The Healing of the man born lame
Acts Chapter Three
Acts # 04
I. The Power: 3:1-11
A. Peter and John where still attending the temple and keeping Jewish customs. This shows us that at this point in time the Gospel was still being offered to the Jews primarily.
B. The crippled man is an illustration of a lost sinner.
1. Born lame. All people are born sinners.
2. He could not walk. No sinner can walk as to please God. (Works are not good enough without salvation)
3. He was out side the temple. This is the place where God is. Today sinners are outside the church.
4. He was begging: Every sinner is a beggar searching for satisfaction.
C. The healed man is an example for all Christians.
1. He entered into worship. People who get saved need to find a local body of believers to worship with.
2. He was not ashamed of what Christ done for him.
3. His walk and life was different.
4. He did not run from persecution.
5. He had a testimony that no one could explain.
NOTE: “Peter preformed this miracle, not only to relieve the man’s handicap and to save his soul, but to also prove to the Jews that the Holy Spirit had come with promised blessings
See Isaiah 35:1-6
Isaiah her promises the Jews that Israel would enjoy such miracles when their Messiah was received.
II. The Preaching: 3:12-26
A. Peter presents the gospel to them.
1. Men of Israel
2. Preaches Christ
3. Accuses them of denying Christ
NOTE: This is just what Peter did. He denied Christ three times but when he repented he was restored.
John 21 and he was also able to put his failure behind him.
Romans 8:32-34 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
B. God continues to give chances to be saved.
Acts 3:17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
Acts 3:17 “Brothers and sisters, I know you did those things to Jesus because neither you nor your leaders understood what you were doing. (NCV)
This is just what Jesus did:
Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing.” The soldiers threw lots to decide who would get his clothes.
C. Look at the promises given if they, The nation repented. 3:19-20
1. Blot out there sins
Isaiah 43:25“I, I am the One who forgives all your sins, for my sake; I will not remember your sins.
Isaiah 44:22-23I have swept away your sins like a big cloud; I have removed your sins like a cloud that disappears into the air. Come back to me because I saved you.” Skies, sing for joy because the Lord did great things! Earth, shout for joy, even in your deepest parts! Sing, you mountains, with thanks to God. Sing, too, you trees in the forest! The Lord saved the people of Jacob! He showed his glory when he saved Israel.
2. Send Christ to them.
3. Give them times of Refreshing.
Jeremiah 23:5 The days are coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a good branch in David’s family. He will be a king who will rule in a wise way; he will do what is fair and right in the land.
Micah 4:3 The Lord will judge many nations; he will make decisions about strong nations that are far away. They will hammer their swords into plow blades and their spears into hooks for trimming trees. Nations will no longer raise swords against other nations; they will not train for war anymore.
“Wiersbe writes “Peter is not describing individual salvation here, but the blessing that would come to the nation if they would but repent and believe. Of course, national salvation depends on personal faith.”
III. The Persecution:
This persecution came from the religious leaders of the day. The Pharisees were the Fundamentalists of the day and Jesus called them a bunch of Hypocrites and the Sadducees were the liberals and did not believe in the resurrection of the dead so the resurrection of Jesus made them mad. The only thing that these two groups ever agreed on is killing Jesus and trying to stop His message.
Lessons:
1. God is patient he continues to give chances for salvation.
2. The crippled was healed by grace (he did not deserve it) through faith. This is the only way a sinner can be saved.
3. When God forgive sin He forgets it. No one could bring that sin to Peter’s attention again.
4. Peter uses scripture to prove his point. Don’t argue ideals or traditions take them to scripture. People are not won by clever arguments, but by the convicting power of the Word of God.
Hebrews 4:12 God’s word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. (NCV)
5. The man who was healed was exhibit A at the trail. A saved sinner with a new joy and a new walk is the best proof that the Bible is true and Christ is able to save.
Romans 6:1-6
6. Christians who are faithful should expect persecution.
7. Ignorance will not keep a person out of hell, although it will make a difference in the degree of punishment that is melted out to him or her. Once a person knows the truth, he or she is given added punishment if he or she does nothing about it.
