Reading: Acts 3:1-26
Text: “Silver or Gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk… It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him” (Acts 3:6,16 NIV)
Introduction
The book of Acts takes up the history of Christianity where the Gospels leave off. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit came in a unique way and the apostles moved forward dynamically and daringly to tell the story of the risen and living Christ.
In Red Square, in Moscow, Lenin’s embalmed remains lie in a crystal casket in a tomb. An inscription on the casket reads:
“He was the greatest leader of all peoples, of all countries, of all times.
He was the lord of the new humanity.
He was the saviour of the world.”
All that Lenin did was in the past tense.
As Christians we know that the true Saviour of the world is Jesus, the living Christ.
Of course, the book of Acts tells only a few of the many wonderful events that must have occurred.
The Holy Spirit led Luke to record the visit of Peter and John to the temple, where they healed a man who had been lame from birth.
How strange Peter’s words must have sounded when he said “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have I give to thee”; but how exciting Peter’s deed when he took the man by the right hand, lifted him up, and through the power of the Holy Spirit healed him.
A double miracle occurred that day!
The man learned to walk and leap at the very moment he was healed.
A great lesson is present in this story.
We are to do “what we can - with what we have – where we are – for Jesus’ sake today” and never wait for a greater opportunity or for a time when we might have greater abilities or resources.
Money isn’t everything! Too often people think that that giving money is the only way to help a person in need. How thrilling to see a story where money is not the most important thing.
Peter said plainly, “Silver and Gold I do not have” and then proceeded to work a miracle.
The time can come in the life of a person, church or organisation when money can actually become a problem!
Thomas Aquinas, a religious leader of another generation, once visited the pope and was shown all of the treasures of the Roman Church.
The pope said to Thomas, “Well, Thomas, no longer can the church say, ‘Silver and Gold have I none.”
Thomas replied, “Yes, Holy Father, but have you ever thought that the church is in danger of also not being able to say.
‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk’?”
It is so important to keep our priorities right.
Whether we use the term talents or abilities or gifts when we speak of what we have to offer God in service, we must answer the question “What do I have to offer MY Lord?”
And another question follows closely: “Am I willing to give myself – including my talents, abilities and gifts – to be used anyway that God sees fit?”
Giving “such as we have” to our Lord unreservedly for use in the service of His kingdom.
How do we know that Jesus Christ is living in power among us?
For the Jerusalem church, the healing of the lame man signified the power of the living Christ and that He was present among them.
How about us?
Do we see lives being changed miraculously?
Are there things happening among us that amaze and fill us with wonder?
The book of Acts emphasises the reality of the living Christ in the church.
Let’s consider four lessons from Acts 3.
1. The Lesson of a crippled society and what can be done about it.
2. The Lesson of divine authority and how to use it.
3. The Lesson of a living message and its relevance for our times.
4. The Lesson of obedience and expectation.
1 The Lesson of a crippled society and what can be done about it.
Peter and John had an encounter with a lame man who had been crippled from birth.
Each day someone carried him to the gate called Beautiful.
He begged from the crowds of worshippers who passed this prominent place. This is where the man’s healing took place.
The lame man saw Peter and John approaching the gate, so he begged them for money.
Peter’s words changed that man’s life: “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6).
Peter took the man by the hand and helped him up. The man was healed instantly. He jumped to his feet and walked around the temple courts praising God.
This crippled man had been made whole.
The truth is that all of us are crippled and in need of healing.
Paul in Romans 3:23 says “All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.
Isaiah 53:6 – All are like sheep who have gone astray, we have turned, every one to their own way.
We are dead spiritually and the words of Jesus recorded in Luke 13:3 state “Unless we repent we will perish”.
Like the lame man at the gate, we are helpless and powerless, spiritually crippled without Christ.
Salvation is our most basic need.
Our Society is crippled too, with its crippled morals, marriages and relationships.
Our society is crippled by perversion.
Abortion continues to claim innocent lives.
Pornography continues to destroy homes.
Sexual sin is a way of life for millions.
People are crippled by alcohol and drug abuse.
People are crippled with negative attitudes, anger, hate, resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness.
Only Jesus Christ can bring the healing we need.
2 The Lesson of divine authority and how to use it.
Acts 3:6 says that Peter healed “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.”
Jesus promise to his disciples recorded in John 14:14 was “Whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son”.
So Peter spoke in the name of Jesus Christ.
There is power and authority in Jesus’ name!
The answer to our crippled generation is the name of Jesus Christ, not silver or gold or self-help or positive thinking.
Peter claimed this authority in Jesus name.
