Peter literally pulls the man up from the ground.
This man who has never walked a day in his life is up on his feet. Peter reaches out and grabs the man’s hand - the Greek says, “seizes” the man’s hand; Peter suddenly grabs this man’s hand and yanks him up into the air. Imagine, this limp figure of a man being forcibly pulled up by Peter into the standing position.
Literally the text says, “Peter raises up the man.” What does that remind you of? What we have here is nothing other than the power of the resurrection. It is the power of the resurrected Christ manifest in the church.
Jesus crucified, dead, buried...rises from the dead, Jesus rises to new life. This man, at the temple gate, restricted from the time of his birth from living a normal life,...rises from the ground - and THEN his feet are healed.
Did you notice that when we read the Scripture this morning?
See look at verse, 7 “Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.”
Nothing happens until the man is on his feet. Nothing happens until the man is on his feet. The man lay at the gate for 40 years and nothing happened.
Nadda. Zero. Zip.
Then one day a man seizes his hand, pulls him into the air….and then, he becomes strong. 40 years, nothing; 40 years and one moment later, he is risen to new life.
Some people say, “You attempt little things and so you succeed in little things.” Some people say, “The reason life is not coming together is that you are not trying hard enough.” Some people say, “Reach for success, and you will have success.”
But is that what we see here in this passage? Is this man who lay at the gate reaching for success?
You’ve got to be kidding, this man expects a few pennies at best. He isn’t looking to make it big, he is just hoping to make it through another day with the little dignity he has left. Look what Peter says in verse 6 “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” This is not inspirational talk, this is not motivational therapy; This is not rah rah rah you can do it.
No. This is how God works. This is how God worked over 2000 years ago, and this is how God works today. Pay close attention to what is really going on in this passage, if you do, it will tell you volumes about your life with God.
The man is not healed until he is standing.
God helps those who help themselves? Phooey, that’s a bunch of baloney. Don’t believe it, the bible doesn’t say that anywhere. Do you know what is going on here? God has mercy on this man at the right time and at the right place...see, as we have seen since chapter one, the book of Acts is all about Jesus Christ - this man is healed, not because of who he is, or what he has done, this man is healed because of who Jesus Christ is. This man is healed because his healing will bring glory and honor to the person of Jesus Christ. Sure the man will benefit from this healing, but that is secondary, what is primary is that the name of Jesus is now associated with awesome power.
God has mercy on this man, and God, in his time, will have mercy upon you also, but it is not because of who you are, or what you have done, or what you haven’t done; It is not about this or that in your life - it is all about Jesus, the power of Jesus, the dominion of Jesus, the love of Jesus, the person of Jesus.
Now hang on and listen to this: In the kingdom of God, the last shall be first and the first shall be last. In this story, who is the person who starts off in last place? And in this story who is the person who ends up in first place? The beggar at the gate. I told you on our first day in the book of Acts that we would see this truth again and again. Figure this out in your life, how do I find my way to the last place in line - because THAT is the only way I will be first in the kingdom of God.
A few weeks ago here in this congregation, Bob Graham, stood up and announced that by the power of prayer in the name of Jesus his hearing was restored. Bob Graham’s ears have been healed by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise God. The Lord had great mercy upon Bob Graham. Its fantastic. Was Bob healed because he is such a great guy? No. Was Bob healed because he finally accomplished something God wanted him to accomplish? No. Was Bob Graham healed because he drives a convertible here in Alaska? No. Driving a convertible in Alaska is just as a dumb a reason for God to heal Bob as ANY other reason, that is, except one.
There is one primary reason that Bob Graham was healed and it is the exact same reason the man in this story was healed over 2000 years ago. God works the same way today that He did 2000 years ago. God doesn’t change. God had mercy on Bob so he could show his awesome power, and so glory and honor would be given to the name of Jesus Christ. Bob’s healing wasn’t about Bob, Bob’s healing was about Jesus Christ.
Let me ask you this: This healing for Bob is very, very real. Do you think that Bob is convinced more than he ever was, that Jesus Christ is real, that Jesus Christ is powerful…..and that Jesus Christ loves him dearly - and nothing, I mean nothing, will convince him otherwise? You bet Bob is convinced, ask him. He will answer you without hesitation, Jesus is Lord.
