What is the biggest life change you have ever experienced?
All of us go through life changes. Some changes come and go without much notice, but sometimes these changes completely alter the course of our destiny in life.
Think of crisis events in the lives of people you know and love. Physical crisis points such as serious illness or death; birth of a handicapped child; moral failure such as adultery or suffering through a divorce, even economic crisis points like the Enron bankruptcy where so many people lost all that they had saved to retire on… These kinds of life changes challenge us deeply and reveal the very core of our character and value systems.
But there are also sudden changes that are positive that happen to people: a sudden windfall through an inheritance, or discovery of a hidden treasure; or a great job opportunity, or as in our study today, an unexpected deliverance from some life long difficulty.
Some great changes in life are hard to put a price on, aren’t they? How much money is your eyesight or the ability to walk worth to you? To lose or gain such things is impossible to measure with silver or gold. We need to remember that when we think of our relationship with God and the benefits of being a member of his family.
In Acts 3 we meet a man who had been lame since he was born. He probably never played sports. Imagine what growing up was like for him. Imagine what it was like for his parents. His daily schedule consisted of being carried to the temple where he sat and begged for help from those that came to pray. He became a fixture there. The people even began to know his face. I wonder what they thought of him. Some probably were regular contributors, and others may have avoided him completely. Beggars are not a very sightly bunch. And think of the contrast here. What is the name of this gate where he sits each day? The Bible tells us that this is the Beautiful Gate.
Interesting.
Why put him there at the temple? Why not on the steps of the First National Bank? Or in front of the local Hospital? Or in the market place? The answer is obvious, of course. The Jewish religion taught the people to be generous toward the poor and needy, (God’s word taught them this), and what better place to find a handout, than on the steps of the place where the people of God go to pray.
And here it is, three o’clock, time for afternoon prayers. There he sits. In come the faithful. It’s just another day like all the other days. The crowds are coming up the stairs and the lame beggar is begging for them to give him a few coins so he can have what he needs to see another day and do it all over again like he has done day after day after day for years. But this day there will be a major change. It was the kind of change that only happens when broken humanity and the power of God come together.
Peter and John are among those going up to the temple at this hour of prayer. The Bible specifically says in verse 3 that the beggar saw them and began asking them for charity. How do you feel when someone asks you for help like this? We get people who come by here asking for help all the time. We get calls from people who are just going through the yellow pages calling all churches. Some of them are really good at it. It is hard to distinguish the truly needy from those that abuse the system, if you know what I mean. But it is fun to help people. There is something fulfilling about it even when it is temporary. I once saw an older fellow looking in the garbage can outside of McDonalds and I asked him, “Are you hungry?” He looked at me funny like and in a humble way just said, “Yeah.” I asked him to come in with me and took him through the line and told him, “Order anything you want.” He did and I sat with him a minute and told him God loved him and I hoped he would think about that. He couldn’t read so a tract was useless. I just tried to encourage him to go to church and seek the Lord. Who knows?
This man in Acts 3 was an established beggar with his own place of begging. He was known by those that frequented the place and his condition was as real as his need. He asked the right people for help that day.
Peter and John both looked at him. He’d seen that look before. It meant he was about to get something. You could always tell the ones who will help from the ones that won’t. The ones that help look at you. Others look away. These guys were looking intently. The beggars eyes drop. He’s not supposed to stare back. Peter says, “Look at us!” Yeah, this was good, they were going to help for sure! You can just see this beggar looking up, holding his hands up toward Peter and John at this point. But what happens next was the last thing he expected.
Peter starts with the bad news. I don’t have any silver or gold… then comes the really good news, but what I have, I will give to you. Then Peter says the most unexpected words this man ever heard. “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!”
Notice, Peter didn’t wait for him to get up himself. He grabs the lame beggar by the hand and lifts. Immediately this lame beggars feet and ankles are strong. His legs are working for the first time! He flies up off the stairs and begins his first dance of praise. We just have to excuse the guy. He hasn’t been taught better yet. This little leaping lame man draws quite a crowd! Folks see him jumping and walking and praising God and they come running to see the spectacle. The Bible doesn’t record any of his words, but his actions are speaking louder than his words anyway.