Jesus was given all authority in heaven and earth (Matt 28:18). He shared his power with the apostles, and according to Ephesians 1:19-23, all believers share the privilege of this authority.
All that we do should be done in the awareness of spiritual authority.
We have the authority to call people to salvation.
We have the authority to pray victoriously.
We have the authority to resist the devil and make him flee.
We have the authority to enforce Christ’s victory in life and home and church and country.
This spiritual authority is not to be taken lightly; it is to be exercised by believers who are filled with the spirit, living cleansed lives, and walking by faith.
There is power in the church when believers appropriate this authority.
3 The Lesson of a living message and its relevance for our times.
Peter explains that this miraculous healing of the crippled man was God’s work. It was the living Christ at work.
What makes this first-century message relevant to twenty-first century times?
A. The message of responsibility for Christ’s death. (Acts 3:13-14).
The Apostles declared that the crucifixion was the greatest crime in human history. The fact is, all of us are responsible for Christ’s death because He died in our place.
B. The message of the resurrection of Christ from the dead (Acts 3:15).
Without the resurrection there is no hope, no salvation, no church and no living Christ.
C. The message of the power of Christ’s presence (Acts 3:16).
This is the secret of the Christian life and the source of power in the church.
D. The message of repentance and new life (Acts 3:19).
Repentance is a forgotten message in our generation, but there is no new life without it.
Turn to God that your sins may be blotted out – the complete wiping away of your sins.
E. The message of revival from the Lord’s presence (Acts 3:19).
Times of restoration, of refreshment.
F. The message of the return of the Lord (Acts 3:21).
The message of the early church was the second coming of Jesus Christ.
His coming was always in the consciousness of the first believers.
As believers we know that He will come again, he may come in years, in days, in hours, in minuets – Are you ready for His return?
The message of the response to God’s message (Acts 3:22-26).
It is a simple message: hear and be blessed (v22) or refuse to hear and be destroyed!
Responding to Christ brings untold joy; rejecting him brings spiritual ruin.
4. The Lesson of obedience and expectation.
What are your expectations in Life?
How do you reach the place that God desires you to be in?
Would it surprise you to know that obedience is the key?
The verses we read here in the book of Acts, show that without obedience, the power of the Gospel would not have been shown, a man would still be lame, and the truth would not have been shared.
As I read this passage, one thing over and over keeps playing in my spirit. It is obedience.
And this afternoon, I want to give you four reasons from God’s Word why you should be walking in obedience to God and His Word.
i. In obedience, you allow God to provide opportunities.
Peter and John, in obedience, were where God could move in this lame man’s life.
First we see they were walking in obedience - "Now Peter and John went up together into the temple..." What would have occurred if they didn’t feel like going to church that day?
God’s power would not have been manifested,
a man would not have been healed, and a testimony would not have been shared.
But because Peter and John were obedient and went to the temple as God had commanded, they were used by God to perform a miracle.
Hebrews 10:25 states, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is..."
It is extremely sad that today many Christians neglect the simple pleasure of attending church regularly, and then are puzzled why God is not moving in their lives.
God is not moving in their lives, because in disobedience they are not allowing God to bless them.
We also see that that Peter and John were obedient in walking according to God’s timing. Look at the verse -"...at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour."
They knew it was time for church, and they knew that they should be in church.
There was a specific time set aside for worship and prayer, and Peter and John were on their way.
Sadly, when many churches hold "mid-week prayer meetings" usually that service contains the smallest crowd of the week.
God set the prayer time, and knew that in obedience Peter and John would be going to the temple at this time.
So in God’s sovereign purpose, He placed this man in their path.
If they would have possessed a careless attitude and said, "Well, we went last week, do we need to go this week?"
or "I’ll wait till the second service. It’s too early or the crowd will be smaller.", then God’s marvellous grace and mercy would not have been manifested in the lame man’s life.
ii. Unless the path of obedience is walked, you will miss the opportunities that God has placed there for you.
Verse two tells us that this man was laid daily at the gate of the temple. In order to benefit this man, Peter and John had to be at the temple.
There was no other path that they could have walked that would have caused them to come in contact with this man.
I am reminded of the parable Jesus used in Luke 10 about two men who deviated from their paths in order to not be a blessing.
That was the parable of the good Samaritan. Before he arrived on the scene, two others who were walking down the same path had a wonderful opportunity to be a blessing to a man who was beaten, robbed, and left for dead.
But we see that these men lacked compassion, changed their path, and walked by on the other side.
However, the Samaritan kept on the straight and narrow.
He refused to be disobedient, and God provided for Him an opportunity to be a blessing.
iii. In obedience, you can boldly expect God’s miraculous outpouring.
Peter and John never doubted for a moment that this man would be healed.