Who has power, authority and dominion 2000 years ago? Jesus Christ. Who has power, authority and dominion today? Jesus Christ
So, what is the real healing here, Bob’s ears….or Bob’s faith?
How would you like to have that in your life too? How would you like to have absolute without a doubt faith like that?……..
The man must stand before he is healed.
But, how can the man be healed, if he cannot stand?
He must stand before he is healed, but he cannot stand, so how can he be healed?
Let’s look closely at our Scripture and see how God works.
When we look at our text today we see in chapter 2, verse 42 to the end of the chapter life in the church before the healing of the beggar at the temple and after the beggar is healed - well, all hell breaks loose. This story of the beggar is a pivotal point in the life of the church. Life will never be the same for the man after this incident, and life will never be the same for the church after his incident.
This section of Scripture in the end of chapter two isn’t a quick look at the perfect church. It isn’t a quick look at what could happen if we all got along. Look, the church is harmless to the world at large at this point in its existence. Everyone in the church is helping each other out, they share and share alike. They eat in each others homes, they enjoy the favor of everyone. Life is one big picnic.
See, at this point, the Apostles and the other followers of Jesus are operating like good Jews. They live life like they always have, except now they know that Jesus is the promised messiah. To those in town observing the new church, it was just a bunch of friendly Jews who get along very well with each other and everyone else, what’s not to like? They look like good Jews, they talk like good Jews, they act like good Jews - in fact Peter and John are on their way to prayer at the Temple, just like any good Jew. So, more and more people are becoming Christian, what’s the downside?
Then one day Peter and John are going up to the Temple….and everything changes.
The temple they enter was built be Herod and is a series of outer courts leading into the most inner court - the holy of holies. Here in verse 2 we see that John and Peter are at the Beautiful Gate. This means they have passed the main entrance to the temple walked through the first outer court, known as the gentile court, and they were now entering the next court, the woman’s court - called such, as this was a far as women were allowed to go. Here they would pass through the gate known as the beautiful gate is named the Nicanor gate in the Mishnah.
This is a huge entrance called the Beautiful Gate was overlaid in bronze, and was so well crafted that it was considered far greater than other gates covered in silver or gold, and so it was called the Beautiful Gate. It was about 75’ high, and 60 ‘ wide. This court (the woman’s court) that the gate led into also contained the treasury of the temple. Beyond the court they were entering was the men’s court, called the court of Israel, only men could enter that next court. Beyond this was the court of priests, which only priests could enter and at the West end of this innermost court stood two most inner compartments: The holy place and the holy of holies.
There were two principal daily services at the Temple and these services accompanied the morning and evening sacrifices. Peter and John are heading to the service that accompanies the evening sacrifice which started at about 3:00 in the afternoon.
The beggar has the prime place in the city to receive cash. See, the gate he sits at is not only the entrance to the woman’s court, but it is also the entrance to the Temple treasury. Men and women would be entering here not only to worship, but also to give money to the Temple. It is here at this point, as these men and women enter the gate that they have a heart of generosity - they are giving to the Temple, why not throw a few coins at the less fortunate. By placing himself at this particular place in the Temple the beggar reveals exactly what his motives are, he wants money.
He doesn’t want advice, sympathy, prayer, or friendship - he wants cash.
This man is looking for money, but that is not the answer he needs. If Peter gave him money his life would have stayed the same. If Peter would have given him millions of dollars - his life wouldn’t change, they way it needed to change. He still wouldn’t be able to walk. What the man is looking for is not what he needs. But, we can’t blame him really. What this man needs, he cannot get. There is nothing he can do to make his life circumstances change. The man was lame from birth, so in ancient Israel, he was considered cursed.
Apparently the man wasn’t even looking at those who passe by, he was just holding his hand out. The man had been there for 40 years, he must be bored out of his mind, so he just hold out his hand and sees what will fill it. It is like he has dropped his line and is trolling hoping to attract the attention of a big fish.