What a life changing experience! He gives credit where it belongs and becomes exhibit A for the sermon of Peter that follows. What happened to him illustrates the mighty hand of God. His healing has powerful repercussions. The impact if this undeniable miracle will be felt not just among people who will believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, but it will also stir enmity among those who refuse to believe and want to silence it.
But just look at this! Peter and John have met a well known beggar and healed him in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Please pay attention here! The healing and the name of Jesus of Nazareth are woven together here. Peter is about to take advantage of this God given opportunity to proclaim his testimony about Jesus Christ again. He and John stand together and as the people all run to see what has happened to this lame man, Peter interrupts the prayer service to preach.
12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?
13 "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered up, and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.
14 "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15 but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.
16 "And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.
17 "And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.
18 "But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
19 "Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you,
21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.
22 "Moses said, ’THE LORD GOD SHALL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED in everything He says to you.
23 ’And it shall be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
24 "And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days.
25 "It is you who are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ’AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’
26 "For you first, God raised up His Servant, and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."
What does this sermon say about God? Notice first: This is the God of the great patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Modern scholars deny that these men existed. The gospel of Christ verifies them as historical figures and as part of God’s plan for redeeming man. These Jews certainly believed they existed. Their very identity as a people is rooted in these men and the God they served.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the one that glorified Jesus, the one they rejected and had killed. God sent and affirmed Jesus to them. In fact, after they killed Jesus, God raised him from the dead. In fact, God announced beforehand that this is what would happen. In fact, He fulfilled what he announced. This was part of the promise given to Abraham that in his seed, all nations would be blessed. God raised Jesus and sent him to bless you by turning you from your wicked ways!
This is all a work of God for your benefit.
Next, notice what this says about Jesus. This if full of titles for him:
God’s Servant
The Holy and Righteous One
The Prince of Life who was killed but whom God raised from the dead
Jesus, the name that brings faith with power to heal and save
His Christ who must suffer
Jesus, the Christ, whom heaven must receive until the time of restoration of all things
The Prophet like Moses whom God raised up
The seed of Abraham
The resurrected Servant, sent to save
Finally, notice what this says about the listeners.
They rejected and had God’s servant put to death, even when Pilate wanted to release him
They disowned the holy and righteous one and asked for a murderer instead
They put to death the prince of life
They acted in ignorance as did their rulers
They must repent and return to God by accepting Jesus as the one appointed for them
They must accept Jesus as the Prophet like Moses
They must accept Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophets
and Jesus as the promised seed of Abraham
Through Jesus they must turn from their wicked ways
The message is all about Jesus and their relationship with God through him. The point is clear: You rejected him the first time, don’t blow it now! He’s back! The Old Testament recorded God’s plan, and you did exactly what he said. Now, God has raised Jesus and placed a decision before you… obey the resurrected Jesus Christ!
God knows that some will see Jesus and accept him. Others will reject Jesus and be condemned. God’s plan for salvation is very simple. It all depends on what you do with Jesus.
Better than Silver or Gold
Acts 3
What are some major life changes you have experienced? (Good and bad)
How have these affected the direction of your life?
Consider the crippled man in Acts 3…
Where do we meet him? Why is he there? What are his hopes based on?
This man can set his clock by the major change that turned everything around for him!
It was at prayer time! He was at the right place at the right time doing the right thing when he met the right people!
How did God work in this life change to bring many souls to Christ? Can he do that again?
The Sermon:
12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?
13 "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered up, and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.
14 "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15 but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.
16 "And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.
17 "And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.
18 "But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
19 "Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you,
21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.
22 "Moses said, ’THE LORD GOD SHALL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED in everything He says to you.
23 ’And it shall be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
24 "And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days.
25 "It is you who are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ’AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’
26 "For you first, God raised up His Servant, and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."
What does this say about God?
What does this say about Jesus?
What does this say about the listeners?
