Introduction

Good morning, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. It's a joy to be in the house of the Lord today, isn't it? There's something about the fellowship of believers, the unity of spirit, the shared love for our Savior that just fills the heart with warmth and the soul with a sense of belonging.

We're here today to open our hearts to the Word of God, to let it wash over us, to let it seep into the very marrow of our being. We're here to be nourished by the Bread of Life, to drink from the Living Water, to be refreshed and renewed in our faith.

As we prepare to turn our attention to the Scriptures, I am reminded of a quote by Charles R. Swindoll, who once said, '[God] is able to take your life, with all of the heartache, all of the pain, all of the regret, all of the missed opportunities, and use you for His glory.' Indeed, the following Jesus is not something that can only be done by blameless, perfect people. God takes us as we are and uses us to show off His glory.

And so, let us now turn our attention to the Word of God as found in Acts 3:11-16:

While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: 'Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It’s Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.'

Harnessing the Healing Power of Jesus

In the passage we just read, we see a man who was healed in the name of Jesus. This man, who had been lame from birth, was made strong and able to walk by faith in Jesus. It's a powerful testament to the healing power that is found in the name of Jesus. This power is not something that is reserved for the apostles or the early church. It's a power that is available to all who believe in Jesus, to all who put their faith in Him.

It’s not our own: Peter makes this clear when he says, 'Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?' It's not by our own strength or our own righteousness that we can heal or be healed. It's by the power of Jesus, by faith in His name. This is a humbling truth. It reminds us that we are not the ones in control. We are not the ones who have the power to change our circumstances or to fix our problems. We are dependent on Jesus, on His power and His grace. But this is also a comforting truth. Because it means that we don't have to rely on our own strength or our own abilities. We can rely on Jesus, on His strength and His power.

It’s not just about physical healing: Yes, the man in the passage was physically healed. He was able to walk for the first time in his life. But the healing power of Jesus is not limited to physical ailments. It extends to our emotional wounds, our spiritual struggles, our relational conflicts. It's a holistic healing, a healing that touches every part of our being.

Healing: We often think only of physical healing. We pray for the sick, for those who are suffering from disease or injury. And that's good. We should pray for physical healing. But we should also pray for emotional healing, for spiritual healing. We should pray for the healing of relationships, for the healing of communities, for the healing of our world. Because the healing power of Jesus is not limited to our physical bodies. It extends to every part of our lives.

It’s not something that we can earn or deserve: It's a gift, a gift that is given freely by God. We see this in the passage when Peter says, 'By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong.' It's not by works or by merit that we are healed. It's by faith, by trusting in Jesus. This is a liberating truth. It frees us from the burden of trying to earn God's favor, of trying to prove ourselves worthy of His love and His grace. It reminds us that we are loved not because of what we do, but because of who we are, because we are God's beloved children. And it invites us to receive God's gifts with open hands and grateful hearts.

It's not just for us: It's for the world. We see this in the passage when Peter says, 'It’s Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.' The healing of the man was a sign, a sign that pointed to the power and the love of Jesus. And it was a sign that was meant to be seen, to be witnessed by all.

A challenging truth: It calls us to be witnesses, to share the good news of Jesus with others. It calls us to be instruments of God's healing in the world, to bring His love and His grace to those who are hurting, to those who are in need. But it's also an empowering truth. Because it reminds us that we are not alone in this task. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are equipped with the gifts and the resources we need to be effective witnesses for Jesus.

Highlighting God's Work Through Us

As we continue to reflect on the passage from Acts, we find ourselves drawn to the way Peter and John handle the astonishment of the crowd ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO