very short while. The Ministry of Pensions gave him a total disability.

b. That was in 1920. One morning in 1923, Jack suddenly jumped up out of bed. He washed and shaved, dressed himself, and walked out the door on his own!

c. “It’s not possible!” the doctors said. But Jack just carried right on: he set up a business for himself, he got married, he fathered two children, and he lived a normal life for another 20 years! The Ministry of Pensions kept sending his disability checks. No one in Jack’s condition could ever recover! They said. But Jack didn’t complain! It was like he was reborn. Just when everybody had given up on him, he got another chance at life!

d. You know, when you think about it, it’s not only our abilities that God wants, our inabilities also. An invalid was told that she could never escape from her prison of pain and weakness. “Oh, well,” she replied, “there’s a lot of living to be found within your limitations, if you don’t wear yourself out fighting them.” “Young lady,” the doctor replied, “I wish I could have you preach to about a hundred of my patients a year.” Helen Keller once said, “Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them, but do not let them master you.”

e. We are going to look at a man who was doing all he could when he was met by God. Let’s jump into our study.

f. As I said earlier, our study today comes out of Acts chapter 1, starting in verse 1. Acts is just past John in the New Testament and before Romans. If you need a Bible, just raise your hand, and we will get one to you. Follow along with me starting at verse 1.

IV. Study

a. Intro

i. 1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 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 from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter 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." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 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.