When God Moves
Acts 3:1-10
1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:1-10
At the time of the events of Acts 3:1-10, the church is still in its earliest days and the resurrected Christ was working some amazing miracles to prove His presence with the church. There are three important lessons to learn here about the way Christ works.
With Jesus there is no such thing as an ordinary day
Peter and John were doing their normal routine of an ordinary day. Each day Peter and John made their way to the Temple for prayer. I am not saying that our prayer life or any other part of our spiritual life should be just a routine. Instead, we should see it as a daily discipline in drawing closer to God. When we make the time to spend with God, he can do amazing things in and through our lives. As the events of this ordinary day unfold Peter and John head for the Temple to spend some quality time in prayer.
As Peter and John are headed for the Temple another routine was playing out as well. It was the ordinary routine of a lam0065 beggar and each new day was a new struggle. Being lame meant that this man was paralyzed. It also meant that he had no way to work or make an income to support himself. This meant that the man was forced to beg. So each day someone would help him to the area of the Temple and set him up to beg for money. This was the daily existence of a common beggar.
The beggar sees Peter and John and believes that they may be able to give him something, so he asks. Peter gives the man a favorable response; he stopped and looked at the man. If people were not going to give, they would keep on walking. At this point the man is expecting some money from Peter and John bit something far better was working in this situation. On the ordinary day when these two routines connected, something extraordinary happened.
God has a way of working surprises in things that seem ordinary or routine. He seems to do His best work through ordinary things and ordinary people. God can use anyone, anytime and anywhere to accomplish His divine plan and purpose. When the power of Christ is combined with our human effort, impossibilities vanish and the amazing begins to happen. This is good news, because God can make use of even the most ordinary situation or person for His glory.
Here are just a few examples of some of the ordinary things that God has made use of to show His divine power and grace. God used a simple staff to prove to Moses that he was indeed God. It was not by accident that it was that same staff that Moses held when the waters of the Red Sea parted. When God works, smooth stones can kill giants. Roman instruments of execution can become symbols of hope and the grave itself can be overcome.
Peter not only stops to look at the man but he begins to speak with him. Again, this would have been a good sing to the man that he was about to receive some money. However, Peter speaks and dispels the thought of money immediately. He plainly tells the man that they don’t have any money but Peter gives the man far more than he expects. Before the man can even be disappointed that he did not get any money, Peter moves into action.
Notice what Peter says: what I have I give you. What is Peter referring to here? I believe that he is making the statement to the faith that he has in Christ. Peter says: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. Now Peter could have simply left the situation there but instead he helps the man to his feet. We have to remember, that this man was crippled and could not walk. This was a bold thing to do because it was an act of absolute faith. Peter helps the man to his feet and everything changes. Lives are impacted when we act in bold faith.
As Peter helps the man to his feet, the healing power of Jesus flows and whatever was wrong is now made right. The power of Christ moves in an ordinary day to achieve extraordinary things. Our problem is that we try to do too much and rely on God too little. The sad fact is that too many churches are not experiencing what god has for them because they will not let Him work. God does only what we want Him to do in the life of the church. God has the desire to pour out His blessings upon us. We just need to get out of His way and watch Him do His work.
When the man was healed; people are amazed. The same is true today. When Christ moves in someone’s life, people can’t help but notice. When God works he gets everyone’s attention and people simply cannot ignore it. When Jesus does something, it is far greater than anything we can do on our own.
The power of the healing is not, seen in the event but in the results. When a person is healed, God is glorified. This man that was lame is now able to walk. As Peter helped the man to his feet the bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles all were made right and he was able to walk. The man was healed and restored. In many ways, he was given back his life and this was reason to rejoice. When the crowds see this man, who was just begging, celebrating in the Temple courts, they realize they have seen the work of God.
The lesson here is clear, human effort can only take us so far in life. Once we get to that point, we must rely on God for what He is able to do. Christ moves and we accomplish things far beyond our own abilities. The desire of God is to do something great in you and through you. God works in connection to our obedience. God can only move where people allow Him to do so. God moves through personal faith and active prayer.
God is able to ado anything that He pleases but He chooses to do His work through us. This only magnifies His power and reveals His divine presence. God makes the choice to accomplish the impossible through us. God is always at His best when our ability is at its least. God doesn’t need for us to have extraordinary abilities, incredible resources or amazing gifts because they just get in His way. All that God needs is a willing heart. Our part is simply to be willing to pray, seek God’s will and then be ready to listen and obey.
Why do we not experience more of the blessings of God?
We forget the manner that God moves within the church. God often works in three ways in the life of the church and in the lives of individual believers.
1.) Faith: Believing that God will make a difference
God moves where He finds faith. Faith is the key that unlocks the provision and power of God. This is true for the church and for us as individuals. God cannot work where there is no faith. The biggest hindrance to the ministry of Jesus was lack of faith in the hearts of the people. If we do not believe that God can or will make a difference, He won’t.
2.) Prayer: Asking God to make a difference
God moves where people seek Him. The greatest movements of God start with prayer. When the people of Israel were slaves in Egypt, they cried out to God and He delivered. Daniel prayed continually and was thrown into the lion’s den and he was delivered. As the church began to struggle under persecution, they sought Christ in prayer and He delivered them. When God’s people pray, God moves and does His work.
3.) Obedience: We act to help God make a difference