Since he has been there for 40 years, not only is the man bored out of his mind but that also means he had seen Jesus - That means Jesus walked by this man, perhaps Jesus walked by this man hundreds of times, perhaps thousands. Yet Jesus never healed the man. It is highly likely that this man heard Jesus teach, saw Jesus heal others and this man may have even spoken with Jesus. All those times Jesus walks by, all those times Jesus is right there, all those times and Jesus did not heal him.
Jesus was able to heal him, but he did not, Jesus was available to heal him, but he did not. Why? We could speculate all day about this and that, but by this point you should know the answer, we have already seen the answer, the answer is twofold; First the man is healed at this particular time and this particular place, and no other time and place, because it is about Jesus Christ - the healing is not primarily about the man, it is primarily about Jesus; Second this man is in last place in his life and will be entering into the kingdom of God in a few moments, where things are turned upside down and the last shall be first.
The man is healed at this point to show the power, dominion and authority of Jesus Christ.
Is God cruel and inhumane to have the man suffer for 40 years?
Stop right there.
How small is your thinking, how small is your world? Is it all about you? Because as a Christian, your life is not about you - it is about Jesus Christ.
What is a better thing? That this man has a wonderful pain free life? Or, that this man will in a moment’s time obtain a faith greater than a faith you could only hope to imagine in your life? What is greater, the life of this man or Jesus Christ Lord and master?
What is more important the here and now or the then and there?……
Are you mad at God for something that has, or has not happened in your life? Maybe you are angry because you believe that your life is all about you? What if, what if...this thing in your life…this thing you are so angry about, is not about you?
Remember, the man is not healed until he is standing.
So when Peter and John walk by the man they don’t have money. Truth is, they could have found money. Truth is, surely someone in the church would have given the Apostles money if they only had asked. These men, Peter and John, they don’t care about money they have greater things to be concerned about.
See there in verse 4 Peter tells the man to look at the Apostles. When Peter says. “look at us,” it is in the context of - do you recognize us, do you see that we are the Disciples of Jesus? Certainly this man knows who Jesus is, and as we saw earlier he may have even spoken with Jesus. Peter says this, “look at us” so the man knows that what is about to happen is not about who Peter and John are, but is solely about who Jesus is.
Verse 6, Peter says, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.” In the Greek text we see that Peter says literally, “money and gold I do not possess.” These guys are probably moneyless at this point, Judas Iscariot took all their money. But, notice, Peter and John are not broke but are rich beyond belief.
Thomas Aquinas was said to have called upon Pope Innocent the Second who was counting a large sum of money. “You see,” said Innocent the Second as he counted the coins, “The Church can no longer say silver and gold have I none.” “True holy father was Thomas Aquinas’ reply, “neither can she say arise and walk.”
The beggar. What effort does this he make in all this? Basically, nothing, he doesn’t even look at people passing by. He just holds his hand out. Now in the past he has relied only on his own resourcefulness, he has done what he could to get by, but should we blame him? Should we call him lazy? Should we all him weak? He knows who Jesus is, why hasn’t this man stepped up and believed on his own? Look, the man finds himself in difficult circumstances - but again, this is not about the man, is it? So how he got where he is or why he got where he is is irrelevant - it is irrelevant in his life, and it is irrelevant in your life as well.
God’s timing in our lives, is, God’s timing. God’s timing wasn’t depended upon the man, and God’s timing does not depend upon us, God’s timing depends upon….God’s timing. This is a divine appointment, established from the time of the creation of the world. God does this at this time and place because that is what God wanted to do.
This man who is last in the minds of everyone he has every encountered, now this man will receive more than he has ever imagined - this man will not only be healed, this man will prove to the entire city of Jerusalem that Jesus Christ is real, Jesus Christ is powerful, Jesus Christ is in fact alive….this man will show Jesus is the promised Messiah….and people will be amazed….and people will feel threatened.
This man, this beggar, does not make much effort, this man has no clue what a key figure in history he is. This man does not make much effort, but then again, he doesn’t resist either. He does not resist, ridicule or analyze, he allows the Holy Spirit to do what the Holy Spirit will in his life.
Do you see that? You might find that a bit surprising.
Have you been thinking that you have to do this or that for God to powerfully enter into your life? Have you been thinking that you have to accomplish this or that for God to powerfully act in your life?