Their hearts were fixed on this man.
Unlike the parable of the Good Samaritan where two men crossed the street so not to be involved, Peter fastened "his eyes upon him."
He didn’t look away.
He didn’t think that his problem was too great.
He didn’t say that this was just another beggar looking for a handout.
No, Peter fixed his heart on this guy.
The lame man’s expectations were raised.
I am sure that he had seen people come and go that would not even look in his direction, or maybe laugh at him, or spit at him, or even worse.
But this time, he saw that someone was interested in him.
So the Bible states in verse five that, "...he gave heed unto them expecting to receive something of them."
Now he didn’t receive what he expected, but at least he was expecting.
It is sad that many Christians live with no expectation. They have never experienced God moving in their lives, so why should there be any expectation?
And that is exactly how Satan desires that they think. If he can keep a child of God trapped in low expectation, then he has achieved a great victory, for without a vision, the people perish.
Peter knew that he could be a blessing to this man by God’s grace. I truly believe that on many occasions God allows us to be a blessing to others.
Peter said he didn’t have money to give, but yet he "did" have something. And what he had, he gave.
Notice he didn’t ask God to do it.
He knew that God had given him the ability, through Jesus’ name, to perform the miracle.
Ezekiel 34:26 states, "And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing..."
Did He state that He was going to bless Israel?
No. He stated that He was going to "make them...a blessing."
The results were assured.
Peter never flinched.
He never doubted.
I don’t believe that He hesitated for a moment.
He told the lame man to "rise up and walk."
It would have been an absolute disaster to Peter and John if that man remained lame.
But Peter knew the results were assured.
He knew he had the compassion.
He knew that he was in obedience.
He knew he had the right source ("In the name of Jesus").
He knew that he had the ability.
The reason that many Christians doubt and fail to receive the ability to be a blessing to others is because their lives are not in obedience to Christ.
1 John 3:22 states, "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
See here the condition for being a blessing - "Because we keep… and do."
The key is obedience.
iv. In obedience, evidence of God’s power is made manifest.
We read about the healing of the lame man and his testimony in the temple.
Because two men were walking in obedience to God, this man received not only a blessing, but also a testimony.
He was a living and walking proof of God’s power in his life.
Verse nine states, "And all the people saw him walking and praising God." What a testimony!
Once again, the key is obedience.
Now, the reflection must be towards you.
Are you living in obedience to God’s Word, or are you living in low expectations because of disobedience?
You know that you can’t expect to receive anything from God if you refuse to follow Him.
I am here to tell you today that your life can be changed.
God desires not only to bless you, but to also make you a blessing for others.
You can right now begin to expect great and mighty workings of God in your life if you will right now surrender your heart to Jesus.
If you have never known Jesus as your personal Saviour, He desires to give you His wonderful grace.
If you are a child of God but have been defeated for so long because of your lack of obedience, why not make a new and total commitment to Him?
Follow His path, be obedient in all things to His Word, and watch as God transforms your life.
In conclusion
Whenever the message of salvation is preached, something happens.
The book of Acts is proof of the living Christ in the church.
The living Christ means hope for a crippled society, authority for the people of God and a message for all times.
In Ephesians 2:12 the bible states that without Christ people have “no hope” and are “without God in the world”.
They are spiritually lost, “condemned already” (John 3:18).
Not tomorrow, not next year, not at twenty-one, not at death, but now, already condemned!
People are trapped in sin. The nature of the human heart is to sin and rebel against God. Christ is the only hope!
In answer to a seeking heart, “What must I do to be saved?”
is the reply, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved”.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the saviour.
A simple truth – yet there is much confusion.
Salvation is not in a parent’s faith,
Salvation is not in religious principles,
Salvation is not in a specific church,
Salvation is not in culture,
Salvation is not in outward symbols,
Salvation is not in living a good life.
Salvation is in one person, Jesus Christ!
Jesus is God’s provision (1 Tim 1:15), God’s deed (1 Cor 15:3) and God’s gift (Rom 6:23). He is the living Saviour and Lord.
Christ is the only hope for personal salvation.
What are we to do?
How are we to respond?
We are to believe in Him!
We are to acknowledge the facts of His life, death and resurrection.
We are to trust ourselves to him in personal surrender.
Christ is the only hope.
Friends, everyone who believes in Christ and is dedicated to him has great spiritual resources.
We should find our greatest joy in sharing the Gospel with others by lip and by life.
Time, talent, tithe, and influence – all that we have belongs to God!
Christ is the only hope. Do we believe it?
Then we must proclaim it, share it and testify to it.
Apply His power and authority to your life by faith and let his Word be living and active in you.
Amen