Hold on, reverse that thinking.
What happens here? What does the Scripture say? How does God really act in our lives?
HERE, right here in this Scripture we see that it is more about what the man doesn’t do, than about what he does do. The man does not, the man does not, resist the Holy Spirit.
This is important. This is the spiritual key to this section of Scripture. It is a bit hidden, but do you see it? The man does not resist the action of the Holy Spirit. See that? If you don’t remember anything else, remember this: The man does not resist the Holy Spirit.
Apply this key to your life. Don’t ask yourself what more could I do? Ask your self this: In what way am I resisting the Holy Spirit in my life?
This man’s life is changed, because he does not resist the Holy Spirit. It is not about what he does. It is not about who he is. It is about Jesus Christ - and this man does not resist the power of Jesus Christ.
At this point we need to point out that God gives the man, what he is NOT seeking. This man expects pennies and hopes for a few quarters. This man is not asking for healing, this man is not asking to become start of an explosive time for the Church, this man is not asking for a new life - this man only wants a few coins. Perhaps at some point in his life the man had prayed to be healed. But now, at this point, this man doesn’t want anything but cold hard cash.
Don’t you find that strange? God gives this man, not what he desires, not what he hopes for and not what he expects. It is almost as if God defies his prayers…...
What are you asking from God? God may deliver something completely different, because the solution you are seeking probably isn’t the solution you need. Perhaps the answer you are seeking will only lead to the furthering of yourself, when as a Christian, the answer should be….a furthering of the Lord Jesus Christ.
e¶geirai kai« peripa¿tei. “Get up and walk.” Peter just grabs the man and pulls him up. “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
Now the man can’t walk. The man can’t stand. The man cannot make any effort to accomplish what needs to be accomplished. It is ALL given to him. All he had to do, was not resist the Holy Spirit.
It is significant that the man is healed after he stands. Why? Because the man couldn’t stand.
Do you see what is happening here? Do you get it?
Are you seeing how God works?
The man didn’t know what he needed.
The man was seeking other things.
The man couldn’t do what he had to do.
The man didn’t even know what he needed to do.
And yet, he is healed.
Was it the man’s power?
Was it the man’s effort?
Was it the man’s perfect life?
Was it Peter’s power?
Was it Peter’s awesome presence?
Was it the power of positive thinking?
Look. It is very simple, yet very profound. The man does not resist the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter does not resist the power of the Holy Spirit.
He rises. His feet are strengthened, his ankles are strengthened.
Hold on. What really happens here?
Everyone knew the man was not faking it. This was more than a marvel - it as a sign, and here at this turning point, there will be a tremendous amount of fallout from this healing. This whole incident is designed to supply public confirmation of the authority of Jesus.
See two things happen here. First, it is primarily about Jesus. Everyone knows that this man was unable to walk. Everyone knows that this man should not be walking. Everyone also knows this: That the ONLY reason this man is walking is because of the power of the risen Christ. This man Jesus, whom they all thought was dead and gone has done the impossible. The power of Jesus is very real and very powerful. Jesus is very real and very powerful.
These people must now decide, do they resist Jesus Christ or do they join Jesus Christ?
Second the man. You may think this was about healing the man, and if you do, then you certainly haven’t been paying attention. Yes, the man is healed, and how cool is that? Truly so many things he dreamed of his whole life will now come to pass - real employment, walking, running, climbing rocks and hills, freely going where he will, even marriage and a family are now an option - all these things he was denied in by either his physical condition or by his culture….but what is really happening to this man?
This healing, no matter how powerful it is, will in time fade, for in time the man will grow old, in time the man will grow weak, and in time the man will die. That’s how life is. So this isn’t so much about the healing is it?
What truly happens is that a man who by all accounts is at the bottom of ladder of importance, success and prominence is suddenly over, above and beyond all the religious leaders of his day; What truly happens is that a man who has no clue of what he really needs, and is unable to make even an effort to fulfill what he needs, is not only healed, but he receives a faith that cannot be denied.
Why? He did not resist the Holy Spirit.
He did not resist the Holy Spirit.
